A Message From The Dean

SOM Earns AACSB Accreditation

I am very proud to announce that the School of Management has earned additional accreditation from the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB international) in April 2009.

With this accreditation, the SOM joins an elite group of institutions. Less than 30% of the business schools in the USA, and less than 5% worldwide, have earned and retained this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education.

To achieve accreditation, a School must meet 21 exacting quality standards.  Our success reflects the dedicated and focused work and of the faculty and staff as well as the commitment of the College to invest the resources to expand our faculty and provide a cutting-edge academic facility.

I was very proud that the review team gave us numerous commendations and identified 12 “Best Practices” which will be shared with other AACSB business schools.  In their summary assessment, the review team said, “We were overwhelmed with the top-to-bottom high quality exhibited by the faculty and students and were impressed with how the mission was lived every day throughout the curriculum and practices.”  The team also noted, “The loyalty, involvement and enthusiasm of all stakeholders in and affiliated with the institution is commendable.”

I could not be more proud of the School for achieving this significant milestone in its development.  This external imprimatur of excellence strengthens our brand, enhances the value of your degrees, and makes us more competitive in attracting top quality students from around the globe.   It is a strong endorsement of the quality of our faculty and programs, the strength of our alumnae, and the power our mission as the only management school designed specifically to educate women for power and principled leadership.  Most importantly, it places us among the best -- which is exactly where we should be!

With great pride,

Deborah Merrill-Sands, Dean