UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
PLANNING AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE
REQUEST FOR DECISION
PRESENTED BY:
Jay Kalra, Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
April 16, 2009
SUBJECT:
Approval of the Centre for the Advancement of
Accounting Education
DECISION REQUESTED:
It is recommended:
That Council approve the Centre for the Advancement of
Accounting Education, effective April 16, 2009.
PURPOSE:
The Centre for the Advancement of Accounting Education aspires to become a centre of
excellence for research, teaching, and outreach in the area of accounting education.
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND:
The proposed centre is included in the 2008/09 – 2011/12 Edwards School of Business
Plan as one of a number of centres the school intends to invest in to foster research,
teaching, and outreach activity. The proposed centre supports the priority initiatives
within the Second Integrated Plan to enhance the university’s profile in the area of
research, scholarly and artistic work and to improve the student experience, both inside
and outside the classroom.
CONSULTATION:
The Centres Subcommittee reviewed the Centre for the Advancement of Accounting
Education with Associate Dean Gary Entwistle on January 27 and February 25, 2009.
Following receipt of the positive recommendation from the Centres Subcommittee that
the proposed centre be approved, the Planning and Priorities Committee considered the
centre proposal at its March 18, 2009 meeting.
SUMMARY:
The centre includes a specific initiative to champion the Honours Project in Accounting
Initiative through the centre and enhance the profile of the existing undergraduate
accounting program offered in the Bachelor of Commerce program. The centre also
includes an Experiential Learning Initiative to provide accounting students with a service
mission in the external community. In addition to becoming an academic leader in
undergraduate accounting education, the centre will build the research expertise within
the school in the area of accounting education.
The committees’ discussion regarding the proposal centred upon the long-term
sustainability of the centre, beyond the lifespan of the associated donor gift and the
request for greater reflection of specific outcomes related to the vision for the centre.
Given the uniqueness of the centre, the Planning and Priorities Committee has requested
that a report on the centre’s success in meeting its objectives be submitted to the Planning
and Priorities Committee by the end of the planning cycle (year 2012).
In summary, the Planning and Priorities Committee supports the establishment of the
Centre for the Advancement of Accounting Education as a Type A centre, which will
enhance the teaching and research activities of the Edwards School of Business, and
further the university’s objective to enhance the student experience.
ATTACHMENTS:
1.
Proposal to establish the Centre for the Advancement of Accounting Education
and related correspondence
www/university_secretary/council/committees/planning_priorities/report_files/pdf/
PPApril20099.2attachmentaccountingcentre.pdf
The Centres Policy and Guidelines can be found at:
www.usask.ca/university_secretary/policies/research/8_23.php