REPORT DIGEST

 

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

 

COMPLIANCE EXAMINATION

(In accordance with the
Single Audit Act and OMB Circular A-133)

For the Year Ended:

June 30, 2006

 

Summary of Findings:

Total this audit                        7

Total last audit                        8

Repeated from last audit         4

 

Release Date:

 March 8, 2007

 

 

State of Illinois

Office of the Auditor General

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND

AUDITOR GENERAL

 

To obtain a copy of the Report contact:

Office of the Auditor General

Iles Park Plaza

740 E. Ash Street

Springfield, IL 62703

(217) 782-6046 or TTY (888) 261-2887

 

This Report Digest and the Full Report are available on

the worldwide web at

http://www.state.il.us/auditor

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

¨      The University paid vouchers with inappropriate charges.  University officials indicate fictitious documents were prepared by two employees.  The University is seeking restitution.

 

¨      The University testing center internal controls pertaining to examinations administered and revenues collected were inadequate.  University officials estimate $90,000 may have been lost over a period of time.  The University is pursuing restitution.

 

¨      The University did not file contracts and real estate leases with the Illinois Office of the State Comptroller on a timely basis.

 

¨      The University did not require all employees to submit time sheets as required by the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

 

¨      The University did not follow the guidelines of the Illinois Office of the State Comptroller for real estate leases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Financial Information and Activity Measures are summarized on the next page.}

 


 

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Single Audit and Compliance Examination

For Year Ended June 30, 2006

 

FINANCIAL OPERATIONS

FY 2006

FY 2005

OPERATING REVENUES

 

 

        Tuition and fees, net..........................................................

                    $554,856,000

                    $507,137,000

        Federal grants, contracts and appropriations................

                      617,651,000

                      625,222,000

        State and private gifts, grants and contracts.................

                      168,103,000

                      152,325,000

        Hospital and medical activities.........................................

                      549,742,000

                      518,439,000

        Auxiliary enterprises, net...................................................

                      282,321,000

                      264,660,000

        Other.....................................................................................

                      317,635,000

                      297,373,000

                Total Operating Revenues........................................

                 $2,490,308,000

                 $2,365,156,000

OPERATING EXPENSES

 

 

        Instruction...........................................................................

                    $666,200,000

                    $677,928,000

        Research...............................................................................

                      556,874,000

                      557,058,000

        Public service......................................................................

                      300,990,000

                      277,626,000

        Academic support..............................................................

                      218,043,000

                      206,894,000

        Hospital and medical activities.........................................

                      406,466,000

                      394,122,000

        Auxiliary enterprises..........................................................

                      229,935,000

                      207,825,000

        On behalf payments for fringe benefits...........................

                      327,927,000

                      347,232,000

        Operation and maintenance of plant................................

                      229,038,000

                      199,183,000

        Institutional support..........................................................

                      150,572,000

                      163,854,000

        Depreciation........................................................................

                      185,105,000

                      175,978,000

        Scholarships and fellowships...........................................

                      185,155,000

                      175,166,000

        Other.....................................................................................

                        92,295,000

                        88,831,000

                Total Operating Expenses.........................................

                 $3,548,600,000

                 $3,471,697,000

Operating Income (Loss)...........................................................

            $(1,058,292,000)

            $(1,106,541,000)

NONOPERATING REVENUES (EXPENSES)

 

 

        State appropriations...........................................................

                    $655,521,000

                    $653,913,000

        Capital appropriations, gifts and grants..........................

                        65,600,000

                      106,005,000

        Private gifts and endowments..........................................

                      116,319,000

                      108,534,000

        On behalf payments for fringe benefits...........................

                      266,706,000

                      286,597,000

        Other, net.............................................................................

                        15,047,000

                        (6,164,000)

INCREASE IN NET ASSETS...................................................

                      $60,901,000

                      $42,344,000

Net assets, beginning of year...................................................

                 $2,309,084,000

                 $2,278,378,000

Net assets, end of year..............................................................

                 $2,369,985,000

                 $2,320,722,000

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (Unaudited)

FY 2006

FY 2005

Employment Statistics

        Chicago................................................................................

 

13,638

 

13,266

        Springfield............................................................................

885

780

        Urbana-Champaign.............................................................

14,711

14,515

                                Total..............................................................

29,234

28,561

Enrollment Statistics

        Undergraduate --

                Chicago........................................................................

 

 

15,150

 

 

15,462

                Springfield....................................................................

2,634

2,507

                Urbana-Champaign.....................................................

30,909

29,632

                        Subtotal................................................................

48,693

47,601

        Graduate –

                Chicago........................................................................

 

9,662

 

9,403

                Springfield....................................................................

1,883

1,889

                Urbana-Champaign.....................................................

11,029

11,055

                        Subtotal................................................................

22,574

22,347

                                  Total............................................................

