NYSSCPA Board Resolution

WHEREAS, the NYSSCPA Board of Directors anticipates that at the Spring meeting of the AICPA Council, the AICPA’s governing body, the Council will be requested to authorize a ballot to the membership regarding a new professional credential, hereinafter referred to as the “credential”; and

WHEREAS, an attitudinal survey of the total NYSSCPA membership of approximately 32,000 on the credential (with a 20% + response rate) showed that the vast majority of NYSSCPA members do not view an additional credential as advantageous; and

WHEREAS, the overwhelming majority of survey respondents (86.4%) opposed AICPA sponsorship of a credential that would be shared with non-CPA professionals; and

WHEREAS, the number of respondents who would seek an additional credential, especially one that was international in scope, was very low (less than 20%); and

WHEREAS, the survey results showed that the more respondents knew about the concept, the less they endorsed it;

WHEREAS, the NYSSCPA Board has a responsibility to represent the viewpoints of our membership and the NYSSCPA survey results have given us clear direction; and

WHEREAS, member confusion exists as to the NYSSCPA’s role in the credential because some members see it as a joint AICPA/NYSSCPA initiative, thereby bringing a negative association to the NYSSCPA; and

WHEREAS, this initiative has resulted in an unnecessary diversion of time, effort, and resources, which would have been better channeled into more relevant needs of the membership; and

WHEREAS, in the NYSSCPA survey, respondents identified other issues that should be addressed such as the ability to practice our profession across state lines; and

WHEREAS, survey results strongly support (76.2%) an advertising campaign to better educate consumers about the CPA designation as an alternative to creating a new credential; and

WHEREAS, survey data provided by the AICPA itself showed receptivity to the credential decreased significantly when respondents were informed about test and membership requirements for the credential; and

WHEREAS, the AICPA survey data itself provides constructive alternatives to consider in enhancing the CPA credential rather than launching a new credential;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the New York State Society of CPAs, on behalf of its membership, strongly opposes the AICPA’s proposed global credential project;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NYSSCPA Board of Directors urges the AICPA to abandon the global credential project; and