The Accreditation Process

Transcription

1 The Accreditation Process STEP A Membership 1. Are you an AACSB member? If so, move to Step B. If not, download a membership application from STEP B PreAccreditation 1. Submit Eligibility Application to PreAccreditation Committee (PAC). Applications can be downloaded from 2. PAC reviews application for accreditation standards issues.* 3. PAC assigns a mentor to work with the applicant; mentor visits. 4. PAC forwards recommendation on eligibility criteria and scope of review to Accreditation Coordinating Committee (ACC) for concurrence. 5. Applicant and mentor work together to address PAC issues and design an Accreditation Plan within the applicant s Strategic Plan applicant submits Accreditation Plan to PAC. 6. PAC reviews Accreditation Plan.* 7. PAC forwards Accreditation Plan to Initial Accreditation Committee (IAC) along with PAC recommendations. STEP C Initial Accreditation * Materials are revised and resubmitted until deviations are eliminated.

2 The Accreditation Process - Business STEP C Initial Accreditation 1. The Initial Accreditation Committee (IAC) reviews the Accreditation Plan.* 2. Accreditation Plan is implemented. 3. Applicant submits Annual Reports to IAC for review; mentor submits annual recommendation.(ap implementation may take up to 3 years) 4. IAC reviews materials and recommendation to continue with AP implementation or apply for Initial Accreditation.* 5. When applying for Initial Accreditation the school submits application to AACSB. 6. At this time two years remain in the PreAccreditation process and the IAC appoints a team Chair. 7. Applicant works with Chair to prepare a Self-Evaluation Report (SER) and refine Strategic Plan. 8. Applicant, Chair and IAC select the peer review team (PRT). PRT and IAC review the SER and annual reports.* 9. PRT, with IAC concurrence, submits previsit letter to applicant at least 45 days prior to visit. 10. Visit occurs. PRT submits report to IAC and applicant with its recommendations. 11. Applicant submits a response to the PRT report (optional). 12. IAC reviews team report and recommendation and concurs or remands to the PRT.* 13. IAC forwards recommendation to accredit to AACSB Board for ratification. 14. Board ratifies or remands to IAC when Board concurs, member is accredited and joins the AACSB Accreditation Council. Accreditation is valid for six years, with a maintenance visit in year five. STEP D Maintenance of Accreditation * Materials are revised and resubmitted until deviations are eliminated.

3 The Accreditation Process - Business STEP D Maintenance of Accreditation 1. Annually: a. Refine Strategic Plan. b. Prepare Annual Maintenance Report. c. Participate in AACSB accreditation data collection. 2. Year three (from last visit): a. Accredited member submits maintenance review application and cover letter, including list of degree programs, exclusion requests, comparison groups, and catalogs. b. MAC forwards copy of materials with recommendations to ACC to review eligibility issues and scope of review* 3. Within two years of scheduled maintenance review: a. Accredited member and MAC choose peer review visit team (PRT). b. Set visit date. c. 60 days prior to visit, accredited member provides PRT with 5 th Year Maintenance Report, annual maintenance reports, policies and executive summary. d. Accredited member and PRT confer to determine what additional information and/or clarification is needed prior to the visit. 4. PRT visits - submits report to MAC and accredited member with its recommendations. 5. Accredited member submits a response to the PRT report (optional). 6. MAC reviews team report and recommendation and concurs or remands to the PRT.* 7. MAC forwards recommendation to extend accreditation to AACSB Board for ratification. 8. Board ratifies or remands to MAC When Board concurs, accreditation is extended for six more years, with the next maintenance visit in year five. STEP D Begins Again * Materials are revised and resubmitted until deviations are eliminated.

4 AACSB ACCREDITATION PROCESS 1. An institution must be a member of AACSB International in order to apply for accreditation. 2. The applicant school submits an Eligibility Application (for business and/or accounting accreditation) as an indication of interest to enter the AACSB Accreditation Process. A school may apply for business and accounting accreditation simultaneously, or for accounting accreditation following the achievement of business accreditation. A 1,000 USD application fee applies. View all applicable fees. 3. The Eligibility Application is reviewed by AACSB staff and a recommendation is made to the PreAccreditation Committee (PAC) chair regarding acceptance of the application. 4. When the application is approved, a volunteer business school administrator (such as a dean) is assigned to the applicant school as a mentor to assist with the development of a Standards Alignment Plan. This assigned mentor must avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. At this time, an AACSB Accreditation Staff Liaison also is assigned. This liaison serves as the primary contact person within AACSB for the school for all accreditation-related questions. 5. The applicant school will receive an official letter from AACSB informing the institution that its Eligibility Application has been approved and that a mentor has been assigned. An invoice for the amount of 4,500 USD is enclosed with this letter and must be paid in full within one month of receipt. 6. The assigned mentor works with the applicant school to determine its current alignment with the accreditation standards and assist with the development of a Standards Alignment Plan. If the mentor finds that there is no reasonable expectation that the school can develop a successful plan to align itself with the accreditation standards in the maximum allotted time, he/she will so advise. 1

5 7. With the mentor s consent, the applicant school submits its Standards Alignment Plan along with its Strategic Plan to the PAC for review at its regularly scheduled meeting (the PAC meets three times per year). The Standards Alignment Plan is presented as part of the school s Strategic Plan. The alignment plan is generally completed in one year or less, however it may take a maximum of two years. If the plan is not completed within one year, the school must submit a report to the committee to provide information regarding the progress of the school towards the development of a Standards Alignment Plan. 8. The PAC reviews the Standards Alignment Plan. This review will lead to one of the following outcomes: a. Acceptance of the plan with a recommendation to the Initial Accreditation Committee (IAC) that the school develop a Self-Evaluation Report following an invitation to apply for Initial Accreditation (the IAC must concur). b. The plan is accepted with a recommendation to the IAC that the school enter the implementation phase of the Standards Alignment Plan. The school is asked to submit reports to the IAC to inform the committee of its progress toward alignment with the standards (a three-year implementation period is permitted and the IAC must concur). The mentor then continues to work with the school until it is invited to submit an application for Initial Accreditation (for business and/or accounting). Initial Accreditation must be achieved five years following the acceptance of the Standards Alignment Plan by the IAC. c. The plan is accepted, however, further development of the alignment plan is needed. A revise and resubmit recommendation is made to the applicant school by the PAC. d. The alignment plan is not accepted by the PAC, as it is determined that the applicant school will not be able to align itself with the AACSB Accreditation Standards within the maximum time allowed to complete the PreAccreditation (for business and/or accounting) process. 2

6 9. Approximately, two years in advance of the anticipated accreditation review visit, a Peer Review Team chair (not the full team) is appointed. Chair appointments must avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. The chair guides the school as it develops its Self- Evaluation Report (SER) and works with the school to develop the schedule for the visit. 10. The IAC appoints the additional members of the Peer Review Team. The team reviews the SER, as well as prepares and sends a pre-visit letter to the school following review and approval by the IAC. 11. The visit takes place, and the Peer Review Team delivers a visit report to the applicant school which includes recommendations for accreditation, deferral, or no accreditation. The report and recommendations are forwarded to the IAC for concurrence. 12. Recommendations or denials for accreditation are ratified by the IAC. Recommendations are forwarded to the AACSB Board of Directors for ratification. 3