Update For Friday, February 3, 2012 

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Important Dates 

CGA-BC Leaders Host Merger Update Forums for Members, Students
Canada’s accounting profession is undergoing extensive change this year, with several merger discussions underway across the country. CGA-BC is committed to keeping its members and students as up to date as possible. We recommend you stay abreast of events through the articles and links on our Working to Keep You Informed page.

All CGA-BC students and members are invited to attend the town hall merger meetings in their region.

All meetings are free of charge and scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Please RSVP to Events Manager Tracey Tse so we may coordinate meeting spaces with the hotels.

See the Calendar of Town Hall Meetings.

Session 1 Exam Marks Released – February 1, 2012
Now that session 1 marks have been released, we would encourage you to take the time to read through the Exam Mark Release FAQs to help answer some common student queries you may have in this regard.

Free Workshop at CGA-BC!
Speak Clearer: Techniques in Accent Reduction
Have you already learned English but still struggle to be understood? The L2 Accent Reduction Centre addresses communication skills for professionals in Vancouver’s diverse corporate workforce.  Learn how you can speak clearer and relate better by applying accent reduction techniques to your speech.

Date: Tuesday February 21 at 6:00 p.m.
Location: In the 2nd Floor Boardroom at 1867 W Broadway, Vancouver BC

To register, please email advising@cga-bc.org. Seating is limited so please register early to secure your seat.

A Reminder about the PERC (Professional Experience Required for Certification)
Students with 10 or less courses remaining in the CGA program are required to report their practical experience by filling out a PERC online assessment. Please submit your PERC in a timely manner in order to avoid delays to your expected graduation date. PERC submissions are accepted throughout the year, even during the holidays.
The PERC reporting tool can be found here, or under the Students Tab in Professional Experience. Be sure to make use of the detailed Student Guide and career maps as they will help ease you through the process.

Recent Course Assignment Violations
Although cases of plagiarism and academic integrity violations among CGA-BC students are extremely rare, all CGA students should be aware of what constitutes a violation and its consequences. As some students have discovered, CGA-BC does not accept copying assignments under any circumstances. Students caught in this situation receive marks of 0% for their assignment work. In addition, a letter of warning is placed in their permanent student files.

Here are some examples of recent course assignment violations to assist you in understanding what constitutes a violation of the academic integrity policy.

There have been five confirmed cases of assignment plagiarism identified and reported in Session 1 of the 2011-2012 academic year.

[Read More...]

Restrictions on Students
Offering Services to the Public

As we approach tax season, it is important that students are reminded of their parameters in terms of the services they are able to offer to the public. Please take the time to read the Restrictions on Student Offering Services to the Public policy found in our Student Handbook to familiar yourself with these restrictions.

Career Planning for Students
Considering Public Practice

PACE Career Electives

Students considering a career in public practice as a firm owner, need to be informed as to what the public practice registration requirements include. The public practice registration process requires the completion of Taxation 2 (TX2) (or equivalent) and Auditing 2 (AU2) within five years prior to registration. The recommendation then is to choose these two courses as your PACE career electives.

What if a student graduates without completing TX2 and/or AU2 and wishes to register in public practice? 

Members who have not completed TX2 and/or AU2 prior to registration in public practice have three methods of meeting each of these requirements. To determine the best method for you, contact Karen Fiorini at (604) 730-6231, toll free 1 (800) 565-1211 ext 231, or email kfiorini@cga-bc.org.

 
The economy may have slowed but demand for CGA members and students are still strong. For proof, see the Hot Jobs page updated weekly. If you haven’t already signed up to CGAjobs.org, do so. And don’t forget to post your resumé to the site.

Help Us Keep Tabs on Your Successes 

Fellow students, members and Association staff want to hear about your successes in school, at work and in other aspects of your life. Tell us all about it to be featured in Outlook, the all-member and student magazine. Or maybe you know of a student who is too humble to blow their own horn. Let us know of [advising#cga-bc,org]story ideas and students to profile for Sessions, the student newsletter that comes in every issue of Outlook.