Institute to Oversee National Strategy to Fix CPA Pipeline Issues
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 24, 2023) – The governing body of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) today endorsed the creation of a national strategy to boost the number of accounting graduates who enter the profession, as well as those who go on to obtain a CPA license. It also directed the organization to lead a united, profession-wide effort to achieve those aims.
Convening for its spring meeting, which concludes tomorrow, the AICPA governing Council passed a resolution that supports the organization’s Pipeline Acceleration Plan, commits to a wide-ranging dialogue on solutions, and emphasizes the need for measurable outcomes and accountability from stakeholders across the profession. Input from those partners, which include accounting firms, state CPA societies, employers, regulators and educators, will be critical.
“We understand the great urgency Council members expressed today on fixing our pipeline issues,” said Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s CEO of public accounting. “We share it. We need a sustained, collaborative approach to broaden the pool of prospective CPA candidates. The path we set today strikes the right balance in moving forward with pipeline fixes that have broad consensus, while allowing deeper engagement on issues that are more challenging.”
The resolution calls for implementation of “a continuous research-driven national pipeline strategy that, among other things, addresses the image of the profession in the eyes of students as well as educational and experience requirements, and outlines short and long-term initiatives and actions that result in measurable outcomes to address the profession’s ongoing and evolving human capital needs and priorities.” It requires regular progress updates at Council sessions, starting in October.
The resolution also specifically endorses the preservation of CPA mobility, a competitive advantage for the profession that allows CPAs to practice across licensing jurisdictions, while considering key components of licensure.
More details about the timing and structure of upcoming pipeline strategy sessions will be shared soon.
About the American Institute of CPAs
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, with more than 415,000 members in the United States and worldwide, and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education and consulting. AICPA sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, offers specialized credentials, builds the pipeline of future talent and drives continuing education to advance the vitality, relevance and quality of the profession.