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"THE PROPOSED STANDARDS INSIST THAT SCHOOLS DEFINE THEIR LEARNING GOALS BOTH CONCEPTUALLY AND OPERATIONALLY. 'WHAT HAVE GRADUATES LEARNED?' WILL BE A KEY QUESTION OF THE PROPOSED REVIEW." —Milton Blood, AACSB International and minutes from The French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and the Mississippi Riverfront. AACSB's Guest Program includes a "paddle and wheel luncheon tour" that takes visitors on a motorcoach city tour through the city's landmarks and fol- lows with a steamboat tour to his- toric sites. Hotel registrations must be made by March 21 to ensure special room rates of $197 for a single room, $207 for a double. Contact the hotel directly at 504-561-1234 or, for reservations made from within the U.S., 800-233-1234. Conference registration and more information about the event can be found online at www.aacsb.edu. New Accreditation Standards Up for Vote Accredited AACSB International members will vote on the proposed accredita- tion standard revisions at the Annual Meeting and International Confer- ence this April in New Orleans. If the new standards are approved by a simple majority of voting members who are present, schools could im- plement them on a voluntary basis as early as Fall 2003. Adherence to new standards will be required by all schools seeking accreditation with visits in the 2005-2006 academic year. Current standards have been in use for about a decade. The Blue Ribbon Committee on Accreditation, architect of the pro- posed standards, has won high praise from members for its vision and the step-by-step inclusiveness of the re- view processes. Many observers are convinced that the changes, if adopted, will represent a powerful force for growth and enhancements in global management education. AACSB's Managing Director of Ac- creditation Services, the three sec- tions of the proposed standards focus attention on the delivery of quality education: strategic management, re- volving around the way resources are used to accomplish a well-defined mission; how effectively students and faculty interact in a community of learning; and how the institution demonstrates educational accom- plishment, or assurance of learning. He notes, "The proposed standards insist that schools define their learn- ing goals both conceptually and op- erationally. 'What have graduates According to Milton R. Blood, to incorporate best practices that peer review teams have witnessed during their accreditation visits to schools, according to Richard E. Sorensen, dean of the Pamplin Col- lege of Business, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is also Chair of the Business Accredita- tion Committee and a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Ac- creditation Quality. He notes that the new standards encourage a more collaborative, interactive process be- tween the peer review teams and the schools seeking accreditation. The new standards also reflect the learned?' will be a key question of the proposed review." The standards also will attempt global thrust of the accreditation process. For instance, European and Asian schools utilize faculty differ- ently than schools in the U.S. and do not track credit hours the way U.S. schools do, says Sorensen. "We saw that schools in other countries had a Williams Receives AICPA Award The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has awarded the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service to Doyle Z. Williams, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. The medal, which is AICPA's highest award, was presented to Williams at the annual meeting of the AICPA in Maui, Hawaii. Olivia F. Kirtley, former chair of the AICPA and vice president of Vermont American Corporation, also received the award. This is only the fifth time the Gold Medal has been given to someone in the education field since the award was established in 1944. The award recognizes an individual who has exerted an influence on the profession as a whole. Selection criteria include quality and length of service, motivation, influence, and personal attributes. Williams has served as vice president of AICPA, as a member of its board of directors, and on a variety of committees. He also is on the board of directors for AACSB International and will become chair-elect in July 2003. "Doyle's leadership in accounting education has been well recognized for decades," said John Fernan- des, CEO of AACSB. "AICPA's Gold Medal Award, which is nearly always bestowed upon accounting practition- ers, is an uncommon honor for the academic accountant. There is no one more deserving of this special recognition than Doyle." BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2003 9