On Jan. 21 at the Accountants Club of America, Mark Koziel, president and CEO of the AICPA, warned that the CPA profession is facing mounting pressure from multiple directions, including federal regulators, state governments, and even accounting firms.

Accounting Today reports that Koziel focused first on a proposal from the US Department of Education that would remove accounting from the definition of a professional degree program, a change that could sharply reduce access to federal student loan aid for graduate accounting students.

“We’re going to ring the bell and get as many of our members commenting on that as possible," Koziel said, noting that the proposal is expected to be formalized soon and that accounting organizations are mobilizing to challenge it.

While he downplayed concerns about loan caps themselves, Koziel emphasized that redefining accounting as something other than a profession carries deeper reputational risks. 

He also pointed to state-level threats, including proposed legislation in Florida that could eliminate licensing boards altogether, and to internal challenges around who is permitted to use the CPA title.

Koziel criticized firm policies that discourage employees from publicly identifying as CPAs, arguing that such practices undermine pride in the credential and weaken the brand. 

Looking ahead, Koziel addressed regulatory shifts at the SEC and the PCAOB, predicting changes to inspections priorities and a possible retreat from controversial quality control standards. Throughout his remarks, Koziel framed these developments as a test of whether the profession can maintain consistent standards.