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The Accounting and Information Systems Department in the University of Kansas School of Business and Deloitte, one of the largest accounting firms in the world, hosted the 2010 Auditing Symposium at the end of April in Overland Park, Kan. The symposium, which has been held every other year for 40 years, centered on the theme “The Effects of Increased Management and Auditor Judgment on Financial Reporting.”

“The theme reflects one of the biggest challenges facing businesses and auditors today,” Jim Heintz, symposium coordinator and School of Business professor, said.

Approximately 40 business professionals and 50 university auditing professors made up the more than 90 symposium participants. Heintz said the turnout was the largest the symposium has had in many years.

“This year’s symposium surpassed our expectations in terms of both the number of participants and the quality of presenters,” Heintz said. The symposium brought in a wide array of panelists. Partners from large accounting firms such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Grant Thornton and RSM-McGladrey served on the panels, as well as members from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, and the Auditing Standards Board.

The academic perspective of auditing was also well represented. Nine auditing researchers from universities across the United States presented research papers at the symposium.

Heintz, who in addition to being the director of the School of Business’ accounting and information systems department is a Deloitte faculty fellow, said it’s imperative the School of Business be involved in symposiums like this one. “We aim to consistently provide the best forum in the country for interaction among leading business professionals and academic researchers,” Heintz said.