STATEMENT REGARDING GSU’S FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2010
Upon my arrival at Grambling State University in November 2009, I began assessing the institution and establishing priorities. After meeting with a number of representatives from the various constituent groups and hosting a retreat, ten priorities were established. One of the top priorities was to improve the financial and operational management of the university. Towards this end, Dr. Marie McDemmond of McDemmond and Associates was invited to conduct a review of the operations of the Division of Finance. Based on her recommendations and my observations, a number of measures have been implemented to improve the financial and operational management of the University.
On June 1, 2011, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor released the 2009-2010 audit for Grambling State University. This audit covers the months from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010, a period that began 5 months prior to my arrival at the university. Essentially, many of the findings were observations that Dr. McDemmond and I recognized as potential risks to the institution. With this understanding, the administration immediately focused on how to eradicate the potential threats to the financial stability of the university.
In order to provide stability and accountability to the Division of Finance, the Vice President for Finance and Administration position was filled with an interim appointment immediately after it was vacated in July 2010. Plans were implemented to reorganize the Division of Finance based on previous audit recommendations and findings outlined in the McDemmond Report. Also, a corrective action plan was put in place to address potential risks that had been identified. In October 2010, an individual who has over 25 years experience as a state auditor was hired to serve as Controller for the university and provide oversight of the corrective action plan. In April 2011, the permanent Vice President for Finance and Administration was selected and restructuring of the Division of Finance was completed. We are still reviewing procedures and processes to implement corrective actions.
It took many years to get into some of the irregularities the university is experiencing and, as to be expected, it will take more than one or two years to turn things around. As I see it, we are making very good progress. Our annual university-wide planning retreat, scheduled for July 14, 2011, will allow us to review our progress and plan for the future.
This being said, while to some it may appear that auditors are adversaries, this administration embraces audits and views auditors as allies who identify potential risks to the university so that corrective action(s) can take place. Essentially, both the McDemmond Report and the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Report have done just that. Now the leadership of this university, with your concerted help, will continue to identify and eradicate risks to our financial security as we have been doing for the past several months.
GRAMBLING, LA —In its sixth consecutive year Grambling State University will host the LA GEAR UP Summer Learning Camps this summer starting with week I which will be held during July 10 thru 16 and week II activities will be held from July 24 thru July 30. The focus of the LA GEAR UP (Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) camps is to help students develop and enhance academic and leadership skills needed to promote success in planning and completing their post secondary education. According to the overall program goals , this initiative focuses on the following: 1) Provide stimulating experiences in Math, Science, Technology, and/or English/Language Arts; 2) Expand career goals and aspirations; 3) Provide information about college that includes early planning and financial support services; and 4) Combine learning with fun. Grambling professors Dr. Loretta Walton Jaggers and Dr. Nanthailia McJamerson serve as co-principle investigators for the LA GEAR UP Summer Learning Camp grant which totaled $110, 583. The grant is funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents (LA SIP/LA GEAR UP) to implement the two one week Summer Learning Camps at Grambling State University. Jaggers and McJamerson have been with the program for its six years and played key roles in getting the funds to implement the LA GEAR UP Summer Learning Camps at Grambling State University. In 2005 the university was funded $37,000 for a one week camp. Since that point, the funding and camp duration has increased.
