Highlights of Council's Fall Meeting.

• Position: Brief Article

Among other actions at its meeting on Oct. 23-24, the AICPA governing Council:

* Elected Kathy G. Eddy of West Virginia as chair of the AICPA Board of Directors for 2000-2001, and James G. Castellano of Missouri as vice chair.

* Overwhelmingly passed a resolution that supports the AICPA's continued involvement in the proposed new global credential being developed by an international consortium of accountancy institutes and indicates its intent to authorize a membership ballot at its May 2001 meeting (The CPA Letter, Oct.). The resolution voted on was not the one crafted by the Board of Directors, but one offered by the Ohio delegation. Among other differences, it calls for the continued support, promotion and enhancement of the CPA credential and the CPA profession; preparation of a business plan that includes market research results and an analysis of the implications for student enrollments; and establishment of a separate organization (instead of a wholly owned subsidiary) or affiliate to be the member organization for the new credential. Council voted in favor of the resolution after several past chairs and a number of state society presidents discussed the profession's responsibility to offer future CPAs a relevant, viable, rewarding career.

* Heard a report on a recent research effort focusing on causes for a downturn in the number of students majoring in accounting and becoming CPAs and identifying the means to reverse this trend. Also heard...