YSU grad disappointed by Anderson decision

YSU grad disappointed by Anderson decision
EDITOR:
As an Arthur Andersen employee since 1988 and a Youngstown State University graduate, I feel compelled to write regarding the Feb. 2, article in The Vindicator about YSU's decision to not select Andersen for a salary equity study consulting project.
First, to clarify: the article indicated YSU backed off from plans to hire Andersen Consulting. Andersen Consulting split off from Andersen and has operated as a separate entity under a different name since January 2001.
Second, it is common practice for large international accounting firms to provide a wide array of financial services, including consulting and tax services. However, an auditor cannot & quot;keep the books & quot; for any audit client, as was indicated in the article. The facts behind this quote were either not well studied or not well known, or perhaps Dr. Mears was misquoted.
There have been few news reports or articles over the past few months that have focused on the following, which are also reasons I chose Andersen as an employer:
Andersen is a large international firm with over 85,000 dedicated partners and employees, over 22,000 in the United States. Andersen is highly dedicated to training its employees, with a world-class training facility, the equivalent of a college campus, unmatched by any other firm.
Andersen has thousands of audit clients, the majority of which have remained dedicated to us. Andersen is more committed than ever to providing high quality audits and is taking the lead among Big Five firms in instituting measures to do so.
Few companies that have been in business 75 years have existed without a crisis. Andersen's competitors are also facing significant regulatory and/or litigation issues.
In fact, Andersen client restatements have been far fewer than its proportional share of public clients. Nevertheless, Andersen remains dedicated to answering and addressing all questions and issues that are arising as a result of the Enron bankruptcy.
YSU certainly had the right to choose among the firms bidding for this consulting project. But one question remains: Was the decision a popular one or one based on facts?
TOM DENNEY
Boca Raton, Fla.
Juries deceived by lawyers for parents who kill kids
EDITOR:
Andrea Yates is the worst kind of a killer, a parent who killed her own children.
No one is that mentally disturbed that they can't discern that killing their own children is wrong. What's so difficult about understanding, "Do not commit murder"?
Defense lawyers and certain psychologists and psychiatrists deceive juries into believing that someone could not help but kill an innocent child.
Everyone is responsible for her actions, and God knows the motives of people's hearts.
Her husband is just as guilty as she is, and they showed no real love for the children that God gave them.
Thank God that now these precious children are with Jesus in heaven and away from those who were supposed to love them, but instead took away their young lives.
LEO FEHER
Youngstown