CCCS Internal Audit Charter & Mission Statement

Audit Committee Procedure Charter and Mission Statement

Date:

December 07, 2018

Reference:

Board Policy 2-10, Board Committee Structure
Board Policy 7-01, Audit Committee Charter
State Controller’s Office Fiscal Rule1-8

Application:

This policy applies System-wide.

Basis:

Rule 1-8 of the State of Colorado Fiscal Rules requires the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupations Educations (the “Board”) to implement internal accounting and administrative controls, which reasonably assure financial transactions are accurate, reliable, and conform to State Fiscal Rules. The Board has charged the Colorado Community College System (the “System”) President with this responsibility. In fulfillment of that requirement, Board Policy 2-10 establishes the Audit Committee to assist the Board in fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities System-wide. Fiduciary responsibilities include assessing risk and addressing matters including financial statement reporting, internal controls, compliance with applicable laws, regulations and Board policies, as well as System and College policies and procedures. The internal audit department is established to assist the Audit Committee in carrying out this responsibility.

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to create value by providing independent, risk-based, and objective examination of the activities of our thirteen community colleges and the System Office. We monitor, report, and provide recommendations to improve educational programs focused on career and technical education fields.

Procedure:

Role of Internal Audit Department:

The Department of Internal Audit is established by the Board. The Director of Internal Audit (“Director”) shall be appointed by and shall report functionally to the Audit Committee Chairman (“Committee Chair”) and administratively to the President of the Community College System.

The functional reporting responsibility requires that the Director provide information directly to and take direction from the Committee Chair and the Committee. This includes but is not limited to such items as department strategy, goals, and on going performance reporting. Communications should be of sufficient substance to allow the Committee to fulfill their responsibilities under the Audit Committee Charter, BP7-01.

Administrative reporting includes matters related to budget and management accounting, procedural human resource administration, administration of the organization’s internal policies and procedures such as expense approvals, leave approvals, office space, etc.

Authorization:

The Audit Committee delegates to the Director of Internal Audit the following authority.

The Director may conduct, or cause to be conducted, audits, reviews, and investigations for any matter that, in the Director’s professional judgment, may pose a risk the System. All investigations will be reported to the Committee Chair prior to the initiation of fieldwork. Should the Committee Chair be unreachable, the Director will contact at least one other Audit Committee member prior to initiation of fieldwork. The Committee Chair will be notified as soon as is practicable. Audits shall be approved during the annual plan process; any significant deviation shall be reported to the Audit Committee Chair. The Director shall be held accountable to the Audit Committee for deployment of resources and effective use of the same.

In the performance of audits, reviews and investigations, with stringent accountabilities of safekeeping and confidentiality, the Department of Internal Audit shall have unrestricted access to all organizational activities, records, property, and personnel. Records may be accessed whether electronic or in other formats, with or without advance notification.
In the supervision of staff, the Director shall have the authority to hire, evaluate and terminate employees within the policies and procedures of System Human Resources. Vacation, sick leave and other leave shall be approved by the Director. In the operation of the Internal Audit Department, the Director shall have the authority to approve purchases within the policies, procedures and authorization limits of the System office.

To ensure the independence and objectivity of the internal audit function, the Department of Internal Audit shall have no direct responsibility or authority for activities or operations that may be audited or reviewed.