The Philip L. Kintzele School of Accounting Strategic Plan

Mission

We foster student success by providing an exceptional and impactful educational experience that equips graduates with the skills and knowledge to thrive in their profession and personal lives.

Vision

We will be known for preparing accounting professionals who make a meaningful and lasting impact on their organizations, communities, and the global profession.

Core Values

Integrity: A steadfast adherence to the principles of honesty, trustworthiness, reliability, transparency, and accountability.
Respect: Consideration of the rights, opinions, and ideas of others in a fair and thoughtful manner.
Compassion: Empathy, concern, and support for the needs and challenges of others.
Inclusiveness: Conducting the activities of the school in a way that embraces shared governance, inspires acceptance, and welcomes diversity into our community.
Equity: A mindfulness towards ensuring that the opportunities and resources made readily available to all, are also cultivated and shared in a manner that takes context, nuance, and specificity into account.
Social Responsibility: Fostering citizenship to promote the public good, environmental sustainability, global understanding, and informed political engagement.
Excellence: Expectation that all activities are conducted with attention to quality and the highest levels of academic and professional standards.
Innovation: Supporting progressive and meaningful research, creative activity, teaching, and practice addressing challenges and issues from multiple perspectives to solve problems and advance knowledge.

The Philip L. Kintzele School of Accounting (PLK-SOA) Student Learning Goals

1. Apply technology to solve accounting problems.
2. Use critical thinking/problem-solving skills to make appropriate accounting decisions.
3. Analyze and communicate business and financial information effectively.
4. Understand the professional responsibilities, ethical standards, and regulatory environment of accountants.
5. Demonstrate competency in core accounting concepts and knowledge.

Strategic Initiative 1: Enhance Student Learning and Success

Goal 1.1 - Prepare students for success in their accounting careers.

We offer rigorous, active, student-centered learning in courses.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Increase the proportion of accounting majors intending to pursue a professional certification (e.g., CMA, CPA, CIA).	Hold an annual Professional Certification Information Session for accounting majors. Leverage CMA Exam Scholarship opportunities through the IMA.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of students who indicate on the accounting exit survey that they intend to pursue a certification.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Increase or maintain the proportion of graduating accounting majors who have secured full-time employment in an accounting-related field within six months of graduation or pursued either the military or graduate school.	Support Career Fairs and other Career Development events (e.g., Meet the Recruiters). Encourage classroom visits by recruiters. Support employer networking events. Encourage students to use College and Career Development Services (e.g., mock interviews, resume review) and to attend other professional development activities and/or events.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of accounting graduates who indicate on CMU’s destination survey that they have full time employment or pursued either the military or graduate school within six months of graduation.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Objectives

Tactics

Measure

Resources Needed

Increase the proportion of accounting majors intending to pursue a professional certification (e.g., CMA, CPA, CIA).

Hold an annual Professional Certification Information Session for accounting majors.
Leverage CMA Exam Scholarship opportunities through the IMA.

A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of students who indicate on the accounting exit survey that they intend to pursue a certification.

Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Increase or maintain the proportion of graduating accounting majors who have secured full-time employment in an accounting-related field within six months of graduation or pursued either the military or graduate school.

Support Career Fairs and other Career Development events (e.g., Meet the Recruiters).
Encourage classroom visits by recruiters.
Support employer networking events.
Encourage students to use College and Career Development Services (e.g., mock interviews, resume review) and to attend other professional development activities and/or events.

A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of accounting graduates who indicate on CMU’s destination survey that they have full time employment or pursued either the military or graduate school within six months of graduation.

Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Goal 1.2

Expand participation in high-impact experiential learning outside the classroom.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Increase the proportion of accounting majors who participate in Registered Student Organizations (RSOs).	Support student organizations. Include student organization information in the major welcome email and student emails from the chairperson.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of students who indicate on the accounting exit survey that they participated in a business-related Registered Student Organization.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Increase or maintain the proportion of accounting majors who have participated in an internship opportunity.	Foster relationships with employers. Encourage students to join LinkedIn. Inform students about the benefits of completing an internship through faculty advising. Inform accounting majors of internship and leadership opportunities through various avenues including the chairperson’s email update. Improve resumes through participation in the PLK-SOA Resume Workshop. Request resources to create options for students to ‘stay on track’ for their coursework when completing an internship.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of students who indicate on the accounting exit survey that they completed at least one accounting internship.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Goal 1.3

