E. Philip Saunders College of Business
What is AACSB?
AACSB is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International
You will frequently hear that the RIT and the Saunders College of Business are “AACSB-accredited.” AACSB International is the premier accrediting agency that defines quality standards for business programs.
To become accredited, a college must pass a rigorous assessment of quality by a team of deans from several peer institutions representing AACSB International. Of the thousands of business programs in the world, less than 10 percent are AACSB-accredited. That the RIT and the Saunders College are a member of this elite group is testimony to the outstanding quality of the College and the Institute. We initially achieved this distinction and honor in 1988. This October 25-27 (2009), we will be visited by a team of deans for our latest “maintenance of accreditation” visit. They will be meeting with members of the faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, President Destler, Provost Haefner, Dean Rao and students.
With this honor comes responsibility. To maintain our accreditation, we must demonstrate continuous improvement and pass a periodic, rigorous assessment of program quality by AACSB International. This emphasis on program quality directly benefits you, our students. Our curriculum integrates many rigorous requirements that prepare you to become a successful business practitioner and leader or to continue your education at the postgraduate level.
The Saunders College takes seriously its responsibility to comply with AACSB International standards because being accredited demands that we strive for the highest quality business education. To this end, AACSB International specifies the following obligations:
Faculty, Administrators, and Staff
- Operate with integrity in their dealings with students and colleagues.
- Set high expectations for academic achievement and provide leadership toward those expectations.
- Evaluate instructional effectiveness and overall student achievement.
- Continuously improve instructional programs.
- Innovate in instructional processes.
AACSB International specifies that students “take an active role in their learning experiences.” Therefore, you as a student have related obligations:
Individual Students
- Operate with integrity in their dealings with faculty and other students.
- Engage the learning materials with appropriate attention and dedication.
- Maintain their engagement when challenged by difficult learning activities.
- Contribute to the learning of others.
- Perform to standards set by the faculty.
Earning your business degree at Saunders means that you are meeting higher, more defined standards for quality and achievement than if you graduated from a non-accredited program. Prospective employers have expectations that you (1) communicate well, (2) have extensive content knowledge in your field of study, (3) work well in teams, and (4) recognize and conform to a high set of ethical and legal standards. These expectations are consistent with our mission that emphasizes student success and achievement.