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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | adding Section 9.33 as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (110 ILCS 205/9.33 new) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 9.33. Audit committee on tuition increases. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) In this Section: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | "Committee" means the audit committee established under | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | this Section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | "University" means a public university in this State. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | (b) The Board shall establish an audit committee to examine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | any plan by a university to increase tuition from the previous | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | academic year by more than 10%. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | (c) The Committee shall consist of no less than 3 members, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | designated by the Chairperson of the Board, to assist in the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | oversight of the financial reporting and audit processes of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | those universities whose rate of tuition is being increased | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | from the previous academic year by more than 10%. At least 2 of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | the members must be members of the Board. At least one member | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | must have accounting or related financial expertise. In the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | event that the Board does not have sufficient members qualified | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | or available to serve on the Committee or wishes to broaden the |
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1 | expertise of the Committee, the Board may request that the | ||||||
2 | State Treasurer recommend one or more qualified individuals to | ||||||
3 | sit on the Committee. | ||||||
4 | (d) The Committee shall assist the Board in retaining an | ||||||
5 | auditor through the Office of the Auditor General to conduct | ||||||
6 | audits under this Section. The auditor selected by the Board | ||||||
7 | shall report directly to the Committee or the Board. At least | ||||||
8 | twice each year and after final budget submissions by the | ||||||
9 | universities, the Committee shall hold a private meeting with | ||||||
10 | the auditor. One of these meetings shall be held prior to | ||||||
11 | commencement of the audit and the other upon issuance of the | ||||||
12 | final audit report. Additional meetings shall be held upon the | ||||||
13 | request of a Committee member, a Board member, or the auditor | ||||||
14 | and may include such staff members as the Committee or Board | ||||||
15 | determines necessary. | ||||||
16 | (e) In carrying out its duties, the Committee shall | ||||||
17 | proactively assist the Board in overseeing (i) the integrity | ||||||
18 | and quality of the financial documents of the universities, | ||||||
19 | (ii) the auditor's performance and ability to perform, and | ||||||
20 | (iii) the performance of each university's own internal audit | ||||||
21 | and internal control functions. In addition, the Committee | ||||||
22 | shall do all of the following: | ||||||
23 | (1) Review and evaluate audit fees. | ||||||
24 | (2) If the Committee believes that the auditor's | ||||||
25 | performance is not adequate in quality, recommend such | ||||||
26 | steps as may be necessary to elicit appropriate |
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1 | performance, including replacement of the auditor. | ||||||
2 | (3) Regularly review with the auditor any audit | ||||||
3 | problems, any risks of material statements due to fraud, | ||||||
4 | any difficulties with a university's response (including | ||||||
5 | restrictions or attempts to restrict the auditor's | ||||||
6 | activities, restrictions on access to information, and | ||||||
7 | significant disagreements with a university's personnel) | ||||||
8 | and the responsibilities, budget, and staffing of each | ||||||
9 | university's internal audit and control functions. | ||||||
10 | (4) Review the audited financial statements and | ||||||
11 | interim statements and discuss them with the universities | ||||||
12 | and internal auditors. These discussions shall include a | ||||||
13 | review of particularly sensitive accounting estimates, | ||||||
14 | reserves, and accruals, judgmental areas, audit | ||||||
15 | adjustments (recorded or not) and other such matters as the | ||||||
16 | Committee or auditor deems appropriate.
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17 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
18 | becoming law.
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