Over a month after state auditors publicly released a report detailing questionable University expenses, University officials admit some mistakes were made, but maintain that University Foundation funds were used appropriately.
Auditors, who completed most of their field work between March and July of 2000, criticized several University departments for purchasing airline tickets, food, flowers, gifts, and alcohol and other personal items with University credit cards.
They also found that gift fund money dispersed through the University had been spent on purchases they deemed inappropriate — such as the use of donation funds to buy football tickets for one University dean, and to pay the car insurance premium of another.
Sherri McDowell, director for the Business Affairs office, said her office is now reviewing department credit card use.
“We’ll be using our reviews this summer to touch bases with those departments where the audit found something that was questionable,” she said.
But while the University is taking steps to change some financial procedures, University foundation officials have a different response to the audit. Foundation officials were unavailable for an interview, but in a statement released last week, vice president for University advancement Allan Price disagreed with the auditors recommendation that foundation funds be more carefully accounted for.
“Legally, UO Foundation funds are private and not subject to state audit,” Price said. “The foundation is rigorous in its efforts to insure that all funds are used in accordance with donor intent.”
Classified workers may strike
After months of failed contract negotiations with the Oregon University System, higher education classified workers across the state may now be one step closer to striking.
On Monday, members of the Oregon Public Employees Union delivered letters to the OUS office of all seven schools declaring an “impasse” in collective bargaining. By law, an impasse requires both sides to submit a final contract proposal within seven days of the impasse announcement.
At the University, about 30 classified workers — some holding signs protesting OUS actions — held a rally Monday and marched down 13th Street to deliver the impasse announcement to the Chancellor’s office in Susan Campbell Hall.
Bart Lewis, the state-wide chair for OPEU, said union members decided to declare the impasse because they were frustrated with what they feel are unnecessary delays by OUS.
“We just got tired of waiting — to make a long story short,” he said.
Smoking ban extensions cut short
More than half of Eugene bars that still allow smoking will be sending smokers outside sooner than previously expected.
Last week, the City Manager ordered 18 of the 31 bars that received extensions from the city’s smoking ban to be smoke free by Sept. 15.
