Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program

An Overview

American Accounting Association Annual Meeting

August 5, 2008

Doyle Z. Williams

Executive Director, ADS Program

Program OriginsProgram Origins

►The Issue: Shortage of Accounting The Issue: Shortage of Accounting Doctoral Faculty (see Leslie, Doctoral Faculty (see Leslie, Hasselback, and others)Hasselback, and others)

►Reduction in Production of Ph.Ds. in Reduction in Production of Ph.Ds. in Accounting Acute in Auditing and TaxAccounting Acute in Auditing and Tax

►Accounting Enrollments GrowingAccounting Enrollments Growing

SolutionsSolutions

There are many things academics can do, There are many things academics can do, but what can the profession do?but what can the profession do?

l. Increase financial resources to schools l. Increase financial resources to schools for doctoral students —for doctoral students — increasing increasing enrollment capacityenrollment capacity

2.Increase pipeline of qualified doctoral 2.Increase pipeline of qualified doctoral student applicants through student applicants through encouragement and investment of encouragement and investment of personnel from firms personnel from firms

Accounting Doctoral Scholars Accounting Doctoral Scholars ProgramProgram

►Administered by AICPA Foundation—Administered by AICPA Foundation—founded 1923; 501(c)(3) entityfounded 1923; 501(c)(3) entity

►Directed by Advisory Council:Directed by Advisory Council: Five representatives of sponsoring firmsFive representatives of sponsoring firms AICPA Director of Academic and Career AICPA Director of Academic and Career

DevelopmentDevelopment Executive Director, ADS program ex-Executive Director, ADS program ex-

officio officio

Accounting Doctoral Scholars Accounting Doctoral Scholars ProgramProgram

►Funding—Sponsoring Organizations Funding—Sponsoring Organizations

To date, 70 of the largest public To date, 70 of the largest public accounting firms and several state accounting firms and several state societiessocieties

Four-year ramp up with a total eight-year Four-year ramp up with a total eight-year life cyclelife cycle

MissionMission

The mission of the ADS Program and The mission of the ADS Program and its sponsoring organizations is to its sponsoring organizations is to increase the pool of academically increase the pool of academically qualified accounting faculty in auditing qualified accounting faculty in auditing and tax, with experience in public and tax, with experience in public accounting, at U.S. universities that accounting, at U.S. universities that provide talent to the public accounting provide talent to the public accounting profession.profession.

ObjectivesObjectives► Encourage experienced practitioners with Encourage experienced practitioners with

public accounting to obtain their doctorate, public accounting to obtain their doctorate, with an emphasis in auditing or tax and with an emphasis in auditing or tax and transition to being a full-time a faculty transition to being a full-time a faculty member;member;

► Provide financial support to enable Provide financial support to enable selected qualified candidates to pursue a selected qualified candidates to pursue a doctorate in accounting;doctorate in accounting;

► Create incremental doctoral slots at Create incremental doctoral slots at universities who agree to become universities who agree to become “participating universities” to increase “participating universities” to increase doctoral enrollments in auditing and taxdoctoral enrollments in auditing and tax

ObjectivesObjectives

►Provide a peer support network for Provide a peer support network for those seeking to make a career those seeking to make a career transition; andtransition; and

►To improve the educational preparation To improve the educational preparation of students derived from the rich of students derived from the rich professional experiences of the infusion professional experiences of the infusion of talent from the profession into the of talent from the profession into the classroom.classroom.

Program OverviewProgram Overview► Candidates recruited through marketing by the sponsoring Candidates recruited through marketing by the sponsoring

organizationsorganizations ► Candidates apply directly to ADS program (independent of the Candidates apply directly to ADS program (independent of the

sponsoring organizations)sponsoring organizations)

► Invitations extended to fall Orientation ConferenceInvitations extended to fall Orientation Conference

► Applicants confirm continued interest in doctoral study and Applicants confirm continued interest in doctoral study and making a career changemaking a career change

► Selection of ADS ScholarsSelection of ADS Scholars

► ADS Scholars apply to participating universities of their choiceADS Scholars apply to participating universities of their choice

