Board of Regents and Commissioner of Higher Education financial-compliance audit for the two fiscal years ended June 30 ...

56 Pages·1995·1.1 MB·English

by  Montana. Legislature. Legislative Audit Division

Legislative Audit Division
State ofMontana
Report to the Legislature
March 2000 Financial-Compliance Audit
For the Two Fiscal Years Ended June 30, 1999
Board of Regents and Office of the
Commissioner of Higher Education
This report contains six recommendations. Issues addressed in the report
include improving compliance with:
Federal cash management, subrecipient monitoring, and lender
review requirements.
» State law and accounting policy.
STATE DC
Direct comments/inquiries to:
Legislative Audit Division
PO Box 201705 MAY 2 2000
MT
99-18 Helena 59620-1705 MONTANA STAfE LlbKrtRY
1515 E. 6th AVE.
HELENA, MONTANA 59
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FINANCIAL-COMPLIANCE AUDITS
Financial-compliance audits are conducted by the Legislative Audit Division to determine ifan
agency's financial operations are properly conducted, the financial reports are presented fairly,
and the agency has complied with applicable laws and regulations. In performing the audit
work, the audit staffuses standards set forth by the American Institute ofCertified Public
Accountants and the United States General Accounting Office. Financial-compliance audit staff
members hold degrees with an emphasis in accounting. Most staffmembers hold Certified
Public Accountant (CPA) certificates.
OMB
Government Auditing Standards, the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and Circular
A-133 require the auditor to issue certain financial, internal control, and compliance reports.
This individual agency audit report is not intended to comply with these reporting requirements
and is therefore not intended for distribution to federal grantor agencies. The Legislative Audit
Division issues a statewide biennial Single Audit Report which complies with the above
reporting requirements. The Single Audit Report for the two fiscal years ended June 30, 1999,
will be issued by March 31, 2000. Copies ofthe Single Audit Report, when available, can be
obtained by contacting:
Single Audit Coordinator Legislative Audit Division
Office of Budget and Program Planning Room 135, State Capitol
State Capitol PO Box 201705
Helena MT 59620 Helena MT 59620-1705
Phone [phone]
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COMMITTEE
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT DIVISION
Scott A. Seacat, Legislative Auditor Deputy Legislative Auditors:
John W. Northey, Legal Counsel Jim Pellegrini, Performance Audit
Ton Hunfhausen, IT & Operations Manager James Gillett, Financial-Compliance Audit
March 2000
The Legislative Audit Committee
of the Montana State Legislature:
This is our financial-compliance audit report on the Board ofRegents and Office ofthe Com-
missioner of Higher Education for the two fiscal years ended June 30, 1999. This report
contains six recommendations where the office could enhance compliance with federal laws and
regulations and state law and accounting policy. The written response to the audit recom-
mendations is included at the end ofthe audit report.
We thank the commissioner and his staff for their assistance and cooperation throughout the
audit.
pectfully submitted,
y£<5
A
it*
Scott A. Seacat
Legislative Auditor
616 Helena Avenue-SteamboatBlock, POBox 201705 HelenaMT59620-1705
Phone[phone] FAX [phone] E-Mail [email protected]
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2010 with funding from
Montana State Library
http://www.archive.org/details/boardofregentsco2000mont
Legislative Audit Division
Financial-Compliance Audit
For the Two Fiscal Years Ended June 30, 1999
Board of Regents and Office of the
Commissioner of Higher Education
Members ofthe audit staff involved in this audit were Pearl M. Allen and
Wayne D. Guazzo.

311
Table of Contents
Appointed and Administrative Officials Page in
Report Summary Page v
Introduction Introduction Page
1
Background Page 2
Board ofRegents ofHigher Education Page 2
Office ofthe Commissioner ofHigher Education Page 2
Prior Audit Prior Audit Recommendations Page 5
Recommendations
Findings and Federal Compliance Page 7
Recommendations Federal Cash Management Page 7
Subrecipient Monitoring Page 8
Lender Reviews Page 9
Financial Records and Accountability Page 10
Improper Expenditure Reductions Page 10
Cash Shortage in Flexible Spending
Account Page 10
Indirect Cost Reimbursements Page 1
Guaranteed Student Loan Program Activity Page 1
Agency Fund Activity Page
1
Independent Auditor's Independent Auditor's Report Page A-3
&
Report Office
Financial Schedules Schedule ofChanges in Fund Balances & Property Held
in Trust for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1999 Page A-5
Schedule ofChanges in Fund Balances & Property Held
in Trust for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1998 Page A-6
&
Schedule ofTotal Revenues Transfers-In for the
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1999 Page A-7
&
Schedule ofTotal Revenues Transfers-In for the
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1998 Page A-8
&
Schedule ofTotal Expenditures Transfers-Out
for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1999 Page A-9
Page
i
Table of Contents
&
Schedule ofTotal Expenditures Transfers-Out
for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1998 Page A-10
Notes to the Financial Schedules Page A-11
Office Response Board of Regents and Office ofthe Commissioner of
Higher Education Page B-3
Page
ii
Appointed and Administrative Officials
Board of Regents of Term
Higher Education Expires
Marc Racicot, Governor*
Nancy Keenan, Superintendent
of Public Instruction*
Patrick P. Davison, Chairman
Page iv