Lauri Brunelli/Robyn Fink O’Connell & Goldberg, Inc

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O’Connell & Goldberg, Inc.

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FIU’S COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION’S SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTING RECEIVES ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMATION

MIAMI, FL – (June 12, 2001) – Continuing to make its mark as one of the country’s leading business schools, Florida International University’s College of Business Administration’s (CBA) School of Accounting (SOA) recently received reaffirmation of accreditation for its bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in accounting.

This acknowledgement was received in addition to the CBA’s accreditation reaffirmation received in December of last year. The CBA and the SOA are among the select few out of more than 3,000 colleges and universities eligible to receive accreditation. As of May, there were 156 accredited Schools of Accounting and 405 accredited business schools.

“I’m delighted about the news that our SOA has had its accreditation reaffirmed,” said Joyce Elam, dean of the College of Business Administration. “It’s especially gratifying because it comes just after the College’s accreditation reaffirmation and reinforces the top quality of our faculty, programs and graduates.”

In order to receive accreditation reaffirmation, the SOA program must satisfy a wide range of quality standards relating to curriculum, faculty resources, admissions, degree requirements, library and computer facilities, financial resources and intellectual climate – all of which must be linked to the institution’s mission. During the reaffirmation of accreditation process, conducted by the Board of Directors of the AACSB International – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the

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“I’m especially grateful to Dr. Mort Dittenhofer, whom I called out of retirement to head this accreditation review process,” Elam said.

According to Elam, Dittenhofer, an internationally recognized specialist in government accounting and internal auditing, has served as acting director of the SOA since 1999. Upon his scheduled August departure, Elam has secured Dr. Dana Forgione, a well-known expert in healthcare accounting, to serve as the SOA director.

The AACSB International, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a not-for-profit corporation of educational institutions, corporations, and other organizations devoted to the promotion and improvement of higher education in business administration and management. Organized in 1916, the AACSB International is the premier accrediting agency for bachelor’s master’s, and doctoral degree programs in business administration and accounting. It is the professional organization for management education as well.

Florida International University’s College of Business Administration (CBA), South Florida’s business education leader with unique expertise in international business and in information technology (IT), is the second largest of FIU’s 16 schools and colleges, enrolling approximately 3,800 undergraduate and more than 900 graduate students each year. One of only 398 business schools in the world accredited by the AACSB--International, the College offers the 8^th largest part-time MBA program among this group and its IT faculty has been ranked among the top 20 (11^th) in the U.S. in terms of research productivity. It is one of only 28 business schools to have received a Department of Education grant to establish and support a Center for International Business Education and Research.

For more information about the CBA, call (305) 348-6631 or visit the College’s website at www.fiu.edu/~cba.