The Office of Internal Audit & Advisory Services helps university departments improve operations, reduce risk, ensure compliance, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across the institution by providing the following services:
1. Risk Assessment and Management
- Risk Identification: Helping departments identify potential risks (financial, operational, compliance, reputational, etc.) that may impact their operations or the university.
- Risk Mitigation: Assisting in developing and implementing strategies to manage or mitigate identified risks.
- Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Support: Advising on the university’s overall risk management framework and how individual departments can align with it.
2. Internal Audits
- Operational Audits: Evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of department operations, processes, and systems to identify areas for improvement.
- Financial Audits: Ensuring financial transactions, records, and processes are accurate, compliant with university policies, and free from fraud or mismanagement.
- Compliance Audits: Reviewing adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and university policies (e.g., Title IX, grant compliance, data protection laws).
- Performance Audits: Assessing whether a department’s programs or projects are meeting their objectives, delivering value, and using resources effectively.
3. External Audits
- Audit Coordination: Serving as the liaison between the university and external audit agencies, such as California State University Chancellor’s Office, California State Auditor, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, and many others. *All notices of outside agency audits, reviews, and investigations received directly by CSUSB personnel are to be immediately referred to the Office of Internal Audit & Advisory Services (IAAS). IAAS serves as an entry point for all external audit agencies. Once a notice is received, IAAS will assess the nature and scope of the audit in consultation with the respective department. Subsequently, IAAS will determine the appropriate level of involvement required for the audit. It is the responsibility of IAAS, or a delegated representative, to act as the liaison for external audit activities at CSUSB. This may include, but is not limited to, coordination and review of management responses, assistance in resolving questions and issues, coordination of interdepartmental meetings; tracking, documenting, and reporting outside audit activities to campus and University management; and follow-up on agreed to corrective actions. Your cooperation is vital to maintaining transparency and efficiency in our response to external audits, reviews, and investigations.
4. Advisory Services
- Process Improvement: Providing recommendations to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and reduce operational bottlenecks or inefficiencies.
- Internal Controls Design and Evaluation: Helping departments strengthen their internal controls to prevent fraud, errors, and operational risks. This includes reviewing procedures, recommending best practices, and suggesting improvements.
- Consulting on New Projects or Initiatives: Advising on the design and implementation of new systems, processes, or projects to ensure they align with the university’s goals, risks, and controls.
- Change Management: Assisting departments in navigating change (e.g., new technologies, organizational changes, regulatory shifts) to ensure smooth transitions and minimize risk.
5. Fraud Prevention and Detection
- Fraud Risk Assessments: Helping departments identify areas vulnerable to fraud and providing guidance on strengthening preventive measures.
- Whistleblower Support: Facilitating anonymous reporting of suspected fraud, waste, or misconduct through a whistleblower system.
- Investigations: Conducting thorough investigations when fraud or misconduct is suspected, providing a fair and objective review of the facts.
6. Governance and Compliance
- Policy and Procedure Review: Assisting in the development or updating of department policies and procedures to ensure compliance with university regulations and external requirements.
- Regulatory Compliance: Offering guidance on staying in compliance with laws and regulations affecting higher education, including federal, state, and local laws.
- Training and Awareness: Providing training sessions or resources to department staff on compliance requirements, fraud prevention, and internal control best practices.
7. Audit Follow-up and Monitoring
- Management Action Plan Follow-up: After audits or assessments, ensuring that agreed-upon corrective actions are implemented and functioning as intended.
- Continuous Monitoring: Offering ongoing monitoring of critical risk areas and key internal controls to ensure they remain effective over time.
8. Strategic Planning Support
- Aligning Department Goals with University Objectives: Assisting departments in aligning their goals and strategies with the university’s broader mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
- Resource Allocation: Advising on the effective use and allocation of resources, ensuring they are utilized efficiently to support departmental and university-wide goals.
9. Benchmarking and Best Practices
- Benchmarking Services: Comparing departmental performance with best practices or similar institutions to identify areas for improvement.
- Advising on Innovations: Suggesting innovative solutions, tools, or technologies that could improve departmental performance or enhance operations.
10. Advising on Grants and External Funding
- Grant Compliance: Providing guidance on managing external funding and ensuring compliance with grant terms, conditions, and reporting requirements.
- Audit Readiness for Grants: Helping departments prepare for external audits of federal, state, or private grants by ensuring all financial records and documentation are in order.