Students, staff express concerns over UM System audit

Some students and faculty members at the University of Missouri are expressing concerns over a recent audit of the UM System that revealed more than $2 million in hidden payments and incentives to top administrators.

“I personally didn’t feel very valued as a student,” MU student Eryn Acton told ABC News. “I just think it’s kinda sad when money is going to the top and not being invested in the student population.

The audit released Monday comes as the UM System faces a financial crisis, stemming from a decrease in enrollment and continued budget cuts. Gov. Eric Greitens has proposed more than $100 million in budget cuts to higher education for fiscal year 2018. One possible solution for the shortfall is to raise student tuition, a move some students don’t see as fair, particularly after the audit.

“I’m not personally opposed to tuition being raised if it is for the greater good of our education, but I think there needs to be a little more transparency with where our tuition dollars are going,” Acton said.

Students weren’t the only ones who had concerns about the report.

“Some of these bonuses are actually more than what some faculty members make in a years, not to mention the staff. So it looks strange that we would have those kind of bonuses and not be able to disclose them,” MU faculty council member and law professor Ben Trachtenberg told ABC 17 News.

Trachtenberg added that he doesn’t know what executives should be paid, but he believes their salaries should be public record.

“The way these bonuses were given out creates the perception we have something to hide…there’s no reason for us to pay someone something we’re ashamed to admit,” he said.

Greitens released a statement after the audit, criticizing the UM System and calling it “broken.”

“In these tough budget times, we need to be extra careful with our tax dollars. In the higher education budget, we asked college administrators and executives to find ways to tighten their belts. They told us that they had done everything they could to cut costs. Then, some of them told us they might to raise students’ tuition or fees,” Greitens said.

An audit revealed that top executives and administrators of the University of Missouri system gave themselves over $2 million in hidden bonuses over the past three years….I’m all for good pay for people who do a good job, but I won’t support giving tax dollars to people without proven results. And I definitely won’t support doing that at the expense of students and families.”

UM System president Dr. Mun Choi will be speaking with the media Friday for the first time since he officially began his position on March 1.

“The UM System strives to be more accountable and transparent in its stewardship of public resources,” Choi said Monday. “We will use the audit report to continue improving our business processes and our operations.”

“I’d like to see some concern for where this money is going,” Acton told ABC 17 News when asked what she would like to see from President Choi in the coming days.