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OU Officials Talk ‘Unfunded Mandate’ for Audits
By: Susan Tebben
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A bill being reviewed by the Ohio Senate was a focus of discussion for the Ohio University Board of Trustees, who weighed the benefits and disadvantages the bill would bring.
In both the Joint Academic Resources Committee meeting on Thursday and the full board meeting on Friday, the repercussions of a law that would give the State Auditor authority to conduct four performance audits on two and four-year universities every two years were brought up. Vice President for Finance and Administration Stephen Golding’s mentioned it first as part of his presentation in front of the committee.
Under the bill the cost of the audits would be the responsibility of the universities, and the size of the university would influence the cost of the audit, according to university documents. In the case of OU, the estimated cost could be between $400,000 $600,000, Golding said.
“So not only is it an unfunded mandate, it’s one that causes us to expend funds and use resources,” said Board Chairman Sandra Anderson.
University officials, including OU President Roderick McDavis, said the extra effort by universities should be rewarded by the state, perhaps with the infusion of additional resources.
“There has to be a reciprocal effort,” McDavis said. “We’re trying to make the case for what value we bring to the state.
Golding said the state has not indicated the existence of a reward system for positive audits from universities.
The bill was also brought up as part of McDavis’ president’s report during Friday’s full board meeting. He said he expects the bill to pass the Senate and become law.
The cost and the process of extra audits may cause delays on projects such as East State Street construction and bids on the University Courtyard property.
“There are obstacles that make it difficult to work with speed,” Golding said.
McDavis also brought up House Bill 48, which would expand the state’s concealed carry law to include high education campuses.
“We’re not really excited about this bill, but we wanted to bring it before you,” McDavis told the board.
The bill was passed by the Ohio House of Representatives and had a committee hearing in the Senate’s Government Oversight and Reform Committee. It would allow university boards of trustees to adopt policies that would permit the carrying of concealed handguns on campus.]
According to a report by McDavis, if the Board of Trustees does not adopt a conceal carry policy, the charge for a licensed gun owner who carries a handgun on campus would be reduced to a minor misdemeanor.