FEATURE
TXCPA’s Annual Meeting of Members and Board of Directors Meeting By Rhonda Ledbetter, TXCPA Volunteer and Governance Specialist TXCPA members came together to hold the Annual Meeting of Members and Board of Directors Meeting virtually on June 24-25. They asked questions and shared ideas about the issues that were discussed and learned where their organization – and their profession – are headed.
At the top of AICPA’s priority list are the candidates who drop out of the pipeline after passing three or four sections of the Exam. The question is: Why did they leave even though they were nearly there?
CPA Pipeline AICPA Vice President – CPA Examination and Pipeline, Michael Decker, talked about the challenge posed by a continuing decline in the number of CPA candidates entering the accounting profession pipeline. There is a decline in undergraduate enrollments in accounting programs. The 20 Texas Society of CPAs
percentage of graduates who become candidates is now fewer than 50%. Then, of those who become candidates, the overall pass rate is approximately 57% – meaning that 43% of Exam takers don’t move ahead.
Michael Decker
Decker expressed that a primary issue is promoting the lifetime value of CPA license. The strongest forces are environmental, not attitudinal. Insufficient employer support, long work hours and starting a family are important factors. Limited resources can prevent those in historically underrepresented population groups from reaching certification.
