July 16, 2002

Tuesday, July 16, 2002

New professional degree replaces accountancy BA
This week's staff positions
Tuesday notes

Editor:
Chris Redmond
credmond@uwaterloo.ca

Anniversary of the Trinity bomb test

Photo by Barbara Elve
Dust clouds rise on the north campus, as bulldozers prepare the site for construction of the university's Research & Technology Park. The first tenant of the R&T Park will be Sybase, which plans to construct a 100,000 square foot building.

New professional degree replaces accountancy BA --by Barbara Elve

The UW school of accountancy is phasing out its Bachelor of Arts degree with this September's class the last group of students to enter that program. Beginning in September 2003, new students will work toward a professional degree, the Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management (BAFM).

"Ninety-five percent of our grads become chartered accountants now," says Grant Russell, school of accountancy associate director (undergraduate affairs). "We're seeing the need to have a more broadly-based program so we're not just supplying that one area."

The new BAFM graduates will be able to add positions such as management accountants, chartered financial analysts or certified financial planners to their career options. They will also be able to pursue "a variety of business management positions," says Russell. The change is also being made, in part, says Russell, in response to a call by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants for new directions in the education of chartered accountants.

What is needed, says the institute, are "demonstrated professional skills and application of knowledge, rather than simply knowledge per se." As well, says Russell, despite "a very strong reputation with our principal stakeholders... our students were perceived as 'lacking adequate enabling skills'."

Accounting diplomas carve out IT niche
An anticipated move by the accounting profession to begin accrediting specialists has prompted the school of accountancy to launch two new cost-recovery diploma programs.
Starting in January 2003, diplomas in Business Information Technology (BIT) and Information System Assurance (ISA) will be offered for students in UW's accountancy master's programs. In the fall of 2003, the programs will be made available through distance education on a part-time basis -- by Internet, teleconferencing or at off-campus locations -- to allow professionals already in the workforce to maintain full-time employment while studying.
"We have one post-graduate diploma now, designed to prepare students to qualify as chartered accountants" explained accountancy professor Efrim Boritz, who is heading up the new IT diploma programs. The BIT and ISA "are to enable CAs to become specialists," with employment opportunities in public accounting practice, consulting, industry or government.
Employers have suggested that "our graduates require much broader skill sets than just a good technical base. Employers told us that they were looking for a variety of backgrounds including arts, science, mathematics, and environmental studies to complement the core skill set of accounting. Most stakeholders stressed the need for graduates to have a general business background so that they could understand the complexities of the organizational entities for which they were preparing financial statements or auditing."

The new BAFM responds to those concerns, says Russell, with a program that will provide its graduates with "the capability of making things happen, rather than simply reporting on them. In a corporate setting," he explains, "that could mean the implementation of business practices or procedures."

As well, the new degree places "a heavier emphasis on the financial management of business," providing accounting students with more understanding of the context in which they work.

No change in the formal entrance requirements is planned, and enrolment is expected to increase slightly from the current 85 students admitted each fall to about 100 first-year students in the new BAFM program. About 75 of those are expected to pursue public accounting, with the other 25 going to the private sector.

The school of accountancy will continue to provide instruction for students in the regular tuition accountancy programs offered by the faculties of mathematics and science.

This week's staff positions -- from the human resources department

University Policy 18 provides maximum opportunity for promotion of regular, internal staff members. Those interested in applying for an available position are invited to call Human Resources at ext. 2524 for more information or are welcome to visit during regular working hours to view a detailed job description. Human Resources is located in the General Services Complex, Room 130. A current resume is required with your application. You may e-mail resumes to: hrresume@uwaterloo.ca.

This list is also available for view on the Human Resources Website.

Due to the number of applications received, we regret that we can not respond to external applicants who apply to the vacancies listed below unless an interview is scheduled. This job list becomes effective Wednesday, July 17, and should be removed on Tuesday, July 23.

For non-union staff vacancies only, if there are no qualified internal applications, a decision may be made, no earlier than seven working days from the job posting, to seek external candidates. All applications received after this decision will be treated on an equal basis, without consideration of the internal status of the candidate.

Computer Systems Support, Civil Engineering, USG 8: Extensive knowledge of DOS and Windows 2000 environment required including the Windows System Registry. Knowledge of UNIX and/or Windows NT environments and software packages such as MS Office and AutoCAD required. Familiarity with Arc View and GIS an asset. Demonstrated hardware experience with IBM PC compatibles. Certified Engineering Technologist (CET) designation or equivalent would be an asset. Proven ability to work independently as well as in a team environment and able to deal with multiple priorities and projects. Attention to detail and accurate record keeping required. Excellent interpersonal, organizational and presentation skills are necessary as some involvement in the teaching program is required.
Research Financial Administrator, Office of Research, USG 5: Experience working in a computerized environment with financial statements, analysis and account reconciliation. Proficiency using PC (Windows 2000, Excel, Word). Degree in business or currently enrolled in a recognized accounting/business program preferred. Working knowledge of Oracle Financials and Cognos Impromptu would be an asset. Proven aptitude for accurate and detailed work. Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills, both written and oral. Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a complex and changing environment. Familiarity with UW's international connections an asset.
Tutor, Writing Clinic, USG 7: University degree in language study required, graduate degree preferred. Extensive experience in teaching academic writing in English. Experience tutoring both ESL and NES students from all faculties at all university levels. Capability to work in a multicultural environment. Ability to analyse student writing in many disciplines and design individual lesson plans to correct grammar, style and structure. Knowledge of the University of Waterloo's English Language Proficiency Program, including its requirements. Ability to mark and evaluate student compositions under pressure. Ability to work as a team member. This is a permanent, part-time position, 15 hours per week from September to June. Hours of work are varied and include late afternoons, evenings and weekends.

The university welcomes and encourages applications from the designated employment equity groups: visible minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and aboriginal people. For more information call ext. 2524.

Tuesday notes

This morning the LT3 Design Café will feature a demonstration of the Online Educational Training System in the FLEX lab (LIB 329) from 10:30 a.m. - noon. The system provides training to managers in cultural organizations such as art galleries, museums and science centres across Canada.

Faculty level debates continue today for the Sandford Fleming Foundation's technical speaker competition. Debates take place from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. in E2 3324.

At 5 p.m. in DC 1302 Engineers Without Borders presents a talk by Jennifer Motuz, mechanical engineering research assistant. Jennifer will speak about her research into land mines.

The Students for the Exploration and Development of Space will host a presentation at 7 p.m. in RCH 103 by Gerry Koury, "Sales Representation: An Important Function in the Development of Space Programs." Koury of Russell Associates -- a sales and marketing representative for a number of aerospace component manufacturers -- will be discussing some of the business and technical aspects of sales representation with regards to space programs. He will be describing what sales representatives and the particular companies he represents have done for the advancement of space programs.

And looking ahead to tomorrow, the student awards office will be closed all day so that staff may meet critical deadlines. The office will re-open at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Avvey Peters

TODAY IN UW HISTORY
July 16, 1994: The physics department observatory is opened to let visitors observe fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy smashing into the planet Jupiter.