Exciting Changes to the CUSP Program and the USOLN
By Shawn Talbot, CUSP Program Director
The USOLN has made new and exciting changes this year! Check them out:
24/7 ACCESS TO THE CUSP EXAM
Did you know that prospective CUSPs can now take the CUSP exams from the comfort of your home or office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? In January of 2024, USOLN partnered with Assessment Systems Corporation (ASC) to begin administering the exams. This partnership has resulted in a more streamlined, efficient, and convenient exam-taking process. If you are interested in learning more, please view this Exam FAQ page. Remember, in order to sit for the CUSP exam, you must have an approved application on file. To submit an application, please visit the Application page on the USOLN website.
MAKING RECERTIFICATION EASIER
The CUSP Program Office has been working diligently this past year to make the recertification process easier for you! Regardless of the continuing education provider you use, you can now earn one point per contact hour for any safety-related conferences, workshops, or webinars you attend. You are not just limited to conferences, workshops or webinars to earn CUSP points! Did you know that you can also collect points by presenting at a conference, volunteering with a safety-related organization, creating a podcast, earning a new certification, adding an additional CUSP endorsement, or writing an article? To find all the ways points can be earned, please reference the CUSP Points Maintenance Guidelines on the USOLN website. A certificate of completion/proof of attendance is required for all educational activities.
Once earned, your CUSP certification is valid for two years. During your two-year renewal cycle, you are required to earn 30 points through the activities referenced above. Throughout your renewal cycle, you will receive regular communication from USOLN about your renewal status. To ensure you are receiving those important updates, please make sure your contact information is up-to-date. You can update your information by logging into your Community Hub profile. Keeping your information current will help ensure the CUSP certification you worked so hard to earn does not lapse! If you have any questions, please reach out to the CUSP Program Office at (815) 459-1796 or certification@usoln.org.
NEW USOLN MEMBER BENEFIT: TUITION DISCOUNT
USOLN is pleased to announce its exciting new collaboration with Columbia Southern University. As part of this new partnership, did you know that as a USOLN member, you can receive a 10 percent tuition discount when taking online courses through Columbia Southern University? CSU’s degree programs include a variety of business, emergency management and occupational health & safety career tracks. With more than 100 degree programs, it’s easy to find something that fits your career goals. When registering for courses, simply identify yourself as a USOLN member. For more information, visit Columbia Southern University’s website.
CANADIAN CUSP TO RELAUNCH IN 2025
USOLN is also happy to announce the upcoming relaunch of our Canadian CUSP certification program. We anticipate launching this program in Q1 of 2025, along with a CUSP Canada Prep course. Please reach out to us if you have any interest in participating.
WATER ENDORSEMENT TO LAUNCH IN 2025
In addition to relaunching the Canadian CUSP, USOLN will be launching a new Water Endorsement in 2025. This project is still in the development stages and we are excited to be able to offer an endorsement that aligns with safety professionals who work for water utility organizations! If you are in the water industry and would like to see how you can contribute, please reach out to us!