Budget issues in the accounting department are causing many students to take a more difficult Accounting 2001 this semester.
Previously, the accounting department offered an Accounting 2000 course for non-business majors to provide a basic understanding of the business world.
However, because of budget issues, that course is no longer being offered. “We don’t have the resources to have 2000,” said Robin Clement, an accounting instructor and course coordinator. “It really has to do with budget issues, and it is a problem.”
Clement said Accounting 2001 now is more intensive because business students often faced difficulty in higher-level courses.
“In the past it was actually less rigorous than perhaps it should have been,” Clement said. “When students got to higher level business courses, there has been a huge gap to recall basic fundamentals of accounting, and students haven’t been as strong in those courses.”
Accounting 2001 is required for business majors, business minors and select others, including mass communication and agriculture majors. However, the University General Catalog advises students in non-business curricula to enroll in Accounting 2000, if they are given the option of Accounting 2000 or Accounting 2001, unless they plan to pursue a business degree later.
Despite tutoring offered by the department for Accounting 2001, some students still find the course difficult.
“I think that the accounting department should have a class for non-business majors. What they require is too challenging,” said Elizabeth Hale, a fashion merchandising freshman.
Lisa Tatum, a nursing sophomore, said while the course should be hard for business majors, the department should offer an alternative for those in non-business curricula.
“I think it’s too difficult,” she said. “It doesn’t need to be that hard for people who aren’t going to use those skills later on.”
Tyler Tullos, a general business sophomore, said the test questions are too difficult for non-accounting majors.
“There’s people in my class who are biology and journalism majors, and the level of testing they’re putting us through is really unbelievable,” Tullos said.
Clement said the accounting department is aware of the problems some students are having, but a solution is not necessarily imminent.
“It is an issue, and I think it’s a valid issue,” Clement said. “I think we do need to address it, but the solution is going to be down the road.”