Bauman wins Alumni Association teaching award
Christine Bauman, assistant professor in the UWM School of Business Administration, is the recipient of the 2003 UWM Alumni Association Award for Teaching Excellence.
The award was presented at the December commencement ceremonies on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Bauman also will be honored at the Alumni Association's annual meeting next April.
Bauman was cited by the UWMAA Honors Committee for "consistently demonstrating that she is an outstanding instructor who is making a significant impact on the Milwaukee community through her professional and outreach activities."
The Low Income Taxpayer ClinicShe is the founder and director of the UWM Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), which provides free assistance to low-income taxpayers who need help with federal income tax matters or an Internal Revenue Service audit.
The clinic also offers free translation services in Hmong and Spanish.
Since its inception, the clinic has helped hundreds of low-income taxpayers understand their rights and responsibilities, and settled thousands of dollars in tax disputes. At the clinic, UWM's graduate tax students, alumni from UWM's M.S. in Management taxation program, and tax faculty work independently of the Internal Revenue Service.
"Low-income taxpayers who have received a letter from the IRS on an individual tax matter related to the earned income tax credit, disallowance of filing status or dependents, or other individual tax matters can contact the clinic for free assistance," says Bauman.
Bauman was awarded an $85,500 grant from the IRS for 2003, a $70,000 grant for 2002, and a $50,000 grant for 2001.
A pioneering effortThe clinic has been a pioneering effort for UWM because it is the first time that graduate tax students have had the opportunity to serve as taxpayer advocates in real-life tax controversies.
In nominating Bauman for the award, Janice Miller, School of Business Administration faculty member and associate dean of academic affairs, emphasized the educational function of the LITC. "Under Chris Bauman's leadership, the LITC is an example of service learning that allows graduate tax students to participate in an organized outreach that benefits the community and enriches their academic experience.
"Through LITC participation, students receive firsthand experience in tax research and controversy, ethical dilemmas, and taxpayer interaction. The real-world setting of the tax clinic provides an opportunity for students to develop communication skills, tax research skills, and social awareness. Survey feedback from students indicates that they find helping those less fortunate, interacting with taxpayers, and applying the tax law as the greatest advantages of LITC participation."
'Rave reviews'Bauman's teaching schedule for the past two years has included her graduate tax course, a UWinteriM course on individual financial planning, and an undergraduate course on individual taxation and business entities. She also advises a significant number of tax students on their academic and career goals.
Student evaluations of Bauman's teaching are "rave reviews." As Miller says, "Chris's concern for her students and her expert abilities to teach a very technical and often confusing subject make her most deserving of recognition for teaching excellence."
A student says, "Professor Bauman was excellent. I enjoyed coming to class because she was fun to listen to and always had a positive demeanor. She takes time to answer questions thoroughly and incorporates "real life" examples and events in class discussions/lectures."
Other comments include: "I appreciate how Chris brought in several speakers throughout the semester. I have not seen this in other classes, but I think it is very valuable." "Chris's personal experience really helped to highlight why this course will be helpful when we start working. She also helped encourage continued education and was always available to help aid understanding,"
An evaluation that seems to summarize the thoughts of many students states: "Professor Bauman's commitment to the students' future and current education is one of the best in the business school. I appreciate her efficiency and dedication to the profession."
A real-world focusBauman received her Ph.D. from UW-Madison with a major in tax accounting and a minor in economics and statistics. She earned her B.S. in accounting at The Pennsylvania State University. Her research focus is in three primary areas - accounting for income taxes and related financial reporting effects, tax regulation, and state tax matters.
She has published her research in numerous journals, including prestigious tax journals such as the Journal of the American Taxation Association and Advances in Taxation.
"I focus on research emphasizing real-world tax issues, and draw heavily on my technical tax knowledge and professional work experience as a tax manager to motivate my research agenda."
Her professional experience includes work as tax manager-CPA at Price Waterhouse from 1984-1992. She was promoted to tax manager in 1990.
Bauman was honored in 2002 as a co-winner of the Deloitte and Touche/American Taxation Association Teaching Innovation Award for her work with low-income taxpayer clinics. In addition, she was invited by the American Taxation Association Planning Committee to teach a CPE session at the 2002 American Accounting Association annual meeting about teaching professional tax research.
She was nominated by the American Taxation Association to serve a three-year appointment on the IRS Practice and Procedures Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and to serve as a member of the association's Publications Committee. She is now chairing a task force for the American Taxation Association examining pro-bono services in the tax profession, and has been invited by the IRS to speak at numerous national conferences. Bauman also serves on the Taxpayer Outreach Committee of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
Issued by:
Beth Stafford
