Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Campus Safety And Financial Audit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears Health Science Center safety briefing and learns state audit found material weakness
Summary
The committee received a campus safety briefing for the Health Science Center (perimeter work, camera deployment and data‑driven patrols) and was informed that state auditors issued an unmodified opinion but identified a material weakness in internal controls; administration said corrective steps are underway.
The University of Tennessee System Audit and Compliance Committee heard a campus safety briefing from system and local Health Science Center leaders and received the system’s financial‑audit results, which included an identified material weakness in internal controls.
Raj Kropati described a multi‑pronged safety approach at the Health Science Center that includes delineating a clearer campus perimeter with fencing and signage, removing unoccupied buildings that attract transient occupation, and strategic camera investments. "One of the things we're doing is really building out a campus, a perimeter ... putting up fencing and the like," Kropati said, noting that the campus has invested in roughly 3,000 cameras.
Chief Anthony Berryhill outlined operational tactics to improve safety: data‑driven patrol zones, time‑of‑day deployment, high‑visibility foot and bike patrols in student corridors, three‑shift supervisory oversight, fixed security posts to free uniformed officers for patrol and cross‑training to sustain flexibility. He emphasized community engagement, saying, "We want to establish relationships with these students, not just be seen."
Chair Jenkins reported that state auditors completed the annual financial audit and issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements, but the auditors also identified an internal‑control deficiency that was classified as a material weakness. "Material weakness is a control deficiency that, if not resolved, can have a material impact on the financial statements," Jenkins said. David Miller, representing system administration, said many corrective improvements already have been made during the audit period and described a remediation roadmap to return to a control environment without significant deficiencies.
Committee members asked for campus‑level dashboards that trend burglaries, thefts, drug incidents and assaults so the committee can tie projects and investments to measurable results; the committee expects the requested metrics to be presented at the June meeting.
The public portion of the meeting concluded with the committee announcing it would enter a non‑public executive session under Tennessee Code Annotated § 4‑35‑108 to review confidential audit, investigation and litigation matters.
