Rules changes to limit CCSN expense accounts

Tuesday, June 1, 2004 | 8:13 a.m.

New rules should make sure there are no more big-tippers on the taxpayer's dime -- at least when it comes to Las Vegas-area community college officials.

Community College of Southern Nevada officials have made several changes to prevent any further misuse of host or lobbyist accounts, according to an audit report prepared for a June Board of Regent's meeting.

The changes include placing a limit on meal gratuities, banning the purchase of alcohol and requiring more stringent documentation for all expenditures.

Many of the changes go beyond those requested in a December 2003 audit and chancellor's memorandum, said Patty Charlton, vice president for finance and administration at CCSN.

"We wanted to take (those recommendations) and go a little further to ensure accountability on campus," Charlton said.

The changes were in response to controversial purchases made by former lobbyist and government relations director John Cummings, who regents voted 8-5 to demote from his position after a two-day closed session in November.

During that closed session, regents read an investigative report that revealed Cummings had picked up the tab for more than one extravagant dinner, including paying for dinners with gratuities as high as 30 percent and at least one that included two bottles of champagne at a cost of $200 apiece.

Host accounts at the community college also underwent intense scrutiny by regents in March after an audit showed the college spent $12,600 on lobbying, about $5,000 more than any other institution in the system.

Under the stricter guidelines, which went into effect in December 2003, any host account expenditure must be first approved by a senior administrator, and no one lower than one of the chief campus operators may approve a purchase. Each senior administrator must also have their own purchases approved by a ranking administrator or by the president, Charlton said.

The college currently does not have a lobbyist, but lobbyist expenditures would now have to be approved by the president, Charlton said.

Each expenditure must also be documented in detail with the date, time, place, participants involved and reason for the purchase clearly described, Charlton said.

Officials also limited gratuities on meals to 15 percent, unless the restaurant has a set gratuity. Any purchases of alcohol must be covered by the individual, Charlton said.

"We think (these changes) are going to basically make us very accountable and put the ownership back on the individual as well," Charlton said. "We think that the more steps you have to verify and document the event will make us more accountable" and give us cleaner audits.