State Assembly approves Nevada university system audit

The state Assembly voted unanimously Monday for a major, $90,000 audit of Nevada's university and community college system.

AB148 was sponsored by Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, and 55 other lawmakers -- Democrats and Republicans in both the Assembly and Senate.

The bill calls for an examination of the university system's capital construction projects, athletic programs, personnel, travel and other administration costs, the use of host accounts, investment income and enrollment data.

Also covered are contract and bidding procedures, including contracts for construction, retrofit and repair projects and energy conservation jobs.

Perkins has said lawmakers need better details on how the university system is operating and how it is spending both state and other money it collects each year. Other factors that prompted the audit proposal included allegations of bid-rigging for maintenance work at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The last legislative audit of the University and Community College System of Nevada was in 1996. By the time a new legislative audit is done, the previous audit will be nine years old.

University system officials managed to stop an audit proposal in 2001.