Chair Betsy Gordon on integrity, innovation and inclusion in accounting  

Hello! Greetings from the Accounting Department at the Fox School!

As we wrap up our school year, it was fitting to end with celebrations of the May graduation and the Accounting Achievement Awards. As alumni, recruiters, supporters, faculty and staff, we have so much for which we should be proud and grateful. In this newsletter, you will find stories about our students, engagement with the community, innovation in our curriculum and programs, and contributions to scholarship.

Over the past year, the Accounting Department focused on three themes. We emphasized programming that highlighted accounting as a profession with integrity, innovative and inclusive.

Integrity

In May, we celebrated our award recipients at the  Accounting Achievement Awards. View all our awardees, including Lifetime Achievement Awardee Jane Scaccetti, BBA ’77, and our new Excellence Award for Non-Alumni, which recognizes a leader in the accounting profession who has made a significant contribution to the profession through demonstrated leadership and achievement. Check out photos of the event below.

Two faculty members, Sudipta Basu and Wei Wang, are receiving the inaugural AAA-AACSB-RRBM Award for Research Impacting Societal Challenges for their paper, “Walking the walk? Bank ESG disclosures and home mortgage lending.” Congratulations, Sudipta and Wei!

Innovative

This fall, the MAcc program will begin a part-time online program in addition to the full-time in-person delivery. The Master of Science in Taxation, in partnership the Beasley School of Law, continues to gain traction. With the forthcoming changes in the CPA exam, the accounting curriculum is focused on helping students develop skills required as they begin their career and throughout their professional life.

Our faculty research is highlighted on the Fox Knowledge Hub, including auditor reviews and firm investment opportunities.

Inclusive

We want all students to think, “I see myself in accounting.” In concert with six student professional organizations—ASCEND, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Beta Alpha Psi, Fox Accounting Association, Institute of Management Accountants at Temple and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)—we brought in speakers, panels and events throughout the year.

Our new MAcc Bridge program prepares students without accounting backgrounds, providing accessibility to earning an advanced accounting degree.

As always, I am humbled and honored to serve as the chair of an incredible group of faculty delivering innovative programs for outstanding students and (hopefully) making our alumni, recruiters and other stakeholders very proud of Temple University, the Fox School and the Department of Accounting. Much of our success is attributable to the support we receive from our generous supporters. To stay in the know about everything going on in the Accounting Department,  join our LinkedIn group.

Go Owls!

All the best,

Betsy Gordon
Professor and Chair
Department of Accounting

Photo Credit: Jim Roese