TAMIU's College of Business Administration Awarded Prestigious AACSB Accreditation

CHICAGO - Texas A&M International University's College of Business Administration has just been catapulted into the same ranks as the nation's top business schools. It has been awarded accreditation by the premier international accrediting agency for bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in business administration and accounting, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The selection was announced in ceremonies held yesterday at the group's 2002 AASCB International Meeting, April 7 - 9 in Chicago.

The prestigious accreditation culminates a six-year consideration period by AACSB in which the College's programs were reviewed and approved after on-site visits. It moves the College into an elite group of only 411 universities across the nation and only 26 in Texas. International accreditation has only been awarded to 24 colleges and universities around the world. AASCB-accredited schools award 55 percent of all degrees in business and management education.

University president Dr. Ray Keck said the AACSB accreditation will further underscore the quality of the University's business program, and will also become a recruitment plus.

"This accreditation confirms our commitment to all our stakeholders...students, faculty, administration, employers and community members, that our College faculty is adequately prepared to deliver a quality program, that the faculty is provided with resources appropriate for that delivery and that students are being appropriately prepared for the business environment of today. Securing this accreditation is a proven recruitment tool for other Colleges of Business Administration and we believe that this, in combination with our program and research strengths in international trade and business, will prove very attractive for students," Dr. Keck said.

On hand to receive the accreditation selection news in Chicago were College of Business administration dean Dr. John Kohl and Dr. Antonio Rodriguez, chair of the department of economics and finance.

Dr. Kohl explained that the AASCB review was comprehensive and occurred at multiple levels.

"A self-study was conducted with seven accreditation standards that the College had to meet or exceed. The College also had to have procedures in place to enable the school to continue to excel. The standards address mission and objectives, faculty composition and development, curriculum content and evaluation, instructional resources and responsibilities, students and intellectual contributions of the College," Kohl explained.

Kohl said that most institutions trying to secure first-time accreditation are not successful in their bid.

"Ninety percent of institutions seeking accreditation are not successful and are asked to wait a year or correct problems with their program. Our program was accredited on our first attempt and with no conditions or corrections," he explained.

He noted that securing accreditation benefits all of the University's constituents, most importantly undergraduate and graduate students who complete their program at TAMIU.

"Accreditation demonstrates that the institution is not only committed to quality business education, but also to the philosophy of total quality management and continual improvement. The end result is a graduate who is better prepared to enter the community and utilize their education for the economic and social welfare of both employers and consumers. The graduate of the AACSB-accredited program will have a positive influence on the workplace and will make a difference in the future of a free market society," he concluded.

A&M International's College of Business Administration offers six graduate degrees including the nation's first MBA in International Trade and Business Administration and an MBA in International Banking. Its Master of Science in Information Systems is among its most popular graduate programs. Seven undergraduate Programs are available, including BBAs in Marketing, Finance, Computer Information Systems and Management. The College also offers an MBA delivered in Spanish, which is one of the fastest growing and most popular programs, attracting students from throughout Mexico, Central and South America.

College enrollment this past Fall included 716 undergraduates and 262 graduate students. Graduate students come to the University from over 35 different countries each semester.

Research units that are vital parts of the College's research strengths include the recently dedicated Western Hemispheric Trade Center with its Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade and the NAFTA Information Center.

AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is a not-for-profit corporation of educational institutions, corporations and other organizations devoted to the promotion and improvement of higher education in business administration and management.

Organized in 1916, AACSB International is the premier accrediting agency for bachelors, masters and doctoral degree programs in business administration and accounting.

The AACSB International membership consists of over 650 U.S. educational institutions, 185 educational institutions outside the U.S. and approximately 50 corporate and nonprofit organizations.

For additional information on the AACSB-accredited College of Business Administration, please contact Dr. Kohl at 956.326.2480, visit offices in Pellegrino Hall 301 or email to jkohl@tamiu.edu.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Additional information on the AASCB is available by visiting its web site at: www.aacsb.edu

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu