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A Walk About Walton The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville first opened its doors to students on January 22, 1872. Fifty-four years later, the business school was founded, initially consisting of four profes- sors teaching 36 courses in business administration, econom- ics, and sociology. Today the faculty consists of 75 permanent full-time members teaching approximately 2,800 undergradu- ate and graduate students. In 1998, the school received a $50 million cash donation nomics and business administration—with concentrations in accounting, economics, finance, information systems, market- ing, management, and transportation and logistics. Master's degrees are offered in accountancy, information systems, eco- nomics, and transportation and logistics management. Undergraduate fields of specialization include accounting, eco- nomics, information systems, finance, marketing, transportation and logistics, general business, and management. A separate bachelor's degree is offered in international business. The Walton College also boasts an advanced computing instruc- AACSB is in the process of designing the Doctoral Education Resource Center, a joint project with DocNet, an organization of doctoral program administrators. The center will be directed at management educators and will focus on improving programs and developing innovative practices. Another site, which will be directed at prospective doctoral students, will contain information about doctoral education and accredited doctoral programs. These two sites, as well as the ethics and assessment Resource Centers, will be accessi- ble through www.aacsb.edu. Affinity Groups: AACSB's Affinity Groups offer members a from theWalton Family Charitable Support Foundation, believed to be the largest donation to an American business school at that time. The school was subsequently renamed the Sam M.Walton College of Business. TheWalton College offers two Ph.D. programs—in eco- tional and research center, with a state-of-the-art multimedia lab, four computer labs for undergraduate students, and a separate computer lab for graduate students. The Walton College has implemented an integrated under- sight of its threefold mission of teaching, research, and service. "Learning is a lifelong adventure that begins with discovery," according to the school's credo. "Our passion for learning must be sustained by intellectual curiosity and scholarship, and we must endeavor to instill this same passion in our students." this issue. Its mix of staff-written articles and contributions from outside experts brings readers up-to-date on relevant top- ics that range from globalization to corporate governance. news from members, and thought-provoking columns such as "Dean's Corner." Finally, BizEd celebrates its third full year of publication with to strengthen its public service and research: the Center for Business and Economic Research; the Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education; the Small Business Development Center; the Center for Management and Executive Development; the Supply Chain Management Research Center; the Information Technology Research Center; and the Center for Retailing Excellence. Throughout its long history, the Walton College has not lost graduate core curriculum, developed an advanced enterprise resource program curriculum in information systems, and established three investment funds—a stock fund, a fixed- income fund, and an asset allocation fund—with real money managed by students. Seven specialized centers have allowed the Walton College chance to meet with like-minded professionals to discuss problems, solutions, issues, and concerns. The 12 existing Affinity Groups are organized around missions, scope of pro- grams, size of institutions, geographical location, and other commonalities. Interest in the groups is growing, and three new groups were recently added—Development Profes- sionals, Entrepreneurship Programs, and Technology Leaders. Currently representatives from more than half the member institutions, about 475 schools, participate in Affinity Groups. Communications: Another key member benefit is the range of communications products that keep members connected and informed. TheWeb site, www.aacsb.edu, contains com- prehensive information on accreditation, member benefits, affiliated organizations, conferences and seminars, and job openings. eNEWSLINE, a monthly electronic publication, provides members with information on the association and its events, will become more critical. I believe AACSB is well positioned to serve its members and management education worldwide. I suspect those who founded AACSB in 1916 did not envision the global breadth of the organization today or expect it to attain a membership approaching 1,000. Similarly, we can only imagine the impact AACSB will have in the coming century. The key to AACSB's future will be, as it was in the past, a committed and informed voluntary leadership drawn from institutions around the world. I urge all members to become involved in building an even stronger foundation for man- agement education through leadership in regional, national, and international organizations. s z BizEd SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 47 Planning for Progress AACSB has made enormous progress in fulfilling its interna- tional leadership role in management education—and I expect that progress to be ongoing. AACSB accreditation will con- tinue to expand around the globe. Knowledge services will become more valuable to educational institutions, prospective students, and employers. AACSB member services and affini- ty groups will continue to help members exchange best prac- tices and keep abreast of changes in management education. In the coming months, AACSB's role as a thought leader