For many testing programs, the recruitment and retention of SMEs in these roles has become a significant challenge for their organization. Busy professionals do not have the time or inclination to volunteer hours to assist with the assessment. Industry standards, such as the NCCA Standards, also have specific requirements for the recruitment of SMEs and policies for assigning SMEs to panels that many credentialing organizations need to follow.

This session will focus on some of the recruitment strategies and SMEs policies that organizations have adopted in their efforts to better engage with SMEs from their community. The session will be organized as a discussion panel, with the a lead facilitator and three additional panelists. All of the individuals involved with the panel have extensive experience across both education and credentialing sectors.

Some of the specific topics that will be addressed include:
• What recruitment strategies have been most effective in targeting SMEs from your overall population?
• Has their organization adopted any changes to their policies for the recruitment and retention of SMEs that has aided their use of SMEs?
• What standards or policies should assessment organizations be aware of when they consider when/how they should engage with SMEs?