Fall 2006 Semester Assessment Report Form
DUE March 31, 2007
Directions: Please complete a form for each of the programs within your department. This form was designed to provide a format for assessment reporting and should not be used to limit the amount of information provided. Each box that is attached to each of the sections is designed to adjust to varying lengths. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bea Babbitt at x51506 or via email at: .
***Please submit the report electronically to
1. Program Information:
Program / Accounting B.S.B.A.Department / Department of Accounting
College / College of Business
Program Assessment Coordinator / Paulette Tandy, Department Chair
Semester Data Collected / Fall 2006
Report Submitted by / Paulette Tandy
Phone/email / 5-3226/
Date Submitted / March 30, 2007
2. According to the Assessment Plan for this program, what were the planned assessments to be conducted during the Fall 2006 semester? You may want to copy and paste from this program’s assessment plan.
Ongoing assessment is a fundamental part of the Department’s AACSB accreditation process and is considered a critical step in the achievement of our educational mission and goals. In accordance with our Assessment Plan, a variety of assessment tools will be used to evaluate the continuous improvement efforts of the Department.
Overall Program Assessment
1. Graduating students are asked to complete an exit survey during their last semester. As part of the survey, students are asked to evaluate how well our courses prepared them with respect to each educational objective. The survey results are summarized and compared with prior year results to determine how well we are achieving the objectives and to identify areas needing improvement. A copy of the survey is attached as Appendix A.
The results from that survey were tabulated at the end of the Fall Semester and the results are presented below:
GraduationDate / No. of
Surveys / No. of
Graduates / Response
Rate
Dec-98 / 17
May-99 / 40
Dec-99 / 5
May-00 / 25
Dec-00 / 23
May-01 / 17 / 42 / 40.5%
Aug-01 / 3 / 24 / 12.5%
Dec-01 / 11 / 43 / 25.6%
May-02 / 17 / 47 / 36.2%
Aug-02 / 4 / 22 / 18.2%
Dec-02 / 6 / 60 / 10.0%
May-03 / 17 / 48 / 35.4%
Aug-03 / 26 / 0.0%
Dec-03 / 27 / 63 / 42.9%
May-04 / 17 / 59 / 28.8%
Aug-04 / 5 / 29 / 17.2%
Dec-04 / 45 / 71 / 63.4%
May-05 / 36 / 58 / 62.1%
Aug-05 / 7 / 27 / 25.9%
Dec-05 / 44 / 66 / 66.7%
May-06 / 52 / 58 / 89.7%
Aug-06 / 3 / 13 / 23.8%
Dec-06 / 37 / 51 / 72.6%
Before December 2003, no distinction was made between students graduating from the BSBA program and students graduating from the MS in Accounting program. Beginning with December 2003, only the BSBA students are shown in the following analyses.
Question: I will be working on a graduate degree. Yes ______No ______
1998 / 35%
1999 / 39%
2000 / 48%
2001 / 42%
2002 / 63%
2003 / 63%
2004 / 52%
2005 / 43%
2006 / 51%
Conclusions:
The number of students planning to work on a graduate degree had decreased in 2004 and 2005. However, a slight increase in 2006 seems to indicate a reversal of that negative trend. However, with the percentages being so low, we should continue to place more emphasis on encouraging those students who must obtain additional hours for the CPA exam to earn those hours as part of the MS program.
I will be completing the additional hours needed to be a CPA, but will NOT pursue a graduate degree. Yes ______No ______
1998 / 24%
1999 / 11%
2000 / 19%
2001 / 45%
2002 / 33%
2003 / 17%
2004 / 34%
2005 / 29%
2006 / 14%
Conclusions:
The number of students planning to take additional hours without a graduate degree decreased in 2006. This may be related to the increase in students who plan to obtain a graduate degree, but faculty should continue to encourage students to sit for the CPA exam.
