New Online Debt Administration Course Available

ATHENS, Ga., March 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Financial Management Debt Administration course is now available online through a collaborative effort between the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Debt Administration is a self-study, 30-day, CEU-awarding course offering the basics of debt issuance in a governmental environment.

Debt Administration is one of several online Financial Management programs offered by UGA. The course will familiarize you with the types of debt that governments can issue, the documents that accompany that offering and why governments issue debt and the relationship of debt to capital improvement programs.

"The course was traditionally offered in a face-to-face environment only to local government personnel in Georgia. Now as an online course, it's available to government finance professionals and paraprofessionals, accounting professionals preparing for the CPA exam, CPAs who want to earn continuing professional education credits, and governmental professionals with previous private sector experience wanting to gain governmental accounting knowledge," said Myra Byrd, public service assistant, at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

The course teaches how bonds are rated through the bond rating agencies, how to lower interest rates without going through the rating process, the basic concepts and terminology in the issuance of general obligation and revenue bonds and provides you with industry best practices.

Online lessons include:

-- Why Governments Borrow Money
-- Typical Methods of Financial Capital Projects
-- Common Types of Debt Issued
-- How Bonds Are Rated
-- The Players
-- Methods of Sale
-- Debt Structuring - Interest and Maturities
-- Bond Documents
-- So, Am I Done Yet?
-- The What, Why and When of Refunding Bonds

County Administrator Pam Ward, with the Clay County Board of Commissioners, stated, "The Carl Vinson Debt Administration course was thorough, succinct and invaluable to the administration of our counties' scope of business. The class was articulate, the resource guide was easy to understand and a great desktop reference for the future. I highly recommend this course to anyone in county finance administration."

For more information or to register, please contact Bob Wells at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education at (706) 542-6692, (800) 325-2090 or e-mail Bob.Wells@georgiacenter.uga.edu. The Online Debt Administration course can be viewed at: http://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/is/debt/index.phtml

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Source: University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education

CONTACT: Bob Wells of University of Georgia Center for Continuing
Education, +1-706-542-6692, +1-800-325-2090, Bob.Wells@georgiacenter.uga.edu

Web Site: http://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/

2008-03-21 13:20:59 0317866 PRNEWSWIRE