School of Professional Accountancy
College of Administration and Business
Louisiana Tech University
AACSB Accreditation Maintenance
Annual Report for 2004-2005
2004-2005 Progress
The School of Professional Accountancy’s (SPA) strategic management focused on issues
relating to areas that needed strengthening, particularly those relating to the new accounting
accreditation standards. Representatives of the SPA also participated in the continuing
development of the College of Administration and Business Strategic Plan. The College’s
Strategic Plan addresses four areas related to: (1) employment of human resource management;
(2) development of partnerships directed toward obtaining financial resources; (3) expansion of
partnerships that enhance instruction, research, and service goals; and (4) development of
program management strategies and systems that fully embody instructional aims. The
College’s Strategic Plan is discussed in the College’s accreditation maintenance report and is not
considered below except when it is central to the SPA’s efforts this year.
The SPA’s progress this year focused on (1) assessment methods; (2) technology in the
curriculum; and (3) intellectual contributions (as part of human resource management).
1.
Assessment Methods
The mission and objectives of the SPA were reviewed in the fall with no resulting changes.
However, we began to refine some of the objectives into specific intended outcomes (or learning
goals – assurance of learning standards). Our plan is to look at goals that we can start assessing
and follow up next year with additional intended outcomes. This year we continued working
with our intended outcomes at the principles level, using course-embedded assessment in these
courses (second year). We also began pretest/posttest review of intermediate accounting
students and their understanding of key concepts(first year). One goal is to gauge student
retention of the accounting knowledge. As we refine our learning objectives into assurance of
learning standards, we intend to use more of these types of assessment measures. Additionally,
we have been using oral and written communication rubrics for the last two years to help assess
each of these communication areas in two undergraduate and one graduate course (all courses
must have 10 percent of the grade determined by written communication).
We formed the SPA Assessment Committee which is charged with (1) developing new
assessment techniques; (2) monitoring current assessment; and (3) reviewing accounting syllabi.
Committee members include accounting representatives on the undergraduate and graduate
policies and assessment committees for the College (UPAC and GPAC). Also, one of our
faculty members attended an AACSB assessment seminar. Our assessment methods to date
include the following:
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Student evaluation of individual courses (UG & G)*
College-wide oral exit interviews of graduating seniors (UG)
CAB written survey of graduating seniors (UG)
SPA written survey of graduating seniors (UG)
SPA written survey of MPA students (G)
CAB written survey of DBA students (G)
One-year CAB alumni written survey (with SPA addendum) (UG & G)
Six-year CAB alumni written survey (with SPA addendum) (UG & G)
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Employer survey conducted by CAB (UG & G)
Employer of intern survey conducted by SPA (UG & G)
Analysis of available CPA examination scores (UG & G)
Other certification results by alumni survey addendum (UG & G)
Advisory Board Review (Acct members - CAB Bd.) (UG & G)
Evaluation of oral presentations (including periodic outside evaluation) (UG
& G)
Evaluation of written communication skills (UG & G)
CAB & SPA-administered course-embedded assessment in core courses (UG)
SPA pretest/post test review of intermediate students (UG)
Syllabi review by SPA assessment committee (undergraduate & graduate) (UG &
G)
Critiqued presentations of DBA students (Acct. 601, video-taped) (G)
SPA-administered written comprehensive examination of DBA students (G)
CAB-administered oral comprehensive examination of DBA students (G)
DBA minor field comprehensive exam (G)
DBA students’ dissertations (G)
Publications by DBA students and graduates (G)
*UG = Undergraduate, G = Graduate
Our focus over the next few years will be less on some of the assessments above that are made
up largely of perceptions and greater focus on implementing direct assessment measures. We
also plan to hire consultants over the next three-years (CAB has approved the funding) to assist
in better refining our learning goals and assessing those goals (and other matters related to the
new accounting accreditation standards).
