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Improved Accountability Disclosures by Canadian Universities *
Author(s) -
NELSON MORTON,
BANKS WILLIAM,
FISHER JAMES
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
canadian accounting perspectives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.238
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1911-3838
pISSN - 1499-8653
DOI - 10.1506/1h5w-r5dc-u15t-kjph
Subject(s) - accountability , ivory tower , accounting , political science , public administration , business , law
ABSTRACT Canadian university disclosures have been tracked from 1988 to 2000 using the modified accountability disclosure (MAD) index developed by Coy, Dixon, and Tower (1993) and Coy, Tower, and Dixon (1993) in their study of New Zealand universities. During the first eight years of the period under investigation, there was very little change in accountability disclosures. However, for the periods ending in 1997 through 2000, there has been a statistically significant annual improvement. This paper examines the reasons for these changes as indicated in the interviews with the presidents, or their designates, of Canadian universities. Factors include increased fund raising by the universities and pressures by the public and governments for universities to become more accountable, while a change in accounting pronouncements appears to have had little effect.