D. Comparison Groups: Peer,
Aspirant, and Competitor Schools
Comparison schools were chosen by the LSBE Accreditation Team, with input from the LSBE
Administrative Committee. Information used in making these determinations included extensive
use of the AACSB Knowledge Services Business School Profiles, personal knowledge about
programs and schools, phone calls and emails to administrators and faculty at potential schools,
and information about the schools from their own web pages.
1. Peer Schools
Peer schools were identified as those who are similar to LSBE in the following ways: number of
undergraduate business students; number of masters business students; number of full-time
business faculty; number of FTE business faculty; percent of business faculty with a PhD;
number of students on campus; and type of programs offered, so as not to choose those with PhD
programs. The following are our peer schools:
University of Alabama: Huntsville
University of Northern Iowa
Western Kentucky University: Bowling Green
University of Massachusetts: Dartmouth, North Dartmouth
Youngstown State University (Ohio)
Eastern Washington University: Cheney, Spokane
University of Wisconsin: Eau Claire, Whitewater
2. Aspirant Schools
Aspirant schools were identified as schools that have demonstrated excellence in one or more
areas in which LSBE is considering making improvements or developing programs of study. The
following are our aspirant schools:
University of Colorado: Denver
University of Missouri: Kansas City
Our new strategic plan calls us to explore opportunities for introducing the concept of
sustainability in LSBE activities and programs. With that in mind, the University of Colorado,
Denver was chosen because it has a strong dedication to sustainability. Sustainability is
incorporated into their curriculum and their Web page indicates that all colleges, schools, and
programs have sustainability infused in them. In March of 2009, one of our faculty members
flew to Denver for a full-day visit with faculty, staff, and administrators in the School of
Business, with the express purpose of learning from their sustainability experiences. An
extensive document was created from that visit that defines terms, outlines best practices, and
makes suggestions for LSBE, as well as reports on many of the University of Colorado
initiatives. The report was distributed to the LSBE Dean, Associate Dean, and to the
Undergraduate and Graduate Committees. One charge for the committees for 2009–10 is to find
ways to incorporate sustainability into our BBA, BAcc and MBA curriculums.
Our new Strategic Plan also calls for us to establish a major in entrepreneurship in the BBA
program as well as programs aimed at sustainable entrepreneurship in the community. With that
goal in mind, University of Missouri at Kansas City was chosen because it has a strong
entrepreneurship program. Dean Knudsen has gathered a great deal of information about the
Kansas City program from the former dean of that school.
3. Competitor Schools
Competitor schools were chosen because LSBE competes with them in some significant way,
either for students, or for faculty, or both. All are located within 200 miles of UMD. Competitor
schools include the following:
M
INNESOTA
College of St. Scholastica, Duluth
Minnesota State University at Mankato
Minnesota State University at Moorhead
St. Cloud State University
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
University of Saint Thomas, St. Paul
N
ORTH
D
AKOTA
North Dakota State University, Fargo
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks
W
ISCONSIN
University of Wisconsin:
Eau Claire
Madison
Milwaukee
River Falls
Superior