Department of Accountancy

What We Do

The Department of Accountancy, a unit of the Tobin College of Business, offers several degree programs.

  • The public accounting track is suited for the accounting student wishing to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
  • The controllership track is designed for the accounting student who prefers a career as an upper-level financial management professional within a corporate atmosphere.
  • The taxation track is designed for the accounting student who prefers a career as a tax professional.  

AACSB™-International Accreditation

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business separately accredits the Department's programs. AACSB™ International states in its accreditation standards that: "Accounting accreditation seeks to improve accounting education in order to prepare students to serve the needs of society that are met by the discipline and profession of accounting. The accreditation process intends to promote the development of accounting education programs of high quality and to encourage innovation and continual improvement."  The AACSB™-International accredited the Department's accounting and tax programs both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP) program

The Tobin internal auditing curriculum has become one of the foremost programs in the world.  A participant in the Institute of Internal Auditors Education Partnership (IAEP) program, our internal auditing program has been endorsed by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) as a “Center for Internal Auditing Excellence,” the highest designation of the IIA. St. John’s is one of only six schools in the United States and nine schools worldwide at this level.  Moreover, we are the only school with this recognition in the New York Metropolitan area and the entire Northeast.   

 The educational curriculum has been supplemented by significant interactions with the business community, with a robust Internal Auditing Advisory Board (IAAB), campus recruiting events, internship opportunities, and full-time employment success.  The Program works with the Career Services Center to ensure its students are placed in these employment opportunities.   

The IIAB is comprised of 29 senior executives from the internal audit functions at major organizations in New York Metropolitan area, in addition to leaders from professional service firms offering advisory services. Many of these members are Chief Audit Executives (CAEs) of major corporations or leading internal audit service providers of their respective organizations. The IIAB ensures our curriculum stays current with the needs of the profession and their engagement provides us with entry points into significant businesses with resources, including funding potential and employment opportunities for our students. 

Licensure-Qualifying Programs

Many of the Department's programs are designed to meet, by requisites and prerequisites, the requirements, for licensure as a certified public accountant (CPA) in the State of New York. The requirements contained in Section 52.13(b) of the regulations of the Department of Education of the State of New York stipulate the total number of credits (150 credits) required, the minimum number of credits in professional accountancy (33 credits), and general business (36 credits).

Following are average salaries for accountants at public accounting firms: 

EMPLOYER

JR. LEVEL 

(1-3 YEARS)

SR. LEVEL 

(4-6 YEARS)

DIRECTOR/

SR. MANAGER

LARGE FIRM

$66,750 - $87,000

$83,000 - $111,250

$125,750 - $208,000

MEDIUM FIRM

$59,500 - $79,000

$74,000 - $101,000

$114,250 - $175,500

SMALL FIRM

$54,750 - $70,500

$67,500 - $85,000

$101,000 - $143,250

Source: AICPA

Department Advisory Board

The Department's Advisory Board is comprised of high profile professionals, including many alumni, who guide the Department's leadership in various academic and curricular decisions. See below the list of advisory board members and the organizations with which they are affiliated.

First NameLast NameTitleOrganization 

Scott

Archila

VP, Financial Reporting and Taxation

1-800-FLOWERS.COM

Joel

Bencosme

Tax Partner

PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Michael

Bodrato

Tax Director

WISS & Company, LLP

Chris

Cahill

Partner

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Anthony

Chan

Director, Wei, Wei & Co. LLP

President and Co-Founder, CA Global Consulting Inc

Patrick

Oberlies

Senior Manager – tax/Real Estate

Mazars USA LLP

Daniel

Condon

Partner

Condon O’Meara McGinty Donnelly LLP

Matt

DiDonato

Office Managing Partner, New York City

Grant Thornton LLP

Steve

DiPardo

Tax Managing Director

BDO

Nicolas

DiMola

Principal

Quality Plus & Associates - Internal Audit Services

Joe

Duggan

Partner

KPMG LLP

Robert

Geary

Senior Managing Director

Greenwich Risk Management Advisory Services

Greg

Giardiello

Senior Vice President, North America Controller

QBE

Robert

Gould

Managing Director

Protiviti

John

Haslbauer

Senior Partner

PKF O’Connor Davies

Barbara

Hasselman

Director

Marcum LLP

Mary

Hillenbrand

Director

Deutsche Bank

Angela

Katehis

Principal

Berdon LLP

John

Kyriakides

Partner

BDO USA, LLP

John

Lynch

Assistant Professor

St. John's University

Mark

Martinelli

EVP and Chief Audit Executive

Synchrony Financial

Joseph

Mella

Vice President

Goldman Sachs

Michael

Monahan

Office Managing Partner   Long Island

CohnReznick LLP 

Edward

Napolitano

Director of Finance & Administration

New York Athletic Club

Richard

O'Brien

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Auditor

HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

Joseph

Ramos

EVP, COO & CFO 

JMR Consulting

Warren

Ruppel

Partner

Marks Paneth LLP

Jerry

Musi

Tax Partner

RSM US LLP

Michael

Sabatini

Partner

Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP

Internal Audit Advisory Board

The Department of Accountancy and its Risk and Financial Advisory Program is advised by a board that adheres to the guidelines set forth by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the profession's global voice, recognized authority, acknowledged leader, chief advocate, and principal educator. See below for a list of the Tobin Internal Audit Advisory Board members.

