Contact:
William F. Bowlin, coordinator of UNI Master of Accounting degree program, (319) 273-7101 or
273-2394, or e-mail: Bud.Bowlin@uni.edu
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Long noted for its excellence in preparing accountants, the University of Northern Iowa Department of Accounting is expanding its educational role with the addition of a master of accounting degree (M.Acc.). Approved by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa earlier this year, classes will be offered beginning this fall.
“Board approval of our quality program is wonderful news, not only for students from UNI, but also students whose institutions do not offer this advanced degree,” said Gerald Smith, department head and professor of accounting. “Students do not have to have an accounting degree to enter our graduate program, provided they have had intermediate accounting, or a minor in the discipline. We will work with them on the prerequisites.”
For those who do pursue both the B.A. and M.Acc. degrees at UNI, there is a five-year integrated program, so that students can earn both degrees simultaneously. The most recent changes recommended by the Accounting Education Change Commission, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Institute of Management Accountants also have been incorporated into UNI's M.Acc. program.
“As a result of incorporating these recommendations into the new graduate program, the M.Acc. has communication, information technology and international business components that will assist the students in their professional skills,” said William “Bud” Bowlin, UNI professor of accounting and coordinator of the M.Acc. program.
He said work with communications skills, problem-solving, critical thinking, professional research methods and analytical reasoning are among the skills that will be enhanced as part of the program. An experiential learning component will expose students to the practice of professional accounting, including the roles of ethics in the practice of the discipline.
UNI's M.Acc. program has also been designed to ensure that graduates comply with the Iowa 150-hour requirement for licensing as a CPA (certified public accountant). The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2001.
Applications are being accepted for classes that begin this fall, though Bowlin stressed students can begin the program in either the fall or spring semesters, or the summer session.
The UNI accounting program is ranked fourth in the nation for percentage of accounting graduates passing the CPA exam.
For more information, contact Bowlin at (319) 273-2394 or via email at: bud.bowlin@uni.edu.
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Contact:
Donna Thompson, director, National Program for Playground Safety, (319) 273-2416
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- Two National Playground Safety School sessions, to be held at the University of Northern Iowa from Aug. 2 to 5 and Aug. 7 to 10, address the problems found in a two-year study that gave the nation's playgrounds only a grade of “C” in safety.
The study concluded that America's children are at potential risk while at play, particularly in regard to two of the lowest scoring (“F”) elements of the study: supervision and age-appropriate design.
The National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS), a non-profit organization based at UNI and funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released the report in April. The study examined 23 criteria within four overall areas: Supervision, Age Appropriateness, Fall Surfacing and Equipment Maintenance (S-A-F-E).
These areas are the focus of Safety School sessions for park and recreation professionals, child care specialists, government officials, public and private risk managers, school administrators and nurses, and military personnel concerned with playground safety.
One-on-one consultations with playground safety experts will provide answers to unique playground problems. In addition, participants have the opportunity to earn a National Playground Safety School SAFE certification.
NPPS was established at UNI in 1995 by a grant from the CDC. Through NPPS efforts, parents, educators, childcare professionals, city leaders and park officials have been given access to current information about playground safety and appropriate playground equipment. The program maintains a toll-free hotline, 1-800-554-PLAY, to respond to playground safety issues.
Among other ongoing services of the program are inter-library loan of publications and documents from UNI's Rod Library; resource materials for use by organizations and agencies; in-depth educational opportunities through the NPPS Safety School and workshops; and a network of professionals who can provide specific information to local communities around the country.
For more program information, call (319) 273-2416. For Safety School registration information, call (319) 273-6855 or 1-800-782-9519.
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Contact:
Carl Bollwinkel, project director, Environmental Issues Instruction program, (319) 273-2783
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Selected Iowa educators will attend a leadership training session at the Walnut Creek Inn, West Des Moines, from July 23 to 28 to prepare for upcoming workshops on "Species Loss in a Changing Climate." These sessions are presented by the Environmental Issues Instruction (eii) program with offices in the Center for Energy and Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa.
“The eii program encourages elementary, junior high and high school teachers to integrate their science, math, language arts and other curricula,” says Carl Bollwinkel, project director. Using skills from these areas and ecological concepts, participating teachers learn to help their students analyze issues, participate in case studies, and determine responsible environmental action.
Des Moines-area teachers attending include Michael Blair, Theodore Roosevelt High School, and Randi Peterson, Merideth Middle School, Des Moines; Brenda Hartwig, United Community School, Boone; Phyllis Johnson, Stilwell Junior High School, West Des Moines; and Esther Korporal, Dallas Center, Grimes Community Schools.
Additional participants include Barb Ehlers, Wings Park Elementary, Oelwein; Jane Haugen, J.F. Kennedy Elementary School, Dubuque; DeAnn Scearce, Mt. Vernon Middle School; Richard Scearce, Mt. Vernon High School; Lisa Fulkerson, James Madison Middle School, Burlington; Sandy Gillaspie, Washington Elementary School, Fairfield; Kris Roeber, North Kossuth Middle School, Bancroft; Bill Hardisty, AHST High School, Avoca; and Myron Schulte, Kuemper Catholic School, Carroll.
The eii program, begun in 1989, offers inservice training that provides leadership in educational team building all over the state, according to Bollwinkel. Teachers attending the July session will help lead three workshops for other Iowa teachers: one in Dubuque beginning Nov. 10 to 12 and two in West Des Moines, beginning Feb. 9 to 11 and 16 to 18, 2001. More than 100 teachers attend eii graduate credit workshops each year. -MORE-
The program is funded through grants from the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Education Act. Several Area Education Agencies and local school districts also support eii.
Teachers can obtain information on attending eii November and February workshops by calling UNI Continuing Education, 1-800-648-3864.
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