Accounting Assessment
The mission of the accounting program is to provide high-quality educational experiences to equip students with the requisite accounting knowledge as well as personal and technological skills necessary for success in businesses and governments increasingly involved in international activity. In addition, the curriculum meets the needs of students planning graduate study in accountancy.
(Progress Report Submitted in 2006)
NOTE: No progress report submitted for 2005. Information below is for 2004.
The mission of the accounting program is to provide high-quality educational experiences to equip students with the requisite accounting knowledge as well as personal and technological skills necessary for success in businesses and governments increasingly involved in international activity. In addition, the curriculum meets the needs of students planning graduate study in accountancy.
Contact Person
Dr. Robert Oliva
send e-mail
501-569-3352
Program Goals
The Accounting Program is designed to ensure quality instruction for quality students in the following areas: accounting knowledge, technology, personal development, and ethical and international perspectives. Understanding that accounting knowledge is dynamic, the program is committed to a regular review of the accounting curriculum for relevance and currency. Furthermore, the department is committed to providing opportunities for student growth and the development of oral and written skills, critical thinking skills, and an understanding of ethical and international perspectives.
Program Objectives
- Demonstrate an understanding of systems and techniques for capturing, processing, analyzing and communicating financial information useful to management, owners, governments and others.
- Participate in critiqued written or oral communication exercises in every upper-level accounting course
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of current U. S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and federal income tax law (IRC)
- Use current technology including accounting software, audit software, electronic spreadsheets, tax return software and presentation software
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the standards and procedures for audit or review of the outputs of financial accounting systems.
- Exercise critical thinking skills through the use of case study analyses, group projects and tax research skill
- Demonstrate a general familiarity with the global marketplace, including international accounting and problems encountered by the multinational firm in the global marketplace
- Be familiar with decisions to be made in the ethical arena of the marketplace
Brief Statement of Methods
What methods did you use to measure the student learning outcome objective(s) assessed since last year’s report? Have there been any significant changes here? If so, please explain why.
The primary method of assessing student learning outcome objectives has been the uniform CPA exam. There have been no significant changes since the last report.
What measures do you propose to use next year?
Although plans for next year’s assessment are not final, the CPA exam will most likely be a major part of next year’s assessment.
How are you addressing the reliability and validity of those measures?
The uniform CPA exam is externally reviewed. It is the accounting professions primary measure of competency.
How does what you did this past year fit into the overall assessment plan for your program?
Since the CPA exam is the accounting professions primary measure of competency, it is used to evaluate program objectives.
Results and Use for Program Building CPA result trends.
The first table shows UALR student performance trends over past exams. The results are varied but generally show that our students are successful on at least one part of the exam with the exception of the November 2003 exam. However, the November 2003 exam was the last exam before a change in the format of the exam took place. The lower results in November 2003 may have been caused by students taking the exam with less than adequate preparation so they would be grandfathered in to the old format. Students may have perceived that there chances to be successful on the CPA exam would be more favorable under the previous format.
| UALR First Time Candidates without Advanced Degrees | ||||||||
| May 2001 | 8 | 25.0 | 50. | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 50.0 | 37.5 |
| Nov 2001 | 13 | 15.4 | 15.4 | 7.7 | 38.5 | 0.0 | 53.8 | 46.2 |
| May 2002 | 9 | 0.0 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 22.2 | 0.0 | 77.8 | 22.2 |
| Nov 2002 | 10 | 20.0 | 30.0 | – | 20.0 | – | 60.0 | 40.0 |
| May 2003 | 8 | 25.0 | 62.5 | 37.5 | 25.0 | 12.5 | 37.5 | 50.0 |
| Nov 2003 | 10 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Repeat Candidates without Advanced Degrees | ||||||||
| May 2001 | 24 | 26.7 | 43.8 | 18.2 | 43.8 | 20.8 | 41.7 | 37.5 |
| Nov 2001 | 27 | 29.4 | 47.1 | 26.9 | 44.4 | 22.2 | 44.4 | 33.3 |
| May 2002 | 28 | 22.2 | 33.3 | 20.0 | 42.1 | 21.4 | 42.9 | 35.7 |
| Nov 2002 | 27 | 45.0 | 52.9 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 29.6 | 37.0 |
| May 2003 | 23 | 37.5 | 56.3 | 35.0 | 50.0 | 30.4 | 30.4 | 39.1 |
| Nov 2003 | 24 | 33.3 | 41.7 | 31.6 | 40.0 | 41.7 | 45.8 | 12.5 |
2)Comparisons to Arkansas and national averages .
