5 November 2010

1. 5 November 2010 Business Program Accreditation in America: Impacts of Assessment on Quality at Plymouth State University BABEŞ-BOLYAI UNIVERSITY, Cluj-Napoca, ROMANIAProfessor Duncan C. McDougall

2. AACSB Monopoly (Pre-1988) • Motto: “Excellence through Research” • Accreditation = f(# PhDs, refereed journal articles) • Major Universities and “Name” B-Schools • An exclusive club (ONLY SO MANY JOURNALS!) • Teaching loads low (2 to 3 courses/semester) • Expensive! • Hundreds of smaller private and state-supported business schools had no chance of accreditation.

3. ACBSP Enters in 1988Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs • 2400 U.S. Business Programs • Most in smaller schools, or • Teaching-focused institutions • “ACBSP, …was created by its members to fulfill a need … • for specialized accreditation by institutions of higher education with business schools and programs • that need was for business education accreditation based on the mission of the institution… • an accreditation that acknowledged and emphasized quality in teaching and learning outcomes.“ http://www.acbsp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=11

4. ACBSP vs. AACSB • Excellence in Teaching & Learning Outcomes vs. • “Excellence through Research”

5. Plymouth State University

6. Plymouth State University AACSB Member for 12 years Worked toward accreditation Hired only PhDs (or ABDs), etc. Saw UNH’s struggle with AACSB Watched ACBSP develop Attended ACBSP Conference 1996 Joined ACBSP Prepared Self-study in 1997. Achieved Accreditation as a quality teaching-focused business program.

7. Learning with our Council • In 1998 I became Business Department Chair • Attended ACBSP Annual Conferences • Learned of the changing emphasis in the Standards and Criteria • ACBSP moving toward “The Baldrige Model” • Outcomes Assessment Emphasis • Fact-based management • “Practicing what we preach” in management.

8. Learning with our Council • In 2004 we adopted a new standards book for ACBSP, based directly on the Baldrige approach to managing quality. • New Standards in Six areas: • Leadership • Strategic Planning • Student and Stakeholders Focus • Measurement and Analysis of Student Learning and Performance • Faculty and Staff Focus • Educational and Business Process Management

9. Learning with our Council • Standards 3, 4 and 5 all required direct outcomes assessments. • Each school applying for accreditation (or reaffirmation of their accreditation) was required to have a formal outcomes assessment plan, and at least three data points demonstrating its application, PLUS • Specific cases to cite, demonstrating the use of assessment results in the managing of the business unit. • ACBSP Commissioners called this “closing the loop.”

10. Plymouth State University Business Department faculty voted to adopt the new standards in 2004 for our ACBSP reaffirmation in 2007. Some challenges were encountered along the way: Some Professors resist being measured. Academic freedom? “Teaching to the test?” Does MFT measure what we emphasize? “It is not required for my students.” The Baldrige Approach is a lot of work.

11. Plymouth State University At PSU our Assessment Plan took this form:

12. Plymouth State University Here is the heart of the plan:

13. Plymouth State University Results: We discovered both weaknesses and strengths in our teaching and/or curriculum. Marketing area weak. Accounting area strong. Interestingly, it was a marketing instructor who had always been most critical of the accountants! The EBI Exit and Alumni surveys revealed a need for better career services. (Lowest five outcomes on both surveys.)

14. Plymouth State University Actions: We hired some new faculty members in our weaker areas, and assigned them the core courses. Results improved. We launched a university-wide program of service to the students called Career Explorations, including a general education course by that name, taught by one of our business professors. Results have been remarkable. Multiple sections are now taught each semester, and all are “sold out.” We had learned from our assessments, and closed the loop. In 2007, we prepared our ACBSP self-study under the 2004 Baldrige-based criteria, and were reaffirmed as Accredited.

15. Plymouth State University • I will close with an e-mail received this week from the dean of PSU’s new • COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION • Prof. Dr. Trent Boggess:

16. Plymouth State University • Duncan, • I think the most important insight I have gained from the 2004 accreditation standards is the shift in emphasis from prescriptive education to continuous quality improvement and the Baldridge process.  Accreditation is a stamp of quality assurance, but I always had difficulty with the AACSB’s motto of “Quality through research”, while at the same time stating that “a faculty is presumed to be able to teach effectively”.  I just couldn’t make the connection, especially with my experience at an AACSB school early in my career.  But the focus on continuous quality improvement not only makes sense, it is a road map to producing a quality educational experience in business.  • The 2007 ACBSP site visit was extremely stressful.  It was not clear how little or how much information should be disclosed to the visiting team.  This was undoubtedly due to my own lack of experience with this part of the accreditation process.  What I learned was that if you have been taking accreditation seriously and made good faith efforts to meet the standards, then the site visit becomes a very valuable opportunity to discuss how things are being done from the viewpoint of an outsider.  The visiting team’s recommendations were all right on and they have served again as a road map to where we have been heading since that visit. • Cheers, • Trent

17. Thank you! • Questions or comments?

18. Trent’s Addendum • “Attending the AACSB annual meetings has also been important to me.  It provides me with the opportunity, as the CoBA Dean, to talk to my colleagues from other universities.  These informal discussions often provide me with insights into current issues and future trends.  It is amazing what I learn at these meetings.”