Recent changes arising from assessment have affected each of our accounting programs. The
following is a list of recent changes resulting from a variety of assessment means including SPA
formal assessment, faculty suggestions, benchmarking/observations of other institutions,
information gathered from meetings/training sessions (AACSB and other organizations,
recommendations of the accounting members of the CAB Advisory Board, and AACSB review
team recommendations. These changes can be broadly summarized as follows:
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Emphasis on learning objectives in every course
Inclusion of relevant technology in accounting courses
Increased written communication in every course
Stronger emphasis on oral communication skills
Scheduled periodic review of missions and objectives
Enhanced faculty research expectations
Measures to ensure consistent coverage in courses taught by a variety of
instructors
The SPA Assessment Committee also assisted in the assessment process and with making
recommended changes. Their largest commitment this year was in reviewing all syllabi with an
emphasis on learning objectives for all courses. Committee recommendations for content
changes were considered by the entire accounting faculty.
2.
Technology in the Curriculum
Improved technology usage across program curricula resulted from assessment as well as the
AACSB visit team’s suggestions. Data from our alumni surveys (one-year and six-year) and
from oral and written surveys of graduating seniors indicated concerns over the level of
applicable technology in accounting courses. We have invested considerable time in discussing
technology with faculty at other universities, sent our faculty to technology seminars (general
and course specific technology) on multiple occasions, and met with the accounting members of
the CAB Advisory Board. A direct result of our efforts is the inclusion of applicable technology
in many of our courses. We are already receiving positive feedback from exit surveys of
program graduates and from employer surveys, both full-time positions and internships.
Assessment data and other feedback have indicated the need for student experiences with
profession-related technology such as general ledger software and tax preparation software. The
general ledger software was added to our Accounting 303 (Intermediate I) class during Fall
Quarter 2003 and was used in Accounting 304 (Intermediate II) beginning in the Winter 200304. Prior to this addition, we talked with accounting alumni on the CAB’s Advisory Board,
asking their opinions about requiring the use of QuickBooks Pro in our intermediate accounting
courses. They agreed that our students would benefit, and the software usage would develop
skills that are transferable to other accounting software packages. Students have gained greater
confidence and been positive about the addition. Likewise, employers (of interns and graduates)
have indicated the value of these experiences.
This year, we continued with professional software and database use from last year and added
TurboTax to our individual income tax course. Student feedback has indicated that the
experience of using TurboTax provides a better understanding of tax preparation software. Area
CPA firms also have given us positive feedback, noting that the knowledge gained is transferable
to other, more sophisticated tax software. MS Visio is used in selected graduate classes (such as
tax). KPMG made their Accounting Research Online available to accounting faculty for use in
and out of the classroom. We added this year an interactive tool in undergraduate auditing
designed for teaching detection, evaluation, and designing application controls within business
processes.
Other technology related tools have been well received and their value is already being noted by
students in exit surveys and by employers. These include increased usage of Excel, an
introduction to SAP, and the increased use of research databases (such as EDGAR, FARS, LexisNexis, RIA Checkpoint, and the CCH Network Research Site). Graduates and employers have
provided positive feedback related to skills students have gained as a result of the restructuring
of two Computer Information Systems courses in 2004 that now include computer usage tools
and, most recently, ACCESS. Especially noteworthy is the improved graduating senior student
satisfaction this year with the teaching of technology related skills. Only a short time ago,
technology exposure was viewed as a program weakness. While the inclusion of technology
skills requires continuous monitoring and updating, the School has made great strides in this area
and now both students and employers express greater satisfaction with the technological skills
gained.
3.
Intellectual Contributions
In an effort to increase high quality research, we are strengthening our emphasis on basic
research by faculty and doctoral students. The faculty have developed a new journal list to serve
as our targeted outlets for research. Faculty are directing their efforts toward these journals and
we anticipate improvement over the next few years. Periodic assessment of our doctoral
program has also indicated the need for stronger research agendas by our doctoral students and
doctoral alumni. We believe that stronger intellectual contributions will enhance the quality of
our faculty for instruction in all our programs, particularly for teaching in the doctoral program.
Likewise, improved research agendas and enhanced research skills will assist doctoral alumni
throughout their academic careers.
As part of the effort to increase research productivity of doctoral students, we have reduced the
teaching assignments for doctoral teaching assistants. We have a target teaching load for
doctoral students of no more than two courses per calendar year. Students will work more
closely with doctoral graduate faculty as part of their doctoral assistantships to develop a
research agenda that will lead to publications. An increased emphasis on research projects (in
addition to projects in doctoral seminars and normal dissertation requirements) will increase the
value of our doctoral students, providing them with a stronger research background prior to
graduation.
