ACBSP and the benefits for faculty

Baker SPGS Faculty Meeting4/26/2014

Dr. Dan FalveyChair / Associate Professor of Business Administration & ManagementDr. Mark HarveySenior Faculty Facilitator / Assessment and Evaluation Coordinator

Types of Accreditation

• There are two basic types of university accreditation and authorization in the USA and Canada:– Institutional accreditation covers the whole university

and is the primary type of official university recognition in North America. Accreditation is granted by organizations that cover different geographic regions.

– Specialized accreditation (also called programmatic or professional accreditation) covers a program or department within a university. Earning a degree that carries specialized accreditation may be a requirement for practicing in certain professions.

Specialized Accreditation

• Business Accreditation – ACBSP aligns nicely with teaching institutions. – AACSB aligns nicely with research institutions.

2013 ACBSP Business Accreditation Standards

Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs

About ACBSP

• Devoted to promoting excellence in teaching/learning in higher education business schools and programs

About ACBSP, Continued

• Accreditation is “mission-driven,” taking into account a wide variety of institutional missions and their ability to fulfill them

• Membership required to apply for accreditation, and all faculty members at member schools are entitled to a wide array of publications, regional and national conferences and workshops, and networking opportunities with other member schools

About ACBSP, Concluded

• Process based upon the criteria and methodology of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria and examination process

• At schools where outcomes assessments are already in place, the process takes between 18-24 months, and costs from $12,500 to $15,000 to complete

The ACBSP Accreditation Process

• Process is led by an institution’s “Champion” and “Co-Champion,” assisted by an external “Mentor” from an accredited institution

• Process is very similar to the NCA’s:– Completion of a Self-Study– Site visit by an Evaluation Team– Submission of all findings to the Board of

Commissioners– Accreditation granted with “Notes” (Opportunities for

improvement)

ACBSP’s Philosophy . . .

• Focus is upon evaluation of mission-driven systematic approach to continuously advancing academic quality

• Assess access, inclusiveness, and diversity of institutional missions

• Standards and criteria historically validated, leading-edge practices that institutions use to evaluate, plan, perform, and measure results

ACBSP’s Guiding Principles

• While one of ACBSP’s Guiding Principles “. . . strongly encourages pursuing a reasonable balance between teaching and research,” research is viewed “ . . as a tool to facilitate improved teaching”

• Teaching is the focus of three of the remaining six principles

• The other three remaining principles deal with ACBSP’s various services and activities

ACBSP’s Standards . . .

• 1. Leadership• 2. Strategic Planning• 3. Student and Stakeholder Focus• 4. Measurement and Analysis of Student

Learning and Performance• 5. Faculty and Staff Focus• 6. Educational and Business Process

Management

Standard 1 - Leadership

• As is the case with the Baldrige criteria, ACBSP’s Standards begin with Leadership

• Standard 1’s criteria include:– Leadership’s accountability for program and process

development, execution, and continuous improvement

– Leadership’s role in ensuring compliance with ACBSP’s Standards and Criteria

– Leadership’s role with regard to ethics and social responsibility

Standard 2 – Strategic Planning

• Standard 2’s criteria include:– A requirement for a formal strategic planning

process– Faculty and staff should have significant input into

the strategic planning process– Strategic plans must include key objectives and

timeframes and address both long- and short-term objectives

– Plans should have performance measures and communications to all stakeholders

Standard 3 – Student and Stakeholder Focus

• Standard 3’s criteria include:– Identification of the institution’s target student

segment(s)– Identification of all major stakeholders, and

methods to listen and learn their requirements and expectations

– A process for using the information learned from stakeholders

– A system for determining student and key stakeholder satisfaction and dissatisfaction

Standard 4 – Measurement and Analysis of Student Learning and Performance

• Standard 4’s criteria are at the heart of ACBSP’s focus upon continuous improvement

