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State Auditor Report Criticizes WSU Tri Cities

According to a story in this morning’s Tri City Herald, a state auditor’s report released on Monday has found that staff members at WSU Tri Cities improperly manipulated data to inflate the campuses reported enrollment.  The report stems from a whistleblower complaint June 21 that alleged that campus officials were complicit in inflating student credit hours.

WSU officials announced that as a result of the findings, four university officials, including two vice chancellors, have been disciplined and their duties discontinued.  WSU officials further indicated that a 2008 supplemental budget request for additional enrollment funding has been withdrawn.

The Auditor’s report said the net effect of the WSU Tri Cities changes was to make the enrollment figures appear higher than reality.  In the fall of 2006, the campus reported 692.9 full time student equivalents (FTE), but in reality only had 661.54 student FTE.

WSU Tri Cities Chancellor Vicky Carwein said she first learned about the discrepancy when the campus was informed about the complaint last summer.  She then put policies in place to stop the practice.  WSU President Elson Floyd said in a statement that he supports Chancellor Carwein’s actions.