After audit, Farmingdale State College changes travel spending practices

A state audit of Farmingdale State College found slightly more than $8,000 in charges that were not documented with receipts, but the school has since changed its practices to better track athletic department travel.

The audit, released Wednesday by the state comptroller's office, covered a period between April 2008 and March 2011, when $212,573 in travel expenses were attributed to the school's associate athletic director.

While the audit found most charges were appropriately documented, $8,386 of the expenses -- incurred during travel to Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, Rhode Island and Maryland -- had no documentation.

"As a result, we have no assurance that these travel expenses complied with rules and regulations and are free from fraud, waste and abuse," the audit read.

In a written response, Richard Hume, controller for the college, said the receipts were either misfiled or lost when files were put in storage.

Hume noted that the travel expenses in question were incurred during legitimate school athletic events in other states and not because staff is "traveling randomly or inappropriately to exotic locales."

Hume also informed auditors the school has changed its policy of using one travel card for travel charges for its athletic teams. The school is issuing cards to all its coaches, and training them on their proper use.

The school also is hiring a part-time athletics travel coordinator who will be responsible for the supporting documentation for travel expenses, Hume said. Athletics make up "the largest percentage of campus travel expenses," according to Hume's letter.