The Evolution of the National Association of Colleges and Employers

1940 Pennsylvania Association of School and College Placement is formed and publishes new magazine, School and College Placement, to open a communications channel between placement officials and recruiters.

1952 School and College Placement becomes the Journal of College Placement with content focused on activities between college placement officers and recruiters.

1953 The Association of School and College Placement changes its name to the College Placement Publications Council.

1955 Regional associations discuss forming a national advisory council to disseminate information through the Journal of College Placement.

1956 Robert F. Herrick, director of public relations at Lehigh University, is named named Managing Editor of the Journal of College Placement and the office moves from Philadelphia to Bethlehem. The constitution for the new coordinating organization is approved unanimously in June by the regional associations and the name College Placement Publications Council (CPPC) is retained. CPPC is incorporated in November. Everett A. Teal, Lehigh University placement director, is named president.

1957 Regional representatives draft constitution. Association name changed from College Placement Publications Council to College Placement Council, Inc. (CPC). "Principles and Practices of College Recruiting" is released.

1958 CPC publishes first College Placement Annual with employment opportunities for college graduates.

1959 Salary Survey is issued for the first time with offers to male, bachelor-degree candidates.

1963 Equal Pay Act (EPA) prohibits unequal pay for males and females with equal skills, effort, and responsibility working under similar working conditions.

1964 Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and establishes the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

1965 CPC, with a grant from the Ford Foundation, creates the College Placement Services, Inc., to initiate and upgrade career services for graduates of HBCUs. "Where Do I Go from Here"—a film created to help directors encourage undergraduates to use the placement office—is released. The film is narrated by Chet Huntley of NBC News.

1967 CPC establishes the CPC Foundation to conduct research and educational projects related to the employment of college graduates.

1968 Salary Survey includes a separate report on offers to women.

1969 CPC creates new electronic data processing system, the Graduate Resume Accumulation and Distribution (GRAD), to improve alumni placement.

1970 First Job Outlook reports on the job market for the Class of 1971.

1972 CPC offers organizational memberships to colleges and employers. Membership numbers 1,456 by June 30, 1973.

1972 Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibits discrimination based on gender, including in employment, in educational institutions.

1973 The Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits the federal government and federal contractors from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities and requires these employers to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees.

1974 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, protects the privacy of students from the indiscriminate collection, maintenance, and disclosure (release) of personally identifiable student information. The law gives students the right to inspect their educational records and prohibits educational institutions from disclosing a student's record without the student's consent.

1975 CPC releases first career planning and placement benchmarking study and the Professional Standards for Career Counseling and Placement. First National Meeting is held in Washington, DC.

1976 CPC releases Professional Standards for College Recruitment Personnel and Programs.

1977 Robert Herrick retires. Jesse M. Smith is appointed executive director.

1978 Spotlight, the first monthly print newsletter, is published.

1978 The EEOC, the U.S. departments of Labor and Justice, the Civil Service Commission and the Office of Revenue Sharing adopt Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP). The guidelines protect the rights of job applicants and employees to be selected on the basis of job-related standards. They require employers to justify the use of tests or other selection procedures that disproportionately exclude members of protected classes.

1979 EEOC issues affirmative action guidelines that provide employers with information on how to undertake voluntary affirmative action.

1980 EEOC issues Guidelines on Sexual Harassment that define the standards for what constitutes harassment and provide guidance on remedial action to be taken should there be a complaint of harassment.

1980 CPC joins Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, an organization promoting standards in student affairs, student services, and student development programs.

1981 CPC moves to new headquarters building at 62 Highland Avenue in Bethlehem.

1983 Gulf Oil Corporation establishes award for Outstanding Achievement in Innovative Programs for Career Planning and Placement (now called the NACE/Chevron Award).

1984 First benchmarking study for college relations and recruiting is published by the CPC Foundation.

1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) amends the Immigration and Nationality Act. IRCA states that employers can be sanctioned and fined for hiring illegal aliens, and prohibits employers from discriminating against those who are authorized to work on the basis of national origin or citizenship.

1987 CPC recognizes member best practices through new Awards of Excellence program. Warren E. Kauffman is appointed executive director.

1988 CPC publishes first legal monographs, Understanding the Buckley Amendment (FERPA) and A New Dilemma: Reference Letters and Checks. Other legal monographs follow on affirmative action, ADA, and international students and employment.

1990 American With Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

1991 First Management Leadership Institute for career services is held at the University of Minnesota.

1992 Warren Kauffman retires after 30 years of service. Michael R. Forrest is appointed executive director. Rose Mary Droke, St. Mary's College, is named winner of the first Kauffman Award for outstanding service to CPC.

1993 CPC Annual becomes Job Choices to better reflect the content of the magazines.

1994 CPC inducts first fellows into the Academy of Fellows, recognizing individuals for their advancement of knowledge, leadership, or excellence in professional practice. NACE offers employer roundtables to facilitate information exchange and networking. A Presidential Summit of regional associations and CPC is held to review and affirm recommendations for a new organizational structure for the profession.

1995 CPC changes its name to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, recognizing the new structure as well as the value of both member constituencies. JobWeb, NACE's new web site, goes live. Individual membership is offered to staff at member organizations.

1996 NACE members vote for the first time in Board elections.

1997 Marilyn F. Mackes is appointed Executive Director

1998 NACE publishes The Employer's Guide to College Recruiting and Hiring—the first in a series of manuals focused on developing effective recruiting practices.

2000 NACE rolls out NACEWeb, a new web site for members, which includes an online member directory. JobWeb is redesigned as a student resource. A new NACE logo is introduced. NACE’s Principles for Professional Conduct Committee issues "Exploding Offers Position Paper." Other position and white papers follow.

2001 NACE embraces electronic service and delivery through virtual seminars, Spotlight Online, and Member News.

2002 NACE partners with member schools and DirectEmployers Association to deliver NACElink—a national, non-commercial web-based system for recruiting college students and alumni. Journal of Career Planning & Employment becomes the NACE Journal.

2003 NACE offers new electronic category of membership for individuals at member organizations anywhere. Membership reaches 3,127.

2004 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Department of Justice, and Office of Personnel Management issue clarification on the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP). The proposed guidance is designed to help employers who are using the Internet and other technologies for recruiting and selecting new employees to maintain compliance with the employment discrimination laws.

2005 NACE hosts first annual meeting in collaboration with Midwest ACE.

2006 NACE celebrates 50th anniversary.