Reaccreditation

Posted by Joseph Phillips, Jr. on Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:13 AM PST

 

On November 1st I wrote about our AACSB accreditation, discussing the visit of the peer review team looking at extending our accreditation for another five years (“reaffirmation” is what AACSB calls it).

 

 This week we received the good news that the AACSB Board of Directors has approved the team’s recommendation that our accreditation be extended!  The extension of our accreditation reflects the excellent work our faculty and staff are doing to provide an outstanding education to our students!  There is a lot of work that needs to be done to meet AACSB’s high expectations, and it is our faculty and staff that get the work done!

 

In the review, the visiting team gave Albers high marks in several areas:

 

  • We were commended for an effective strategic planning process that drives program innovation.
  • Our student advising programs were identified as doing excellent work in supporting student needs.
  • The Albers Career Center was highlighted for its work in assisting students with career planning.
  • Our outreach to the business community through our advisory boards was highlighted, and in particular our engagement of boards in the strategic planning process and in faculty recruiting.
  • Our Mentor Program was spotlighted for the opportunities it provides to students.

 

The report also encouraged us to continue our efforts to enhance and support the quality and impact of faculty scholarship and to seek ways to expand our financial resources.

 

AACSB is the premier business accrediting body worldwide.  Currently, there are 643 accredited schools in 43 countries, and less than 5% of the world’s business schools are accredited.  AACSB is all about quality business education and continuous improvement.  Once you are accredited, you want to make sure you stay accredited!

 

As I mentioned on November 1, re-accreditation is not automatic and requires our continuous attention.  It is not something you can pull together in the six months before the visit.  A visiting team will be back in Fall, 2016.  In the meantime, we will maintain our commitment to quality business education and continuous improvement!

 

Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2012!