A Message from Dr. Tim Kizirian: Department Chair of Accounting

Dear Alumni,

The main goal of the Department of Accounting is student success.  It follows then that we are most pleased that we continue to place 100% of our accounting students into meaningful careers.  The department continues to successfully increase the prestige of our recruiter profile and expand our recruiter base as new firms learn about our excellent students.  We are also are excited to report that we have two new tenure track hires who will be starting next Fall.  They are excellent teachers and they will be teaching intermediate financial accounting.

We have fully implemented the new 30 unit Professional Accounting Certificate (PAC).  The PAC is becoming popular as it is seen by recruiters and students as aquality pathway to address the “extra” 30 units in the new 150 hour rule.  We are excited about Senate Bill 823 (forthcoming) which we fully expect to contain provisions allowing PAC students to sit for the CPA Exam before posting graduation.  This means Chico PAC students have the ability to graduate with 150 quality units and have the CPA Exam passed before they enter the profession.  This means even greater marketability for our students.

We invite our alumni to contact us so that we can connect you with the faculty and the students.  You always inspire and motivate our students to keep up the good work.  You help them to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  The hard work does pay off!

Thank you,

Tim Kizirian

Department Chair

Department of Accounting

Letter from the Presidents

Welcome to the 3^rd annual Accounting Alumni Newsletter! We are happy to announce that this year has been both exciting and productive for the accounting students, faculty, department, and club. The faculty and department have been working fervently to create opportunities for students and to uphold the superior reputation of the Accounting major. The Accounting Club- both the Accounting Society and Beta Alpha Psi- has demonstrated excellence through student involvement, service to the club and community, and through professional development.

We are very enthused that Chico State created a program that directly addresses the new 150-hour rule requirement for all those striving to become Certified Public Accountants.  A dedicated group of individuals created the Professional Accounting Certificate (PAC).  Students who graduate with the PAC will enjoy a great advantage when they enter the job market. The certificate is an enormous accomplishment for our department. We are one of the first colleges to create a program that addresses the 150-hour rule in such an advantageous way.

The past year has been very rewarding for the club and students alike.  We have had a steady growth in membership, causing the club to be widely recognized in the College of Business.  Members have been doing their part through involvement and service in the community and on campus.  In addition, the club is part of an ongoing community service project in conjunction with the College of Business.  This community service project is helping to improve and maintain the historical Patrick Ranch Museum in Durham, CA. 

Member participation is at an all-time high and the Accounting Club is very proud of its members. A large majority are partaking in professional development activities such as Meet the Firms, professional etiquette dinners, networking events, job interviews, and internships.  We also have many who have started new careers or who have accepted new career opportunities.  We wish all our members success in their upcoming endeavors!

It has been a fulfilling experience to be a part of such a revered club and to serve as the Presidents of Accounting Society and Beta Alpha Psi.   We would like to thank everyone for all their hard work and dedication this past year. The Accounting Club has distinguished itself for producing not just well-prepared accountants, but well-rounded individuals.

Joe Messer (BAP) and Amy Leach (AS) 

Crystal Estes: A Model of Excellence

Every Tuesday night during the semester at 7 PM, nearly 80 students fill a classroom to network with each other and with recruiters at the Accounting Club meetings.  Two years ago membership wasn’t even half that number. At the root of this tremendous spike in numbers is Crystal Estes, former Beta Alpha Psi member and Chico State graduate. Besides having her own successful career as a CPA, Estes is a professor at Chico State. By offering students some “class incentives” for joining, along with her power of persuasion, she has (arguably) singlehandedly caused the club’s growth.

Estes recalls her own reluctance to join the club(s) when she was a student and how overwhelmed she felt trying to establish herself in a competitive marketplace. “I remembered what it felt like to not know what I was doing when it came to getting a job,” she said.  But it still took a lot of persuading to get her to show up.  So she works hard to persuade her students to see that Beta Alpha Psi is worth their time and that their efforts will be rewarded.

She has certainly succeeded. Most students remain as active club members until graduation.  Estes has created a form of sustainable growth for Beta Alpha Psi. Both students and recruiters are benefitting as a result.

Beyond merely motivating students to become members of Beta Alpha Psi, Estes’ own career path coupled with her passion for accounting provides an inspiring model for her students. Estes joined Beta Alpha Psi during her senior year. She was working at the Wal-Mart distribution center in order to put herself through school and she was also married to her husband, Chris. She had minimal spare time. But she and a small group of girls decided it was time to join after hearing another club member speak about the club in class. It is a decision she has never regretted. She held an officer position her second semester and was the VP Tech when she graduated in December of 2008. She had six job offers. She went directly to work at Matson & Isom for about two years. From there she moved to an industry job. In May of 2012 she began working at Auctiva where she is currently the Controller.

