Letter to the Editor

There are several comments in Anthony Sarmiento's reporting on the 150 hours forum on education ["150 Hours, Graduate Programs Discussed at CPA Journal Forum on Education"] in the April 2002 issue of The Trusted Professional that should be explored further.

The debate "over whether today's accounting students are still the best and the brightest and whether their preparation for becoming business people matches the level of preparation that graduates of 30 years ago received" is a fascinating one. In the first place, not every accountant (in or out of practice) can or should be counted among "the best and the brightest." Sure, we'd like to believe it, but it simply ain't so. Nor is it terribly important. Most accounting students are average pupils. Should they be discarded?

Mr. Brown's [forum panelist Paul Brown, chair of the New York University Department of Accounting, Taxation and Business Law of the Stern School of Business] goal to create " 'b udding professionals' who grow into their positions" is one that should be the aim and model for the accounting profession.

The fact is that accounting graduates today, or 30 (or 50) years ago, never received their preparation for becoming "business people" at college. Preparation for becoming a business person comes with practical experience in the field. While academic education is absolutely essential to learn the basics of accounting, bookkeeping, taxes, law and the other ABCs that comprise the core of knowledge that one needs to practice accounting, it doesn't prepare a prospective CPA to become a business person. That only comes with practical experience in the field.

Rather than promoting (or continuing) the 150-hour educational requisite, we should consider expanding the "experience" requirement of potential CPAs. The vast majority of accounting students may not be the "best and the brightest" by academic grading. But these young men and women can be trained to be fine professionals who recognize the need and benefits of applying themselves to learn the business of accounting. While they may not meet the "academic standards" necessary to become fodder for the grist mills of the Big (?), they certainly would be welcomed by smaller practice units.

The undergraduate should be exposed to the many aspects of practice that are available to today's CPA. Accounting students should be made aware that the CPA is a "people person" not merely a "number cruncher." The number crunching is a means to an end-a tool that the CPA uses to help a client to grow.

Most of all, the prospective accounting student must be made aware that being a practicing CPA can be an exciting, rewarding and fascinating profession.

Edwin J. Kliegman, CPA
NYSSCPA Member