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Internal Auditor

Annual Report FY03

I.     Departmental Mission

The mission of the Department of Internal Audits Audit is to support the University in the pursuit of its mission to provide opportunities for intellectual and personal development through quality teaching, scholarly inquiry, creative endeavor and service for the public good.  The Department of Internal Audits’ Audits mission is to add value, ensuring UWG continues to provide its customers with the highest quality of services in the most efficient and effective manner to meet or exceed its overall goals.

The Department of Internal Audit's is committed in its support of the University in its continuous pursuit of maintaining its utmost reputation for maintaining its high level of standards and ethics in providing the West Georgia community the opportunities to continuously improve their intellect and personal development.  The Department of Internal Audit's provides management with an objective view by means of evaluation and recommendations relating to the quality of these opportunities offered to its customers.  (Students, faculty, and staff)

The Department ensures through coordination of Federal, State, Regents, and Institutional audits to provide the University an objective opinion designed to add value and improve the University’s operations.  Every effort is made to comply with the industry standards, as defined by the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Professional Standards in satisfying the expectations and needs of management.  The department conducts audits, scheduled and unscheduled, in order to provide management an independent appraisal of the University’s compliance with policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.  The department’s flexibility ensures the University’s administration the desired level of confidence in maintaining adequate internal controls.

The Department of Internal Audits’ mission is to add value, ensuring UWG continues to provide its customers with the highest quality of services in the most efficient and effective manner to meet or exceed its overall goals.

II.     Departmental Statement of Goals, Process to Assess These Goals, and Assessment Results:

The Department of Internal 'Audits’Audit’s goals and indicators are as follows:

a.       Ensure through coordination of Federal, State, Regents, and Institutional audits to provide the University an objective opinion designed to add value and improve the University’s operations.

i.      Evaluate the risk exposure for all UWG’s auditable areas

ii.      Conduct objective evaluation and analysis

b.      Assist auditable areas development and implement corrective action

c.       Comply with the industry standards, as defined by the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Professional Standards.

d.      Participate in the University System’s Peer Review process, including the initial phase of self-assessment.

e.      Perform the duties and responsibilities within the guidelines set forth in the Institute of Internal Auditors’ “Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing.”

f.        Satisfy the expectations and needs of management.

g.      Develop an audit plan, approved by the University’s senior administration and the System’s audit committee.

h.      Ensure the examination and evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of the University’s system of internal controls.

i.        Conduct audits, scheduled and unscheduled, in order to provide management an independent appraisal of the University’s compliance with policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.

j.        Test key controls designed to ensure compliance.

k.      Identify weaknesses and make constructive recommendations that lead to qualified decisions by UWG’s administration.

l.        Timely completion of audits

III.    Give An Example of How Your Department Used The Assessment of Goals and Outcomes to Change/Improve a Process

•          Develop five-year audit plan that will provide 100% audit coverage for the University in compliance with the System’s directive.  Each department will be evaluated on basis of compliance.
•          University System Office is forming a committee to address issues unique to international studies programs such as bank accounts on foreign soil due to UWG’ internal audits and Vice President for Business & Finance coordinated efforts.  This committee will direct policies to improve the faculty members’ accountability of travel advances for the trips’ participants.
•          Conduct audits at the departmental level that ensure personnel follow state, system, and university policies and procedures.  The Internal Auditor will be in a position to better assist departments’ improving its accountability.

Examples of specific functions and responsibilities of the Department of Internal Audits are to:

•          Conduct any and all assigned audit tasks made by University administration and System’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Internal Audit
•          Conduct an objective evaluation of the assigned audit tasks
•          Provide written analysis and findings derived from the audit procedures
•          Work directly with established auditable areas to select, develop, and assist in installing acceptable procedures
•          Plan and execute the University System Board of Regents’ approved annual audit plan and responsible for all required records, reports, and support documentation
•          Ensure that the Department of Internal Audits maintains compliance with guidelines set forth by the Institute of Internal Auditors
•          Make certain that all auditable areas of the institution are in compliance with the policies, procedures, laws, and regulations applicable to each area
•          Actively participate in both UWG and the University System’s Peer Review process, including the phase of self-assessment