An assessment of doctoral students’ (and graduates’) research productivity is now provided
annually. A strengthened emphasis on research in doctoral seminars, engaging students in
research projects with faculty, and reducing students’ teaching loads should improve the future
research productivity of our graduates. Last year, the two accounting doctoral students at the
dissertation stage had multiple publications, each with applied research publications (including
The CPA Journal) and with discipline-based research in progress (one with a published article in
Advances in Taxation). Meeting the objective of increased research productivity should
improve graduate placement, a factor that is an assessment outcome.
The School has also developed (and twice revised) a Policies and Procedures Manual that
formally establishes the role of intellectual contributions in human resource management (HRM)
decisions such as tenure and promotion, merit pay increases, faculty workload assignments, and
doctoral faculty status. While the new journal list contains one “Contributions to Practice”
journal and two journals categorized as “Learning and Pedagogical,” the “Discipline-Based”
journals are used in critical HRM decisions such as determining doctoral faculty status. Articles
categorized as “Learning and Pedagogical” will supplement one’s teaching evaluation under an
annual performance appraisal (i.e., not as part of one’s research evaluation). Changes in the
CAB’s HRM Policies and Procedures during the last three months have impacted these
decisions, too.
Related to the goal of higher quality research is the hiring of new faculty. The University
committed funding for hiring a new doctoral faculty member in December 2004, and we started
negotiating that month with a well-qualified individual we had tried to hire during the previous
year. Unfortunately, this prospective faculty member selected another doctoral granting
university, and we have continued with our recruitment process. Our goal now is to hire
someone for the Fall 2006.
In April, Dr. Dan Reneau, the President of Louisiana Tech University, demonstrated his
commitment and continuing support by agreeing to hire a second accounting faculty member.
These two faculty additions will add to our core group of doctoral faculty and give other faculty
(who hold the doctorate, but do not meet current doctoral faculty criteria) time to improve their
intellectual contributions through higher quality research. In addition, it should be noted that we
have a reasonable time period remaining before any current doctoral students reach the
dissertation stage.
The College is also revising the Human Resource Management (HRM) system. The CAB HRM
Committee completed revisions of the Promotion and Tenure and the Graduate Faculty
Appointment Policies and Procedures. Both are ready for faculty hearings and faculty vote in the
2005-2006 school year. The Annual Faculty Review Policies and Procedures that were approved
in the previous year were implemented. The HRM Committee also continued its meetings
regarding the revision of the College’s journal lists. This revision impacts the new journal list
recently developed by the SPA. After soliciting faculty input through hearings and informally,
the lists were revised. The revised lists and associated Policies/Procedures were adopted by the
CAB Council in February 2005 and posted on the CAB website.
Also related to quality research is the CAB’s continued encouragement to faculty to apply for
sabbaticals in both in the U.S. and internationally. A professor in economics is on sabbatical
leave at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates this year. An assistant professor
in finance spent the summer at Arizona State University to facilitate his research agenda. Both
received financial support from the CAB. Sabbaticals are available for accounting faculty.
Other Activities Relevant to Success
The SPA has continued to engage in a number of activities that are vital to our success. One of
those activities involves development work. The SPA Director and representatives from the
School and the CAB have attended accounting alumni receptions during the year as part of our
outreach efforts to work with those who provide financial support, as well as those who hire our
students. During the year, an accounting alumnus decided to begin funding an endowed
professorship for accounting. When this new professorship is completely funded will bring our
total in accounting to five (along with one endowed chair). Other professorships in the College
can also be awarded to accounting professors.
This year we decided to establish a separate Accounting Advisory Board. We have selected the
initial board member who will be the initial chair of the Board (Managing Partner of Shreveport
office of KPMG).
2005-2006 Priorities
During 2005-2006, we will continue to focus on the efforts considered above, particularly
concentrating upon:
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Refinement of learning goals and outcome assessment
Establishment of a separate Accounting Advisory Board
Assist the College in the approval process and further development of HRM policies
and procedures
Assist the College in the selection of prospective peers (including finding peers for
the SPA