Local Professionals Learn About Auditing Software

By Lindsay Anderson

This week, Dr. Simon Petravick, Department Chair and Professor of Accounting, taught a class on ACL, which is a software program regularly used by auditors.

Attending the class were members of the Central Illinois chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. The IIA is the largest professional organization in the world for internal auditors. The Central Illinois Chapter covers Peoria, Bloomington and Decatur and provides monthly continuing education classes for its members.

“The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of how audit software works to auditors without a background in audit software,” Petravick said. “This is the fourth time I am teaching a class for this chapter. All of them have had a technology/software focus.”

The material that Petravick teaches those who attend the class is drawn from what he teaches in ATG 548, Computer Assisted Audit Techniques.

“The hands on experience was definitely a highlight of this class,” CEFCU Internal Staff Auditor, Sarah Dicce of Peoria, Illinois, said. “The class was everything I expected.”

Petravick remarked that this ACL class and its materials show how Foster College of Business Accounting students are learning things of interest in class to actual auditing professionals.

The Central Illinois Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors also provides speakers for Accounting classes and student organizations. Additionally, they fund a scholarship that is given annually to a student with an interest in internal auditing.