I plan to take the CPA Exam. Yes ______No ______
1998 / 88%
1999 / 70%
2000 / 69%
2001 / 65%
2002 / 70%
2003 / 51%
2004 / 53%
2005 / 42%
2006 / 59%
Conclusions:
The percentage of students planning to sit for the CPA exam increased in 2006. As noted previously, our faculty realizes the need to continue to make students more aware of the benefits of having a CPA certification.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Ability to apply critical thinking (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.65
1999 / 3.30
2000 / 3.23
2001 / 3.26
2002 / 3.27
2003 / 3.61
2004 / 3.44
2005 / 3.44
2006 / 3.22
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Written communication skills (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.59
1999 / 3.16
2000 / 3.40
2001 / 3.23
2002 / 3.16
2003 / 3.17
2004 / 3.21
2005 / 3.51
2006 / 3.27
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Oral communication skills (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.29
1999 / 2.98
2000 / 3.23
2001 / 3.19
2002 / 2.99
2003 / 3.14
2004 / 3.28
2005 / 3.34
2006 / 3.23
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Understanding of international aspects of business (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 2.88
1999 / 2.67
2000 / 2.60
2001 / 2.39
2002 / 2.59
2003 / 2.50
2004 / 3.14
2005 / 2.84
2006 / 2.68
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Application of business and accounting ethics (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.59
1999 / 3.32
2000 / 3.40
2001 / 3.55
2002 / 3.60
2003 / 3.35
2004 / 3.63
2005 / 3.60
2006 / 3.42
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted. However, even the slight decrease is a cause for concern and faculty members understand the importance of emphasizing ethics in their courses.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Interpersonal skills (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.76
1999 / 3.32
2000 / 3.59
2001 / 3.55
2002 / 3.50
2003 / 3.38
2004 / 3.48
2005 / 3.51
2006 / 3.47
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Teamwork skills (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.47
1999 / 3.43
2000 / 3.47
2001 / 3.45
2002 / 3.61
2003 / 3.60
2004 / 3.49
2005 / 3.49
2006 / 3.45
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your preparation in the following areas:
Knowledge of accounting related technology (4=Excellent, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor)
Average1998 / 3.24
1999 / 3.16
2000 / 2.77
2001 / 2.87
2002 / 2.93
2003 / 2.87
2004 / 3.10
2005 / 3.11
2006 / 3.02
Conclusions:
While the student’s perception of their preparation in accounting related technology dropped in 2000, it has increased since then. We would like to add more technology to the curriculum and will do so when we have access to an accounting technology classroom.
Please rate your satisfaction with the accounting program at UNLV:
Accounting courses (4=Very Satisfied, 3=Fairly Satisfied, 2=Slightly Satisfied, 1=Not Satisfied)
Average1998 / 3.44
1999 / 3.43
2000 / 3.36
2001 / 3.52
2002 / 3.31
2003 / 3.33
2004 / 3.49
2005 / 3.37
2006 / 3.43
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your satisfaction with the accounting program at UNLV:
Faculty teaching accounting courses (4=Very Satisfied, 3=Fairly Satisfied, 2=Slightly Satisfied, 1=Not Satisfied)
Average1998 / 3.59
1999 / 3.16
2000 / 3.40
2001 / 3.23
2002 / 3.16
2003 / 3.17
2004 / 3.21
2005 / 3.51
2006 / 3.23
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your satisfaction with the accounting program at UNLV:
Required business courses outside of accounting (4=Very Satisfied, 3=Fairly Satisfied, 2=Slightly Satisfied, 1=Not Satisfied)
Average1998 / 3.00
1999 / 2.93
2000 / 3.02
2001 / 2.94
2002 / 3.03
2003 / 3.07
2004 / 3.13
2005 / 3.04
2006 / 2.98
Conclusions:
No significant changes noted.
Please rate your satisfaction with the accounting program at UNLV:
Faculty teaching business courses outside of accounting (4=Very Satisfied, 3=Fairly Satisfied, 2=Slightly Satisfied, 1=Not Satisfied)
Average1998 / 3.06
1999 / 2.89
2000 / 2.87
2001 / 3.00
2002 / 3.19
2003 / 3.03
2004 / 3.18
2005 / 2.95
2006 / 2.98
Conclusions:
The students’ satisfaction with business faculty outside of accounting has fluctuated, but not changed significantly.
