State University of New York

Educational Opportunity Program (Follow-Up Report)

In its Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), the State University of New York (SUNY) provides tutoring, counseling, tuition-support and financial assistance to economically and academically disadvantaged students. In audit 2007-S-99, we examined the use of EOP funds at four selected SUNY campuses and found that three of the campuses did not always use the funds in accordance with requirements. For example, during the two years covered by our audit, a counselor at one of the campuses was paid $93,182 to work with EOP students. However, there was little documentation to support the counselor’s work activities and indications the counselor may not have worked all the time that was claimed. We identified a total of $636,117 in questionable EOP expenditures at the three campuses, and recommended SUNY System Administration improve its monitoring of EOP activities at these and other campuses. When we followed up on these matters with SUNY officials, we found that all our audit recommendations had been implemented.

For a complete copy of Report 2009-F-26 click here.