V.     General Statement of Department Condition:

The visions for the future of this department can be obtained with the proper resource funding, planning, and guidance.  Within the range of the next five years this department will be able to:

a.       Complete planned and approved annual audit plan on schedule and in budget (hours)

b.       Ensure all departments receive audit attention within the scope of the next five years 

To accomplish these goals certain elements must fall into place.  The Department department of Internal Audits’ staff will increase to four FTEs.  (1-current auditor, 1-additional auditor, 1-clerical/support staff, and 1-student intern per semester)  The staff will receive sufficient software training for such programs as PeopleSoft, Banner, and Price Waterhouse Coopers’ TeamMate.  We will develop an audit report template for departmental audits which will streamline the report process.  These elements will ensure the Department of Internal Audits will accomplish it goals of satisfying increased demands for its services, timely and accurate audit reports, and maximizing the benefits of the department to the University.

VI.     Departmental Achievements

Develop five-year audit plan that will provide 100% audit coverage for the University in compliance with the System’s directive.  Each department will be evaluated on basis of compliance. 

University System Office is forming a committee to address issues unique to international studies programs such as bank accounts on foreign soil due to UWG’ internal audits and Vice President for Business & Finance coordinated efforts.  This committee will direct policies to improve the faculty members’ accountability of travel advances for the trips’ participants.

Conduct audits at the departmental level that ensure personnel follow state, system, and university policies and procedures.  The Internal Auditor will be in a position to better assist departments’ improving its accountability.

VII.     Staff Productivity

There are no definitive numbers that will enable this department to project long or short term need for its services.  By the very fact that 125 departments exist on this campus, there exist the potential for 125 audits to be conducted by this department.  Projecting need for internal audit services cannot be placed in quantitative measures due to unexpected problems within any department.

Example: State Audit of UWG for fiscal year 2002.  Based on past history, three weeks is sufficient time for the completion of all needed field work.  This audit required approximately ten weeks for completion of field work, while they had the added assistance of on-hand computer access to UWG’s accounting records.  With the departure of the State Auditors, Internal Audits continues to deal with the results provided by the State Auditors.

Internal Audits has the responsibility of ensuring no findings re-occur and plan appropriate time to follow-up that solutions are implemented.  The results of the fiscal year 2002 state audit, four major findings have been identified.  There are less than three months to make the necessary changes before the Comptroller’s Office closes the books for fiscal year 2003.

With the projected increases in enrollment, increased demand for goods and services, and progressive reorganization of departments, there can be no doubt that demand for services from Internal Audits will increase in the next five years.

VIII.     Student Achievements

Two graduate students volunteered their services to UWG’s Department of Internal Audits during Fall 2002 semester.  The students, in exchange for their services gained valuable on-the-job work experience as auditors.  The training phase began with a review of the Institute of Internal Auditors Professional Standards, accepted worldwide as the “industry standards.”  From this point forward the students utilized the audit resources located on the web.  The most informative web sites maintained by audit oriented organizations include the Association of College and University Auditors (ACUA), Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), and AICPA.  The students combined their education and these internet resources to develop and execute an audit program in the area of Construction Auditing.  The students chose a construction project since one of the students had limited work experience in the industry through a number of summer jobs working with an engineer.  The students used the on-the-job experience and the knowledge learned in the classroom; fused the information together and applied it in a real world scenario.

The Department wants to continue to utilize senior and graduate students majoring in Accounting.  A coordinated effort with Career Services has allowed an undergraduate student to work in a joint position of providing clerical support (.5 FTE) and to prepare and execute a self-defined audit program (.5 FTE Intern) during Summer and Fall 2003 semesters.  The next phase is to tap into the University’s student knowledgebase and utilize the technology resources to develop and execute an audit program with concentration placed on local networks.

IX.     Other Awards, Distinctions, and Achievements