Iowa public university tuition prices have been rising over the past few decades which has made education unattainable for those unable to afford the large price tags. The financial statements of the three Iowa public universities from 1990-2018 were analyzed. Our research found that yearly tuition and fees for an undergraduate resident, when adjusted for inflation, have increased by about $5,100 – $5,850 since 1990 and the undergraduate non-resident yearly tuition and fees increase has been around $10,100 -$20,500 depending on the university. ISU and U of I have much lower state appropriations funding on a per enrolled student than their 1990 inflation adjusted amounts; however, UNI’s state funding has remained relatively unchanged. Inversely, increased scholarship spending has decreased “true” tuition for the students that receive these funds (largely those with financial need). Additionally, instructor compensation per enrolled student has decreased significantly which, if instructors feel underpaid, could affect our faculty retention numbers and national rankings. This increasing tuition price trend and decreasing instructor compensation could negatively impact the future economic prospects of the state of Iowa and its residents.

Iowa State University Accounting students have a variety of accounting elective courses from which to choose to satisfy elective requirements. While a variety of factors influence which accounting electives students choose, there is little definitive guidance available to current students looking to select accounting electives based on career aspirations. This study assesses the usefulness of Iowa State University’s accounting electives in common post-graduate career paths so students can make better-informed academic decisions. 166 Iowa State accounting graduates participated in a survey asking them to confidentially share post-graduate career details and evaluate aspects of Iowa State’s accounting elective courses most useful in their careers. The results of the study revealed some electives are better adapted to CPA preparation than others, but all elective courses provide some degree of usefulness in preparing students for any career demands. Major trends identified include strong preferences for graduates employed in public accounting to enroll in ACCT 488 and ACCT 495, and for graduates employed in the private sector to enroll in ACCT 483. Survey participants indicated usefulness of ACCT 495 for career preparation and ACCT 384 for CPA preparation, although students enroll in these courses for other reasons than their usefulness indicated by the survey.

With technological advancements and high demand for goods and services worldwide a global economy has become commonplace, and by extension a need for a comparable financial reporting system. This research aims to provide an overview of the two most relevant accounting standards (US GAAP and IFRS) in use today and examines how these standards operate as well as serve the needs of their respective stakeholders. Additionally, this research addresses three specific areas of accounting revenue recognition, inventory valuation, and leases - and examine the implications convergence of these accounting standards would have on investors, management, and other stakeholders. The revenue recognition section will explain the steps to recognizing revenue under the new standard. The inventory section will examine the existing similarities and identify areas preventing complete convergence. The leases section will compare the previous leasing standards under US GAAP and IFRS to the new guidance. Finally, this research addresses the overall feasibility of the US attaining complete convergence to IFRS

Retirement savings is a topic that affects everyone in the United States regardless of career. Background research found that a large portion of individuals will not be able to maintain their standard of living in retirement. When surveying 67 Iowa State Students, research found that there was a lack of awareness on retirement savings. The survey included 8 questions and resulted in an average score of 34% correct. We find that retirement savings could be improved by employers enacting automatic enrollment and escalation in retirement plans and employees taking advantage of employer match programs and determining long-term needs earlier in their career. This paper serves as an educational tool for college-aged students that may help them think deeper about retirement savings when they begin their careers.

This paper utilizes the lessons learned in all major introductory classes in the College of Business at Iowa State University to create a business plan for a new coffee house. The goal of the paper was to see if what I have learned in all my introductory major classes at the College of Business could help me build a small business. While at Iowa State every student in the College of Business is required to take an introductory class in all of the majors offered. The majors offered currently are Accounting, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management. During the research phase I looked at notes and textbooks of past classes at Iowa State, as well as online resources. The project relied heavily on creativity because of the freedom that comes with building your own company. The finished business plan gives a background on the history of coffee, what I have learned from the College of Business, and how I applied the knowledge learned to open a new coffee house.

Tax laws in the United States impact the lives and decisions of taxpayers everyday, specifically horse owners and professionals. This research aims to provide an overview of the equine industry in the United States; specifically in the areas racing, competition, breeding, and recreation. Additionally, this research will address the changes to tax law in the equine industry created by Tax Reform Acts of 1986 and Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 in the United States. Finally, the implications of the changes to the tax law and code on the equine industry will be discussed.

In 2015, a hit-and-run accident in the State of Iowa would prove fatal to a student of Iowa State University. In response to pain and suffering, an attempt to eliminate the loopholes in the Iowa Code 321.263 would prove challenging for prosecution attorney, Jessica Reynolds, State Legislature, Ashley Hinson, and supporting family and friends of the Emmalee Jacobs family. This research aims to provide insight to the history of lobbying in the United States examining methods such as insider and outsider lobbying. Additionally, this reach identifies way in which insider and outsider lobbying can be used effectively to produce favorable outcomes for drafted legislation. Lastly, the research will draw attention to a formerly introduced update proposed as New Section 321.266A later to become bill HF 484. The research will draw conclusions on the effective approach in which lobbying was used to propose change in the hit-and-run laws of Iowa while leaving room for heightened knowledge for the next introduction of Emmalee’s Law.

The goal of this study is to build upon previous research, studying the knowledge of taxation in elementary children, by researching the same idea in college-aged students. To do so, students were surveyed regarding various demographics and taxation topics in terms of general knowledge, taxation concepts that are currently relevant to our target subject, and taxation topics that will be relevant to them in the future. Our results showed that students had a moderate level of general knowledge that was consistent across variables. They also showed that in terms of taxation topics that are currently relevant, being older and having more in student loans led to a generally higher level of understanding. For topics with future relevance, a higher economic status correlated to a higher understanding. We also found that several of the variables tested led to insignificant correlations. This led us to conclude that student’s tax knowledge may be set prior to attending college, and this age group as a whole still lacks a great deal of tax knowledge that they are expected to possess as contributing members of society.