71,267

69,948

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

 

 

During Audit Period and Currently: Dr. B. Joseph White

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fictitious documents were prepared by employees

 

 

 

 

 

 

Internal investigation

 

 

  

 

 


Inappropriate charges were paid

 

 

 

 

 

One employee was convicted and was ordered to pay restitution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inadequate internal controls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Failure to ensure the revenues due reconciled to third party reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

$90,000 may have been lost

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Late filing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State law requires filing of contracts and leases

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-compliance with State Officials and Employees Ethics Act

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


University policies do not require time sheets from all employees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leases executed after lease term began

Disclosure forms signed after lease term began

 

 

Option to purchase clause missing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

      Our 2006 financial audit, single audit, and State compliance examination of the University of Illinois are presented in three reports.  The financial audit consists of one report which include the various financial statements of the University.  The financial audit has been previously released.  The Single Audit and Compliance Examination contains two reports.  One report contains compliance findings disclosed by our tests and certain supplemental information.  The other report contains supplementary financial information and special data requirements.

 

 

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

INAPPROPRIATE CHARGES PAID BY THE UNIVERSITY

 

      The Chicago Campus paid vouchers with inappropriate charges.  According to the University, fictitious documents were prepared by 2 employees to collect incentives paid to human test subjects. The employees also allegedly claimed mileage expenses for travel not associated with the project.  Also, one of the employees allegedly used University P-Cards for personal expenditures.  The charges and expenditures were incurred from November 2004 through September 2005.

 

      The University was alerted to accounting irregularities by a University employee and an internal investigation was conducted.  This investigation concluded that two employees were creating documents for fictitious participants of a research study and disbursed participant incentives to themselves for personal gain.  According to the University, the employees also made up fictitious locations for these participants so that they could receive mileage reimbursements for personal gain.  The internal investigation also concluded that the one employee was using a University P-Card for personal expenses including lunches, taxis, and gasoline.  According to the University, the total inappropriate charges for this activity were $13,124; of this amount, $11,099 was paid with Federal grant funds.

 

The University of Illinois Chicago Police Department arrested one employee on March 8, 2006, and the other employee on May 31, 2006.  Neither employee works for the University at this time.  One employee has been convicted on felony theft and ordered to pay $12,134 in restitution to the University.  The University has not yet repaid the federal agency for the $11,099 in federal questioned costs. (Finding 1, pages 10-11)

 

We recommended the University continue its communication with the federal cognizant agency regarding the return of all questioned costs as well as review its internal controls and segregation of duties.

 

University officials stated that communication with the federal cognizant agency is ongoing and that a comprehensive corrective action plan has been implemented to increase the level of internal control and provide for the necessary segregation of duties.

 

NEED TO IMPROVE INTERNAL CONTROLS AT THE TESTING CENTER

 

      The Testing Center at the Urbana Campus had inadequate internal controls in place pertaining to examinations administered and revenues collected.

 

      The Testing Center administers examinations for both the University and for third parties.  The Testing Center provides proctors for the tests.  These proctors are University employees.  When tests are administered for third parties, the University is compensated by the third party based upon the number of tests administered. 

 

      During fiscal year 2006, the University testing records reflected revenues totaling $54,083 from computer-based testing and 2,196 examinations administered.  All of the examinations in fiscal year 2006 were administered for third parties.

 

      The third party billing system allowed a University employee to receive direct payments, payable to an individual proctor, in addition to payments to the University.  Although the individual proctors made periodic reports on tests administered and revenues collected, no controls were in place to ensure the revenues due the University reconciled to the reports from third parties. This was a significant internal control weakness.

 

      During our audit period, the new Director of the testing center discovered that the amounts reported to a third party as due the University were not the same as the fees due the University for the number of tests administered.  University officials indicate that revenues of approximately $90,000 may have been lost over a three-year period due to inadequate reconciliations and the lack of segregation of duties.  (Finding 3, pages 15-16)

 

      We recommended the University review the segregation of duties surrounding the payments of proctoring exams and determine if duties are properly segregated.  Also, the University should establish formal procedures for appropriate revenue reconciliations to be performed on a timely basis and steps should be taken to address the matter of restitution to the University from the former employee.

 

      University officials accepted our recommendation and stated that written procedures have now been put in place.  These procedures:  1) provide for the proper segregation of duties; and 2) ensure that appropriate revenue reconciliations are performed.  Further, the University is pursuing restitution from the former employee through the appropriate legal channels.

 

CONTRACTS AND REAL ESTATE LEASES NOT FILED TIMELY

 

      Contracts and real estate leases were not filed with the Illinois Office of the State Comptroller on a timely basis.

 

      Our testing of 37 contracts and real estate leases revealed that 18 (49%) were not filed timely with the Office of the State Comptroller.  The late filings ranged from 2 to 182 days late.

