The AACSB accreditation process and re-accreditation process is a significant task facing most business colleges requiring a concerted effort by all stakeholders in an academic institution. While it is important for all members of a college to take part in the process of assessment and improvement, much of the burden related to the AACSB accreditation process falls on the college dean. As a consequence, there is a significant amount of research related to the AACSB accreditation process (along with the maintenance of accreditation) as well as the impact it has on various academic departments within a business college. Fitzpatrick and McConnell (Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research, 2014), for example, present a detailed discussion how the AACSB accreditation and maintenance process has impacted a department of economics in terms of program assessment, development of program learning objectives, changes to the department mission, and maintenance of faculty competencies. The primary area of development involves assessment but it is also clear that the AACSB accreditation and maintenance process requires a close integration of academic units within the business college.

Very little research has been done, however, to determine the reverse impact that the inclusion of a department of economics has on the AACSB accreditation and maintenance process for business colleges. My interest in this analysis is based on recent proposals among a number of universities to move the Department of Economics out of the college even though initial accreditation was achieved, in no small part, by the assistance of faculty in the department in many cases. My concern is that this type of move may have an adverse impact on reaccreditation efforts with regard to the accurate transmission of academic data and continued effort by faculty in support of future academic development. This presentation will first outline changes in the AACSB guidelines that may have influenced the impact a Department of Economics has on accreditation. Surveys sent to business college deans and department chairs regarding important aspects of the accreditation process will then be analyzed with a particular emphasis placed on the value of efforts presented by economics faculty. Finally, a general analysis of accredited programs will be presented looking at how the Department of Economics fits into each program curriculum.