Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program
Through its Accounting Program. The School of Business has been participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program of Internal Revenue Service for several years. The VITA program offers free tax help to people who generally make $53,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. School of Business Accounting student volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. Before participating in the VITA Program, Accounting students have to receive IRS-certification. The VITA services are currently offered with coordination with the City of Miami Gardens/Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex.
UNCF – BLOOMBERG TERMINALS
As part of UNCF-Bloomberg initiative, the School of Business received an eight thousand ($8,000) dollars grant from Bloomberg Financial Services in spring 2013. The University has received four (4) additional Bloomberg terminals. Two of the terminals are located in the Library for general student use, and two are in the School of Business for Business students. The grant has provided training for one of the faculty who will train other faculty. The faculty will also train students to tutor other students in the usage and application of the software. The software available on the Bloomberg terminal provide a comprehensive financial information for major financial companies and licensing of each terminal costs twenty thousand ($20,000) dollars. A Bloomberg virtual university is provided by the software. Students can go to the virtual university and after proper education and training, receive a Certificate from Bloomberg Financial Services. The Certificate could provide great opportunity for students to secure high paying employment with financial companies. The grant requires that the School provide monthly tracking of the Bloomberg usage. More than one thousand (1000) students have been trained for the content and the application of the software.