ACUA Association of College & University Auditors

Session Details

Track A
Fundamentals of Auditing in Higher Education
Ransom McClung, Florida State University

Track Type: Accounting and Auditing

Field of Study: Auditing

Knowledge Level: Basic

Prerequisites: No prerequisites or advanced preparation required

Instructional Delivery Method: Group-Live

Maximum CPE credits: 18

Program Objectives:
Participants will learn to apply the fundamentals of internal auditing and new approaches to audits in universities.

Program Content: A perennial favorite, this course is tailored to meet the needs of internal auditors with a year or less experience of auditing experience in higher education. It will be equally beneficial to those with more experience who welcome a reinforcement of the fundamentals of internal auditing and new approaches to audits in universities.  Day one includes a condensed version of auditor tools and techniques as we examine the IIA's new Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing.  This will cover establishing an institution-wide risk assessment approach (including risk assessments of information systems); essentials of fraud investigations; increasing efficiency of the audit process; audit reports; and other practical areas.  This will provide a strong basis of understanding for days two and three during which we will cover auditing auxiliary enterprises and departmental reviews throughout the organization.  A discussion of the auditor's role in Information Systems audits, emerging technologies (specifically ACUA’s risk dictionary) and consulting engagements will be covered on day three.  Participants from past sessions commented: "I'd recommend this workshop to all new auditors." "Even auditors with years of experience can benefit." "This session far exceeded my expectations!"

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Track B
Basic IT Audit Concepts
Phillip Hurd, CISSP, CISA, CBM, Georgia Institute of Technology

Field of Study: Auditing

Track Type: IT Auditing

Knowledge Level: Basic

Prerequisites: Participants are required to bring their own laptop.  

Instructional Delivery Method: Group-Live

Maximum CPE credits: 18

Program Objectives: Participants will receive an overview of basic IT auditing information and learn how to apply this knowledge using case studies in a hands-on environment.

Program Content: This course will explore the fundamentals of IT Auditing including language basics, system concepts, a discussion of standard higher education systems, and a review of IT audits as compared to a standard operational audit.  The course will also expose sensitive data concepts, and discuss incident response and the auditor’s role.  The class will include hands-on training in a fun format including case studies the participants will use to immediately practice the information learned.  This class will be limited to 36 participants to keep the case studies teams functional.

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 Track C
Auditing Banner
Terry Nolan, Georgia Institute of Technology
Mark Carter, Baylor University

Field of Study: Auditing

Track Type: IT Auditing

Knowledge Level: Basic

Prerequisites: No prerequisites or advanced preparation required.

Instructional Delivery Method: Group-Live

Maximum CPE credits: 18 

Program Objectives: Participants will learn effective auditing techniques within various modules of Banner in an interactive environment.

Program Content: Be there for this groundbreaking course as we delve into auditing banner applications.  This will hopefully be the start of an annual course where brains will be picked, ideas will be generated, and we will begin drafting an audit plan and audit programs for various Banner applications.  This course is for anyone who currently uses or wants to learn more about SunGard Banner.

Whether you have just implemented Banner at your institution or have been using it for years, there is much to learn about this system and how to audit within it.

This will be an interactive session and we welcome those experienced Banner schools to participate and share their ideas and best practices.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the unique challenges and risks that using Banner presents
• Develop audit plans and programs for specific modules of Banner
• Identify potential pit falls and risk areas in Banner modules
• Review the tips and best practices of more experienced Banner users

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Track Type: IT 

Field of Study: Auditing

Program Level: Intermediate

Prerequisites: Participants must bring their own laptop computer with a CD drive, IDEA Version 7 software or demo must be loaded on participant's laptop. Participants must be familiar with personal computers and should have a working knowledge of Windows and spreadsheet applications. Training data files will be provided by instructor in CD format.

Instructional Delivery Method: Group-Live

Maximum CPE credits: 18

Program Objectives: Participants will learn how to successfully obtain and import data into IDEA, mine and analyze data efficiently, and expand IDEA analysis by learning advance features.

