School remains the only public business program in Northwest Indiana to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International 
The Indiana University Northwest School of Business and Economics and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) have announced that a recent peer review of the School has resulted in the reaffirmation of its status as an AACSB-accredited undergraduate and master’s-level business program. IU Northwest remains the only public business program in Northwest Indiana to carry AACSB accreditation, a benchmark of quality attained by only five percent of business schools worldwide.
In a confirmation letter to School of Business and Economics Dean Anna Rominger, AACSB Board of Directors Chair Howard Thomas commended the business school for its strong academic programs, effective assessment practices, and implementation of continuous-improvement strategies. In particular, Thomas cited the following elements as key to the School’s maintenance of accreditation:
- “The School of Business and Economics has developed a comprehensive and effective assurance-of-learning program, which measures student attainment of learning goals and skills. Faculty members demonstrate a genuine commitment to assurance of learning, which bodes well for continuous improvement in its curriculum and enhanced learning goals and skills.”
- “The Assessment Center has implemented a highly effective program of career development exercises within the Career Perspectives and Business Career Planning and Placement courses. These courses assist undergraduate students to clarify their career goals and interests and develop skills required to access and embark on full-time employment.”
- “Faculty should be commended on the high level of scholarly activities and intellectual contributions they have made over the past five years, particularly in the area of referred journal articles. In addition, the team found abundant evidence that faculty members are accomplished classroom teachers who work closely with students outside of class.”
Thomas also commended Rominger for her leadership and stewardship of the School, citing its overall supportive and collegial atmosphere. Rominger thanked the School’s faculty and staff for their significant contributions to the accreditation-renewal effort during the Fall 2009 semester. She said the AACSB’s reaffirmation of the School’s accreditation for the next six years underscores the value and academic quality of the business education that students receive at IU’s Northwest Indiana campus.
“The School and its faculty are very proud to be the only public institution in Northwest Indiana to earn this prestigious business-school accreditation,” Rominger said. “This gives local students the option of attending an affordable business school which has the highest level of accreditation and which is close to home. Graduation from an AACSB business school provides students with excellent credentials for job opportunities and career advancement.”
The AACSB was founded in 1916, and its standards for business administration were first set in 1919. AACSB 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 accounting.
AACSB accreditation places the IU Northwest School of Business and Economics in the upper echelon of business schools in the world. Accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation, and adjustment that can take several years to complete. During that time, the school develops and implements a plan to meet the 21 AACSB standards requiring a high-quality teaching environment, a commitment to continuous improvement, and curricula responsive to the needs of business.
"It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn AACSB accreditation," said Jerry Trapnell, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Schools must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculties and staffs must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high-quality education to students."
IU Northwest Chancellor Bruce Bergland described the reaffirmation of the business school’s AACSB accreditation as further proof of the university’s commitment to the field of business and economics as one of its focus areas of excellence. Bergland cited such programs as the Wall Street on Broadway Trading Floor, the only simulated stock-trading program in Northwest Indiana, and the Assessment Center, which offers students evaluation and guidance on practical workplace skills, as just two examples of the School’s innovative and highly successful approach to business education.
“In terms of student achievement and assessment, faculty research, and the overall structure and value of its academic programs, the School of Business and Economics continues to set a very high standard for business education in Northwest Indiana,” Bergland said. “The business sector is vital to Northwest Indiana’s future growth and quality of life, and IU Northwest is proud to contribute so many superbly qualified graduates to its business workforce. I congratulate Dean Anna Rominger and her many accomplished faculty and dedicated staff members who continue to meet the exacting accreditation standards of the AACSB.”
Nine institutions from five countries achieved AACSB accreditation this year. IU Northwest was one of 45 institutions to maintain accreditation for an additional six years.
"AACSB commends the faculty, deans, directors, and administrative staffs of each institution for their exemplary work in helping their schools earn the highest honor in business school accreditation," said John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. "We are pleased to welcome the newly AACSB-accredited schools, and send our congratulations to those that have maintained their accreditation."
The IU Northwest School of Business and Economics offers an undergraduate degree in business with concentrations in business administration and accounting/financial information systems. Graduate students may choose to earn a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting or enroll in the MBA for Professionals program, which offers both evening and weekend options for busy professionals who wish to balance their education with work and home life.
The School also offers management-consulting services to area employers through its Center for Management Development, and its award-winning Center for Economic Education helps instruct area K-12 teachers in methods for teaching age-appropriate personal-finance lessons to their students.
For more information on the IU Northwest School of Business and Economics, visit the Web at www.iun.edu/~busnw/, or call (219) 980-6552.