Chicago State University is one of Senate President Emil Jones' favorite state institutions. Since he's taken over as President of the Senate, CSU has gotten massive funding boosts at a time when other institutions of higher education have been seeing meager increases, if at all. Thankful for the funding, CSU has named a convocation center after him.
Auditor General William Holland (a Democrat) issued a report this week detailing some critical problems with how CSU is spending and accounting for their newfound funding:
Even as Chicago State University faced budget pressures, the university's president spent public funds to attend two extended "leadership seminars" aboard cruise ships in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, bringing five family members along on one, state officials said Thursday.
University employees also spent thousands of dollars on meals, alcohol, theater tickets and first-class airfare, often without giving any reason for the expenses, according to a state audit released Thursday.
Auditor General William Holland's review repeatedly questioned the university's lax financial controls, citing "numerous charges" to a university credit card that were not supported by receipts or invoices.
The audit, which covered fiscal year 2006, also revealed sloppy record keeping that understated vacation and sick days taken by employees.
"None of that surprises me," said Phillip Beverly, a Chicago State political science professor. "It just makes me sad."
Meanwhile, the University of Illinois, due to reductions in state funding, is forced to raise tuition and fees on students and families by increasingly large amounts.
Elections have consequences, and in Illinois, we're getting exactly the type of government that we deserve.
(Hat tip: Capitol Fax)
