We wanted to update you on the status of UCOP’s response to the state audit issued in April. We have just passed our first major milestone, a 60-day report to the California State Auditor, which details the actions we are taking in all recommendation areas. These include transparency and planning, employee reimbursement and benefits, workforce planning, and budget process.

As previously announced, UCOP has created a website to provide OP staff, the broader UC community and the public a way to track our progress towards implementing all 33 of the recommendations outlined in the audit. We are on schedule and in some cases ahead of the recommended timelines that were established. Even before the state audit, we had implemented a number of measures to ensure the careful management of resources and increase the transparency of their use, and we are building on the strong foundation of those efforts as we respond to the concerns raised in the audit.

President Napolitano convened a task force, chaired by COO Rachael Nava, that is meeting weekly to work on audit-related activities, which have been divided into 10 workstreams. A roster of task force members is available on the website, along with a detailed chart of milestones for each recommendation.

Specific areas that are being focused on include:

• Enhancing the OP budget process and revamping OP budget presentations, beginning with the May Regents meeting
• Reviewing policies regarding our financial reserves
• Reviewing funds that have been restricted as part of UC policy
• Reviewing the external market benchmarks used for our compensation and benefits programs, as well as certain employee reimbursement policies and UCOP salary ranges
• Developing additional guidance and tracking for systemwide and presidential initiatives
• Including workforce planning in our divisional strategic planning efforts and the latest UCOP budget development cycle

Watch for more information about the task force’s work in future issues of Link.

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