WKU News

March 27, 2013                                                                                             

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Western Kentucky University’s business and accounting programs in the Gordon Ford College of Business have maintained international accreditation by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) International.

The reaffirmation keeps WKU in the top 178 collegiate schools of business in the world to have both business and accounting programs accredited, Jeff Katz, dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business, said.

“As an applied college of business, ongoing maintenance of accreditation by AACSB International confirms that students in our college receive the most relevant education and training by highly qualified faculty members who are experts in their fields,” Dr. Katz said. “Our programs provide the necessary education and skills to assure long-term student success as leaders of business, active global citizens and ethical participants in society.”

AACSB accreditation has been earned by less than 5 percent of the world’s business programs.

“It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn and maintain AACSB accreditation,” Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International, said. “Business schools must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty and professional staff must make a commitment to ongoing continuous improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education to students.”

All business programs in the Gordon Ford College of Business have been accredited since 1982. The accounting program achieved accreditation in 2009.

Steve Wells, chair of WKU’s Department of Accounting, said the Maintenance Review process is akin to an audit to ensure continuous improvement and high quality in the accounting programs.

“The mission of the accounting programs at WKU is to provide excellent accounting education and prepare students for successful and rewarding careers in accounting and business,” Dr. Wells said. “Everything we do from the day students are admitted to the program to their graduation day is measured against our mission.

“In my opinion, the true measure of the quality of any academic program lies in the quality of its students, its faculty and its staff. Maintaining AACSB separate accounting accreditation speaks volumes about the quality of WKU’s accounting programs.”

Shane Spiller, chair of the Maintenance of Accreditation Committee, said the educational effort extends beyond the classroom.

“We work hard to have outreach in the community and work in the classroom to make sure students understand that what we’re doing is not just theory, it’s applied information that they can take and use,” Dr. Spiller said.

Dr. Katz said that of the reported 12,000 collegiate schools of business world wide, only 178 are accredited in business and accounting programs, making the Gordon Ford College of Business among the top 1 percent of business schools in the world.

“I am honored to serve as the dean of an excellent college of business that is known for highly engaged faculty, staff, students and the business community,” he said. “At the Gordon Ford College of Business, world-class educational excellence is a shared goal.”

About AACSB International

AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), founded in 1916, is an association of more than 1,300 educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations in 81 countries and territories. AACSB’s mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation, thought leadership, and value-added services.

As the premier accreditation body for institutions offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting, the association also conducts a wide array of conferences and seminar programs at locations throughout the world. AACSB’s global headquarters is located in Tampa, Fla., and its Asia Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore.

For information, contact GFCB Dean Dr. Jeffrey Katz at (270) 745-6311.