RUSSELLVILLE — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business has extended the accreditation of the Arkansas Tech University LeMoyne Smith School of Business.
The extension was announced Friday by the university.
The association first accredited the degree programs in business at Arkansas Tech in 2000, according to a news release from the university. The most recent review by the accrediting association has yielded reaffirmation of the accreditation for the School of Business until the 2030-31 academic year.
“Accreditation from AACSB is a mark of quality known the world over,” said Adolfo Santos, ATU executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “By once again earning an extension of its accreditation, the ATU LeMoyne Smith School of Business has demonstrated its commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. As a result, students can enroll in ATU business programs confident that they will receive a high-quality education and the best preparation for their future endeavors.”
According to the association’s website, business schools that hold its accreditation contribute to the quality of business education by demonstrating “an ongoing commitment to excellence in teaching, research, curriculum development and learner success.”
The LeMoyne Smith School of Business offers bachelor’s degrees in accounting, business data analytics, digital marketing, finance and management as well as a master of business administration degree with specializations in business data analytics and digital marketing.
Also housed in the School of Business, but not included as part of the accreditation review, are a bachelor’s degree program in health information management and a master’s degree in health informatics.
Professor Tracy Cole, who has served as dean of the ATU College of Business and Economic Development since August 2023, said only 6% of schools of business in the world hold the accreditation.
“The extension of AACSB accreditation for the ATU LeMoyne Smith School of Business is a reflection of the quality of our programs, our faculty and our students,” said Cole, who holds the faculty rank of professor of legal studies.
“Our promise is that we really want our students to succeed. Our college, and ATU in general, is a place where faculty and staff are genuinely pulling for students to reach their goals. We are invested in our students,” Cole said.
