State auditor concerned about executives’ response to UM System audit

UPDATE 3/8: State Auditor Nicole Galloway released a statement Wednesday after ABC 17 News spoke to former Mizzou Chancellor R. Bown Loftin about the findings of an audit of the UM System.

“The practices uncovered in my audit are troubling, and I’m further concerned that executives at both the university and the system level appear to be more interested in arguing why they should be allowed to continue these practices instead of committing to making improvements to benefit students, families and taxpayers,” Galloway said.

ORIGINAL: Tuesday night, ABC 17 News spoke with former Mizzou Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin about his response to state auditor Nicole Galloway’s report on hidden bonuses at the University of Missouri.

Galloway’s report hit Loftin for receiving a six-figure salary, bonuses and keeping a luxury car stipend after his resignation as chancellor.

Loftin spoke on the phone with ABC 17 News from Washington D.C. at a U.S. Department of Defense meeting and stressed three of his main concerns with the report.

First, he was disappointed no one from the auditor’s office contacted him for the audit. Second, he said there were a number of factual errors in the report. When asked what those errors were, he said it would take too long to go through everything. He also said in the contract he signed in 2013, he was promised 75 percent of his salary if he left the chancellor role.

Loftin also claimed he has documentation and evaluation reports to prove he has been consistently working. ABC 17 News will be working to get those documents and a response from Galloway on Loftin’s accusations.