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Mesquite ISD auditor summarizes internal-audit role, recent work and fraud hotline reports
Summary
Internal auditor Brian Hokanson briefed trustees on the audit office—s role, recent campus audits, a quality assessment and the district—s fraud hotline activity, and recommended stronger follow-up and cross-training in some operational areas.
Brian Hokanson, Mesquite ISD—s internal auditor, presented an overview of the internal-audit function to the board May 12, including recent work on campus audits, a quality assessment, and fraud-hotline reports.
Nut graf: Hokanson outlined how internal audit acts as a third line of defense for the district, summarized areas of operational risk and controls, and described recent improvements and outstanding work items from an external quality assessment.
Hokanson said the internal-audit function focuses work by materiality, compliance and risk, and that the district recently completed a quality assessment that identified about 22 areas for operational improvement, including creating an audit committee charter and expanding audit follow-up accountability. He described campus audits as a significant portion of the office—s work and said he expects to continue new-principal audit reviews and ad hoc investigations.
On the fraud hotline, Hokanson said it has received roughly 45 reports over five years, with recent reports focused on payroll issues. He said the audit office has produced new training material in cooperation with the Dallas FBI, created an audit-tracking database and has conducted investigations into money handling and purchasing at some campuses this year.
Trustees thanked the auditor for the work and noted the importance of the internal-audit role in stewardship and transparency; no formal board action was required.
Ending: Hokanson said internal audit will continue to work with administration on follow-up items from the quality assessment and to expand audit reporting and training.
