After two years, the William Woods University accounting and business programs were awarded accreditation.
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) presented the school's accreditation during its conference June 14. As a representative of the school and the business programs Brenda Popp, chair of the business, law and technology division at the university, accepted the certificate.
Popp worked alongside Dr. Lee Bailey, the dean of graduate business programs, and David Forster, the former dean of graduate business programs. While Popp focused on the educational experiences of current and former students, Bailey dug into faculty credentials and accomplishments and Forster looked at the classroom cultures and the relationships between students and educators, Popp said.
In doing so, the three were able to write a detailed self-study report about the business and accounting programs to send to the ACBSP. The report covered extensive information regarding six sections of evaluation: leadership, strategic planning, student and stakeholder focus, measurement and analysis of student learning and performance, faculty and staff and educational and business process management, Bailey said.
"No stone was left unturned," Bailey said.
One factor that helped convince the ACBSP that William Woods deserved its accreditation was the professional standing of some of its alumni - Popp found that many of the school's former students were hired higher than to entry-level positions and in a matter of years were promoted within the company, she said.
Once the report was reviewed the ACBSP sent members to audit the programs and to verify that what was reported was correct, then the ACBSP board reviewed the application and approved the programs for accreditation.
Now that the accreditation has been secured, Popp feels like she sleeps better knowing students are getting an education from an accredited program.
"The accreditation provides assurance that we are better than average," Popp said. "We can jump through hoops and say that we provide our students with a rigorous educational experience that will prepare them to be successful in their future lives."
During the conference Popp was able to converse with other representatives from accredited schools and learn how to integrate technology more into the business and accounting programs at William Woods, she said.
"It exposes us and continually pushes us to maintain high standards for this generation and the next," Popp said.