The Foreign Languages and Literatures Department is being audited after concerns have been raised that several department members erroneously manipulated time sheets and University purchase orders for personal gain.
The audits, being conducted by UNM's Internal Audit Department in conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences, are investigating claims that staff and faculty made fraudulent purchases over an undetermined time period.
These include $1,000 in specialty candles sent from Germany to be given as Christmas presents, $1,800 for a faculty member's laptop computer and a home computer system for Warren Smith, the department's chairman, with a price tag of more than $2,000.
The Daily Lobo obtained these financial figures and information about the ongoing audit from Monica Walsh, a disgruntled former work-study employee of the department who circulated an e-mail memo around campus detailing the department's wrongdoings in retaliation after she discovered a discrepancy in one of her paychecks.
In a series of e-mails, Walsh describes "gross amounts of fraud," and how purchase orders, intended for books and paper, "were actually used by professors and administrators to buy personal stuff, the more expensive and frivolous the better."
Smith said he could not confirm or deny many of the alleged purchases because "they are old stories" and if they did happen it was before he assumed the role of chair of the department in August 2002.
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"There are two different audits being conducted within the Foreign Languages and Literatures Department," Smith said. "The first, which has been ongoing since mid-July, involves the possible erroneous filing of time sheets by staff members. The second, which began last week, is looking into the alleged purchases made through the department for personal gain."
Smith confirmed the purchases of both the laptop computer and his home computer system, legitimizing both of them through a University clause that allows faculty members to purchase personal belongings who have been able to argue for their need for it.
Two of the department staff members who were being investigated on the time sheet matter, Wilma Williams and John Owen, had either tendered their resignation and left the state or had been placed on paid administrative leave the day after the announcement of the audit on July 14.
Reed Dasenbrock, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he has seen material evidence that some of what Walsh is claiming is incorrect, principally the financial figures involved in the allegations.
"Whatever the outcome is of the audits, I plan on a number of changes to be made in the procedural process in the department to ensure that nothing like this happens ever again," Dasenbrock said.
He agreed with Smith that if many of the allegations occurred, they were before Smith had assumed the role of department chairman, while Monica Cyrino was still heading the department.
Cyrino, who was asked to resign one year into a three-year contract, said she isn't surprised that Dasenbrock is trying to place the current problems of the department on her shoulders.
"It really doesn't surprise me that he is trying to blame the current problems in the department on my chairship," said Cyrino, who now works for the University of Arizona.
She denies any knowledge of fraudulent purchases made through the department during her tenure as chairwoman.
A source within the department, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said material evidence acquired through the audit has caused the District Attorney's Office to begin preparing its own investigation.
Representatives from the DA's office did not immediately return telephone calls Friday.
The anonymous source said over the past six months there have been an enormous amount of manipulation of personnel records and the misuse of University funds for personal use by the department.
"Think about it, if the alleged purchases were really made that long ago, they wouldn't have waited this long to begin their investigation," the source said.
Smith said that despite the ongoing audits, he and his staff are going to every length to provide the best education possible to the students in the department.
"We are confident that the investigation will prove no wrongdoing on the part of the department," Smith said. "We are helping in any way possible to get to the bottom of this, at which time appropriate action will be taken. Until then, we are doing every thing we can to look past that and continue providing the quality of education that are department is known for."
