The Oregon University System announced that auditors will begin securing financial records Oct. 29 of team travel expenses for all University sports. The audit comes hard on the heels of an earlier financial investigation that revealed $5,748.64 in travel funds was misappropriated by University Head Softball Coach Rick Gamez.
Gamez was unable to account for the missing money and tendered his resignation Oct. 1.
Athletic Director Bill Moos requested Wednesday that OUS conduct the latest financial investigation because he’s concerned that fraudulent abuses of athletic travel funds may yet be undetected.
“In the wake of the softball review, we felt it was in our best interest to review all of the teams’ travel policies and procedures,” Associate Director for External Operations Dave Heeke said.
Moos said he sees the audit as an opportunity to upgrade Athletic Department policies.
“If there are areas we can improve in regards to policy and procedure in team travel, we need to consider that,” Moos added. “A fresh set of eyes from outside is a good way to address it.”
A team of auditors, including OUS Director of Internal Audits Patricia Snopkowski, will begin scouring records that document $1.7 million in travel expenses for University sports teams. Snopkowski was not available for comment Thursday, but OUS spokesman Bob Bruce confirmed she was spearheading the investigation.
“They will look at existing financial records and also look at documented processes,” Bruce said. “For instance, if someone comes in and presents cash to an employee, what does that employee do with the cash?”
Bruce said it was fairly common for departments to request an audit, but the duration of each is difficult to determine because it depends on auditor workloads, the number of auditors available and the complexity of an investigation. The OUS has eight auditors in its Internal Audit Division.
“We will have all files available to them,” said Tom Larson, director of finance and contracts for intercollegiate athletics. “I believe they’ll look at the same type of travel files as they did for softball.”
Meanwhile, athletics officials are planning to discuss coaches’ accounting processes and hope to seal loopholes, Larson said. The softball travel expenses audit said the Athletic Department’s internal controls were functioning as designed.
“In most any business system, there is the opportunity to exploit the system,” Larson continued. “You can’t have complete control.”
Head coaches clear team travel itineraries with the business office, the compliance office and the Athletic Director, but Larson said there is wiggle room for beating the system. Each athlete receives and must sign a form that documents how much money they spent on a team trip.
“Basically, what (Gamez) could have done is, sign a blank piece of paper that did not have the amount of money (athletes) were receiving on it, and fill it out later on,” Larson said. “But on the form that the kids sign, there is a statement that says, ‘Do not sign this form if the amounts are left blank.’”
Bill Steffen, head coach for women’s soccer, said Thursday that Gamez made an “unfortunate oversight” but it was not an overt attempt by Gamez to embezzle team funds.
“I think the system we have is good,” Steffen said. “I think most coaches are pretty diligent about their budgets.”
Emerald sports editor Adam Jude contributed to this report.