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Idaho State president says university will return forensic lab funds, pledges tighter controls
Summary
Idaho State University President Rob Wagner told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that ISU will return appropriated funds tied to a proposed Eastern Idaho forensic pathology center and is instituting new controls after finding gaps in how legislative intent and fund ownership were tracked.
Idaho State University President Rob Wagner told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Jan. 29 that the university will return state appropriations related to a proposed Eastern Idaho Forensic Pathology Center and is implementing new procedures to ensure legislative intent is followed.
Wagner said ISU learned in late 2023 that the county partner no longer desired a facility on ISU’s Pocatello campus, and that ISU had expended a “small portion” of the appropriation for a consultant. “I believe Idaho State University should have kept those funds,” Wagner said, adding that the university should have required invoices and other protocols if the county was to operate the facility. He said the remaining funds were transferred to the county following a memorandum of understanding and that the funds are being returned to the state (amount not specified).
The committee co-chairs had opened the meeting with a public notice that a report prepared by the Legislative Services Office on the matter is available online and that the Legislature has requested an audit; committee staff said that audit work had begun. Kevin Campbell, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, presented the university’s budget materials earlier in the hearing and briefed lawmakers on related financial information.
Why it matters: The committee framed the item as an accountability issue of legislative appropriation law. Multiple members praised Wagner’s cooperation and urged the university to treat appropriation law as binding. Representative Steven Manwaring, who asked about the university’s internal controls, thanked Wagner after the president said ISU would improve tracking and accountability. Senator Marlene Zieterfeld and others publicly thanked Wagner for returning the funds and for increased transparency.
What the university says it will change: Wagner described steps the university is putting in place to “identify ownership of legislative funds and accountability,” including clearer lines for who is responsible for funds when multiple governmental parties communicate and work on a project. He said the university will develop invoice procedures and stronger internal controls to ensure appropriations are used consistent with legislative intent.
What remains unclear: Committee members pressed for practical follow-through; Wagner and committee staff said an audit is underway, and the university’s report is online. The transcript and the presentation state that the funds will be returned and that an audit has been requested, but they do not state the dollar amount of the funds returned or the precise timeline for the audit’s completion. The university reported only that a “small portion” had been spent on a consultant in 2023 and that the rest was transferred under an MOU; those figures were not specified in testimony.
What lawmakers said: Representative Manwaring asked the university to explain the process it followed and how it will prevent similar problems in the future. Senator Zieterfeld thanked Wagner for the leadership and for returning the funds. Committee co-chairs emphasized that “appropriation law is law,” and praised Wagner’s stated commitment to transparency and accountability.
Outlook: Committee staff will continue the audit work; lawmakers and the university said they will monitor implementation of the new controls. ISU’s stated commitments and the ongoing audit are the immediate next steps recorded in the hearing.