► Upon registration at a participating university, a stipend of Upon registration at a participating university, a stipend of $30,000 is provided each year to the university for a maximum $30,000 is provided each year to the university for a maximum of four yearsof four years

Student Eligibility Student Eligibility RequirementsRequirements

► Recent work experience in public accounting in Recent work experience in public accounting in auditing or taxauditing or tax

► Commit, if selected as an ADS Scholar, to applying Commit, if selected as an ADS Scholar, to applying for admission to one or more doctoral programs in for admission to one or more doctoral programs in accounting at an ADS program participating accounting at an ADS program participating university to pursue auditing or tax as a teaching and university to pursue auditing or tax as a teaching and research focusresearch focus

► Statement of commitment to teaching and research Statement of commitment to teaching and research in tax or auditing at an AACSB International Business in tax or auditing at an AACSB International Business accredited university upon completion of doctorate accredited university upon completion of doctorate with an emphasis in auditing or taxwith an emphasis in auditing or tax

► U.S. citizen or permanent residentU.S. citizen or permanent resident

Selection of ADS ScholarsSelection of ADS Scholars

►Selection committee:Selection committee: Three doctoral directors from Three doctoral directors from

participating participating universitiesuniversities A representative of the sponsoring firms A representative of the sponsoring firms

and and organizationsorganizations Chaired by Executive Director of ADS Chaired by Executive Director of ADS

programprogram

►Two step selection processTwo step selection process

Selection Process – Step 1Selection Process – Step 1

Determine those who should be invited to the Determine those who should be invited to the Orientation ConferenceOrientation Conference

► Overarching criteria: Assessment of potential Overarching criteria: Assessment of potential to gain admittance to an accounting doctoral to gain admittance to an accounting doctoral program at a participating universityprogram at a participating university

► Following Orientation: Must affirm continuing Following Orientation: Must affirm continuing interest in a career change and pursing a interest in a career change and pursing a doctorate with a focus on auditing or taxdoctorate with a focus on auditing or tax

Selection Process – Step 2Selection Process – Step 2

Selection of ADS program ScholarsSelection of ADS program Scholars

► Criteria: Usual evidence of potential for Criteria: Usual evidence of potential for admission to and success in doctoral programs admission to and success in doctoral programs

► Number constrained only by quality of Number constrained only by quality of applicant pool and funding availableapplicant pool and funding available

► Those not selected as ADS Scholars are Those not selected as ADS Scholars are encouraged to and assisted in applying to encouraged to and assisted in applying to doctoral accounting programs, competing for doctoral accounting programs, competing for existing slotsexisting slots

Participating UniversitiesParticipating UniversitiesEstablish a partnership relationship. The ADS program and the Establish a partnership relationship. The ADS program and the

participating universities must work together in good faith to participating universities must work together in good faith to accomplish a common goal.accomplish a common goal.

Principal criteria:Principal criteria:

► Statement of available capacity to support additional doctoral Statement of available capacity to support additional doctoral students with a focus in auditing or tax; (incremental slot students with a focus in auditing or tax; (incremental slot must be an increase in auditing or tax) must be an increase in auditing or tax)

► Strong placement potential at universities that produce Strong placement potential at universities that produce substantial numbers of accounting graduates for the public substantial numbers of accounting graduates for the public accounting profession; accounting profession;

► Full-time residential program; andFull-time residential program; and

► Business school is AACSB International accredited. Business school is AACSB International accredited. Accounting accreditation not required.Accounting accreditation not required.

Participating UniversitiesParticipating Universities

Other factors:Other factors:

► Number of doctoral accounting graduates Number of doctoral accounting graduates produced over most recent four years (2004-produced over most recent four years (2004-2008), with special attention to audit and tax;2008), with special attention to audit and tax;

► Record of interaction of program and faculty Record of interaction of program and faculty with the accounting profession; andwith the accounting profession; and

► Newness of program or recent major program Newness of program or recent major program changes.changes.

