Proposes a plan to determine if a cyclical, systems-based analysis can replace detailed activity reporting for voluntary faculty effort in government-supported university research. This analysis could then provide the basis for adjusting entries on billed contract costs. The method would provide quantitative support for analyzing voluntary cost…

An effective internal-control system can help school business administrators meet the challenges of accounting for student activity funds. Such a system should include appropriate policies and procedures, identification of key control points, self-assessments, audit trails, and internal and external audits. (MLH)

A survey of 81 accounting majors, 60 business majors, 12 nonbusiness majors, and 13 undecided students in accounting principles courses found that accounting principles instructors play the most significant role in the decision to major in accounting. Many students decide to major during their first principles course. (SK)

Presents a do-it-yourself case that has the double advantage of giving students practice in formulating questions for a specific company (not just a list from a book or assignment) and of giving them valuable field experience without involving faculty in lining up local companies and screening projects. Describes an example payroll project in an…

A significant planning component is establishing a budget forecast for the upcoming year and at least the year following. Bringing a projected budgetary profile to the community and school board early on provides opportunities for discussing certain assumptions, initiatives, and goals that may need examination by district administrators. (MLH)

Back in middle school Dr. Paquita Friday began helping keep books at her grandmother's pharmacy during inventory. It was no chore, she recalls. It was fun. By then, of course, she already knew she had a knack for numbers. Today Friday is gaining recognition for her research in accounting stock market disclosures and winning awards for her teaching…

In the 2002-2003 academic year, there were 526 accounting faculty members in the United States who held the title of named chair, distinguished professor, or fellow at their universities. In this study, the authors relied on J. R. Hasselback's "Accounting Faculty Directory 2002-2003" as the primary source for determining (a) personal…

In this article, the authors provide an instructional resource for presenting the indirect method of the statement of cash flows (SCF) in an introductory financial accounting course. The authors focus primarily on presenting a comprehensive example that illustrates the "why" of SCF preparation and show how journal entries and T-accounts can be…

The increased attention to costs in recent years at colleges and universities draws attention to the matter of whether all costs are reflected and accounted for in the institution's internal and external financial reports. One category--capital costs--is thought by some to be overlooked at times. The possible neglect of capital costs in…

The United States Department of Education's "Annual Performance Report" (APR) for fiscal year (FY) 2009 provides detailed information on how the outcomes of the strategic performance measures identified in its "FY 2007-2012 Strategic Plan" and updated in the "Fiscal Year 2008 Performance and Accountability Report"…

The Spanish educational system will require certain changes in order to achieve the Bologna objectives for the European Higher Education Area, including a more professional profile, with new activities and roles for both students and teachers, who must assume new skills that will affect concepts and attitudes related to the teaching and learning…

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a major issue in post-compulsory education at the start of the twenty-first century. This paper reports the results of a recent survey of accountancy members which explored attitudes towards CPD in relation to employability, career success and professional identity. Attitudes to CPD are chiefly…

In the accounting communication class, which includes both writing and making presentations, the article-based memo has always been the first assignment, in which students learn business formats and writing style, use of headings, audience analysis, and adapting material for different audiences. As part of a large project to revise the accounting…

An introductory course in on tertiary level inadvertently sets the scene for the demands of the corresponding profession. Unfortunately, it seems as though these courses do not prepare learners adequately to acquire the demanding professional competences required for professional success. This problem has been a subject of contention especially in…

Education is declared to be an investment in human capital. Reform in school finance systems is long overdue in many states, but much progress has been made, and will yet be made, due to far-reaching decisions in a number of relevant court cases in the 1970s. To provide practical guidelines and cost-effective decision-making techniques for…