Joint Session: NeuroDiversity in Accounting – Implications for the Classroom

Conversations about:

• Neurodiversity – Definitions, Traits, Types.
• Talents and Workplace needs associated with neurodiverse traits.
• Career Assistance, Employer Engagement and Recruiting Initiatives.
• Educational Access, Accommodation Needs, and Advising Strategies
• Raising awareness, Eliminating Misconceptions and Avoiding Stigmatization

Moderator: Jacqueline Burke, Hofstra University

Panelists: EY – Neurodiversity Centers of Excellence
Deloitte – The Deloitte Neurodiversity Network
TBD - University Accommodation Officer

Concurrent Session #1

Session A: AACSB Accreditation Updates
Key Updates to the Standards and observations from the COVID Year. Takeaways and best practices for upcoming CIR Reviews and accreditation visits.

Moderator: Gary Peters, University of Arkansas

Speaker: Stephanie Bryant – AACSB Global Chief Accreditation Officer

Session B: Orientation Strategies / Setting the Tone for Graduate School
Crossing the divide from undergraduate to graduate school. Strategies for distinguishing the graduate experience, including cohort building, orientation programs, and extracurricular requirements or opportunities.

Moderator: Robin Clement, University of Oregon

Panelists: Robert Fuller, University of Tennessee
Tyler Burrows, Wake Forest
Shannon Mulally, Michigan State 
Alee Phillips, University of Kansas

Joint Session: CPA Evolution - Model Accounting Curriculum - “Who Moved My Student’s Cheese”
Status update on the AICPA’s CPA Evolution Model Curriculum and strategies for adapting University curriculums.

Moderator: Jacqueline Burke

Panelists: Jan Taylor, AICPA
Jacqueline Burke, Hofstra
Elizabeth Gordon, Temple University

Joint Session: Reaching Diverse Student Groups

CAQ has partnered with Edge Research to conduct in depth qualitative research (individual interviews and focus groups) as well as quantitative research (surveys) to understand  high school, college and community college students’ motivations and priorities for college and career; discern how to reach these students, i.e., who are their main influencers; and evaluate the overall awareness and perceptions of accounting/ auditing to effectively assess and develop messaging themes that resonate with student motivations and priorities.

Moderator: Margot Cella, Center for Audit Quality

Panelists: Liz Barentzen, Center for Audit Quality 
Mark Dawkins, University of North Florida
Tatyana Velasquez, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Session A: Branding the Accounting Major
Practical Ideas and Experiences for Branding the Accounting Major within the University. Promoting the appeal of accounting as a vibrant college experience (in addition to a great career option). Student communication strategies, Student Influencers, Branding toolkits

Moderator: Steve Matzke, American Accounting Association

Panelists: Jerry Maginnis, Rowan University
Zlatana Alibegovic, Center for Audit Quality
Lindsay Patterson, Institute of Internal Auditors
Rebecca Shortridge, Northern Illinois University

Session B: Student Retention Strategies
Addressing student retention challenges. Implications for large class formats, traditional gate courses, and out of class engagement opportunities. 

Moderator: Ann Watkins, Texas State University

Panelists: Alex Hampshire, Texas State University
Veena Brown, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Heidi Meier, Cleveland State University

Break

Concurrent Sessions #3

Session A: FSA Discussion Forum and Business Meeting

Session B: Challenges of Student Performance and Assessment in a Post-Pandemic Era

Conversations about: 
•    New Assessment Techniques and Technology
•    New Cheating techniques that are Technology driven and mitigation strategies
•    Best Practices for Responding to Academic Integrity Issues
•    Coursework remediation strategies

Joint Session: Corporate Accounting Career Opportunities, Entry Trends, and Career Development
A conversation about changes in corporate employment paths, internship models, talent development, rotation programs and barriers to entry. Is Corporate (Public) Acct gaining (losing) competitive recruiting advantages? Are Corporate Accounting opportunities untapped partners to curb declines in Accounting Majors?

Moderator: Gary Peters, University of Arkansas
Panelists: TBD

Concurrent Session #4

Session A: Faculty Conflict Resolution
Department chair and leadership strategies for resolving faculty conflict. 

Speaker: Lynne Richardson, Dean, Iona University

Session B: Student Skills Expectations – What and When  
Adapting our degree programs to the trends in service outsourcing, technology up-skilling, and multi-internship models. Implications for skill expectations and student enrollment at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

Moderator: Mark Dawkins, University of North Florida
Panelists: Todd Shapiro, Executive Director Illinois CPA Society
Grant Thornton
TBD

Concurrent Session #5

Session A: Promoting Healthy Department Research Environments
Managing a Department that fosters a diversity of Research and Scholarly contributions. Rewarding and recognizing Faculty, allocating resources and support, addressing impact and mission, highlighting the Department’s contribution within the College. 

Moderator: Elizabeth Almer, Portland State University

Panelists:Greg Carnes, University of North Alabama
Frank Buckless, North Carolina State University
Robert Ricketts, Texas Tech University

Session B: Overcoming the Financial Barrier to 150 Hour Career Readiness – Experiences from the Firms
Positioning our students to benefit from these programs. Considering how these programs might model creative approaches or responses in our own undergraduate and graduate programs?  What can we learn and apply from how these programs are designed, promoted, and managed?

Moderator: Gary Peters, University of Arkansas

Panelists: EY  - Career Path Accelerator
PWC - While You Work and Start Internship Programs
Deloitte – NextGen Leaders Programs, Discovery Internships, Emerging Leaders