This full-day session will equip participants to understand, identify, and respond to the risks that their organizations face.  We'll review the concept of "risk" and connect it to "internal controls", considering the COSO framework.  Next, we'll study different responses to risk (ranging from eliminating or avoiding a risk to accepting and managing a risk) and the concept of "risk appetite".  If you audit organizational risks or controls -- or want to identify clear criteria to add value to your audits and organization -- you won't want to miss this session!

Outline/Course topics:

 Risk

 Enterprise Risk Management

 COSO Framework

 Risk Models

 Connecting Risk to Auditing

 Risks to Management and Management Responses

Prerequisites: Knowledge and experience in auditing

Field:  Auditing (8 CPE)

Level:  Intermediate

It’s important to stay current on the government auditing standards whether you cite them in your reports or simply follow the standards to ensure superior audit quality. This course brings you up-to-date on the latest standards included in GAO’s 2018 revision of the Government Auditing Standards which we all know of as “The Yellow Book.”   
This course will enable you to know when and which of the standards apply to your specific audits and what you are expected to do to comply with those standards. 
 
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of the course, auditors will know:
·      When you must follow the Yellow Book standards
·      The different types of audit and attestation engagements covered by the standards
·      The standards that apply directly to you, the auditor, when performing your audits
·      The standards that specifically apply to financial audits, attestation engagements, and performance audits
 
Who Should Attend:
All staff and supervising auditors who perform government audit work regardless of whether Government Auditing Standards are cited in the reports that are issued.
 
Program level: Basic
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Instructional Method: Group-live
Field of Study: Auditing - Governmental
Recommended CPE: 8 credits

Learn the basics of report writing!

Ethics is a cornerstone in every profession, especially for Certified Public Accountants.  The public, and employers, place a significant trust in CPAs and there is inherent in that trust, the expectation that a CPA will know and understand the legal and ethical standard that apply.  However, those standards are of an ever-increasing complex order and lack of understanding the ethical and legal standards can expose a CPA to risk of breach in compliance or even malpractice.  This course is designed to provide CPAs with critical guidance and updated information on the current standards.  
A portion of this course is designed to meet the California Board of Accountancy’s requirement for two-hour of Regulatory Review.  This session, approved by the Board of Accountancy and entitled Conduct and Ethics Requirements for California Accounting and Auditing Professionals, will provide a review that is specific to the practice of public accountancy in California, the current California Accountancy Act, and California Board of Accountancy regulations.  The session will also cover historic and recent disciplinary actions taken by the California Board including highlights where the conduct of the licensee led to the discipline.  
 
A separate portion of the course is designed to meet the four-hour ethics education requirement of the California Board of Accountancy.  The ethics content includes a review of nationally recognized codes of conduct emphasizing how the codes relate to professional responsibilities; case-based instruction focusing on real-life situational learning; ethical dilemmas facing the accounting professional; and business ethics, ethical sensitivity, and consumer expectations. 
 
The final separate two-hour portion of the course is designed to provide government auditors, accountants, and fraud specialists and/or forensic accountants, with the critical guidance and updated information on their current standards.
 
CPE CREDIT:  Total 8.0 CPE (Continuing Professional Education)

•  2.0 Hours Regulatory Review

•  4.0 Hours General Behavioral Ethics

•  2.0 Hours Technical CE (Government/Fraud)

 
Objectives:

•  Ensure that participant’s knowledge and understanding of ethical and professional conduct standards, as well as statutory and regulatory requirements in California, is current

•  Ensure that participants knowledge and understanding of ethical and conduct standards of their chosen profession is current, whether they are in public, private or government practice

•  Review the current California Accountancy Act, including but not limited to the specific Articles required by the Board

•  Examine current California Board of Accountancy Regulations, including but not limited to the specific Articles required by the Board

•  Provide a general understanding of the types of activities that have caused other accounting and auditing professionals to be perceived as in violation of conduct and ethical standards

•  Provide a general overview and update of current ethical standards for various professional organization, such as the AICPA, CalCPA, GAO, PCIE, AGA, IIA, ACFS, ACFE, IMA, and others  

•  Provide a reference guide of recent publications on conduct and ethics for accounting and auditing professional, including (but not limited to) copies of the California Accountancy Act and the California Accountancy Regulations 

•  Provide a review of disciplinary actions taken by the California Board of Accountancy and other professional organizations

 
Key Topics:

•  The California Business and Professions Code and the California Board of Accountancy Regulations

•  Codes of Professional Conduct of various professional accounting organizations

•  Codes of Professional Conduct of various fraud specialist and forensic accounting organizations

•  California and National case law involving public accountancy

•  Duties of accounting professionals under the Sarbanes Oxley Act 

•  A CPAs duty when fraud is discovered

•  California Board of Accountancy disciplinary actions, including highlights of historic and recent misconduct which led to licensees being discipline

 
Charles W. Hester, CPA/CFE/CGFM
Charles (Chuck) Hester, Sr. served as the Western District Inspector General and Audit Manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) until his retirement on September 30, 1995.  Chuck currently conducts training sessions for numerous organizations, including the Association of Government Accountants’ Education and Research Foundation, and various other professional accounting and auditing organizations.  In addition, Chuck has served as the Team Leader for External Peer (Quality Control) Reviews for Various national, state, and local government audit agencies.
Chuck is a member of various professional auditing and accounting organizations and has written several articles that have been published in professional journals.  Chuck currently serves as member of the Qualifications Committee for the California Board of Accountancy.  
Chuck is the recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award from the Graduate School.  Chuck has also received numerous other awards including the Jack Birkholz Leadership Award presented by the Western Intergovernmental Audit Forum and the Education and Training Award presented by the National Association of Government Accountants.