AACSB Extends SBE Accreditation Five Years

SUNY Plattsburgh’s School of Business and Economics has received continued accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International for the next five years.

According to Dr. Brian Neureuther, interim dean of the SBE, an AACSB-accredited school of business “distinguishes itself as one of the best in the world.”

“Only five percent of business schools worldwide earn the AACSB designation,” Neureuther said. “SUNY Plattsburgh was the first SUNY comprehensive to receive AACSB accreditation back in 2002.”

For its students, a school of business AACSB accreditation means:

• Students are receiving a great return on investment

“We must pass very rigorous quality standards,” Neureuther said. “Schools with AACSB accreditation have been proven to provide the best in business education worldwide.”

• Students are getting top notch curriculum, taught by credentialed faculty who conduct state-of-the-art research and who are respected for being leaders in their fields of study
• Students have more access to recruiters, many of which look exclusively to AACSB-accredited programs
• Students receive higher and more competitive salaries

On to Higher Levels of Education

“From our perspective, as a school of business and economics, accreditation allows us to have students who are likely to go on to earn higher levels of education. AACSB is of particular importance to international students looking to study in the United States,” Neureuther said.

For potential employers, an AACSB accreditation means:

• Access to students who were challenging and who have been taught the best skills that will help give them a distinct advantage

“In particular, it’s given them the ability to attract talent that has the innovation, collaboration, teamwork, networking and time management skills that they, as employers, desire,” he said. “In addition, an AACSB accredited school of business provides students who are technologically advanced, who can think strategically, can solve problems and who are agile and resilient.

For faculty, it:

• Allows us to hire and retain the best teachers and researchers

The School of Business and Economics first gained AACSB accreditation in January 2002. For the 2017 accreditation, then-Dean Rowena Ortiz-Walters, praised “the vision of the School of Business and Economics to be a premier provider of innovative and global business education recognized for teaching excellence among comprehensive colleges.”

Long Process

Neureuther, who replaced Ortiz-Walters as dean when she left a year ago to be the dean of the Greehey School of Business and Professor of Management at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, said the road to accreditation isn’t easy nor is it quick.

The process for 2022 re-accreditation review began “when we submitted our 50-page continuous improvement report along with a 450-page appendix and several other supplemental materials, sent to AACSB Feb. 14,” he said.

The college had a site visit from the peer review team made up of three business school deans May 1-3.

“This team recommended extension of accreditation at the end of their visit; this decision had to be ratified by the AACSB continuous improvement review committee June 22,” Neureuther said. This decision then had to be ratified by the AACSB Board of Directors, which was achieved June 28.

It doesn’t end there, he said.

Begins Again After Accreditation Granted

“The renewal of AACSB accreditation is an ongoing event from the moment you receive the extension until the moment you apply for the next extension. It is a continuous improvement effort that requires us top be always reviewing and improving our programs, ensuring that we comply with and meet the strict and rigorous AACSB standards.”

The next review will take place in 2027.

“I feel proud of this accomplishment; proud of our faculty and staff for all the effort they put into making AACSB a reality for us, and proud that I was able to help lead this team to a successful extension of accreditation,” Neureuther said. “I also feel a sense of relief that the formal process has come to a close.”

For more information on programs and offerings in the School of Business and Economics, visit https://www.plattsburgh.edu/academics/schools/business-economics/index.html or call 518-564-4186.