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Headlines Bridging the Doctoral Gap As part of its response to the predicted doctoral faculty shortage in manage- ment education, AACSB Internation- al has endorsed five "Post-Doctoral Bridge to Business Programs" devel- oped by member schools. These programs prepare qualified doctoral faculty from other academic disci- plines for positions in accounting and finance, marketing, management, supply chain management, interna- tional business, and entrepreneurship. The five schools offering these programs are the University of Flori- da in Gainesville; Grenoble Ecole de Management in France; University of Toledo in Ohio; Tulane Univer- sity in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. All programs are slated to begin by the summer of 2008, but program con- centrations, delivery methods, and other factors will vary to reflect the strengths of the schools and provide interested candidates with flexible options. For instance, schools par- ticipating in the Bridge Program might offer options such as intensive summer scheduling or more empha- sis on distance education. AACSB International's endorse- ment ensures each program will be rigorous and prepare both experi- enced and newly qualified doctoral faculty from academic disciplines, according to Richard Sorensen, dean of the Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech. Sorensen leads the association's efforts to address the doctoral faculty shortage. The pro- grams will also orient these scholars so they can more quickly pursue fac- ulty positions in management educa- tion, he says. The programs evolved from the findings of the 2003 report, "Sustaining Scholarship in Business Schools," prepared by AACSB's Doctoral Faculty Commission. Tak- ing into account current Ph.D. enrollments, projected demand for business education, and expected rate of faculty retirements, the report predicted that the U.S. will experience a shortage of approxi- mately 2,500 Ph.D.s by 2012. Developing bridge programs is a vital step in meeting "the grow- ing demand for high-quality busi- ness education and research," says John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB. "Increasing the academic diversity of our faculties through this program will strengthen our ability to meet this global demand." Women and B-School In an effort to draw more women into business careers, many business schools are stepping up their recruit- ing efforts or developing specialized programs. Here is just a sampling of recent initiatives: n The Quinnipiac University School of Business in Hamden, Connecticut, has implemented Busi- ness Women in Search of Excellence (B-WISE). The program offers for- mally structured professional devel- opment opportunities for female business students and helps them address issues specific to being a woman in business. According to Rowena Ortiz- Walters, an assistant management professor at the school, the program will help female students express feelings of self-confidence, recognize personal work and accomplishments, overcome phobias about quantitative courses and business careers, dress professionally, and network effective- ly. B-WISE also aims to help female students understand the glass ceil- ing, develop strategies to deal with potential career barriers, and balance work and family life. n The Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville has con- centrated on recruiting more female applicants and offering more fel- lowships to women. The school 10 BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007