The next set of tables compares UALR accounting graduate performance with Arkansas and national averages.
| Overall Performance of First Time Candidates | ||||||||
| May 2003 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 15,615 | 33.2 | 39.5 | 32.1 | 36.2 | 21.4 | 48.7 | 29.8 |
| AR Avg | 96 | 20.8 | 25.3 | 29.5 | 36.8 | 13.5 | 54.2 | 32.3 |
| UALR | 8 | 25.0 | 62.5 | 37.5 | 25.0 | 12.5 | 37.5 | 50.0 |
| Nov 2003 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 21,441 | 32.7 | 37.7 | 32.8 | 32.1 | 19.2 | 50.4 | 30.4 |
| AR Avg | 81 | 20.0 | 22.8 | 20.0 | 16.5 | 12.3 | 67.9 | 19.8 |
| UALR | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | 0 |
| May 2002 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 15,079 | 30.9 | 34.9 | 32.0 | 31.4 | 18.8 | 53.5 | 27.7 |
| AR Avg | 67 | 23.9 | 26.9 | 25.4 | 35.8 | 16.4 | 56.7 | 26.9 |
| UALR | 9 | 0.0 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 22.2 | 0.0 | 77.8 | 22.2 |
| Nov 2002 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 19,788 | 34.8 | 38.3 | 31.0 | 32.6 | 19.2 | 49.7 | 31.1 |
| AR Avg | 88 | 25.3 | 32.2 | 18.4 | 20.7 | 13.6 | 60.2 | 26.1 |
| UALR | 10 | 20.0 | 30.0 | – | 20.0 | – | 60.0 | 40.0 |
| Overall Performance of Repeat Candidates | ||||||||
| May 2003 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 34,649 | 33.0 | 34.6 | 27.0 | 34.2 | 28.1 | 43.1 | 28.8 |
| AR Avg | 214 | 38.3 | 32.9 | 22.7 | 34.8 | 23.4 | 42.5 | 34.1 |
| UALR | 23 | 37.5 | 56.3 | 35.0 | 50.0 | 30.4 | 30.4 | 39.1 |
| Nov 2003 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 38,167 | 32.8 | 31.7 | 27.8 | 27.0 | 25.9 | 446.4 | 27.7 |
| AR Avg | 311 | 26.7 | 30.3 | 25.6 | 24.4 | 22.8 | 50.8 | 26.4 |
| UALR | 24 | 33.3 | 41.7 | 31.6 | 40.0 | 41.7 | 45.8 | 12.5 |
| May 2002 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 35,347 | 34.6 | 32.8 | 26.4 | 30.8 | 27.1 | 44.8 | 28.1 |
| AR Avg | 254 | 33.3 | 29.8 | 24.2 | 32.6 | 20.1 | 42.9 | 37.0 |
| UALR | 28 | 22.2 | 33.3 | 20.0 | 42.1 | 21.4 | 42.9 | 35.7 |
| Nov 2002 | ||||||||
| Nat’l Avg | 38,741 | 32.8 | 34.1 | 24.2 | 29.1 | 24.5 | 46.6 | 28.9 |
| AR Avg | 246 | 31.4 | 33.3 | 25.5 | 26.5 | 24.8 | 45.1 | 30.1 |
| UALR | 27 | 45.0 | 52.9 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 29.6 | 37.0 |
What have been your main findings?
The results are varied but generally show that our students are successful on at least one part of the exam with the exception of the November 2003 exam. However, the November 2003 exam was the last exam before a change in the format of the exam took place. The lower results in November 2003 may have been caused by students taking the exam with less than adequate preparation so they would be grandfathered in to the old format. Students may have perceived that there chances to be successful on the CPA exam would be more favorable under the previous format. National data indicates that there was an 8.4% increase in the number of students taking the November exam.
A review of the data indicate that UALR students pass rate on a least one part of the CPA exam are higher than both the Arkansas and National averages (with the exception of November 2003 as discussed above).
How did you analyze them?
The findings were analyzed by comparing national and state averages with results from UALR students. This data was gathered by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.
How do you interpret them?
The department is hesitant to draw any bold conclusions, however we can interpret performance above the national average (as discussed above) on an exam of this type to indicate successful meeting of program objectives. The department would like to see more consistent performance on the CPA exam.
Have these findings led to making any significant changes in your program? If so what are they?
There has been no significant change in the existing program. The department has approval to offer a capstone class. This capstone class could help solidify information across the accounting curriculum and lead to more consistent performance on the CPA exam.
Proposed changes that will lead to improvements in student learning outcomes.
This capstone class has yet to be offered because of a lack of faculty resources. In previous assessment reports it was indicated that a new chair had been hired and that could allow for the implementation of this capstone class. However, the chair withdrew her acceptance of the offer to late to hire an acceptable replacement for this reporting period. A new chair has been hired and is expected to start on July 15, 2005 .
Plans that have been in place for less than three years may not have reached the point where valid data has been collected. Also, describe your progress toward reaching that point. How well does this compare with the timeline and expectations described in your plan?
N/A
Where do you expect to be next year?
At this time, plans for next year’s assessment have not been finalized. The department has appointed a committee in response to a charge given the department by Dean Mitchell. This committee is to make recommendations to improve the department’s assessment activities.
Faculty and Stakeholder Involvement
Please describe how faculty, students, and other stakeholders have been involved in the assessment process and the decisions arising out of assessment findings.
A faculty committee is appointed to oversee the assessment process and make recommendations as well as disseminating information about assessment to other stakeholders.
All decisions about assessment are reported to the entire accounting faculty for faculty input and approval.
- How have you shared the results and your interpretation with your stakeholders?
- No formal plans currently exist. However, the department may form an advisory group.