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State auditor supports moving University System auditors to his office

The Legislature is considering eliminating the internal audit positions in the North Dakota University System –and move them to the state auditor’s office.

I think that the Legislature has decided that the University System is not doing a good job of giving them data or providing the transparency that they want,” said State Auditor Robert Peterson. He supports that proposal. He says the Legislature would give his office six positions – and he says they will not be internal auditors.

“Internal auditors work with management to set up systems, and work in designing those systems, making certain that they work," said Peterson. "Once you start working with management, then that’s your role. Now, I’m an external auditor for the University System. So I cannot work with management to design something, and then come in and audit it, because I can’t audit myself.”

Instead, Peterson says those six positions will be combining operational audit techniques with performance audit standards.

Those six would report to the Board of Higher Education – not the college presidents.

The House has already passed that plan. It’s now pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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