Louisiana Voice

There are a couple of items on tomorrow’s (Thursday, April 24) meeting of the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System that have some observers scratching their heads.

One of those was a mysterious audit and the other appears to be an attempt to a heretofore civil mater, libel and defamation, into a criminal matter and which edges dangerously close to an affront to the First Amendment.

The board is the governing board for nine colleges and universities that do not have their own specific governing boards. LSU and Southern are the two exceptions that have their own governing boards.

One of the agenda items is Item F. 1, which says in its executive summary:

Attached is a list of internal and external reports completed by various auditors since the February Board meeting. The internal audit reports are prepared based on an independent review of university departments and functions. The internal audits are designed to ascertain compliance with established policies and procedures, to evaluate operational efficiencies of business and management practices, and to determine adequacy of internal controls. The internal audits are conducted to provide management with recommendations and comments designed to improve the operations of university departments and functions. External audits are conducted in accordance with laws, regulations, or contracts. Also included are internal audits that are currently in progress and a Follow-up Time Table to ensure recommendations made in prior reports are implemented.

 This is a report only and no action by the Board is necessary.

Under that item is a list of a number of apparently routine audits for Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and the University of New Orleans.

Among the six items under Southeastern Louisiana University was Item 6 on page 19: “Follow-Up of MILESTONE, INC. Fraud Investigation.”

No one on the Hammond campus seems to know much of anything about Milestone, Inc. A search of corporate filings on the Secretary of State’s web page found dozens of Milestone companies. The one that seemed most obvious however, The Milestone Corporation was listed in the Whitney Bank Building in New Orleans but it was also listed as “inactive,” first organized in February 1974 and having filed its last report in January 1975.

Not only is Milestone unknown, but more than a few Southeastern employees have a vested interest in knowing what kind of fraud is being investigated – especially an investigation of a fraud on which “no action by the Board is necessary.”

The second item, if were a federal offense and applied retroactively, might have landed candidate Donald Trump behind bars during his debate with Nancy Pelosi – and on numerous occasions since.

This little agenda item, if approved, would require anyone testifying during any meeting of the Board of Supervisors to sign an AFFIDAVIT affirming that they are speaking under oath and that they would be subject to penalties for perjury “or other applicable legal consequences in the event of an intentional false statement that is material to the matter or issue before the Board.”

“Individuals who knowingly provide materially false testimony may be subject to legal and administrative consequences, including but not limited to referral to law enforcement or other appropriate oversight authorities,” it goes on to say.

But wait. As something of an afterthought, it says, “Exceptions to this policy may only be granted by the Board Chair or System President, and must be documented in writing and retained as part of the official record of the proceeding.”

So, if you’re scheduled to testify before the board and you intend to or if you know for certain that you are going to tell the board a whopper, you must first get permission in writing.

Then it’s okay.

Funny thing, witnesses who testify before legislative committees do so with the understanding that they are testifying under oath. Yet, I’ve seen witnesses sit there stone-faced and lie through their teeth and nother is ever done.

Does the Board of Supervisors for University of Louisiana System think their title carries more weight than a do-nothing legislative committee?