Selection of Participating Selection of Participating UniversitiesUniversities

Selected by Advisory CouncilSelected by Advisory Council

► Step 1: Data were collected from schools with Step 1: Data were collected from schools with accounting doctoral programs; for those that are accounting doctoral programs; for those that are deemed to meet the criteria, letters of invitation will deemed to meet the criteria, letters of invitation will be mailed August 11be mailed August 11

► Step 2: If a school does not receive a letter of Step 2: If a school does not receive a letter of invitation by August 18, it may submit a self invitation by August 18, it may submit a self nomination that makes the case for consideration, nomination that makes the case for consideration, based upon the established criteria. Contact ADS based upon the established criteria. Contact ADS program office for application.program office for application.

Expectations from Participating Expectations from Participating UniversitiesUniversities

► Affirm capacity in auditing and/or tax to admit one Affirm capacity in auditing and/or tax to admit one or more ADS Scholars as or more ADS Scholars as INCREMENTALINCREMENTAL enrollee enrollee to its historical levels specific to audit and tax;to its historical levels specific to audit and tax;

► Must document ADS Scholar is an additional slot;Must document ADS Scholar is an additional slot;

► Apply same admission criteria to ADS Scholar Apply same admission criteria to ADS Scholar applicants as to other applicants;applicants as to other applicants;

► Waive the tuition and fees or provide equivalent Waive the tuition and fees or provide equivalent support for enrolled ADS Scholars for the duration support for enrolled ADS Scholars for the duration of the program of study;of the program of study;

► May supplement the ADS Scholarship if another slot May supplement the ADS Scholarship if another slot is not jeopardized with such funding;is not jeopardized with such funding;

Expectations from Participating Expectations from Participating UniversitiesUniversities

► Provide other support that is available to non-Provide other support that is available to non-ADS Scholars;ADS Scholars;

► Provide a doctoral assistantship stipend if Provide a doctoral assistantship stipend if required program extends to all or part of a required program extends to all or part of a fifth year; fifth year;

► ADS Scholar would serve primarily as a ADS Scholar would serve primarily as a graduate research assistant, but teach at least graduate research assistant, but teach at least one course (but no more than two) for two one course (but no more than two) for two semesters during the duration of the student’s semesters during the duration of the student’s program; andprogram; and

► Provide baseline data and annual data to help Provide baseline data and annual data to help measure impact of program.measure impact of program.

Other MattersOther Matters

► Expect to fund a maximum of 30 students entering Expect to fund a maximum of 30 students entering doctoral programs each year for four years. doctoral programs each year for four years.

► Will strongly encourage qualified applicants not Will strongly encourage qualified applicants not chosen as ADS Scholars to apply for admission to chosen as ADS Scholars to apply for admission to doctoral accounting programs, helping to increase doctoral accounting programs, helping to increase the applicant pipeline. the applicant pipeline.

► Plan to develop a networking organization of ADS Plan to develop a networking organization of ADS Scholars.Scholars.

► You can help by encouraging qualified candidates in You can help by encouraging qualified candidates in public practice in auditing and tax to consider public practice in auditing and tax to consider applying to the ADS program.applying to the ADS program.

Time TableTime Table(Subject to change)(Subject to change)

► Aug. 1Aug. 1 Sponsoring organizations begin recruiting Sponsoring organizations begin recruiting► Aug. 11Aug. 11 Invitations mailed to participating Invitations mailed to participating

universitiesuniversities► Aug. 18Aug. 18 Begin receiving self nominations to serve Begin receiving self nominations to serve

as participating universitiesas participating universities► Sept. 4Sept. 4 Deadline for receiving self nominations Deadline for receiving self nominations► Sept. 9Sept. 9 Web site, with application, goes on-line Web site, with application, goes on-line► Nov. 3Nov. 3 Student application deadline Student application deadline► Dec. 4Dec. 4 Hold Orientation Conference Hold Orientation Conference► Dec. 17 Dec. 17 Selection of ADS ScholarsSelection of ADS Scholars► Jan. 2, 2009Jan. 2, 2009 ADS Scholars apply to accounting ADS Scholars apply to accounting

doctoral programs at participating universitiesdoctoral programs at participating universities

Questions & AnswersQuestions & Answers