TEI sets calendar for coming year: seminars planned on international tax, FAS 109, and audits & appeals developments.

• Position: Continuing Education

Tax Executives Institute's Continuing Education Committee has tentatively set the organization's educational calendar for the fiscal year, beginning in July. Together with seven week-long courses and the Institute's Annual and Midyear Conferences, the committee has agreed to hold at least three seminars: one in September on international tax planning and compliance developments; a second in November on FAS 109; and a third in February 2005 on IRS controversies. In addition, a federal tax seminar on mergers and acquisitions is already scheduled for June of this year, and another seminar might be scheduled in May 2005 should the need arise. Finally, telephone seminars and webconferences will be held throughout the year on breaking topics.

In announcing the new schedule, Judy Zelisko, chair of TEI's Continuing Education Committee, said the Institute's committee chairs have already made strides in planning the organization's 2004 Annual Conference, which will be held in New Orleans in October. "We've decided to continue the practice of having three sets of concur rent sessions," she said, "thereby giving participants a wide array of choices. Details will be posted on TEI's website by mid-June." In addition, she said the Institute will host international, federal, and state and local tax courses, all designed to provide core training to in-house tax professionals.

Ms. Zelisko said that building upon the success of this year's educational program (which will conclude with a June seminar on mergers and acquisitions), TEI will repeat two seminars from the current year--a September redux of the Institute's international tax planning and compliance seminar, and a February program on IRS audits and appeals. Complementing these two mainstays will be a third seminar--to be held in November--on FAS 109.

According to Ms. Zelisko (who will serve as TEI's 2004-2005 President), the November seminar will break new ground. "With heightened scrutiny of financial statements and the renewed emphasis on transparency in GAAP reporting, tax executives are being called upon to document their...