Your WSCPA Benefits: Advocacy to CPE

by Sara Bailey, CPA

Advocacy

One of the most important things the WSCPA does is play a vital role in advocacy. The Society has spent years getting to know legislators, building connections within the Department of Revenue and cultivating relationships with the Washington State Board of Accountancy (WBOA). There are many examples of why these areas are critical to our profession, but here are just a couple.

There are very aggressive efforts across the U.S. to eliminate licenses for many professions. What most of us may not immediately recognize is this type of legislation puts the CPA license at risk because anti-licensure proponents frequently do not consider the very technical, complex nature of the CPA profession. The WSCPA monitors any proposed legislation that could impact our profession and leverages relationships with key legislators to ensure they understand the importance of our CPA licenses. When we attend Hill Day in Olympia, this is always a key talking point to discuss with legislators because of the prevalence of these types of bills being put forward.

Another extraordinary advocacy-related accomplishment the WSCPA has had in the last few years is establishing a scholarship fund for students entering the accounting profession. Most of us remember the McCleary decision (McCleary v. Washington) in the state. At that time, the WBOA had a surplus in licensing fees that the state had earmarked to be swept into the general fund

to help with funding from the McCleary decision. The WSCPA again quickly mobilized and worked with the WBOA and several legislators to draft a bill for those funds to be moved into a scholarship fund (the Certified Public Accounting Scholarship Program), administered by the Washington CPA Foundation under a contract with WBOA, for students entering the accounting profession. Thanks to the bill sponsors and the many hours of work from the Society, WBOA, and other volunteers, this bill was successful. Those funds, along with generous donations from individuals and firms, allow the Foundation to annually award more than $500,000 of scholarships to more than 80 students in the state. As a result of this advocacy victory, the Foundation is the largest accounting scholarship provider in the state of Washington.

Community

Another area the WSCPA plays a critical role is creating a community for CPAs across the state. The Society creates opportunities for CPAs to connect with each other, provides valuable resources to CPAs in all stages of their careers, and helps students navigate from their academic journey to an accounting career. There are endless examples of how the WSCPA does this. WSCPA staff spend time on university campuses across the state. They talk to students about the profession, invite them to events to meet others in the profession, and make introductions as they look to start interviewing and exploring intern and full-time career opportunities.

I had the opportunity to meet several accounting students and new professionals over the summer who were well connected with the WSCPA at a members’ reception. A few of them were young mothers working or going to school while navigating parenthood. I left feeling energized and inspired by each of their stories and was so happy to have a setting where we were all brought together to connect. It was also a great opportunity for others in the profession to network in a low-pressure setting with each other. Community and connection are so important, and the WSCPA provides opportunities for us to get together with others outside of our own firms or organizations.

Education

The last area the WSCPA provides significant value to its members is in its Continuing Professional Education (CPE). You may be most familiar with the WSCPA’s CPE. From in-person conferences to online CPE (including new FlexCast) and the Prix Fixe CPE series, the quality and availability of CPE is tough to beat. Whether you are in public accounting, at a non-profit or in private industry, there are CPE events curated for your area of expertise. There are also numerous non-technical CPE events and courses available – from competencies and skills required by virtual CFOs to a new DEI Training Series (starting November 4) and Workshop (December 2). The WSCPA’s quality of CPE is impressive and tough to beat.

These are just a few examples of why I value my WSCPA membership and am excited to share with other CPAs in the state. I hope you are all as proud of being a part of the WSCPA and can share the importance of the Society with others in our community and students who are considering entering the profession. I also want to invite everyone to get involved – attend your local chapter’s next event, register for a conference, or check out a resource group! Hope to see you at an event soon!

This article appears in the fall 2022 issue of the Washington CPA magazine. Read more here.