Estes’ first semester as a professor was in the Fall of 2010. She says she was just “in the right place at the right time” when Dr. Tim Kizirian called to see if she would be interested in the position. Her first class was ACCT 422, Accounting Controls and Asset Management for Small Businesses. Despite being “the most nerve-wracking experience of [her] life,” she loved it. The students loved her too. The rest is history.

Estes confessed that she is still torn about what she wants to be when she grows up- a professor or a CPA. “I love both,” she said, “and I’m really fortunate that I don’t have to decide yet…. I have the best of both worlds.” While Estes may feel spoiled by her career, it is the students at Chico State who are spoiled to have a wonderful professor. Her love for accounting is infectious and because of her strong industry knowledge, students have the ideal learning environment. Crystal Estes has not only bolstered Beta Alpha Psi, she continues be a living illustration of the success and personal fulfillment that are possible in accounting. We are all blessed to have her on campus.

Alumni Giving Back: Jeff Gutsch, Partner at Moss Adams LLP

It is always inspiring and motivational when successful CSU Chico alumni speak at our weekly Accounting Club meetings. Jeff Gutsch, Partner at Moss Adams LLP, returns each semester to Chico where he completed his undergraduate degree in Accounting in 1987. Jeff provides an excellent presentation to the Accounting Club and shows how the field can be rewarding yet very challenging.  His commitment and willingness to take time out of his busy schedule to speak to the club is deeply appreciated and enjoyed by many.  

During his education at CSU Chico, Jeff took advantage of the several great aspects about the community. He would ride his motorcycle up to Honey Run and fish in the creek or visit Bear Hole for a swim in Upper Bidwell. Enjoying the outdoors and establishing a well-rounded social and academic life were major drivers in the valuable experience Jeff had at Chico State. He developed work experience as a pension consultant and administrator for Ken Callan & Associates and also provided bookkeeping for the Italian Cottage. As a part of the fraternity Theta Chi, there was a strong need to maintain balance between fun activities and classwork especially when faced with the rigorous curriculum of CSU Chico’s Accounting Option. Jeff remembers one of his professors being particularly challenging. This professor still teaches and is an integral figure in the accounting department today. “Even though Dr. Leese’s classes could be frustrating and required countless hours of tedious studying, I feel his method of teaching benefited me greatly in the long-run,” Jeff reminisces. Many current students in Cost Accounting courses can relate to this sentiment – Dr. Leese’s courses are considered some of the most difficult in the entire major.

After finishing his education in Chico, Jeff returned to Santa Rosa and started his career with a small local CPA firm, where he excelled in public accounting. During the years following Jeff grew to enjoy and take pride in his work while developing meaningful relationships with his clients. Currently a partner at Moss Adams LLP, he has had the opportunity to take part in many valuable and engaging projects. A recent endeavor was the opening of a new office in Napa, which Jeff coordinated and made possible. Since he takes interest in the wine industry and has written numerous articles on vineyard and winery management, he finds a great deal of joy in his career and the clients he has the opportunity to work with. This is the root of one of the most influential pieces of advice he provides for students. “Make sure to find a firm that has a culture and is in an industry that allows you to thrive and enjoy the clients you’ll work with on a daily basis. If you can develop a passion for the line of work, the success will follow”. The Accounting Society and Beta Alpha Psi look forward to having Jeff return for future meetings and continue to motivate and engage the next generation of accountants from CSU Chico.

Meet ACCT 451: CSU Chico Students' Competitive Edge

As many of you are probably already aware, California passed legislation requiring CPA candidates to have at least 150 hours of credit to be eligible to become certified.  Since only 120 units are required to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, colleges have had to find a way to cope with the change.  Many are telling students to either get a Masters or to take “filler” classes.

The accounting faculty at Chico State, however, wasn't satisfied with that solution.  Instead, they devoted countless hours to designing a Professional Accounting Certificate (PAC) program.  Department Chair, Dr. Tim Kizirian, explained, “Chico’s desire is to address the 150 hour rule in a quality manner. We want our students to be competitive in the marketplace.  We don’t want our students to take 30 ‘extra’ units of ‘Frisbee class.’” In order to make the PAC a reality, old classes have been restructured and new ones have been created.

Meet ACCT 451: “Simulation Laboratory Accounting.” It is one of the courses created for the PAC.  A brilliant idea by our own Dr. Kizirian, ACCT 451 students will actually earn university credit toward the PAC for CPA exam preparation.  By completing all four modules of a CPA review course of the student’s own choice, students will earn 6 units of credit towards the PAC.  Dr. Kizirian is the “professor” who monitors student progress in ACCT 451.  He will log in to the student’s CPA review course homework and test manager systems to monitor progress in the CPA review course study modules.

This class is what is really going to give Chico State students an edge. Not only will students graduate with a solid 30 additional units of accounting-related coursework, they will be prepared for parts of the CPA exam.  The first day in the office, Chico accounting graduates will face a steep learning curve like any other new recruit.  But Chico grads won’t have to simultaneously tackle the grueling task of studying for all four parts of the CPA exam.  A huge part of what can seem an insurmountable task will already be done.