2. We monitor the performance of our graduates on the CPA Exam.
The following results were obtained concerning the 2005 performance of UNLV graduates on the CPA exam:
Candidates Without Advanced Degree
UNLV / National Average2005 / 2004 / 2005 / 2004
Number of Candidates / 20 / 8
% Passing Financial Accounting & Reporting / 58.3% / 12.5% / 41.8% / 23.3%
% Passing Auditing & Attestation / 61.5% / 25.0% / 42.1% / 26.4%
% Passing Regulation / 60.0% / 12.5% / 39.4% / 22.2%
% Passing Business Environment & Concepts / 61.5% / 25.0% / 41.8% / 29.2%
% Passing All Parts / 40.0% / 0.0% / 27.2% / 8.1%
% Passing No Parts / 30.0% / 50.0% / 42.9% / 47.7%
% Passing Some Parts / 30.0% / 50.0% / 30.0% / 44.2%
In our Assessment Faculty meeting on 3/22/06, the 2004 data caused the greatest amount of concern and conversation. See the Spring 2006 assessment report for actions taken to address these concern, including curriculum modifications.
The 2005 data (received in late 2006) shows considerable improvement over the 2004 results. However, the pass rates are still below the national averages. These results will be discussed at the Spring 2007 Assessment Faculty meeting.
3. We have prepared a comprehensive assessment exam for our introductory accounting course (ACC 201) and we use an individual based accounting assessment and self-paced educational tutorial (ALEKS) in our junior level Accounting Environment (ACC 301) course. These assessment tools are used to ensure that students entering the major have the accounting foundation necessary to be successful in our program.
Assessment Scores
Fall 2003 / 30.3
Spring 2004 / 27.5
Fall 2004 / 31.4
Spring 2005 / 34.1
Fall 2005 / 38.3
Spring 2006 / 36.1
Fall 2006 / 38.7
Spring 2007 / 44.1
No significant changes noted.
2. The Department discusses curriculum and specific course changes with our Advisory Council to ensure that we are meeting the changing needs of our accounting environment. We also ask them how they, as recruiters of our graduates, view the preparation of our graduates for the demands of the profession and ask them to identify any areas that are becoming increasingly important.
The results of this assessment report will be discussed at the Spring 2007 Accounting Advisory Council meeting (to be held in April 2007).
3. We have instituted a Student Advisory Council. This group has been asked to provide us with information, from a student perspective, regarding the Department’s success in meeting our educational objectives.
The Student Advisory Council (ASAC) held its first organizational meeting in December 2005. The mission statement of the ASAC is:
The purpose of the Council will be to represent accounting students by serving as a liaison between the accounting student population and the Department of Accounting (the Department) concerning all aspects of the development and operation of the Department, including, but not limited to:
· Curriculum
· Scheduling
· Course content
· Faculty and staff availability
· Programs and student organizations
· Success in preparing students for careers in accounting fields
The Council will also provide assistance and / or advising to accounting students concerning but not limited to:
· Class Scheduling
· Programs and student organizations
· Preparing for a future in the accounting field
In Fall 2006, the ASAC developed a web site (http://clubs.unlv.edu/asac/ ) and posted an electronic survey for accounting students. The results of the survey are below and will be discussed at the Spring 2007 Assessment Faculty meeting.
ASAC Survey – Fall 2006Class Scheduling
Very Convenient / Convenient / Inconvenient / No Response/Other
9 / 43 / 12 / 3
Offering graduate classes during the day does not help
Certain classes only offered in spring or fall, not both
All graduate classes at same time, need more selection
More classes offered in later afternoon or early morning for students who work full time. (x2)
Faculty and staff availability
Good / Fair / Bad / No Response/Other
39 / 25 / 3 / 0
More office hours available throughout the day.
Programs and student organizations available to accounting students are
Sufficient / Fair / Insufficient / No Response/Other
35 / 29 / 3 / 0
More programs for night students
More variety and opportunities
Do you feel the amount of content in the course is suitable
Yes / Somewhat / Not really / No Response/Other
43 / 19 / 5 / 0
If applicable, do you feel your previous accounting classes have prepared you for your current class
Yes / Somewhat / Not really / No Response/Other
42 / 18 / 5 / 2
Do you feel prepared for a career in the accounting field
Yes / Somewhat / Not really / No Response/Other
25 / 35 / 3 / 4
Additional Comments and Concerns:
more night classes
more tax classes other than 410
cover individual tax returns in tax class
more classes offered each semester rather than just once a yr
drop the Gmat requirement for students with certain GPA
should have class that focuses CPA review
more classes offered to fit working student schedule; and more tax coverage in undergraduate program
CPA preparation
More flexible office hours and more evening classes
Overall Assessment of Instructors and Classes