Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Rosebud Reservation, SD - The BIA Audit of Sinte Gleska University's business office, issued last June 2, 2000, is still circulating across the reservation. It presents a sorry picture of accounting practices, or lack there-of. I keep hearing from reservation folks that "heads are gonna roll" and "certain SCU leaders belong in the pen -- just like at Oglala Lakota Community College last year". Nothing seems to be happening in those directions. People are asking; have the problems been fixed? Or did someone do a coverup? I can't answer those questions.

The audit is certainly alarming in its disclosure of unacceptable performances, untrained staffers, serious problems, lack of checks and balances which " provide ample opportunity for employee fraud , theft and misappropriation of funds", unperformed duties, unreliable and inaccurate records, disregard for deadlines which "may eventually result in the loss of major funding sources, including student financial aid", nonexistent lines of authority which "has resulted in confusion, inefficienct operation....low morale and a hostile work environment", lack of oversight...which contributed to serious problems jnsurance providers, "blatant misuse of institutional leave policies", total "disregard or ignorance of ethics resulting in conflict of interest issues", procurement policies and/or procedures not followed in purchases of goods and services "including land, buildings, livestock and in the selection of an independent auditor...resulting in large unplanned and unauthorized expenditures", budget modifications not routinely reviewed and approved by the regents and a "general fund deficit growing at an alaming rate". Good grief! Incompetence is one thing, outright dishonesty is another.

Perhaps some of the problems have been corrected by now, I certainly hope so. Perhaps federal indictments are being prepared to address other problems revealed at SGU. If that's what it takes, then it should be done. there are many good staffers and students who rely on SGU being their educational springboard into a successful future. I encourage them to keep on keeping on. Once the problems are removed/repaired, SGU can continue to thrive in its delivery of knowledge, degrees and jobs.

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Previously published in the Editorial Section of the Todd County Tribune, Editor Margaret Frigert, located on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, South Central South Dakota. The schools director is Lionel Bordeaux, a long time political bully on the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council.