They’re still going to be stressed and freaked out by those first few years in the profession. But Chico students are going to be far ahead of the curve.  Thanks to the faculty, the 150-hour rule is another chance for Chico State students to shine.  ACCT 451 and the PAC will prepare them for post-graduation realities. Chico students will be able to inform recruiters they are already progressing towards CPA licensure. This is just more evidence that Chico students can out-perform the competition.

Katie Romer Illustrates Excellence as Tutor, Student, and Friend

While each member of Beta Alpha Psi has proven their dedication both to their academics and to the community, every once in a while a student far surpasses the standard. Katie Romer is one of these students. She has been an integral member of the club, attending every meeting and participating in every event that the club hosted or attended. She has been a backbone of the club, providing support to officers in every position. But it was in her role as an accounting tutor that Katie truly shone.

Every week Katie dedicated an average of four to ten hours to tutoring students struggling in their accounting courses. In the College of Business Tutoring Center, she worked with them one-on-one until they were able to understand the material. Any time one of her classes was canceled, she headed to the tutor room to fill the time. All of these services she provided were free, too. Not a single student was charged despite the excellent quality and the depth of her knowledge.

Katie first began tutoring to fulfill the service hour requirements for Beta Alpha Psi and because she enjoys helping others.  Her most rewarding experience took place in the Fall of 2012 when she worked with a student who was failing Intro to Managerial Accounting for the third time. The student came to Katie after being referred by a friend. She was lost and completely bewildered by the material she was supposed to be learning. After working together, the student not only achieved a B on the final, she passed the class with a C.

Encouraged by these successes, Katie decided she “actually was helpful” and began routinely devoting her time to the Tutoring Center. “At times it was challenging when I couldn’t remember the material students would need help with,” she said. Other times, disparities in how professors taught the material presented challenges. Nevertheless, she tirelessly collaborated with students and relied on her own strong understanding to bridge those gaps. She has helped many students improve not only their grades but their knowledge of accounting.

Katie successfully graduated this Spring. Although we are sad to lose such a friendly face and integral part of the Tutoring Center, Katie has an amazing career unfolding before her. In July she begins as a Staff Accountant at Chico-based CPA firm, Matson & Isom. She is studying for the CPA exam and plans to pass all four parts within the next year. Katie Romer is a shining example of what Beta Alpha Psi students can accomplish and as we tell her goodbye, we do so with excitement to see what her future holds and with full confidence she will succeed in every step she takes along the way.

Chico State Participates in VITA Program

The Chico State Accounting Club had another successful tax season with their involvement in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This service is designed to aid low-income individuals and those who need help with completing their tax documents. The program is sponsored by the IRS and has only recently been introduced to the CSU Chico campus. Every Saturday from 10 - 3 the BMU on campus was open to individuals from the community to meet with student volunteers and complete their tax returns. 

It is extremely beneficial for accounting students to gain experience with tax preparation while contributing to the community at the same time. Sue Maligie, a Chico State professor CPA, was the coordinator of the program. She helped encourage participation as well as public interest. The Beta Alpha Psi Director of VITA, Daniel McGrath, also devoted many hours to VITA. Because of his efforts, VITA was an incredible success. A total of 973 returns were filed between all service centers in Butte County. This amounted to savings of nearly $300,000 for clients. Beta Alpha Psi and the Accounting Society plan to continue their involvement with VITA and increase the amount of volunteers through on-campus preparation for the mandatory training and online tests.

The BMU, where VITA was open to the public.

Chico State Welcomes Dr. Richard Ray to the Accounting Faculty

This coming Fall we are excited to welcome Dr. Richard Ray to the Accounting Department faculty. With many years of experience both as a CPA and an educator, Dr. Ray is an excellent addition to Chico State. Although we will all get to know him better next semester, here is a preview of what is to come:

 Previous Teaching Experience

·       CSU Sacramento, 2002 – 2006

·       Oklahoma State University, 2006 – 2012

·       Texas A&M University, 2012 – 2013

·       Taught all levels of classes, from introductory Financial and Managerial Accounting through     Intermediate, Cost, and Federal Tax

Area of Specialty

·       Corporate Federal Taxation

 CPA Professional Experience

·       Worked as a tax manager for Arthur Andersen

·       Worked with many publicly traded companies

·       Owned his own CPA practice

What He Will Be Teaching

·       Intermediate Accounting

What Students Can Expect

·       A “laid back teaching style”

·       A modest amount of homework

·       Exams demanding preparation and a thorough grasp of the material

Dr. Ray expressed his understanding that many of his students may not be pursuing their CPA licenses. He said his course will not be “a review course for the CPA exam… but a preparatory course” to lay the foundations for what the CPA exam covers. He enjoys teaching and is looking forward to returning to Northern California, where he is originally from. We are all looking forward to meeting and welcoming him to campus this coming August.