Auditors Find "Material Weakness" in UVa Financial Statements

Written By James Bacon

Editor's note: This is the first in an ongoing series of articles based on material presented to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors -- material that never sees the light of day in standard news sources. We aim to provide a more complete understanding of how the university is governed. Auditors found a "material weakness" in the University of Virginia's Fiscal 2022 financial statements but said they had uncovered no indication of fraudulent or illegal activity."We have resolved any significant difficulties experienced," David Rasnic, head of the Auditor of Public Accounts' higher-ed auditing team, told the Board of Visitors Wednesday.The audit revealed two sources of concern that increased the risk that might give rise to financial misstatements. First, there was no central authority to align the financial reporting of UVa's academic division and its healthcare division. Creating a central authority, said Rasnic, "would be helpful."Another set of issues arose from UVa Health's acquisition last year of Community Health. The purchase of the company with $470 million in assets made necessary a mid-year switch from FASB accounting used by the private sector to GASB accounting used by government agencies.The issues resulted in a "delay" in the completion of the audit -- not something that financial markets want to see in a university with a AAA bond rating.The Board reaction to the findings was muted."While this is not a happy thing, it's a prophylactic thing," said Victoria Harker, a Northern Virginia business executive and former UVa board member who was in attendance.Fixing material weaknesses in the financial statements would reduce the risk of incurring material misstatements, which could hurt the university's credibility in the financial marketplace. UVa is one of only three public universities in the country with a AAA bond rating.With the acquisition of a large private enterprise, said a business school professor, "we're moving into new territory now. You don't know what you don't know until you get into it." The learning experience will serve UVa well in the event of other acquisitions, she said.The Board went into executive session to discuss "the performance of specific administrative personnel" related to the audit. No action was announced.

James Bacon

After a 25-year career in Virginia journalism, James A. Bacon founded Bacon’s Rebellion in 2002 a blog with the goal of “Reinventing Virginia for the 21st Century.” Its focus is on building more prosperous, livable and sustainable communities. In recent years he has concentrated more on the spread of “woke” ideology in K-12 schools, the criminal justice system, higher education, and medicine.

In 2021, he co-founded The Jefferson Council to preserve free speech, intellectual diversity, and the Jeffersonian legacy at his alma mater the University of Virginia. He previously served as the organization’s executive director, now serving as congributing editor.

Aside from blogging, Bacon writes books. His first was Boomergeddon: How Runaway Deficits Will Bankrupt the Country and Ruin Retirement for Aging Baby Boomers — And What You Can Do About It, followed by Maverick Miner: How E. Morgan Massey Became a Coal Industry Legend and a work of science fiction, Dust Mites: the Siege of Airlock Three.

A Virginian through-and-through, Bacon lives in Richmond with his wife Laura.

https://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/
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