SEMO BUSINESS COLLEGE ACCREDITED

Southeast Missouri State University's Donald L. Harrison College of Business has received national accreditation, school officials announced Friday afternoon.

The accreditation is a big boost to the business program, putting it among the top 10 percent of business schools in the nation.

About 1,200 colleges and universities in the nation offer undergraduate business degrees, but only 305 of the schools have been accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.

"This is a defining event," said Dr. Gerald McDougall, dean of the business college.

"We are in a very small group of high-quality undergraduate colleges of business," he said.

McDougall said the new state-of-the-art business building now under construction at Southeast was a factor in securing accreditation. The Robert A. Dempster Hall near Henderson and New Madrid is expected to be completed for the start of the 1996 fall semester.

"The new building obviously was a plus," McDougall said.

"It is a very rich resource for us, but it's the people that matter. It's the people -- our faculty, staff, students and supporters -- that made accreditation a reality," he said.

The board of directors of AACSB, headquartered in St. Louis, accredited Southeast's undergraduate business program.

The official announcement was made earlier this week at the organization's annual meeting in Los Angeles. More than 800 business school deans, faculty and others from colleges and universities around the world, as well as corporate representatives, attended.

Dr. Bill Atchley, Southeast president, said the school spent a decade striving for this goal.

To achieve accreditation, a business school must meet a wide range of quality standards relating to curriculum, faculty resources, admissions, degree requirements, library and computer facilities, financial resources and intellectual climate.

During the accreditation process, Southeast was visited and evaluated by a team of business school deans.

"It's been a tremendous amount of work," said McDougall. "Some faculty members have dedicated a significant part of their professional careers to the achievement of AACSB accreditation."

Southeast was one of 11 schools to receive initial accreditation this year.

John Mehner, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce president, said that having a nationally accredited business school is a plus in attracting business and industry to the area. He said it also will help the university attract better students.

"The accreditation process has made the College of Business examine itself. It's nice to know you are as good as you think you are," he said.

Mehner said the business community is thrilled by the news. "It's great," he said. "There needs to be a massive celebration."