In advance of a promotional piece currently being developed by the ACBSP Marketing Committee, several faculty and administrators at accredited colleges identified the following benefits of accreditation to a variety of different groups.

Benefits for the Institution

• The pursuit of accreditation reinforces a commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and scholarship.
• The process of preparing an accreditation self-study enhances the focus on quality of student learning and renews a commitment to the educational mission.
• The recognition of effective business units through accreditation contributes to a more positive review by regional accreditors, as specialized accreditation is a confirmation of quality programming in specific divisions.
• Accredited status creates greater visibility for the institution.
• Accreditation provides prestige and credibility when seeking funding resources from donors, foundations, governments.
• In some states accredited status counts heavily in performance-based funding.
• Accreditation leads to more successful articulation of business credits.
• The accredited institution can utilize press releases to advertise accreditation status.
• Accredited status is printed in the college catalog.
• Accredited status is printed on business cards.
• Accredited status is posted on the college website.
• Accreditation provides a sense of pride within the institution.

Benefits for the Business Unit

• Accreditation creates a process for continuous departmental improvement.
• Accreditation provides the impetus for identifying strengths and weaknesses.
• Accreditation keeps the programs current through curriculum development.
• Accreditation provides a forum for review and analysis of the business unit.
• Accreditation promotes an outcomes assessment process linking goals, activities, and outcomes.
• Accreditation creates guidelines for faculty credentials, which leads to higher standards in hiring, increased scholarly and professional activities, and more focused faculty development decisions.
• Accreditation creates guidelines when structuring programs.
• Accreditation provides a platform to share ideas and to question the status-quo, leading to effective change.
• Accreditation is a source of pride among program faculty and staff.
• Accreditation validates quality of work in the business unit.
• The business unit realizes greater local prestige through accreditation.
• Accreditation provides leverage when seeking on-campus resources.
• Accredited status leads to more effective acquisition of technology.
• Accreditation status is referenced when submitting budgets, grant proposals, and course/program proposals.
• Accredited status assists in recruitment of faculty.
• Accreditation activities are communicated to the Board of Trustees.
• Accredited status is printed on Business Division stationery.
• Accredited status is printed on course syllabi.
• The certificate of accreditation is prominently displayed.
• Accredited status is printed on brochures and newsletters.

Benefits for Faculty and Staff

• Accreditation provides a sense of pride within the business faculty and staff when national peers have validated a program.
• Faculty at accredited institutions are provided opportunities to keep current in quality procedures through seminars such as Baldrige training.
• Faculty experience a boost of self-esteem when teaching in an accredited business unit.
• Accreditation provides professional development and leadership opportunities for faculty and administrators in development of outcome assessments and conducting site visits to other institutions.

Benefits for Students

• Accreditation creates the impetus for relevancy and currency of faculty, programs, and courses to best serve students.
• The pursuit of accreditation enhances the ability to serve students by assuring a focus on quality performance.
• Accredited status requires an ongoing effort to provide excellent equipment, software, and learning resources for students.
• Accredited status reaffirms the commitment to effective student services.
• Students refer to accreditation status on resumes and in employment interviews.
• Accredited status provides the ability to host a chapter of Delta Mu Delta or Kappa Beta Delta honorary society, recognizing accomplishments of business students.
• Students who join these honorary societies can cite their special recognition when pursuing scholarships and writing resumes.

Benefits for the Community

• Accredited status provides recognition of the ability to serve community stakeholders.
• Accreditation creates the impetus for relevancy and currency of faculty, programs, and courses to best serve employers.
• External advisory committees learn the importance of accreditation.
• External advisory committee members can transfer the accreditation process to their continuous improvement efforts.