Facilitate student retention and timely graduation.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Increase retention for accounting majors.	Partner with Beta Alpha Psi to promote tutoring. When appropriate, discuss and share successful teaching strategies during faculty meetings.	A year-over-year comparison of the second to third year retention rates for accounting majors.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Reduce the proportion of students who perceive that they have taken more credit hours than expected for their course of study.	Inform CBA Student Services of preferred pathways for timely graduation for accounting majors. Invite CBA and MBA advising to faculty meetings for updates and relevant reminders to facilitate consistent best practices for advising. Enhance consistency in expectations across accounting courses through discussions at faculty and faculty subgroup meetings. Continuously review accounting major maps to facilitate timely graduation. Work with CBA advising to maximize ‘double counting’ toward degree requirements. Monitor trends in hours to graduation for accounting majors. Promote accelerated MBA Program for students wishing to complete an MBA.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of accounting majors who report on the accounting exit survey took more credit hours than expected for their course of study.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Strategic Initiative 2: Support Faculty and Staff Success

Goal 2.1

Encourage outstanding faculty and staff performance.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Increase or maintain the quality and number of faculty publications in academic, practitioner, and pedagogical journals.	Provide financial support for submission fees and work with the Dean’s office to make data and software available. Support and count for reappointment, tenure, and promotion research that impacts theory, policy, practice, and pedagogy.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of publications categorized as enhanced or higher using the College of Business Administration’s Research Award criteria. A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of SA eligible accounting faculty who had a manuscript accepted for publication.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Comply with AACSB requirements for accreditation in the four qualification areas: SA ≥ 40%, SA + PA + SP ≥ 60%, and SA + PA + SP + IP ≥ 90%.	Review faculty AACSB qualification status in all Article 6 and all reappointments, promotion, and tenure (RPT) decisions as well as UTF Evaluation Forms (annually).	Do 100% of accounting faculty comply with AACSB requirements?	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Increase or maintain the proportion of faculty and staff who participate in at least one workshop or conference.	Financially Support faculty to attend and/or present at conferences.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of accounting faculty and staff who have participated in at least one workshop or conference.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Increase or maintain the proportion of faculty who present at a workshop and or conference.	Financially Support faculty to attend and/or present at conferences.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion accounting faculty present at a workshop or conference.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Strategic Initiative 3: Support Outreach, Engagement, and Sustainability

Goal 3.1

Engage with partners in the academic and professional communities.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Increase or maintain the proportion of faculty who participate in at least three activities or events annually that engage faculty, students, and other constituents.	Support PLK-SOA professional and social events. Encourage participation of stakeholders in PLK-SOA activities (e.g., classroom presentations, RSO speaker). Hold annual/biannual Advisory Board Meetings. Support Meet the Recruiters and Dialogue Days.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of accounting faculty who participated in at least three activities or events that engage faculty, students, and other constituents.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Faculty participation in the professional and academic accounting communities.	Financially support faculty membership in professional accounting and business organizations. Financially support faculty attendance at professional and academic accounting events.	100% of faculty participate in an external professional or academic accounting community.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Goal 3.2

Engage potential PLK-SOA students in events and activities that connect them with the PLK-SOA.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Increase or maintain the proportion of faculty who participate in at least two events annually that engage students who are not currently accounting majors.	Encourage faculty to participate in events such as CBA Day, Fire-up Fridays, CMU and You Day, etc.	A year-over-year comparison of the proportion of accounting faculty who participated in at least two activities or events that engage students who are not currently accounting majors.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Strategic Initiative 4: Foster an Open and Inclusive Culture

Goal 4.1

Enhance faculty, staff, and student diversity.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Maintain a student and faculty diversity profile similar to that of the College of Business Administration.	Advertise faculty opportunities in multiple outlets to create a diverse candidate pool. Encourage faculty and student participation in activities that create awareness and promote acceptance of diversity.	A year-over-year comparison of the demographic profile of accounting students and faculty relative to that of the College of Business Administration’s demographic profile for students and faculty.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.

Goal 4.2

Foster an inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students.

Objectives	Tactics	Measure	Resources Needed
Review Departmental Bylaws to mitigate potential for bias in RPT, hiring, and other practices.	Organize a Bylaw Review Task Force to review the School’s Bylaws to identify areas where bias could occur, make suggestions, and present results to the school’s faculty.	Have Bylaws updated to mitigate potential for bias in RPT, hiring, and other practices?	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Invite guest speaker(s) to faculty meetings each academic year to help create awareness and to share and discuss with faculty and staff opportunities and strategies for enhancing inclusivity for faculty and students.	Seek faculty suggestions on areas where further information would be helpful.	Have guests joined the faculty meeting to bring awareness and/or share information with faculty?	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.
Foster a sense of belonging to students.	Guest speakers to create awareness. Create an accounting student advisory committee. Encourage faculty to participate in accounting student focused events.	A year-over-year comparison of student exit survey measures to assess students’ perception of belonging.	Contingent on current funding levels, no additional resources are needed at this time.