COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION MAKES BUSINESSWEEK'S 2010 LIST OF TOP UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

K-State's College of Business Administration has made BusinessWeek's list of top undergraduate business programs for 2010.

"At K-State, we've developed a business program that speaks to the needs of today's fast-paced global business environment," said Yar Ebadi, dean of K-State's College of Business Administration. "This national ranking recognizes the quality of our faculty, in addition to validating our ongoing efforts to meet the real needs of the business world with graduates who are more than prepared."

Bloomberg BusinessWeek annually ranks undergraduate business programs across the nation, examining nine measures of student satisfaction, postgraduation outcomes and academic quality. To be considered for the rankings, colleges fill out a lengthy application. BusinessWeek then conducts a number of surveys to verify the information provided and collect independent data.

"The BusinessWeek rankings are a comprehensive look at a business school's performance that considers student and recruiter satisfaction, in addition to academic quality and student success," said Eric Higgins, head of the department of finance. Higgins oversaw K-State's bid to make the list.

"There are 1,600-plus business schools in the United States. Only 111 schools appear in the BusinessWeek rankings," Higgins said. "We at K-State are honored to be listed as one of the best in the nation."

What recruiters say about the program is one of the factors considered in formulating the list. Recruiters were asked by BusinessWeek to rank schools based on the quality of their graduates and innovative curriculum. In that category alone, K-State was ranked 22nd.

"What that tells us is that our students are engaged in learning while they are here and that the education we are providing is preparing them for career success," Ebadi said.

In recent years, Ebadi and the college's staff and faculty have worked hard to offer a business education that is both rigorous and relevant. To retain and attract quality faculty, salaries were enhanced with the addition of several endowed chairs. Calvin Hall also has been renovated to enhance academic instruction, including the addition of a computer lab and student lounge on the third floor and extensive multimedia capabilities in every classroom.

Ebadi said the next step is to attract a greater number of high quality students with additional scholarship money. He intends to grow the pool of scholarship money available by 30 percent over the next year, to be followed by 20 percent increases each year after.