THE IMPACT OF THE AACSB ACCREDITATION ON ENROLLMENT GROWTH AT HBCU (HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES) BUSINESS SCHOOLS

Year 2018, , 130 - 141, 14.07.2018

Legima E. Doh Damian R. Prince Michael P. Mclain Sid Howard Credle

https://doi.org/10.17261/Pressacademia.2018.832

Abstract

Purpose- Most research on the benefits of the AACSB accreditation has been focused on financially well-off and research-based

institutions. Consequently, there is limited literature on the AACSB accreditation with regard to HBCUs. Over the years, general decline in

Business School enrollment, and the heavy reliance of HBCUs on tuition revenue have made enrollment an increasingly important

determinant of their survival. In this article, we investigate whether the AACSB accreditation yields greater enrollment growth at HBCU

Business Schools and explore alternative business school accreditations.

Methodology- This study is based on quantitative methods wherein we collected data from secondary sources and used statistical models

to test our hypotheses.

Findings- Our results show that the AACSB accreditation does not lead to greater enrollment growth at HBCU Business Schools.

Conclusion- We suggest that HBCUs should not base their decision to pursue the AACSB accreditation on the expectation of greater

enrollment growth, but on other factors; and should consider the ACBSP and IACBE as viable options.

Keywords

Historically Black College or University (HBCU), business schools, accreditation, business school accreditation, enrollment

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