Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Internal Audit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
THECB updates internal‑audit workplan, staffing and IT audit plans
Summary
THECB’s audit office reported two audits in fieldwork, follow‑ups on outstanding recommendations, and one filled vacancy with a search underway for an IT/audit-analytics candidate; the board approved an updated internal audit charter on the consent calendar.
Ari Gonzales, assistant commissioner for internal audit and compliance at the Higher Education Coordinating Board, updated the Agency Operations Committee on Jan. 22 about internal‑audit activity and staffing.
“The internal audit charter is a formal document that defines internal audit's activity, purpose, authority, and responsibility,” Gonzales said, describing the charter revision as an update to reflect new internal‑audit standards and to record approval by Commissioner Rosser.
Gonzales reported two audit projects now in fieldwork: an audit of grants administration (including graduate medical education grants) and an audit of academic program approvals. He said fieldwork consists of reviewing supporting documentation, manuals and processes to determine whether agency procedures are functioning as intended.
Gonzales said the office is following up on outstanding audit recommendations, preparing a quality‑assurance assessment for a forthcoming peer review, and procuring an external firm to augment IT audit capability. He reported that one of two vacancies has been filled and that the remaining senior auditor vacancy will be targeted to a candidate with IT‑audit or analytics experience; he named Edward Maldonado as director, and said new hires include Lance Cofield.
Committee members asked about the internal‑audit team size and planning for AI and other technology; Gonzales said the office is aligning hiring and capabilities with agency policy on AI and invited board members to suggest areas to prioritize.
The updated internal audit charter was approved by motion during the meeting (see Votes at a glance for the motion and vote).
