REPORT DIGEST

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

FINANCIAL AUDIT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023

Release Date:  March 5, 2024

FINDINGS THIS AUDIT: 1

CATEGORY:  NEW -- REPEAT -- TOTAL
Category 1:  0 -- 0 -- 0
Category 2:  0 -- 1 -- 1
Category 3:  0 -- 0 -- 0
TOTAL:  0 – 1 -- 1

FINDINGS LAST AUDIT:  1

Category 1: Findings that are material
weaknesses in internal control and/or a
qualification on compliance with State laws
and regulations (material noncompliance).
Category 2: Findings that are significant
deficiencies in internal control and
noncompliance with State laws and
regulations.
Category 3: Findings that have no internal
control issues but are in noncompliance with
State laws and regulations.

State of Illinois, Office of the Auditor
General
FRANK J. MAUTINO, 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 Full Report are also
available on the worldwide web at
www.auditor.illinois.gov

INTRODUCTION

This digest covers Southern Illinois
University’s (University) Financial Audit as
of and for the year ended June 30, 2023.
Digests covering the University’s Single
Audit and State Compliance Examination will
be released at a later date.

SYNOPSIS

• (23-1) The University did not have
adequate internal control over reporting its
census data to provide assurance census data
submitted to its pension and other
postemployment benefits plans was complete
and accurate.

FINDING, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

INADEQUATE INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER CENSUS
DATA

The University did not have adequate
internal control over reporting its census
data to provide assurance census data
submitted to its pension and other
postemployment benefits (OPEB) plans was
complete and accurate. We noted the
following:

• During our cut-off testing of data
transmitted by the University to SURS, we
noted 1 instance of an active employee
becoming deceased was reported to SURS after
the close of the fiscal year in which the
event occurred.  There were also 5 instances
previously reported that impacted the census
data.

• During our previous testing of instructor
eligibility, we noted 5 instructors tested
were not reported as eligible to participate
in SURS by the University. (Finding 1, pages
5-7).  This finding has been reported since
2020.

We recommended the University continue to
focus on the incremental changes to the
census data file from the prior actuarial
valuation, provided no risks are identified
that incomplete or inaccurate reporting of
census data may have occurred during prior
periods. Any errors identified during this
process should be promptly corrected by
either the University or SURS, with the
impact of these errors communicated to both
SURS’ actuary and CMS’ actuary. We further
recommended the University ensure all events
occurring within a census data accumulation
year are timely reported to SURS so these
events can be incorporated into the census
data provided to SURS’ actuary and CMS’
actuary. Finally, we recommended the
University ensure all eligible employees are
reported to SURS, along with any required
employee and employer contributions.

University officials stated they continue to
reconcile their records to SURS reports and
are working to automate the reconciliation
process.

 AUDITOR’S OPINION

The auditors stated the financial statements
of the University as of and for the year
ended June 30, 2023 are fairly stated in all
material respects.

This financial audit was conducted by Plante
& Moran PLLC.

JANE CLARK
Division Director

This report is transmitted in accordance
with Section 3-14 of the Illinois State
Auditing Act.

FRANK J. MAUTINO
Auditor General

FJM:LKW