Introducing CAScats

Dear CAS users,

On behalf of the entire Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), we are excited to share some great news! Today we launch an initiative that has been months in the making. This announcement marks a departure from our previous purpose and old way of doing things, and it is an important step for our association toward remaining a visionary leader for the future. This is the beginning of an important era for CAS, and we are pleased to have you join us.

In recent years, CAS has observed an important shift in the development and focus of our students, staff, and faculty. Through significant research and careful analysis of many of our campuses, we have seen our constituents moving in a new direction. Undoubtedly influenced by trends in social media and the advent of new ways of disseminating information, we now know that there is now a singular and defining purpose for many of us -- and that is CATS.

In the coming weeks you will see a complete rebranding of CAS to focus on this new purr-pose. This process begins with a name change, and starting today we will be known as the Council for the Advancement of Standards of Cats (CAScats). We're clawing our way through a quick revision of the CAS Professional Standards (9 Lives edition) publication and leaping toward the release of important new sets of standards to groom users in their processes, including the following:

- Feline Learning and Educational Advising Services (FLEAS)
- Pounce and Wag Services (PAWS)
- Cat Adoption, Training, Nature, and Incentive Programs (CATNIP)
- Spay and Neuter Information, Programs, and Services (SNIPS)

To help our users pounce on this new path for CAScats, we are also premiering the Kitties-in-Training Network (KITN). This online forum litter-ally will be your first stop for all questions regarding CAScats standards and guidelines, self-assessments, and learning tools. We expect this will help you scratch the surface on raising your standards.

If you have any questions about our new initiatives, please contact any of our Community Advocates for Transmission of Pictures and Internet Contents (CATPICs) - their names are listed below.

Sincerely,
Meowybeth Drechsler Sharp, Ph.D.
Executive Director, CAScats

Debpurrah A. Garrett, Ed.D.
President, CAScats

Kitty Kruchen
CAS Kitt-intern

Lindsey L. Tabbyton
CAS Kitt-intern

Noah Fluffy-Purrwish
CAS Kitt-intern