RSU’s Department of Business has received accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), a prestigious recognition for excellence in business higher education.
Rogers State University’s Department of Business has received accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Founded in 1988, ACBSP is a global business education accrediting body and the first organization to offer accreditation to all levels of collegiate business educational degree programs from associate to doctoral.
ACBSP ignites a standard of excellence with an accreditation process based on the Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence. By evaluating aspects of leadership, strategic planning, relationships with stakeholders, quality of academic programs, faculty credentials, and educational support, ACBSP assesses whether business programs offer a rigorous educational experience and commitment to continuous quality improvement.
According to Interim Dean for the College of Professional Studies Dr. Todd Jackson, RSU’s business students will see immediate benefits from ACBSP accreditation.
“Competitive positions in employment at graduation will be strengthened since employers place a higher value on candidates who have graduated from a business school that follows ACBSP standards of excellence,” Jackson said. “In pursuing advanced degrees, courses and credits from an accredited school are often more frequently accepted by other institutions. Accreditation is also receiving greater prominence as a valuable tool in the work of certain licensing bodies and regulatory agencies, who are reassured by the quality embodied in ACBSP standards.
“Beyond that, ACBSP-accredited business schools are part of a global education network that provides access to exchange programs, study abroad programs, research programs, and cultural enrichment opportunities,” he said.
RSU’s Department of Business applied for and received membership in ACBSP in fall 2022 and applied for accreditation shortly thereafter.
Jackson and RSU Professor Dr. Tom Carment attended ACBSP workshops on the accreditation process, and in spring 2023, ACBSP assigned Dr. Joe Walenciak of John Brown University as mentor to provide guidance and feedback throughout an extensive self-study development process. This process involved a collaborative effort by RSU’s Business Department faculty in developing and compiling an extensive set of documents, analyses, and graphical illustrations to demonstrate compliance of RSU’s business and business-related programs with ACBSP’s seven Standards of Excellence.
ACBSP then conducted a site visit, coordinated by Dr. Amy Evans, interim chair of the Department of Business, on the RSU Claremore campus in February of this year. The site team reviewed facilities and documentation, and conducted numerous interviews that involved University leadership, full-time and adjunct business faculty, as well as stakeholder groups representing undergraduate and graduate business students, alumni, and area businesses and organizations.
The ACBSP Board of Commissioners then granted accreditation to RSU’s business and business-related programs in April. The initial accreditation is for 10 years and applies to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, and Master of Business Administration degrees.
Jackson and Evans, along with Dr. David Johnk, professor of business, will represent RSU at the Accreditation Gala at ACBSP Conference ’25 that will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, this June.
RSU’s Department of Business will host an ACBSP Accreditation Celebration from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, in Conference Rooms B and C of the Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center on RSU’s Claremore campus.
Learn more about RSU’s business degree options.