Business School Wins Accreditation and Kudos

There are about 2,000 institutions in the United States offering degree programs in business but only 355, or 17.8 percent, have achieved AACSB accreditation. John Burt received the news on November 9 that the USM School of Business has joined that select group, marking the end of an accreditation process that began in January of 1995.

Established in 1916, the AACSB's founding members include Harvard and Yale Universities. The not-for-profit body, which is based in St. Louis, promotes excellence in business education through a 60-year-old accreditation process considered one of the most rigorous in academia.

AACSB accreditation is for a 10-year period and requires schools to meet a wide range of standards, spelled out in a 52-page document, relating to curriculum, faculty resources, admissions, degree requirements, library and computer facilities, financial resources, and intellectual resources. Though USM is awaiting the full, written report, reviewers have said they were especially impressed with the degree of community involvement in the school, the faculty's availability for student counseling, and the outreach programs that provide courses and research services throughout the state.

"This is, quite simply, a big win for our students, the campus community and the larger community," said Burt, who has overseen the accreditation process since taking over as dean in 1995. "We are in select company." Schools of business that were awarded accreditation or reaccreditation earlier this year included Fordham University, Ohio State University, Hofstra and George Washington University.

Maine Commissioner of Labor Valerie Landry, speaking before a recent meeting of the USM Corporate Partners, termed the accreditation, "a landmark development," in that it affirms the school's commitment to providing a high quality education that prepares students for today's complex business environment.

"The fact that AACSB is recognized as a premier accrediting agency positions our School of Business as a player on the national scene and brings greater recognition for the rigor and quality of our programs," said President Richard Pattenaude. "This enhances our ability to attract students, faculty and institutional support. I want to thank everyone in the School of Business for their years of hard work in achieving this honor."

In addition to its accreditation function, AACSB, which is known as The International Association for Management Education, offers development programs for faculty, conducts research and survey projects, and produces a variety of special reports on trends and issues within management education.

Back to Currents