UHV business college earns reaccreditation
The UHV College of Business was reaccredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for the next six years.
AACSB is an international accrediting agency for business education. It accredits more than 1,000 institutions around the world. To maintain its accreditation, the UHV College of Business undergoes a rigorous review on a multi-year cycle. In these reviews, the college must demonstrate its quality standards in multiple areas. The next review will be in 2031.
“After a successful visit from the Peer Review Team in March of this year, it was great news to receive confirmation from AACSB about the extension of accreditation for our programs,” said Xavier Garza-Gomez, interim dean of the UHV College of Business. “Being AACSB accredited is very important for faculty, students, staff and supporters of the college to demonstrate the quality of our programs. This recognition is a testament to the incredible dedication, expertise, and commitment of our outstanding faculty and staff.”
The AACSB accreditation is in addition to UHV’s accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The business college first was accredited by AACSB in 2005 and has successfully renewed its accreditation every five years. Achieving and maintaining accreditation from AACSB is a prestigious distinction that reflects the College of Business’s unwavering commitment to excellence in business education. This accreditation places the college among the top business schools worldwide, affirming that its academic programs, faculty expertise, and student outcomes meet the same high standards as those found at larger, more widely recognized institutions.
“Renewing and maintaining accreditation is a major team undertaking with lots of people working behind the scenes to gather the information we need and prepare for the review,” said Rhiannon Smith, assistant dean of administration and student services for the College of Business. “I’ve been with the business college since its initial accreditation in 2005, and it’s been amazing to see its growth and progression. You don’t always realize how much has been done until it’s pulled all together for the review.”
As part of its review, AACSB examines three main categories: Strategic Management and Innovation; Learner Success; and Though Leadership, Engagement and Societal Impact. Strategic Management and Innovation examines the business college’s strategic planning; physical, virtual and financial resources; and faculty and professional staff resources. The Learner Success category focuses on curriculum, assurance of learning, learner progression, and teaching effectiveness and impact.
In addition to reviewing information about the College of Business’s activities and efforts, the accrediting agency also sends a team to conduct a site visit. During the visit, the team reviewed the information from the College of Business while also meeting with groups of faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Sarah Austin, a UHV alumna and human resources director for Citizens Medical Center, participated in the alumni meeting. A group of alumni had dinner with the visiting team and shared how the UHV College of Business has impacted their careers. In addition, Austin and other alumni shared how UHV’s hybrid class model that offers instruction both online and in person helps students earn their degrees. They also shared how faculty members have used real-world examples that show the relevance of and application for business skills.
“I feel fortunate to be an active member of the community and to have played a part in helping our local university to continue its excellent work,” Austin said. “I hope to continue to have opportunities to support UHV, especially in advocating for the continuation of programs that can promote success in our community.”
At the end of the review, the AACSB offered praise for some of the College of Business’s practices, including the BBA Case Conference, a capstone project for undergraduate students, and the volunteering done by College of Business students, such as donating school supplies, doing community cleanup events and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program that gives low-income families free assistance filing their federal income taxes. In addition, the organization offered recommendations for the business college to improve and build on for the next review cycle.
“As part of our AACSB accreditation, we are committed to a continuous improvement process,” Garza-Gomez said. “Each peer review visit brings valuable commendations and recommendations that guide our progress toward even higher standards. Following the 2020 visit, our faculty and staff worked diligently to address the feedback provided – and their efforts played a key role in our recent reaccreditation. We are equally committed to acting on the insights from this latest review and are already preparing for the next cycle of growth and excellence.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.