Comments on: Ready, Set, Sit!

By: Lynda M. Dennis

Lynda M. Dennis — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:07:43 +0000

I agree with Warren that many faculty are not connected with practitioners or the “real world”. Unfortunately, many of them spent little or no time working in public accounting or private industry. Many faculty are also not CPAs or have not kept their licenses active which is a real shame. To get accounting faculty engaged, perhaps firms and companies could create learning opportunities for faculty via on campus student organizations such as Beta Alpha Psi or the Student Accounting Society. Other options might be to get state societies involved in reaching out to and educating the academic community. For example, in Florida, the FICPA volunteer leadership has made it a priority this year to reach out to the academic community in an effort to have them more involved in FICPA activities and committees.

By: Warren

Warren — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:36:22 +0000

Lynda: And how, exactly, do you expect CPA firms to get college professors on board? As far as I’m concerned, accounting professors are the biggest waste of time I’ve ever seen. IMHO.

By: Lynda M. Dennis

Lynda M. Dennis — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:16:03 +0000

To get exam candidates motivated and on track to sit for the exam, you have to begin in the undergraduate classroom. Many faculty are probably more unaware of the exam process today than the partners/managers and executives in public accounting and the private sector, respectively. An emphasis in the classroom of the importance of the CPA brand is crucial in helping students differentiate between an “accounting degree” and the “accounting profession”. Helping students understand the importance of accounting as a profession will motivate them to seek the CPA brand. Once motivated, candidates will be eager to take on the “exam” phase of our professional credentialing process. In turn, they will demand prospective and ultimate employers provide them the resources they need to be successful in this endeavor.