Richardson Receives 2026 Paul Cronan Technology Teaching Excellence Award

The Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center (TFSC) is pleased to announce that Vernon Richardson is the recipient of the 2026 Paul Cronan Technology Teaching Excellence Award. 

The award includes a plaque of recognition and a $500 Teaching Enhancement Grant funded by the Cordes TFSC. It recognizes a faculty member who has meaningfully used technology in an innovative way to enhance student learning at the U of A. Dr. Cronan, for whom the award is named, is a founding co-director of the TFSC and a long-time beloved professor in the Information Systems Department.  

About the Winner 

Richardson is Distinguished Professor of Accounting and the W. Glezen Chair in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the U of A. Richardson is recognized by the Cronan Award committee for his innovative use of generative AI in the classroom. He developed RichlyAnalytic.com, a hands-on learning platform featuring more than 30 guided cases that teach students how to apply generative AI tools to real-world accounting and business problems. 

His approach integrates the AMPS model—Ask the Question, Master the Data, Perform the Analysis and Share the Story—into GenAI instruction, helping students not only generate answers but also critically evaluate outputs, refine prompts and communicate results effectively. For example, during the fall 2025 semester, students first completed traditional analytics labs using tools such as Excel, Tableau and Power BI, then replicated selected analyses using GenAI, allowing them to compare results and identify discrepancies. Students also designed their own AI-driven labs, emphasizing prompt development and peer review. Feedback suggests the experience improved their understanding of both analytics and the limitations of AI.  

Since its launch in March 2025, RichlyAnalytic.com has attracted more than 18,000 views from users in 70 countries, reflecting growing global interest in AI-focused accounting education. The platform has had an impact on other professors in the accounting field; Yu Flora Kuang of the University of Melbourne writes that the Richly Analytic website "represents a genuine innovation in accounting education. Its global reach, practical orientation and consistent focus on analytics and AI literacy address a critical gap in the profession and in accounting curricula worldwide." 

Richardson will be recognized at the Teaching Awards Reception in September 2026. Nominations for the Cronan Award will open again in the spring of 2027. 

About the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center​: TFSC invests in faculty excellence, promotes innovation in teaching and learning, and supports programs to advance student success. The center provides educational opportunities for faculty such as teaching and learning workshops, teaching symposia, and new faculty orientation. TFSC offers competitive teaching and learning grants for faculty, celebrates effective teaching with several awards and an awards reception, and promotes faculty-to-faculty mentoring through classroom observation. More information about TFSC can be found at their website or by following them on LinkedIn.