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TopFoundation Of Business Education And Accreditation In Higher Education Institutions
In light of criticisms regarding business education in higher education institutions, it would be prudent for business schools to assure their stakeholders of quality and accountability. Accreditation is one method of holding a program or institution accountable and demonstrating that the program/institution meets at least a minimum quality threshold. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) defines accreditation as “a process of external quality reviewer created and used by higher education to scrutinize colleges, universities and programs for quality assurance and quality improvement” (Eaton, 2011, p. 1). Accreditation serves several roles, two of which include “assuring quality and “engendering private sector confidence” (Eaton, 2011, p. 2-3). CHEA indicates that “accreditation in the United States is about quality assurance and quality improvement. It is a process to scrutinize higher education institutions and programs” (Eaton, 2011, p. 11).
The goal of CHEA is to assure “that accrediting organizations contribute to maintaining and improving academic quality” (Eaton, 2011, p. 9). CHEA’s role is to review and scrutinize the quality and effectiveness of accreditors and recognize them. CHEA does not accredit institutions or programs, rather, CHEA accredits that accreditors. CHEA recognizes sixty institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations, including three [levels (gold, silver, and bronze)] that accredit business programs: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Program (ACBSP), and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). Hence, a higher educational institution receiving regional accreditation does not necessary translate to the same higher educational institution receiving one of the three levels of accreditation for its business program.
Currently, there are six regional accrediting agencies for educational institutions in the United States:
Key Terms in this Chapter
Higher Learning Commission: Formerly part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and covers educational institutions in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Business Ethics: A form of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.: Also known by the abbreviation NEASC, covers educational institutions in the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS): Covers educational institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools: Commonly known as Middle States Association, MSACS, or MSA, which covers educational institutions in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, as well as schools for American children in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Accreditation: A process of external quality reviewer created and used by higher education to scrutinize colleges, universities and programs for quality assurance and quality improvement.
ACBSP: Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Program.
Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC): Formerly known as the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, is for primary and secondary schools and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) for postsecondary institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
IACBE: International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.
Academic Business Ethicists: Address questions that range across the functional areas of business, giving rise to various recognized specialties in business ethics.
AACSB: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
WASC: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) covers educational institutions in California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands, as well as schools for American children in Asia.