Office of Public Relations:                                           For more information, contact: Stephen E. Snyder

(229) 931-2028                                                                         (229) 931-2037 ssnyder@canes.gsw.edu

(229) 931-2072 fax

____________________________________________________________________________

April 6, 2009

School of Business earns AACSB International

 business accreditation

            AMERICUS--Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) has achieved accreditation of its undergraduate and graduate business degree programs by recent action of the Board of Directors of AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.  Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving and largest global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. 

            Georgia Southwestern joins an elite group of institutions that have achieved business accreditation from AACSB International. Only 560 schools of business, less than 5% worldwide, have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education.  Georgia Southwestern State University’s achievement will be recognized in April at the 2009 AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. 

            “AACSB congratulates Dean John Kooti, as well as the faculty and administrative staff of the Georgia Southwestern School of Business for their exemplary work in earning the highest honor in business education,” said John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. “We also commend them for their dedication and commitment to continuous improvement, and for their role in earning this highest honor in business education.”

            AACSB accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution and its college of business. To achieve accreditation, an institution’s business program must undergo a meticulous internal review and evaluation process.  During this five year period, the school must develop and implement a mission-driven plan to satisfy 21 quality standards relating to faculty qualification, strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement and achievement of learning goals in degree programs. 

            During the accreditation process, the Georgia Southwestern School of Business was visited and evaluated by business school deans with detailed knowledge of management education, applying accreditation standards that are widely-accepted in the educational community.

            By achieving accreditation from AACSB International GSW has reached a significant milestone in its quest to be one of the best business schools in the nation.

            “Our mission is to provide quality business education in the undergraduate and graduate levels, and this achievement has proven it,” said John Kooti, Dean of the School of Business. “With this distinction, students graduating from the Georgia Southwestern School of Business will have a competitive advantage in the job markets as well as in pursuing a higher level of education. This is the proudest moment in my professional life.”

            Georgia Southwestern was founded in 1906 and is a member of the University System of Georgia. Growing in demand and reaching a record number, the School of Business currently has more than 600 undergraduate and 60 graduate students enrolled. The Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration degrees offer concentrations in accounting, human resource management, management and marketing.

            In addition to AACSB International, the GSW School of Business is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). 

            “AACSB is one of the most prestigious accreditations in all of higher education,” said GSW President Kendall A. Blanchard. “I have never been prouder of our School of Business Administration, its dean, faculty, staff and students. This accreditation speaks to the quality of education both in our business programs and in the larger university curriculum within which the business programs are couched. I cannot say enough about the fine work that Dean Kooti and his colleagues have done to make this accreditation possible. This is a great moment in the history of Georgia Southwestern.”

            “Accreditation in AACSB is a large step forward for GSW,” said Brian U. Adler, GSW vice president of Academic Affairs. “We will see a higher caliber of student applying to GSW because of this accreditation, and we will also see increased faculty production on the scholarly side.  Both of these developments increase the profile of this university and send the message that we are on the move.  Further opportunities, in terms of increased external funding and significant collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, will also be the result of this new designation for the School of Business.”

            To learn more about Georgia Southwestern’s School of Business visit http://www.business.gsw.edu.  Or, to learn more about AACSB International accreditation, visit the accreditation section of the AACSB International Web site at: http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/.

            For more information, contact Stephen Snyder at (229) 931-2037.

 About AACSB International

AACSB International is an association of more than 1,100 educational institutions, businesses and other organizations in 70 countries that are dedicated to the advancement of management education worldwide.  In addition to service as the premier accreditation body for institutions offering undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting, the association also conducts a wide array of conferences and seminar programs at various locations around the world.  Through BestBizSchools.com, AACSB provides a global resource center for prospective business students. www.aacsb.edu.