• Its criteria include:– A requirement to have a learning outcomes

assessment process– At least three successive sets of periodic assessment

results to show trends– A description of specific improvements made on the

basis of learning outcomes assessments

Standard 5 – Faculty and Staff Focus

• Standard 5 is extremely data intense, and is thus the Standard that we are requesting your assistance in demonstrating our compliance

• Standard 5’s criteria include:– HR Planning and employment practices– Faculty qualifications, workload, and coverage,

including a CV for every one of our 150+ PT faculty!– Faculty evaluation for retention, promotion, etc.– Faculty development, scholarly and professional

activities

Standard 6 – Educational and Business Process

• Standard 6’s criteria are designed to determine how well an institution’s degree programs meet the “Common Professional Component,” or CPC, that all higher education business programs should address, and include:– Educational design, delivery, and evaluation– Course syllabi for every course in all of our

business programs!

Qualitative Scoring Bands . . .

• As in the Baldrige process, each of the six Standards is assessed from eight perspectives:

– Approach – Goal of effective, systematic approach fully responsive to the standards

– Deployment – Fully deployed without significant weaknesses or gaps

– Learning – Fact-based, systematic evaluation and improvement and organizational learning

– Integration – Well integrated with organizational needs and the other Standards

Qualitative Scoring Bands, Continued . . .

– Levels – Current performance is excellent in most areas of importance to the Standard

– Trends – Excellent improvement trends and/or sustained excellent performance levels

– Comparisons – Evidence of industry and benchmark leadership is demonstrated

– Linkages – Results fully address key customer, market, process, and action plan requirements

Qualitative Scoring Bands, Concluded . . .

• Each of the eight perspectives are assessed on a six-level continuum:– Best in Class– Very Good to Excellent– Very Good– Good– Improvements Needed– Major Improvements Needed

• ACBSP annual conference: people present research, learn, network; focuses on teaching excellence, leadership, and strategic planning

• Regional meetings, seminars, workshops on the same topics. Members can serve on committees affecting important issues in business education and opportunities are provided to pursue leadership positions on the international stage.

• The ACBSP Seminar Series consists of short, one to two-day workshops on topics suggested by the membership.

Benefits to students and faculty: ACBSP CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, AND PROGRAMS

Benefits to students and faculty: ACBSP CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, AND PROGRAMS

• ACBSP Leadership Institute is a workshop offered immediately prior to the ACBSP Annual Conference each year and is designed to help deans and department chairs address the challenges they face in developing strategies and coursework for their business units.

• ACBSP International Conference allows members opportunities to expand their network worldwide

Benefits to students and faculty: ACBSP AWARDS AND HONOR SOCIETIES

• ACBSP recognizes two teachers from each of the 10 regions who exemplify teaching excellence (one at the associate degree level and one at the baccalaureate/graduate degree level). The recipients are honored at the Annual Conference and two of those recipients are awarded the prestigious International Teaching Excellence Award.

Benefits to students and faculty: ACBSP AWARDS AND HONOR SOCIETIES

• ACBSP also provides the opportunity for member schools to present a Student Leadership Award honoring individual business students who show exemplary service in leadership positions.

Benefits to students and faculty: ACBSP AWARDS AND HONOR SOCIETIES

• ACBSP accredited status allows member schools to host chapters of three international business honor societies. We can start a Sigma Beta Delta chapter before accreditation. Membership will be transferred to Delta Mu Delta for baccalaureate and graduate degrees upon accreditation. Then we will have the opportunity to open a Kappa Beta Delta chapter for outstanding associate degree seekers. These organizations provide recognition for student academic achievement and opportunities for scholarships.

Benefits to students and faculty: PUBLICATIONS & ONLINE RESOURCES

• The ACBSP member website provides access to a variety of services and information including a Membership Directory with profiles of all individual members and member institutions, and job postings for faculty and administrative positions.

• Business Education Week and ACBSP Update are weekly and quarterly e-newsletters containing highlights from the world of education, information about upcoming programs and events, and features on individual members.

• The Transnational Journal of Business is a peer-reviewed journal providing a place for members to present research and findings.

Questions?