The criteria used for accrediting business schools is very similar to the experimental "Engineering Criteria 2000," as far as evaluation is concerned. Both criteria require that students be evaluated on outcomes rather than actual course completions. The only difference is that the business accreditation criteria goes a step further and asks that after the basic criteria has been achieved the department has to continue to improve its programs. The result will be an up-to-date educational program for the business-persons of the future.
In April of 1995, an advisor from the accreditation board that will evaluate WPI's management curriculum came to provide the Management Department with advice that would help it start evaluating its programs and improve them so as to achieve the required accreditation criteria. Since then the department has been steadily improving its programs, including hiring three new management professors. The department outlined some changes it had to make, in a plan it submitted to the accreditation board, and has been trying to accomplish the outlined tasks.
On April 20, Professor McRae C. Banks II, Management Department head, will be leaving for California where the accreditation board will give it's decision on accreditation of WPI's management programs. If the Department is accepted as a candidate for accreditation, the process for accreditation will take anywhere up to five years. During this period the Management Department will have to assure the accreditation board that it has achieved the required criteria and that it will continue to improve its programs.