Sports

Grambling, ‘we got one’

 

Grambling   State   University   President   Dr. Frank   G.   Pogue  says that the Louisiana   Legislative   Auditor’s   Office   has   given   the   university   a   clean,   effective  and  efficient  annual  audit  for  the  period  ending  June  30,  2012.  It  is  the  first  time  in  recent  memory  that  the  101-year-old  university  has  not  had  any  public  findings  with  a  state  audit.     

“The  findings  identified  in  our  prior  management  letter  relating  to  unlocated  movable  property  and   tax   penalties   and   interest   have   been   substantially   resolved   by   management,”   reads   the   report,   issued   Nov.   7   and   released   on   Nov.   12.   “We   did   not   identify   any   new   findings   of   weaknesses  in  internal  controls  or  noncompliance  with  laws  in  the  current  year.”    

The   required   state   audit   evaluates   the   institution’s   financial   processes   and   fiscal   accountability   starting   July   1,   2011.   Though   the   university   was   facing   some   fiscal   challenges   when   the   president   arrived   in   2009.   Working   with   Vice   President   of   Finance   and   Administration   Leon   Sanders,   Dr.  Pogue  implemented  several  changes  to  enhance  the  university’s  financial  integrity.   

The  audit  says  no  important noncompliance,  discrepancies  or  problems  were  found  in  the  school’s  internal  analytical  and  audit  procedures.  “We  were  just  totally  excited  and  pleased  about  the  results  of  the  audit,”  Dr. Pogue  said.  “We  have  worked  hard  as  an  entire  university  to  achieve  this  status.”     

Pogue  and  Sanders  worked  with  the  university  finance  office  and  key  administration  leaders  to  put   in   place   a   fiscally   responsible   and   responsive   team,   including   Moroline   Washington,   director   of   grants   administration;   Johnnie   Faye   Williams,   director   of   property   and   receiving;   Eric   Turner,   payroll  manager  and  Raymond  Abraham,  a  controller  with  more  than  25  years  of  experience  in  the   state  auditor’s  office  in  Baton  Rouge.  In  addition,  university  staff  was  trained  on  new  fiscal  policies   and   procedures   for   expense   reporting,   payroll   management   and   moveable   property.   Previous   audits  found  problems  with  moveable  property,  tax  penalties  and  interest.  

“What  stands  out  for  us  all  is  that  the  auditors  told  us  that  this  is  the  first  time  in  anyone’s  memory   that   there   have   been   no   public   findings   at   our   university,”   said   Dr. Pogue.   “Everyone   on   our   finance   team,   and   at   our   university,   should   know   how   important   it   is   that   we   take   care   of   our   business   internally   when   it   comes   to   using   state   funds.   We   won’t   have   public   findings   when   we   find,   and   resolve,   things   ourselves.”   

“It   doesn’t   stop   here,”   added   Pogue.   “We’ll   keep   doing   what   we’re   doing   to  be  responsible  as  we  use  state  funds.”