The 22nd Haskell & White Corporate Reporting and Governance Conference brought international accounting and finance scholars to Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 18, underscoring the university’s growing role as a West Coast center for research on how technology and policy are reshaping financial reporting and the accounting profession.
Co-hosted by CSUF’s School of Accountancy and the Department of Finance in the College of Business and Economics, the conference concentrated on four interlocking themes: the rise of artificial intelligence in accounting and finance, pressures on the accounting talent pipeline, developments in regulation, and changing practices among Wall Street analysts. The event drew scholars from around the world to present research that bridges academic study and professional practice.
Connecting research to practice
University leaders framed the conference as evidence of CSUF’s increasing research influence in corporate reporting and governance. Vivek Mande, director of the School of Accountancy and co-director of the Center for Corporate Reporting and Governance, described the convening as a demonstration of the school’s strengths.
“This annual conference demonstrates the research powerhouse that the School of Accountancy and business college at CSUF truly is,”
The conference agenda reflected current fault lines in the profession, where machine learning and automation are shifting the work accountants perform and the skills employers demand. Presentations examined how AI can affect assurance and reporting, which raises questions for educators and regulators about curriculum, continuing education and oversight.
Implications for students and employers
The focus on the talent pipeline highlighted concerns that have direct consequences for Fullerton-area employers and students at Cal State Fullerton: how to ensure graduates have the analytical, technical and ethical training to work alongside increasingly sophisticated accounting software. Panelists and presenters discussed the following priorities:
- Integrating AI literacy and data analytics into accounting curricula
- Strengthening partnerships between universities and local firms for experiential learning
- Addressing workforce shortages through targeted recruitment and training
Those priorities suggest practical steps for the campus and the region: curriculum updates, internships with regional businesses, and continuing education programs aimed at midcareer professionals adapting to technological change.
Regulation and the role of analysts
Sessions on regulation and Wall Street research mapped how policy choices and capital-market behavior interact. As accounting disclosures evolve—partly in response to AI-enabled analysis—regulators face new choices about transparency, audit standards and market oversight. Likewise, the conference explored how analysts’ methods are changing as they incorporate more algorithmic tools into forecasts and recommendations.
For Fullerton, where local businesses, public agencies and nonprofits rely on accurate reporting and informed capital allocation, these discussions have practical import: regulatory shifts at the state or federal level can affect local audit costs, investor relations and the flow of capital into Orange County enterprises.
Conference as civic infrastructure
Beyond technical findings, the Haskell & White conference functions as civic infrastructure: a forum where academic research meets the concerns of practitioners, regulators and students. It offers an evidentiary basis for local decision-making about workforce development and economic strategy—especially as technology changes the shape of professional services.
| Conference | Date | Hosts | Main topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haskell & White Corporate Reporting and Governance | Sept. 18 | School of Accountancy; Department of Finance | AI in accounting, talent pipeline, regulation, Wall Street analysts |
As the university builds partnerships and retools curricula, Fullerton’s students and employers stand to benefit from early access to research shaping accounting’s future. The conference highlighted that the next wave of reforms will be decided at the intersection of technology, education and policy—and that local engagement with those debates matters.
Reporting on the conference was provided by Shuqing Huang and Shuting Wu for Cal State Fullerton Business News; the event details were confirmed by the university’s College of Business and Economics.
