The University of Texas at Dallas

AIM 6335 – Ethics for Professional Accountants

Spring 2006 (first 8-week course)

Instructors: Charles Solcher JD, CPA Office: SOM 4.810

Amy Troutman MS Accounting Office: SOM 4.419
Martin Stewart JD Office: SOM 4.224

Office Phone: 972-883-6347 (Charles Solcher)

972-883-6719 (Amy Troutman)
214-965-5137 (Martin Stewart)

E-mail: For class related matters, use WebCt.

For non-class related matters, please use

solcher@utdallas.edu
amybass@utdallas.edu
mastewartlawfirm@aol.com

Office Hours: By Appointment

Course Objectives

Use of Critical Thinking:

Understand and apply ethical concepts that influence the lives and
decisions of accountants on a day-to-day basis. The course will
concentrate on ethics and professional responsibilities for
accounting professionals.

The course focuses on:

• Ethical concepts and expectations

• Approaches to ethical decision making
• Texas Administrative Code: Rules of Professional Conduct
• AICPA Professional Standards: Code of Professional
Conduct
• Legal responsibilities and liabilities under common law to
clients and third parties
• Ethics and responsibilities in tax practice
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
• Licensing and disciplinary systems imposed on CPAs

Enhancement of Communication Skills:

By online participation and discussion, students’ communication skills will

be improved.
Grading System
Maximum Points
Two Tests (100 points) 200
Class Participation 100
Ethics Journal 50
Final Examination 100
Total Points 450

Tests: Each test will be comprised of 15 true/false and 15 multiple-choice

questions of equal value. Each test will be given through WebCT.

Class Participation: At the beginning of the semester, students will be

assigned to discussion groups in WebCT. During the semester, there will
be six ethical topics (denoted in course calendar) for which students are
required to submit a posting or response to a posting in their assigned
discussion group. Grading will be based on both quality and frequency of
responses.

Ethics Journal: Your effort in this course will result in knowledge that may
change your beliefs and/or behavior. As such, you will be required to
keep a personal ethics journal during the duration of the semester. It
should be a Word document with weekly entries. A typical week’s entry
may include personal analysis of materials discussed in class, ethical
dilemmas encountered and implications of those encounters, and
consequences of conclusions. You will turn in your journal, via WebCT
email, before the final examination on 2/24/06.

Final Examination: The final examination will be comprised of true/false and

multiple-choice questions. The final examination will be proctored. An on-
campus class exam session is scheduled on Friday, February 24th from 5:30-
6:45pm Room TBA under the supervision of the instructor.

Students who are not able to attend this exam session with the instructor can
arrange an individually proctored exam with a testing service of their choice at
any date within this required exam time window: 2/17/06-2/24/06. For local
students, a testing service is available at the UTD Learning Resources Center.
Students who find UTD geographically inconvenient may use a testing service at
a convenient location to have the exam proctored. All individually arranged
proctored exams must be completed within the required exam time window.
Students using either the UTD testing service or an outside testing service are
required to inform the instructor and the Global MBA Online office
(gmbasupport@utdallas.edu). Students must complete a proctored exam form
and send back to GMBA Office before 2/1/06. Please go to the Proctored Exam
Information page at:
http://som.utdallas.edu/globalmba/gmba_proc_exam_info.htm to download the
Proctored Exam Form and to find all the detailed information on arranging a
proctored exam. All completed exams must be received by 2/24/06 to allow
timely grade reporting to the UTD Registrar.
 The GMBA Office requests that all students who need to use testing
services strictly follow the proctored exam scheduling deadlines. If a
student fails to submit his/her exam form on time, he/she will have to
come to campus to attend the scheduled class exam session or seek
approval from the course instructor for any special arrangements.

Course Materials
1. Required Material:

Leonard J. Brooks, Business and Professional Ethics for

Directors, Executives and Accountants (Thomson Southwestern,
3rd Ed., 2004). ISBN: 0-324-20066-8.

2. Recommended readings and reference material:

Texas Administrative Code, Title 22, Part 22, Chapter 501 - Rules
of Professional Conduct
AICPA Professional Standards: Code of Professional Conduct
and Bylaws
AICPA Statements on Auditing Standards dealing explicitly with
training and proficiency, independence and due care
AICPA Statement on Standards for Tax Service
Pronouncements from The Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board and the SEC
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Textbook can be ordered online through MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore or Off-Campus
Books web ordering site. It is also available at UTD Bookstore and Off-Campus Books.

An E-book (electronic version of the textbook) can be purchased directly from the
publisher at http://custom.thomsonlearning.com/OLC/eBook/.

