April 2001
Board of Directors
Votes to Oppose Global Credential
By
Joanne S. Barry
NEW YORK—The board of directors of the New York State Society of CPAs voted unanimously on March 28 to oppose the American Institute of CPAs’ proposed global credential and to urge the AICPA to abandon the project.
Further, the board voted to urge the AICPA to channel available resources into addressing issues identified in surveys including, but not limited to, better educating the public about the CPA credential and achieving passage of the Uniform Accountancy Act in every licensing jurisdiction.
The board acted on the results of a survey to the NYSSCPA membership earlier this year that indicated strong opposition to the credential across all membership groups and in reaction to all elements of the proposed credential. The survey received a 20 percent response rate. (See the March 2001 issue of The Trusted Professional for the complete survey analysis conducted by Ellen Koenigsberg, an assistant professor of statistics at Baruch College.)
The board resolution cites the following:
A survey of the membership showed that the vast majority of NYSSCPA members do not view an additional credential as advantageous;
An overwhelming majority of survey respondents (86.4 percent) opposed AICPA sponsorship of a credential that would be shared with non-CPA professionals;
The number of respondents who would seek an additional credential, especially one that was international in scope, was very low (less than 20 percent);
The survey results showed that the more respondents knew about the concept, the less they endorsed it;
The board has a responsibility to represent the viewpoints of the membership, and the survey results provided clear direction;
Member confusion exists as to the NYSSCPA’s role in the credential because some members see it as a joint initiative between the AICPA and NYSSCPA, thereby bringing a negative association to the NYSSCPA;
The initiative has resulted in an unnecessary diversion of time, effort, and resources which could have been channeled into more relevant needs of the membership;
Survey respondents identified other issues that should be addressed such as the ability to practice across state lines;
Survey results strongly support (76.2 percent) an advertising campaign to better educate consumers about the CPA designation as an alternative to creating a new credential;
Survey data by the AICPA provides constructive alternatives to consider for enhancing the CPA credential rather than launching a new
credential.
“Results of a survey conducted by the Illinois Society of CPAs mirrored the NYSSCPA results,” said Society President P. Gerard Sokolski. “In addition, the results of a smaller scale survey of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs also tracked ours. We have a responsibility as leaders of our societies to listen to what our members are saying.”
Sokolski also cited a conclusion of the AICPA research that indicated that receptivity to the credential concept decreased significantly once respondents knew more about the licensing and membership requirements of the credential.
“Our members are saying loud and clear that they want talent and resources to be invested in the CPA credential and not in a new credential that would be available to our competitors,“ Sokolski said. “We urge the AICPA leaders to listen to their constituents.”
The Society’s board will present the resolution (see adjoining sidebar) at the AICPA Council meeting beginning on April 29 in Washington, D.C. New York Council members in attendance at a March 29 meeting strongly endorsed the board resolution.
