Audit: NIU employee improperly reimbursed $32K for travel

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — The new finance boss at Northern Illinois University says he's looking into what the school should do after a state audit found a temporary employee was improperly reimbursed $31,945 for travel.

The (DeKalb) Daily Chronicle (http://bit.ly/1HncqWV) reports the consultant was reimbursed by NIU for travel between work and his Washington state home from July 2013 to June 2014. Records say he was being paid $30,000 a month and he worked on the school's Bold Futures project.

The audit said the improper reimbursements were paid to the consultant because of "inappropriate application of state travel regulations by staff." Auditors said NIU should recoup the money from the consultant.

In a memo Wednesday, NIU vice president of administration and finance Alan Phillips said it would be too early to try to recoup the money before the Higher Education Travel Control Board makes a determination.

The school agreed to pay the consultant for his travel, Phillips said, and that "there may in fact be other issues we have to address" if NIU gets the money back.

"The money has to be paid back," he said. "We don't know what the remedy will be, but we will fix this in accordance with state guidelines."

Phillips also said the school would look at "reforming internal processes concerning procurement and contracts."

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Information from: The Daily Chronicle, http://www.daily-chronicle.com

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