Program Content: Participants will learn to use IDEA more efficiently in three course sections. During the first section, Acquiring & Importing Data, participants will review basic data formats; direct importing into IDEA; importing various standard file formats including ASCII delimited, ASCII fixed length, Access and Excel files; printing reports; and importing data directly from accounting software applications like QuickBooks.

During the second session, Analyzing & Interrogating Data Level 1, participants will learn key features such as: database management and how to reconcile data using control totals and field statistic; isolating items using IDEA's equation editor to enter criteria; creating a separate file by extracting records meeting a specified criteria; adding columns to pre-existing data to capture information; profiling data using stratifications to create bands based on ranges to facilitate data mining; summarizing records with the same field values and accumulate amounts in numeric fields; aging a file from a particular date into up to six specified intervals; searching for duplicate items based on one or more fields; identifying missing records in numerical or date sequences; joining data from separate but related files or comparing data from different time periods; and pulling samples using random and stratified random sampling.

During the third session, Analyzing & Interrogating Data Level 2, participants will learn key features such as: adding editable fields for comments, checking off items, or correcting data; how to correct errors or for "what-if scenarios" by re-running tasks with different parameters; creating pivot tables showing record counts, totals, averages, or minimum/maximum value; advanced concepts in database relationships using IDEA's join or visual connector features; @functions - performing more complex calculations and exception testing; extracting the top records within a group of records; and creating a series of secondary databases based on a key value.

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Mix and Match
Track E
Fraud
John Hall, CPA, Hall Consulting

Track Type: Fraud

Field of Study: Auditing (Same for All)

Knowledge Level: Basic (Same for All)

Prerequisites: No prerequisites or advanced preparation required. (Same for All)

Instructional Delivery Method: Group-Live (Same for All)

Maximum CPE credits: 18

Program Objectives: See Specific Session

Program Content: See Specific Session

Session E1 – Helping Management Create An Anti-Fraud Environment

Auditors looking for opportunities to demonstrate unexpected value should assist managers in their fraud prevention and deterrence responsibilities.  Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Explain who commits fraud, and why
• Understand the deterrence provisions of applicable professional auditing standards
• Sponsor a major fraud initiative, including 15 specific action steps
• Conduct a Fraud Risk Assessment
• Create a Fraud Risk Inventory
• More effectively deploy critical skills in Interviewing, Data Mining and Forensic Accounting
• Better manage prevention expectations

Session E2 – Fraud Detection for Internal Auditors (Part 1)

This two-part session will address the skills and mindset necessary to detect wrongdoing on audits.  Participants will be able to:

• Avoid ineffective audit practices and behaviors
• Increase the probability that fraud and wrongdoing will be detected
• Brainstorm “Like a Thief”
• Develop and implement aggressive detection practices
• React to common fraud indicators, red flags and symptoms
• Build audit programs steps targeting fraud

Session E3 – Fraud Detection for Internal Auditors (Part 2)

This session will help auditors react to fraud indicators surfaced on projects.  Participants will be able to:

• Build fraud risks into audit planning on every project
• Detect fraud schemes in results reporting
• Detect misappropriation schemes
• Utilize discovery testing, data analysis, interviewing and monitoring to improve detection

Session E4 – Fraud Based Interviewing

This session will provide a comprehensive view of the role of interviewing in fraud detection and investigation.  Participants will be able to:

• Plan interviews, including the development of interview scripts
• Develop questions to enhance the likelihood of obtaining the desired responses
• Practice interviewing in a participant role play exercise
• Recognize the verbal signs of deception in audit interviews
• Recognize the non-verbal signs of deception in interviews and meetings

Session E5 – Fraud Handling Issues – Discovery through Case Closeout

This session covers the handling of fraud issues from discovery through case close-out.  Participants will be able to:

• Define the role of internal auditing in the investigative process
• Understand six common investigative techniques
• Inventory skills needed for effective incident response and case management
• Build an effective response team
• Develop strategies for the special challenge areas of fraud by vendors, contractors and other third parties

