A Letter from FAE President Gerry Sokolski
The Foundation Values Your Opinion

Both the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Foundation for Accounting Education are going through a time of major self-assessment and planning for the future. I am convinced that the collective wisdom of our membership is one of the greatest assets we can draw upon as we face important tasks and challenges. The Society has formed a Strategic Planning Task Force to review programs and activities, and the FAE Board of Trustees and our newly formed CPE Coordinators group are developing a task force to examine FAE’s course offerings. Despite these initiatives, we believe that the education opportunities we offer our members remain at the core of the Society and FAE’s critical services.

Recently, attendance at FAE programs has declined, and a number of courses that traditionally attracted sizeable audiences from New York and other states have been cancelled due to low registration. Many FAE seminars break even or lose money in some instances. Even with many programs still drawing adequate headcount, FAE cannot continue to provide as wide a variety of courses in the future unless each class begins to draw a larger audience.

The Foundation could easily and quite profitably offer a small number of traditional, high-quality annual update programs throughout the state as a way for the membership to meet their CPE requirements, but our members would have to turn to other vendors for the remainder of their education. This is not a path we want to follow, though, as our members expect more from the Foundation.

This fall the Society staff prepared a survey that was mailed to FAE registrants in mid-October. The findings of the survey will help FAE to learn more about what is important to the members. Therefore, before scheduling decisions are made or course offerings are limited, I am asking you to fill out the survey and include any comments or suggestions you may have.

Along with the other questions, the survey asks that you indicate specific programs that you would attend if offered. If sufficient interest exists, FAE will try to make them available in a location near you. In addition to the survey, you can write me directly at Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Co. LLP, 100 Chestnut St., Suite 1200, Rochester, NY, 14604 or gsokolski@nysscpa.org. I can be reached by phone at (716) 423-1860 or by fax at (716) 423-5966.

Lou Grumet, our executive director, or Alan Schmelkin, our CPE director, would also be happy to discuss specific comments with you. You can reach them at lgrumet@nysscpa.org or aschmelkin@nysscpa.org or phone them at (800) NYSSCPA (697-7272).

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Gerry Sokolski, CPA
President, Foundation for Accounting Education