UNM’s ASM have achieved reaffirmation of accreditation for all of their degree programs by recent action of the Board of Directors of AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Anderson is accredited by the AACSB in both their bachelor's and master's degree programs in business administration and accounting.
UNM President Louis Caldera praised the business school for their achievement and noted, "The Anderson Schools serve as a great example of the high quality of UNM's programs, faculty, and students. Dean Crespy, his faculty and staff are to be commended for this achievement."
According to Anderson Schools Dean Chuck Crespy, “Reaffirmation of the Anderson Schools’ accreditation serves as a powerful testament to the excellence of our faculty, staff and students. We are all profoundly gratified to receive this honor and are proud to retain our position in the company of the many excellent business schools that also hold AACSB accreditation.”
The Anderson Schools are one of only 421 universities in the world to be accredited by the AACSB in both bachelor’s and master’s education, and one of only 167 accredited in both business and accounting. Other schools in this company include University of Southern California, George Washington University, University of Chicago, University of Notre Dame, University of Colorado, University of Texas at Austin, Washington State University, and University of Arizona.
To achieve accreditation, business programs must satisfy the expectations of a wide range of quality standards relating to strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students in the educational process, and achievement of learning goals in degree programs. These standards are mission-linked. During the accreditation process, The Anderson Schools were visited and evaluated by business school deans with detailed knowledge of management education, applying accreditation standards that are widely accepted in the educational community.
"AACSB accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution involved in management education," said John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. "The faculties, deans, directors, and administrative staffs of our schools are to be commended for their role in maintaining accreditation."
"Earning AACSB accreditation requires a great deal of dedication from the entire educational institution," said Jerry Trapnell, chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Schools that go through the process not only meet a multitude of standards of excellence, but also make a commitment to continuous improvement. Every five years they are required to undergo a rigorous peer review to maintain their accreditation."
According to Dean Crespy, the AACSB report on the Anderson Schools highlighted key areas of achievement that contribute to the quality of excellence at the Schools, including:
** Anderson faculty and student contributions to economic development in the State of New Mexico.
** The successful launch and ongoing development of the Schools’ Student Investment Fund and the upcoming construction of the Anderson Student Investment Center.
** The diversity of the school’s student body, which reflects the diversity of the population of New Mexico.
** The excellence of their mid-career degree program, the Executive MBA.
** The responsiveness of faculty to emerging business opportunities, as seen through nationally recognized programs in the Management of Technology and Ethics.
AACSB International is a not-for-profit organization consisting of more than 900 educational organizations and corporations. Its mission is excellence in management education in colleges and universities. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, AACSB International is the premier accrediting agency and service organization for business schools.
Contacts: Sophie Martin, (505) 277-7117; email: martin@mgt.unm.edu or Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu