Show Business programs to receive AC accreditation Daphne Draper Contributing Writer Writ r HE business programs ms of THE T have been recommended recommended recommended mended by the national commission to be the first of fourteen year two-year colleges in America to receive a new accreditation accreditation accreditation ac ac- ac- ac with the Association Association tion of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs Formal membership membership membership member member- ship vote vote on the accreditation accreditation accreditation tion will occur occur on July 1 1991 in New Orleans The purpose of the is to facilitate transferability of credits to institutes of higher learning enhance business programs and create better relationships with business and industry The need for this kind of program has been recognized for a number of years President President President dent Orville D. D Carnahan former president of contacted Dr Michael Homer dean of the School of Business and Technology in 1987 inquiring what problems or difficulties that we had encountered with transferability of business business business busi busi- ness courses to four year four year universities SL CC is surrounded Dy oy American Assembly J of Collegiate Schools of Business Business Business Busi Busi- ness accredited colleges of business The University of Utah BYU and Utah State University are all accredited Weber State University is Inthe in inthe inthe the final process of achieving accreditation According to Homer part of the th e underlying un derl yi ng philosophy of falls in ino two o critical areas 1 Course leveling lev which says that only prof professional business practice can be studied at the upper division level at year four-year colleges and universities 2 Validation which says that each accredited four year college or university must validate the work course course work transferred from o other her col col- col- col leges This virtually eliminates teaching upper level business courses at Only pre- pre business courses can be taught such stich as Introduction to Accounting Macro and Micro Economics Business Statistics I and II and Legal Environment of Business Learning business at the junior and senior level re- re r. r l lI fees I g s' s are the fasces t it growing segment nt o f higher education n ni i i iff St sti tut ions in ln tHe J I. I t Country foun try 3 W v- v 1 Y tk 1 tz 1 P y quires that students have the academic maturity to learn leam business subjects at upper division level levei which h. h b has been a basic philosophy of schools Homer further explained that community colleges are the fastest growing segment of higher education institutions institutions institutions in the country with 1300 now in operation Many countries in the world are trying to copy our system of community colleges The challenge was to elevate business courses courses courses cour cour- ses through seeking specialized specialized special sped al- al accreditation A national group of two and four year college educators established a committee to plan an accrediting organization organization t tion I on for a all II bus business i n e s s programs not just baccalaureate baccalaureate baccalaureate bac bac- and graduate de de- de- de gree-granting gree institutions recognized by The premise of this organization is that We dont don't think America can wait five years to tobe tobe tobe be have the opportunity to seek excellence excellence excellence excel excel- lence in business education Homer was invited to a planning group meeting in iQ 1987 and became involved in inthe inthe inthe the formation of this new accreditation accreditation accreditation ac ac- ac- ac organization The group agreed that quality teaching and quality learning was not only f feasible but sorely needed for two- two year colleges and year four-year colleges not currently accredited accredited accredited ac ac- ac- ac credited by In May 1988 r representative representative pre pre- colleges voted to organize e a new group with c commissioners from two year yea colleges and commissioners commissioners commissioners commis commis- from four year col col- col- col leges Their focus was on teaching excellence A set of standards was adopted and an associate degree commission commission commission commis- commis sion surveyed colleges seeking input At a 1990 meeting in Reno Nevada the standards were ratified by the membership of the commission c r ti w Wg 14 S 1 4 F t r w I Michael Homer dean of Business Management Management- Computer Education substantially met all the standards and applied tobe tobe to tobe be one of twenty-one twenty pilot schools to undergo this new accreditation This speaks incredibly incredibly incredibly in in- credibly well for our college as a whole not just the business business business busi busi- ness programs but all systems systems systems within our college including the administration and staff Homer said Quality education in bu business iness is here at he Wl r ual n business is s' s here ai a r i J c M J t. t i l J i K added The benefits are that students who earn a two year degree can go to any other accredited college or university and have a successful successful successful suc suc- course transfer It provides students parents and educators confidence in inthe inthe inthe the special quality of our business programs and our college as a whole Homer further states Students can feel especially proud of graduating from this rate first-rate community col col- col- col lege The accreditation process involved the Computer Information Information Information In In- formation Systems program as well as all of the Instructional instructional instructional programs of the Business Business Business Busi Busi- ness Division The application application application tion for accreditation with the was prepared largely largely largely lar lar- lar- lar gely through the efforts of an team consisting of Kathryn Beebe professor of Business Management Gary Barnett instructor of accounting accounting accounting ac ac- ac- ac counting Linda Cunningham Cunningham Cunningham Cunnin Cunnin- assistant professor of Business English Mike Beddoes assistant professor of Computer Information S Systems y s t ems and C Curtis u r professor of Marketing Management Sue Elliott and LuAnne Holt handled the organizational and graphics work The Business Programs that were studied and examined examined examined ex ex- ex- ex are Accounting Business Information Information Information In In- Management Computer formation Systems Finance and Credit Marketing Management Production Management Transportation Management and the AS Degree with business em em- The study evaluated faculty qualifications and characteristics standards community studies support services institutional and policy development education education education tion innovation general education and the schools school's learning resources center The complete study was given to the Committee Commit Commit- tee to review Following this review an Accreditation team consisting of Dr Charles Stamps Starn ps Pueblo Community Comm unity College Colorado Professor Edith Evans Northeastern Junior College Sterling Colorado Dr Leighton Chaplin Brookhaven College College College Col Col- lege Texas and Dr Linda R. R Morable Richfield College Dallas Texas visited in March After meeting with President President Prest- Prest dent Frank Budd and Ann Erickson they had meetings with some students with members of program advisory advisory advisory ad ad- committees and with the faculty of the Business Systems Division and the Computer Information Systems terns Department The team completed their site visitation visitation visitation visita visita- tion with an interview with Homer and Boyd Warnick chair of business systems Stamps commented that T f The fhe he had been impressed pressed im with 1 the programs here at Evans says You have one of the most innovative i campuses weve we've seen She added We are re planning on taking these ideas back hack to our own own campuses |