Technical Requirements

In addition to a confident level of computer and Internet literacy, certain minimum

technical requirement must be met to enable a successful learning experience. Please
review the important technical requirements and the web browser configuration
information.

Course Access and Navigation

This course was developed using a web course tool called WebCT. It is to be delivered
entirely online. Students will use UTD NetID account to login to the course at:
http://webct.utdallas.edu. Please see the details of course access and navigation
information.

To get started with a WebCT course, please see the Getting Started: Student WebCT
Orientation.
If you have any problems with your UTD account or any problem with the UTD WebCT
server, you may email to: assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at:
972-883-2911. If you encounter any technical difficulties within the course site, please
send an email to gmbasupport@utdallas.edu.
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Communications

WebCT course has built-in communication tools which will be used for course
interactions and communications. Some external communication tools such as regular
email and web conferencing tool may also be used during the semester. Please see
more details about communication tool information.

Interaction with Instructor: We will communicate with students mainly using the Mail
tool. Students may send personal concerns or questions to us using the course Email
tool. We will reply to student emails or Discussion board messages within 3 working
days under normal circumstances.

Emails directed to a particular instructor should contain the instructor’s last name
in the subject line.

Scholastic Dishonesty

The University has policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty.
Detailed information is available on the Scholastic Dishonesty web page. All students
are expected to maintain a high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty.
Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the
University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of
the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

Course Evaluation

As required by UTD academic regulations, every student must complete an evaluation

for each enrolled course at the end of the semester. An online instructional assessment
form will be made available for your confidential use. Please look for the course
evaluation link on the course Homepage towards the end of the course.

Course Outline
Week Instructor Topic Sub Topic
1/9- Troutman Accounting as a Seven Characteristics of a Profession
1/15 Profession Professional Designations
Stewart Ethical Expectations The Ethics Environment for Business
Ch. 1 (Read pp. 1-24, New Expectations of Business
37-38 only) Responses and Developments
Stewart Governance, Governance and Accounting Reform
Accounting and Enron
Auditing - Post Enron - Arthur Andersen
Ch. 2 (Read pp. 55- WorldCom
61, 66-71, 78-94, 97- Sarbanes-Oxley
 Solcher General overview of Principles of Profession Conduct
the Codes of Section 50-57 AICPA
Professional Conduct Texas Board Rules Sections 501.51 -
.53
1/16- Solcher Independence Section 101 and the Ethics Questions
1/22 Texas Board Rule 501.70
Solcher Integrity and Section 102 and the Ethics Questions
Objectively Texas Board Rule 501.73
Troutman* Independence Discussion Group
Troutman* Integrity and Discussion Group
Objectively
1/23- Test One-online
1/29
1/23- Stewart Corporate Ethical Emerging Governance and
1/29 Governance and Accounting Framework
Accountability - Ch. 3 Threats to Good Governance and
Accountability
Stewart Professional Stakeholder Expectation
Accounting in the Judgment and Value
Public Interest - Sources of Ethical Guidance
Ch. 4 (Read pp. 203-
219, 295-299 only)
Solcher Responsibilities of the General Standards-Accounting
CPA Principles

1/30- Solcher Responsibilities to Section 300 - AICPA

2/5 Clients Confidential Client Information
Contingent Fees
Texas Board Rules 501.75 and
501.72
Troutman* General Standards Discussion Group
Accounting Principles
Troutman* Responsibilities of the Discussion Group
CPA and the Public
Interest
Troutman* Responsibilities to Discussion Group
Clients
2/6- Test Two-online
2/12
2/6- Stewart Approaches to Ethical Measurement of Quantifiable Impacts
2/12 Decision Making - Measurement of Non-Quantifiable
Ch.5 (Read pp. 310- Impacts
325 only) Comprehensive Decision Making
Approaches
Stewart Managing Ethics Risks Ethics Strategies
and Opportunities - Workplace Ethics
Ch. 6 (Read pp. 352- Ethics in International Operations
374 only)
Solcher Other Responsibilities Section 500 - AICPA and the Ethics
and Practices Questions
 Discreditable Acts
Advertising and Other Forms of
Solicitation
Commissions and Referral Fees
2/13- Solcher AICPA's Statement on Discussion of the Tax Services
2/19 Standards for Tax Standards
Services
Solcher Accountant's Liability Legal Theories, Fraud, Negligence
and Retention of Client ‘s Records
Troutman* The Texas State Discussion Group
Board of Public
Accountancy
2/24 Final Examination
* denotes required discussion group participation