Business faculty get perfect grade in Business Week survey

For the second straight year, the faculty of the College of William and Mary School of Business has received a perfect grade from the students, according to the Business Week 2009 Best Undergraduate Schools ranking.  Ranked 30th among all schools and 10th among public schools, the Mason Undergraduate program was also featured in the ranking as one of the best schools for return on investment in the story accompanying the ranking, Return on Investment: Public Schools Rock.

The 2009 ranking ranked 101 schools and the faculties of 20 schools received perfect marks of "A+". William and Mary was one of only two public schools among the twenty whose faculty received the perfect mark in teaching.

"We are pleased but not surprised by this confirmation," said Dean Lawrence B. Pulley. "As one who reads each faculty member's description of course goals and outcomes and every student evaluation comment for every class, I can confirm that the quality of teaching at the Mason  School is unparalleled."

In response to a challenging economic environment, BusinessWeek undertook an extensive analysis of ROI for the 50 top schools in its 2009.  To determine ROI, BusinessWeek gathered information from all 50 schools about their annual tuition and required fees as well as the median starting salaries for 2008 graduates, then divided the salary figure by the annual costs to calculate "salary per tuition dollar"-or bang for the buck.

William and Mary was 14th in ROI among public schools with a "bang for the buck" at $5.12. The average for private schools was $1.87.
In ranking the programs, BusinessWeek surveyed students and recruiters to determine the rankings that include teaching quality, facilities and services and job placement.

In addition to the teaching quality, William and Mary received a perfect grade of "A+" in ‘Facilities and Services' and a "B" in ‘Job placement.'

In Fall 2009 the Mason School of Business will move to Alan B. Miller Hall. Designed by Robert A.M. Stern, Miller Hall will be the home of the active learning, collaboration, teamwork, and mentoring that define the William and Mary experience.

The complete ranking is published on the BusinessWeek website, http://www.businessweek.com/.

Share your thoughts on the William and Mary School of Business blog. Go to http://blog.wmschoolofbusiness.com.

The Mason School of Business is an AACSB-accredited school of business. Students are immersed in real business situations throughout the undergraduate and graduate business education programs. Executive Partners, the school's pioneering model of faculty-executive partnership in and out of the classroom, Career Acceleration Modules, and Leadership Advantage combine to form a highly personalized, experience-based education that is unmatched by most business schools today. The school was named for William and Mary alumnus, Raymond A. "Chip" Mason in November 2005. It will move into its new state-of-art building, Alan B. Miller Hall, in Fall 2009. Miller Hall was named for William and Mary alumnus, Alan B. Miller in March 2007.

The College of William and Mary, located in Williamsburg, VA, is one of the nation's premier state-assisted liberal arts universities and believes that excellence in teaching is the key to unlocking intellectual and personal possibilities for students. Dedicated to this philosophy and committed to limited enrollment, the College provides high-quality undergraduate, graduate and professional education that prepares students to make significant contributions to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. As the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and educational home to many early American leaders, The College is revered as the "alma mater of a nation."