 

      The Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/20-80(b)) and the Statewide Accounting Management System (Procedure 15.10.40) require State agencies to file contracts for professional and artistic services exceeding $5,000 and all other contracts leases exceeding  $10,000 with the State Comptroller within 15 calendar days after execution.  (Finding 5, page 18) This finding was first reported in 2004.

 

      We recommended the University revise its procedures to ensure all contracts and real estate leases are filed with the Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with State statutes and guidelines.

 

      University officials accepted our finding and recommendation.  (For the previous agency response, see Digest footnote #1.)

 

TIME SHEETS NOT REQUIRED

 

      The University did not require all employees to submit time sheets as required by the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (Act).

 

      The Act required the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), with respect to State employees of public universities, to adopt and implement personnel policies.  The Act (5 ILCS 430/5-5(c)) states, “The policies shall require State employees to periodically submit time sheets documenting the time spent each day on official State business to the nearest quarter hour; contractual State employees may satisfy the time sheets requirement by complying with the terms of their contract, which shall provide for a means of compliance with this requirement.”  The IBHE adopted personnel policies for public universities on February 3, 2004 in accordance with the Act.  The University has not incorporated these policies into the Universities policies.

 

      During the current year, we selected 25 employees across all three campuses and noted that 14 did not file timesheets in compliance with the Act.  Based upon inquiry of University management employees classified as board members, faculty, and academic professionals generally track their time using a “negative” timekeeping system whereby the employee is assumed to be working unless noted otherwise. (Finding 6, pages 19-20)

 

      We recommended the University amend its policies to require all employees to submit time sheets in compliance with the Act.

 

      University officials acknowledged the requirements of the Act and stated that they are currently reviewing University wide personnel policies and department, college and campus procedures to determine what changes and additions would be required to comply with the Act.

     

REAL ESTATE LEASES NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES

 

      Real estate leases were not in accordance with guidelines of the Illinois Office of the State Comptroller.

 

      We examined 25 real estate leases from all areas of the University.  Some of the items noted in our testing follow:

 

·        5 leases were executed after the lease term began.  The lease executions ranged from 14 days to 173 days late.

 

·        7 leases included Real Estate Disclosure Forms which were signed after the lease term began.  The late disclosure forms ranged from 2 days to 177 days late.

 

·        1 lease for a freestanding building did not contain an option to purchase the building or documentation that a purchase option was not feasible or in the State’s best interest. (Finding 7, pages 21-22) This finding was first reported in 2003.

 

      We recommended the University improve its procedures to ensure all leases are completed, approved, and executed prior to the start of the lease term.  Further, the University should implement uniform procedures to ensure all appropriate clauses and certifications are obtained prior to execution for all real estate lease agreements.

 

      University officials accepted our recommendation and stated that they have invested substantial efforts to improve their procedures and that they now utilize standard lease templates to ensure all appropriate clauses and certifications are included in all real estate lease agreements. (For the previous agency response, see Digest footnote #2.)

 

OTHER FINDINGS

 

      The remaining findings are reportedly being addressed by University management.  We will review the University’s progress toward the implementation of our recommendations in our next examination. 

 

AUDITORS’ OPINION

 

      The financial audit report which has previously been released contains four sets of financial statements in the Annual Financial Report; and the revenue bond financial statements of the Auxiliary Facilities System, the Willard Airport Facility, and the Health Services Facilities System.

 

      Our auditors stated the June 30, 2006 financial statements are fairly presented in all material respects.

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND, Auditor General

 

WGH:TLK:pp

 

SPECIAL ASSISTANT AUDITORS

 

      Clifton Gunderson LLP were our special assistant auditors.

 

DIGEST FOOTNOTES

 

#1 Contracts and Real Estate Leases Not Filed Timely – Previous University Response

Partially accepted.  We agree that the University failed to file four (4) contracts with the Office of the Comptroller due to an oversight.  Eighteen (18) contracts were filed in accordance with historical procedures used at the University (on the Start date of the contract versus the Execution date).  Based on an audit finding for FY2004, these procedures have now been changed for filing to occur within 15 days of Execution date in order to comply with State statutes and guidelines.  Three (3) purchase orders were not filed with the Office of the Comptroller because the University has never filed purchase orders unless accompanied by a separate contract agreement.  These purchase orders did not have separate contract agreements.  This interpretation of “contract” as it relates to filing requirements is currently under review.  One (1) land acquisition contract was not filed with the Office of the Comptroller because it is the understanding of the University that land acquisition contracts are not subject to filing requirements.

 

 #2 Real Estate Leases Not In Accordance With Guidelines – Previous University Response

Accepted.  The University reviewed its clauses and certifications to ensure they are up-to-date and will incorporate them into all new leases or renewals.  Efforts are ongoing to enhance procedures to ensure compliance.  Further, University will ensure that all real estate leases in excess of $10,000 have been filed with the Comptroller’s Office in accordance with State guidelines and that all leases are filed with the Secretary of State’s Office within the required 15-day deadline.