Business Department granted candidacy for accreditation

Having recently been granted candidacy status, the Business Department is one step closer to being accredited by an internationally recognized accreditation body.

Granting the candidacy was the Board of Commissioners of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), the leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation in business and management education for student-centered colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions throughout the world. The IACBE has hundreds of member institutions and campuses worldwide, and has accredited more than 1,500 business and business-related programs in the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Central America, and South America.

In its decision to grant candidacy status to Alfred State’s Business Department, the Board determined that the department “has developed an appropriate quality management system; has satisfied candidacy requirements relating to its business programs, resources, and operational processes; and is eligible to undergo an accreditation review.”

Programs within the department that are eligible for accreditation include the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), financial planning (BBA), sport management (BBA), technology management (BBA), the Associate of Science (AS) in business administration sport management (AS), the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in accounting and marketing (AAS).

Assistant Professor and Department Chair Danielle Green said, “Achieving candidacy status demonstrates that our programs are well-designed and effective. External accreditation lends legitimacy to the programs and competency of the faculty within our department. Achieving this candidacy status places our business programs on the path to a valuable and unique accreditation that offers internationally recognized significance.”

Green added that she worked closely with Assistant Professor Mark Bloxsom for many hours to achieve candidacy status, noting that he was invaluable to the process. Dr. John Williams, dean of the School of Architecture, Management, and Engineering Technology, credited both Green and Bloxsom for the achievement, and elaborated on its importance.

“The significance of this candidacy for accreditation reflects the academic excellence and commitment of the business faculty to our students,” Williams said. “IACBE accreditation will be an additional distinction further defining the quality and value of an Alfred State degree. I am most grateful to Professors Green and Bloxsom for their commitment and determination as we moved through the process.”

Over the next 18 months, Green said, the department will be collecting data and reflecting on academic and operational practices as part of its comprehensive self-study.

“Following the self-study,” Green said, “the programs will be reviewed by the Board of Commissioners, and we have complete confidence that we will be awarded full accreditation status.”