PRO-U5315.25 Reporting Loss of University Funds or Property

Action By:

Employee

  1. Discovers loss, theft of, or damage to University property or funds.
  2. Notifies their supervisor (or if more appropriate, notifies Internal Audit directly).

Supervisor

  1. Promptly notifies (or directs reporting employee to notify) Internal Audit of the incident.

Internal Audit

  1. Reviews report.
  2. Notifies the following:
    1. University Police Chief if illegal activity is suspected,
    2. Information Security Office if report involves the loss of a University computing device or cell phone, and/or
    3. Accounting Services/Inventory Control if loss of property is an asset that needs to be removed from inventory logs.
  3. Conducts review/investigation, as deemed appropriate, to assess compliance, risk, or internal control issues needing to be addressed.  If the report requires a confidential investigation, delays next steps if deemed appropriate.
  4. If misconduct, theft, fraud, or other illegal activity is committed:
    1. By a WWU employee, reports the finding to Human Resources (and Provost Office if the employee is a faculty member).
    2. By a WWU student, reports the finding to the Office of Student Life.
    3. By an external party, reports to UPD
  5. If loss involves actual funds, notifies Treasury Services.
  6. In all cases, notifies:
    1. Internal Control Officer/Ethics Advisor,
    2. Director of Risk Management,
    3. University Compliance Officer,
    4. WWU Assistant Attorney General’s (AAG) Office, and
    5. Other pertinent management/leadership not already involved in the reporting or loss assessment process but have a need to be informed.

Risk Management

  1. Notifies Risk Management Division at the state Department of Enterprise.
  2. Ensure that bond claims are not jeopardized.

Ethics Advisor

  1. Notifies state Ethics Board if appropriated.

Internal Audit

  1. Submits loss report to the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) via online reporting process.
    1. Responds to and coordinates requests for additional information from the state Auditor’s Office.
    2. Documents reporting actions in Reporting Loss log.
  2. When applicable, seeks approval from SAO before entering into a restitution agreement.
    1. Obtains copy of any restitution agreement that has been approved by the AAG and SAO.
    2. Ensures collection efforts of restitution or other amounts due to the University.

Internal Controls/Compliance

  1. Collaborates with Internal Audit on mitigating any internal control, compliance, or risk issues discovered.

Procedure Information

Revised Date:

April 7, 2025

Authority:

Related Forms

No forms apply to this procedure.

Procedure Contact

Risk Management

Risk Management & Compliance website