The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Associate Degree Board of Commissioners recently awarded Riverland Community College, in Albert Lea, Austin, and Owatonna, Minnesota, initial accreditation for its five business degree programs.  The following programs received full accreditation:

• Accounting, Associate in Applied Science
• Administrative Assistant, Associate in Applied Science
• Business, Associate in Science
• Business Emphasis, Associate in Arts
• Medical Administrative Assistant, Associate in Applied Science

ACBSP accreditation certifies that the teaching and learning processes within the business degree programs at Riverland Community College meet the rigorous educational standards established by ACBSP.  Colleges and universities initially accredited by ACBSP must complete quality assurance reports every two years and undergo a reaffirmation process every 10 years in order to maintain accredited status.

Riverland is one of five accredited Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) two-year institutions and the only outstate college.

“Riverland Community College has shown their commitment to teaching excellence and to the process of quality improvement by participating in the accreditation process,” said ACBSP Director of Accreditation Steve Parscale, who will present the Certificate of Initial Accreditation at the ACBSP Annual Conference in Baltimore, Md., June 17. “This accreditation is evidence that Riverland Community College is committed to providing the highest quality business education for their students.”

“With this international program accreditation, all of Riverland’s eligible business-related degrees have been recognized as meeting industry-established skills standards,” said Executive Vice President Ron Langrell. "We implemented a college-wide agenda to accredit all career programs four years ago, thus providing Riverland graduates even more marketability in this global economy."

The accreditation process demonstrates how higher education institutions meet official requirements of academic excellence, curriculum, facilities and personnel. Colleges and universities are accredited on regional and professional or specialized levels.

Regionally, Riverland is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.  This regional accreditation applies to Riverland’s entire institution and assures students that the credits they earn at Riverland are transferable throughout the country. It also qualifies our students for federal financial aid.  HLC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which serves as a primary national voice for voluntary accreditation and quality assurance to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Education.

ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation association for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence. Established in 1988, ACBSP is the only business accrediting organization for all associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degree programs. Its mission is to promote continuous improvement and recognize excellence in the accreditation of business education programs around the world.

ACBSP continues to grow, having recently added its 10th region to better serve member institutions in South Asia. ACBSP is recognized by the CHEA as a specialized accreditation agency for business education. ACBSP currently has 1,051 member campuses, 157 of which are located outside of the U.S. Of those campuses, 541 have achieved accreditation and more than 415 are in candidacy for accreditation. Individual members on these campuses now exceed 9,500.