Welcome back! I hope our long winter break gave you time to unplug, recharge, and maybe even forget what day of the week it was (the ultimate sign of a successful vacation!).

Studies confirm that vacations improve cognitive flexibility and creativity. So, if you are brimming with fresh ideas, thank our winter break! If you’re still in “nap, snack, or bake” mode, don't worry. You are just maximizing the benefits! Personally, I'm considering one more experiment in the kitchen!

Thank you for everything you do to make Wilson College a place of excellence and care. Let’s make this semester one of innovation, collaboration, and maybe a few well-timed cookie breaks.

Leslie K. Wilson
Dean

New CPA Rules, New Opportunities for UNI Accounting Students

You may have seen recent news about major curriculum changes in accounting. These updates are driven by the shift back to 120 credit hours for CPA licensure, the most significant change the profession has seen since the move from 120 to 150 hours. The 150-hour model, flawed from the start, gradually shrank the pipeline of accounting talent to crisis levels, threatening the trust and transparency that underpin the U.S. economy.

While the return to 120 hours removes a barrier to entering the field, it raises a new question: How do top students now stand out? Our advisory council and recruiters were unanimous; students should differentiate themselves through advanced education.

That’s why we’re excited to launch the Integrated & Accelerated Master of Accounting (MAcc) Pathway beginning Summer 2026. This revised option allows students to double-count 12 graduate credits toward both undergraduate electives and the MAcc, enabling them to earn both degrees in just 138 total credits.

A MAcc doesn’t simply add coursework; it expands career mobility, increases starting pay in many sectors, builds higher-order thinking skills, and provides stronger preparation for the updated CPA exam. Recruiters consistently tell us they want graduates with a higher level of accounting expertise. Now, we offer a clearer and more efficient way to achieve it.

With the 120-hour rule changing the licensure landscape, this pathway ensures UNI students stay ahead of the curve. While some students will go straight to the CPA with 120 hours, many, especially those entering with prior credit or completing internships, will find this accelerated MAcc a smarter, faster, and more powerful path from student to professional.

Joseph C. Ugrin PhD, CPA
Head and Professor of Accounting
RSM Endowed Chair in Accounting

In late February or early March, we anticipate hosting Wilson College Dean candidates on campus for interviews. As part of this process, all Wilson College faculty and staff will have the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of the candidates; please participate if possible. See the full search details here, including the composition of the search committee.

Timeline

• Full Consideration Deadline: January 28, 2026

• Candidate Review & Semi-Finalist Interviews: Early February – Mid February 2026

• ‌Campus Visits for Finalists: Late February – March 2026

Professional Skills Education

STRATEGY: EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL LEARNERS TO EARN RELEVANT CREDENTIALS THAT DISTINGUISH OUT LEARNERS, SUPPORT THEIR CAREER SUCCESS AND DEVELOP A FOUNDATION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

Professional certificates/designations (some earned after graduation)

• Baseline: 1 in 3 graduating students (41%) reported working toward or earning at least one external professional credential
• Goal: 50% by 2028
• Status: Fall '23 37.2% | Fall '24 41%

Professional Skills Education

• Baseline (2018): 14% of business graduates had completed all four levels of the Professional Readiness Program
• Goal: 25% complete all four levels of the Professional Readiness Program by 2028
• Status: AY 20-21: 15.01% | AY 21-22: 13.38% | AY 22-23: 13.64% | AY 23-24 13.35% | AY 24-25 13.51%

Consider: What credentials could provide a distinction for graduates with the majors in your department?

Finance

The Finance Department continues to build its research foundation and expand intellectual contributions as our team of new faculty members grows in experience and expertise. While our department is relatively small (in terms of the number of research-focused faculty), we remain committed to producing impactful scholarship and engaging in projects that advance financial knowledge and practice.

From April 2024 through March 2025, working papers and research in progress included projects in the following topic areas:

• Retail investor attention and earnings management (R. Chen, B. Olsen)

• Directors as technological advisors to CEOs (H. Tsai)

• Institutional owner commitment and CSR (H. Tsai)

Ronnie Chen, our most recent and only tenured professor, has already established a strong scholarly footprint in the fields of banking, corporate finance, and empirical asset pricing, producing research that advances understanding of both institutional behavior and investor decision-making. His work, overlapping with my own, has provided an exceptional opportunity for collaboration.

Hua-Hsin Tsai’s research investigates the areas of institutional investors, innovation, business disasters, and banking disclosures. These studies aim to have a lasting impact on business and policy.

We welcomed Mian Wei to our department this Fall, and look forward to his research contributions as well. Two examples of his working papers include (1) an examination of CEO behavior, dividend policy, and the pay inequality within the firm, and (2) a textual analysis investigating the relation between political risk of the firm and stock repurchase decisions.

Mian, Hua-Hsin, and Ronnie have participated in professional research conferences, presented during a Wilson Research Seminar, and collaborated with each other and with faculty from other departments on new research projects. The Finance Department values collaboration and welcomes opportunities to partner with colleagues across disciplines. We look forward to seeing what the coming months will bring.  

Brett Olsen
Head and Professor of FInance

In the future, only the next month’s birthdays will be provided.

Birthdays:

• January 17 — Brianne Anderson
• January 19 — Betsy Ratchford
• January 20 — Tom Collins
• February 12 — Gabe Dickey
• February 23 — Jade Chu

WORKiversaries

• 1985 — Leslie Wilson
• 1998 — Chris Schrage
• 2005 — David Deeds
• 2010 — Marty Hansen
• 2018 — Steve Yerkes
• 2019 — Michelle Hovenga
• 2019 — Kirstin Juhl

Celebration Station is opt-in only. If you want to be included, let your supervisor know.

Submit suggestions for the next Wilson Wire monthly newsletter by emailing wilson.wire@uni.edu.