(The Center Square) – Northern Illinois University, which state taxpayers fund with nearly $100 million annually, took a verbal lashing for a repeated audit finding about time keeping for faculty.
The Legislative Audit Commission heard audit reviews for three public universities throughout the state. For Northern Illinois University, there were 15 findings officials said were not material and they are working on repeated findings.
President Lisa Freeman said they hope to change a state law requiring tracking work hours in 15 minute increments.
“Where appropriate, NIU and sister public universities seek legislative changes as the corrective action to audit findings,” Freeman said.
State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said enough is enough.
“You’re a state employee. And quite frankly, the entire dialog about, well, which is a litany of excuses and opinions as to why this law should be ignored doesn’t matter, because it’s the law,” Rose said. “I am done with the excuse. You guys have tried for 20 years to change the law. Like I said, I was one of these idiots that for a long time agreed with the notion that we should change the law.”
It was a different story when Rose questioned Northeastern Illinois University President Katrina Bell if their faculty fills out time cards.
“Yes they do,” Bell said.
“Interesting,” Rose said. “You may be the only ones.”
State taxpayers give NEIU nearly $40 million annually. The most recent audit found 11 audit findings with 8 repeated findings from previous audits.
Also reviewed Friday was an audit for Chicago State University, which gets $42.6 million from state taxpayers. For CSU, there were 14 findings, 12 were repeated findings from previous audits.
