Leslie Seidman, former chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, is leading an effort at the Lubin School of Business at Pace University to establish a new “center for excellence” focused on financial reporting.

Seidman will serve as executive director of the new center and guest lecturer at the business school. Pace says she will “stimulate discussion about current topics in financial reporting” through conferences or other gatherings, helping to identify best practices and promote enhanced reporting. She also will mentor advanced accounting students at the school and consult with faculty on relevant research and curricular topics.

Neil S. Braun, dean of Lubin, said in a statement he's “thrilled” Seidman has chosen Lubin as the platform through which she will continue thought leadership and contributions to the accounting and financial reporting field.

Seidman left her post at FASB in mid-2013 after her term expired, serving the maximum 10 years allowed for FASB members. She assumed the chairman's role in late 2010 after the departure of Bob Herz, who resigned abruptly in the midst of a controversial dispute during the financial crisis over the extent to which fair value should be used to measure financial instruments.

Seidman was an auditor with Arthur Young & Co., a predecessor to today's EY, and served as a vice president of accounting policy at J.P. Morgan. She joined FASB as a staff member, serving first as an industry fellow and later as assistant director of technical activities before becoming a board member in 2003.