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Mix and Match
 Track F
Managers/Directors

Track Type: Auditing and Accounting

Field of Study: Auditing

Knowledge Level: Basic (Same for All)

Prerequisites: No prerequisites or advanced preparation required. (Same for All)

Instructional Delivery Method: Group-Live (Same for All)

Maximum CPE credits: 18

Program Objectives: Participants will learn about various topics of interest to manager and director level auditors; marketing audit services, selling recommendations, P-card risks, and expectations of audit committee members.

Program Content: See Specific Session

Session F1 – Marketing Internal Audit Services
Larry Hubbard, Larry Hubbard & Associates

Do internal auditors need to market their services?  Only if we want to stay in business! All service functions in a business are becoming more competitive, and internal auditing is no exception – nor should it be.  We need to know the true market value of our services, and treat everyone as a paying client.  This session will introduce “mission critical” issues for internal audit leaders to consider, as well as help develop the skills and plans necessary for all auditors to compete with the best. While we’re at it, we’ll talk why “selling yourself” is everybody’s business, and that every auditor is really self-employed.

Upon completing this course, participants will be able to: 

• Define mission critical marketing issues 
• Communicate the value added services that internal audit can provide to management
• Develop an internal audit marketing plan
• Develop necessary sales skills for auditors

Session F2 – Selling Your Recommendations to Management
Larry Hubbard, Larry Hubbard & Associates

It seems simple, and we’ve all heard it: Criteria, Condition, Cause, Effect, and Recommendation.  If we write audit findings that way, it seems like everyone should agree with them – right?  But, they don’t. Maybe the problem isn’t with the reader – maybe it’s with some of the words we use, like “finding”.   Or maybe it’s because auditors can’t really come up with the Cause or Recommendation themselves.  Or maybe it’s just because we have not taken the planning time to agree on the Criteria.  This session will explore all these and have you rethinking your audit reporting process.

Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify reasons why our findings are not embraced by management
• Write a finding which management will fully support and buy into
• Persuade management to take action on our recommendations, not just read the report
• Write a more useful audit report
• More effectively obtain agreement on the issues and recommendations in our reports
  

Session F3 – P-card Risks, Why Should You Care? (Parts 1 & 2)
Tom Salzman, Illinois State University

Colleges and Universities are quickly embracing Purchasing Cards (P-cards) as a means to a more efficient purchasing process for smaller dollar purchases.  P-cards are applauded for streamlining purchases, saving money, and reducing paperwork.  However, without proper processes and controls, P-cards can also put an organization at a higher risk for misuse of funds.

As an audit manager or director you will need to understand the importance of auditing this area.  We will identify effective procedures for reviewing and evaluating all aspects of the P-card process and gain tools for evaluating internal controls.  A list of merchant category codes will be provided along with the popular audit program that includes detailed testing techniques.

Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:

• Identify the most effective procedures for evaluating and controlling P-cards
• Evaluate critical issues surrounding the P-card process
• Receive excellent P-card auditing tools to take back to their staff auditors
• Identify quick and efficient ways to detect inappropriate purchases
• Learn how to catch the odd purchases such as internet, service and gift card purchases
• Understand the hidden dangers of relying on merchant code categories
• Understand proper reporting for 1099’s for services

Session F5 – What Do We Expect from Our Internal Auditors?
Audit Committee Members Panel

Have you ever wondered how audit committee members feel about their experiences serving on the audit committee?  Or what they expected from their internal auditors?  Now is your chance to find out as we have a panel discussion with current and former audit committee members and experts as they discuss their audit committee experiences.
Upon completion of this panel, participants will be able to:

• Learn what the audit committee expects from its internal audit team
• Identify committee member’s suggestions for making the internal audit function more responsive to audit committee needs
• Formulate a plan for preparing executive summaries to give audit committee members a high level overview of audit report conclusions and recommendations