The university's Board of Trustees voted Thursday night to authorize the release of all documents related to the audit to the state inspector general.
WESTFIELD – Westfield State University plans to release documents related to a university audit as soon as it completes its review - a process which could take several more weeks, a spokeswoman said Friday.
The October 2012 audit was performed by a private firm, and campus groups - including the faculty union - have called for its release.
“We will review the documents and respond to the information included in the review,” university communications consultant Molly Watson said Friday. “I think we will release it once it’s final, and we expect to have our review complete in the next couple of weeks.” Watson said Westfield State hopes to get the review done “as quickly as possible and the school starts to celebrate its 175th anniversary this fall.”
John Flynn, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, said, “I think that is a good projection.”
He added, “I think it is an advantage to get the inspector general involved now.”
He said the university will be reviewing the results of the audit simultaneously with the inspector general.
Flynn said that all documents which should be made public will be made public.
“I am a graduate of this university and my son is due to graduate in May. There is nobody who is more concerned about the university than I am.”
The Westfield State University Board of Trustees voted Thursday night to authorize the release of all documents related to the audit to the state inspector general in response to a request by that state office.
Following the vote, school President Evan S. Dobelle said he welcomed the involvement of the state inspector general because it will ultimately clear the air and demonstrate there is nothing wrong.
Dobelle said the board voted to conduct the audit as a routine matter on travel policies that were implemented earlier that year. He said his administration has not yet had a chance to respond to the audit’s findings.
“When it is a finished document, I will be happy to have everyone look at it,” he said.
The meeting was scheduled by the board to vote on a request by the inspector general for the release of documents related to the audit. The request specifically seeks all draft copies of the audit, all notes and supporting documentation related to “travel, paid leave, employee expenses and reimbursement.”
One of those seeking release of the audit to the public was professor Buzz Hoagland, president of the Westfield State faculty union.
“They won’t let anyone look at it,” he said. “We want to see what is inside it.”
The audit, Hoagland said, was conducted by a private auditing firm O’Connor and Drew at a cost of $50,000 in university money. As such, members of the university and the public have a right to see what its findings are, he said.
Jack Meyers, a spokesman for the inspector general, said Friday the office will likely not comment on its work regarding the Westfield State documents.
“Generally, we keep our information about what our office is doing confidential as required of the statute that we were created under,” Meyers said.
Meyers, speaking generally, said once the inspector general’s office completes such reviews, it can refer matters to other agencies “for administrative action or other types of action.”
Watson described the documents as a review and not an audit. The Westfield State University board of trustees agenda for Oct. 11, 2012, however, refers to a fiscal year 2012 presentation of financial statements and audit results by O’Connor & Drew.