The overall goal for the accounting office, Fenwick points out, is to become more service-oriented for faculty, staff, students and patients alike. Refining systems and procedures is an ongoing process. Fenwick's primary task for the next six months, she says, is to implement a campuswide program of self-assessment of existing internal controls. The purpose of this management initiative is to assess, monitor and improve the control environment and provide the financial leadership focus for campus operations. In working toward these goals, she says, UCSF will need teamwork and collaboration from everyone.
Internal control is everybody's responsibility.
It's often difficult to understand you have a problem when you're in the middle of it. Indeed, once notified by UCSF management last May of a problem in reconciling the campus' bank account, auditors took just six business days to uncover the crime. Auditors will review the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls and compliance with University policies and laws. Auditors also plan to review clinical trials, overtime pay, faculty vacation accruals and the use of consultants and cell phones. In addition, auditors will review the campus' sales and service transactions.