KOKOMO, Ind. — The Indiana University Kokomo School of Business continues to meet the gold standard of excellence in its field, earning a five-year extension of its Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation.
Dean Alan Krabbenhoft said the accreditation, which is achieved through a rigorous self-study process, engagement with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and virtual site visit for a peer-reviewed evaluation, is the most highly sought after endorsement a business school can attain.
“It means the quality of education here is at the highest level,” he said, adding that IU Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business, along with Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, and many other highly-regarded programs, are also among the 20 percent of U.S. university business schools who have earned it.
“This is an assurance that we provide an excellent education in the business disciplines, and that opportunities exist for our students to grow and be employed when they graduate,” he said. “It also demonstrates that our faculty members are current within their disciplines, and are presenting materials in their classes that is up-to-date, and in many ways, state-of-the-art.”
The School of Business, which first received the distinction in 2001, is among 36 schools that extended accreditation in business for 2021. Today, a total of 890 institutions across 58 countries and territories have earned it — representing about 20 percent of U.S. collegiate schools of business, and 4 percent internationally.
IU Kokomo received the longest extension possible, at five years.
“I am pleased, but not at all surprised by the news of AACSB accreditation,” said Mark Canada, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Our School of Business is a model of excellence in both teaching and research. I commend Dean Krabbenhoft for his leadership and his faculty colleagues for their commitment to student success.”
Krabbenhoft credited faculty members for their work on the required continuous improvement plan, and highlighting of new programs, travel opportunities and other high-impact practices as part of the Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) program, and other factors in the school’s success.
Faculty and staff members who led the process included Terri Butler, administrative secretary; Dmitriy Chulkov, professor of economics and management information systems; Steve Cox, professor of finance; Gloria Preece, assistant dean and assistant professor of personal finance planning and marketing; Adam Smith, associate professor of management; and Jason VanAlstine, associate professor of economics.
“I’m proud of the fantastic work done by our faculty members, to be able to highlight the exceptional things we do,” said Krabbenhoft. “This is a huge accomplishment, and something the entire school should be proud of.”
Stephanie M. Bryant, AACSB’s executive vice president and chief accreditation officer, congratulated IU Kokomo and the others earning extensions, noting that each one “has demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curricula development, and student learning. The intense peer-reviewed process exemplifies their commitment to quality business education.”
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.
