Morgan School of Business Reaccreditation Cites Program Strengths

Gubernatorial Review Panel Cites Deficient Funding and Facilities

Morgan State University President Earl S. Richardson today announced the extended maintenance of accreditation for the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees offered by the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management, as approved by the Accreditation Council and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

“We are pleased with the review and reaccreditation by the AACSB, the official accrediting agency for university schools of business,” says Dr. Richardson. “This is validation of Morgan’s continued commitment to providing a quality business program and opportunities in this field for citizens of the State of Maryland.”

In issuing its report, the accreditation agency commended the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management for a number of program strengths, including development and implementation of effective assessment processes to assure student learning; truly exceptional academic advisement and retention processes; the development of a PhD program that has resulted in the strengthening of all academic programs; and, a laudable working atmosphere for student learning.

Notice of the findings of the accreditation team coincides with the issuance of a recent report on Morgan’s MBA program ordered by Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich. That report cited several deficiencies in funding and facilities for the MBA program. Among the deficiencies were:

• The size and demographics of the MBA enrollment have been adversely impacted by the development and perception of a number of competitive MBA programs in the area.
• After an extended delay, the renovation of McMechen Hall was finally completed in 1996. However, because of the delay, even the renovated McMechen did not adequately provide for the growth in program scope, curriculum, faculty, and other operational needs. The inadequacy appears to continually result in a negative impact on the advancement of degree programs in the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management, including the MBA program.
• There is an urgent need for increased marketing, recruitment, and other initiatives to foster the visibility, awareness, perception of quality, and interest in Morgan’s MBA program.

As a result of the panel’s findings, Secretary Burnett is recommending an additional $895,000 to Morgan’s FY 2007 budget to support the hiring of additional program staffing, program promotion and office operations, graduate assistantships and fellowships, and space renovation and equipment.

“Taken together, these reports say more about our potential than our extraordinary success,” says Dr. Otis Thomas, Dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business. “If we have achieved this level of success without adequate funding and appropriate facilities, imagine where the school would be with proper support.”