First NameLast NameTitleCompany

David

Chan 

Associate Professor

St. John's University

Mary

Dalecki

Retired Associate Vice President of Internal Audit

Columbia University

Nicholas 

DiMola

Retired Auditor General

MTA

Mike

Durso

Managing Director, Chief Auditor

JP Morgan

Paul J.

Flora

Retired Chief Auditor

AXA Financial

Alan

Frank

Director

Eisner Amper

Michael

Fucilli

Retired Auditor General

MTA

Pinak

Guha

Director

Accume Partners

Nancy

Haig

Retired Global Director of Internal Audit & Compliance

Alvarez & Marsal

Geoffery

Kovesdy

Principal

Deloitte Advisory Services

Laura

Lowenhaupt

Retired Vice President and Associate General Auditor

New York Life Insurance Company

Erica

McManaman

Chief Auditor

Signature Bank

Raquel

Marin-Oquendo

Deputy Controller of Internal Controls and Compliance

Columbia University Medical Center

Mark

Martinelli

Retired EVP and Chief Audit Executive

Synchrony Financial

Kathleen H.

Mitterway

Director of Audit

Long Island Power Authority

Duy

Nguyen

Executive Director of IT Audit

Wells Fargo

Richard

O'Brien

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Auditor

HSBC Bank

Eleonora

Pechenik

Senior Vice President - Audit Director

Citi

Tamika

Thomas

Vice President - Americas Head of Securities Operations Audit

Goldman Sachs

Michael

Tumino

Engagement Director

CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

Fredrick

Umbach

Managing Director

Protiviti

Kristina

Vieni

Partner

BDO, LLP

Michael

Visconti

Vice President - Head of Internal Audit

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

Jennie

Wallace

Executive Vice President, Chief Audit Executive

New York City Economic Development Corporation

Charles

Windeknecht

Vice President of Internal Audit

Atlas Air

Our Faculty

Department of Accountancy

Mission and Vision


The Department of Accounting and Taxation prepares students for professional careers in accounting, taxation and related fields. In all its endeavors, the Department is dedicated to fostering academic excellence, moral leadership, professional responsibility and social awareness in the Vincentian, Catholic tradition.

The Department of Accounting and Taxation intends to be recognized as a leader in accounting and tax education.

  • We shall enable our students to obtain and advance their professional careers in public accountancy or in managerial positions in industry, government and not for profit organizations.
  • We shall excel in teaching and support a commitment to applied research and continuous professional development.
  • We shall develop a work environment where faculty can develop professionally and academically.
  • We shall maintain curricula that are of high quality and responsive to the needs of our stakeholders.
  • We shall foster interaction among internal and external stakeholders.

Guiding Principles
The core values underlying both the Mission and Vision of the Department of Accounting and Taxation are these guiding principles:

Relevance. We develop and maintain educational programs that provide the practical experience, solid knowledge base, strong ethical foundation, and global perspective that enable our graduates to make immediate and valuable contributions as accounting and tax professionals. We provide curricula that form the basis for life-long commitment to intellectual
development and professional growth and provide the technical competency to allow our graduates to sit for professional examinations such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Student-Centered. We convey to our students a conceptual understanding of accounting and taxation and its application to the functional areas of business, government and non-profit organizations. We enhance our student’s understanding of the interpretation and use of financial information for decision making in a constantly changing global economy. We
instill in our students an understanding of the ethical responsibilities of accounting and tax professionals and the moral dimension of business decisions. We help our students improve their interpersonal, critical thinking, and communication skills and enable them to utilize technology effectively.

Nimbleness. We respond rapidly, creatively, effectively and efficiently to significant changes in the profession and to the legitimate needs of our stakeholders. Our internal stakeholders include our students, colleagues and administrators Our external stakeholders include employers of our students, professional organizations, alumni, Catholic institutions, the academic community and the business community. We acknowledge our interdependence by working cooperatively across internal and external boundaries for the best interests of our stakeholders. We promote open and effective communication in a positive and productive way while also maintaining a healthy perspective about life and work. We foster rational, spirited inquiry and intelligent reflection through innovative teaching, research and service.

Respect. We treat each other, and everyone we deal with, fairly and with dignity, respect, and compassion. We value and embrace different backgrounds, ideas, and contributions. We promote equal opportunity, empowerment, and a continuous learning environment. We reflect, in our work and demeanor, that we are educators obligated to carry out our responsibilities in a professional, courteous, and fair manner.

Professionalism. We take personal responsibility and accept accountability for achieving our Department’s goals effectively and efficiently. We continue to adhere to the highest standards of excellence and personal integrity in all our endeavors. We help our students develop a sense of professional and personal responsibility by providing opportunities for their interaction with the business community.