The news that a FAMU employee was arrested for alleged
incidents of fraud totaling $1,821 has spread like wildfire across the Florida
and national wires. But there is still much less attention to the financial
problems at other State University System of Florida schools.
The Office of the Inspector General of U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) has recommended that Florida State University return $2,977,548
in grant dollars.
“Based on our sample results, we estimated that, of approximately
$10.6 million in transactions, the University charged approximately $3 million
in unallowable transactions to HHS awards during fiscal years 2009 and 2010,” the
HHS inspector general’s office wrote in a report. “These unallowable transactions
occurred because the University did not provide adequate oversight to ensure
consistent compliance with Federal regulations.”
FSU is appealing the decision. The story was carried by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Tallahassee Democrat, and WCTV-6. But it wasn’t picked up
by a large number of media organizations that are reporting the alleged $1,821
in misdemeanors at FAMU.
Read the full audit report here.