Mihaylo Hall

CSUF Business Program Accreditation Reaffirmed

Mihaylo College of Business and Economics Awarded Maximum Extension

April 6, 2009 :: No. 164

Accreditation for Cal State Fullerton’s Mihaylo College of Business and Economics has been extended for the full five-year term granted by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

“It is wonderful to have AACSB reaffirm the outstanding performance of Mihaylo College in fulfilling its mission and meeting its goals,” said Dean Anil K. Puri. “The excellent work of our faculty and staff earned this recognition, and we look forward to reaching even higher goals in the coming years.”

The college is among only 5 percent of business schools worldwide and 28 percent of those nationwide to have earned AACSB accreditation. Mihaylo College is home to the largest accredited undergraduate business program in California in terms of enrollment: 8,497 undergraduates and 733 graduate students.

Accreditation is a process of voluntary, nongovernmental review of educational institutions and programs. To maintain accreditation under AACSB, “a business program must undergo a rigorous internal review every five years, at which the program must demonstrate its continued commitment to the 21 quality standards relating to faculty qualification, strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.”

“It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn and maintain AACSB accreditation,” said Jerry Trapnell, chief accreditation officer of AACSB. “Schools not only must meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty and staff must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure continued delivery of high-quality education to students.”

The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics is known for its annual economic forecast presented by Puri, as well as Professor for a Day and Business Week activities that bring alumni and other business leaders to campus to share their knowledge and expertise with students.

In addition, business majors are required to complete capstone courses that typically involve real-world projects, providing students with practical experience and benefits to area businesses.

Faculty members in the college serve as advisers and consultants to international, national and statewide agencies, and as members of national and state advisory boards. They have testified before Congress and served as consultants to multinational corporations.

Cal State Fullerton business administration majors have won national and regional awards for their skills in utilizing their business education in practical applications. As students, they receive broad exposure to the fields of business and economics, as well as opportunities to specialize in a number of programs, ranging from accounting, marketing, finance and economics to international business, information systems and entertainment and tourism.

In addition to its educational programs, the college provides research, consulting, continuing education and training programs for the Southern California region. Mihaylo College of Business and Economics is home to the following centers: Corporate Reporting and Governance, Economic Education, Entrepreneurship, Insurance Studies, International Business, Forum for Advanced Security Technologies, Sales Leadership and the Study of Emerging Markets. The college also houses the Family Business Council and the International Center for the Economics of Pharmaceuticals, Aging and Health, as well as the institutes of Economic and Environmental Studies, Real Estate and Land Use, and Small Business.

Mihaylo College also oversees the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers for Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, providing training, consulting and technical assistance to businesses with less than 100 employees.

“Our centers and institutes contribute to the economic vitality of our region,” noted Puri. “Just as we recruit top-quality faculty members to teach our students, we utilize their expertise and skills to educate and help advance the region’s business community.”

AACSB International, headquartered in Florida, is an association of more than 1,100 educational institutions, business and other organizations in 70 countries that are dedicated to the advancement of management education worldwide.

More information about the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics is available online at http://business.fullerton.edu or by calling 657-278-2592.

Media Contacts:
Anil K. Puri, dean of Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, 657-278-2592 or apuri@fullerton.edu
Pamela McLaren, Public Affairs, 657-278-4852 or pmclaren@fullerton.edu

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