Howard Employees Fired For Theft; HU President Kept Quiet

[Aggie One]

6 Howard University Employees Fired for Misappropriating Financial Aid
Frederick said the grants came from the university and were not federal or donor funds

By Meagan Fitzgerald, Erica Jones and Andrea Swalec
Published at 11:23 AM EDT on Mar 28, 2018 | Updated 3 minutes ago

Six Howard University employees were fired last year after an internal investigation found the financial aid office had misappropriated university-based grants to some university employees, the school's president said Wednesday.

According to a statement from Wayne Frederick, Howard University president, an outside auditor found that several university employees received grants in addition to discounts on tuition that exceeded the total cost of tuition and kept the difference.

Some students said they felt betrayed. Employees took financial aid funds as students prepare to spend years paying off their loans.

"I'm actually on the verge of transferring schools because I can't afford to stay here because a grant was taken away from me," one student said.

"It's disappointing to actually come to terms with the reality of what's going on," senior Quencey Hickerson said.

Parent Cecily Johnson said she was disgusted.

"Someone could totally change their trajectory if they can't pay tuition," she said.

Armed Security Officers Are on the Rise in US Schools: Study
Frederick said he was told in December 2016 that there may have been "some misappropriation of university-provided financial aid funds," and launched an internal investigation.

The auditor found that between 2007 and 2016, university grants were awarded to some university employees who also were receiving tuition remission. The grants and tuition remission equaled more than the total cost of attendance, which allowed the employees to receive "inappropriate refunds."

For video and the rest of the story:
www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/howard-university-employees-fired-after-investigation-into-misappropriated-funding/2018/03/28/d776480a-32ed-11e8-b6bd-0084a1666987_video.html?utm_term=.849112da7066

www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/6-Howard-University-Employees-Fired-for-Misappropriating-Financial-Aid-478181843.html

[durhamgsoaggie]

[Aggie One]

6 Howard University employees fired after funds misused in financial aid office
by Anna-Lysa Gayle and Sam Ford, WJLAWednesday, March 28th 2018

WASHINGTON (WJLA) — In response to a whistleblower’s anonymous article that trended online, Howard University responded on Wednesday to claims that hundreds of thousands of dollars were misappropriated in the university’s financial aid office.

“The investigation found that from 2007 to 2016, University grants were given to some University employees who also received tuition remission.” More:

School president Wayne Frederick admits that an internal investigation found that university grants were given to some university employees on top of their tuition remission or reductions, from 2007-16.

For the rest of the story:
wjla.com/news/local/howard-u-president-responds-to-allegations-school-funds-were-misappropriated-to-employees

[Aggie One]

Howard University students demand answers in financial aid scandal

By Liv Kiely and Marilia Brocchetto, CNN
23 mins ago

Howard University students protested on Thursday following news that six university employees were fired for "double-dipping" financial aid.

An outside auditor found last year that university employees misappropriated financial aid funding over the course of nine years. Some university employees were receiving grants from the school to attend classes, while also receiving tuition remission, the investigation found, earning more money than their education cost and pocketing the difference. The university did not disclose the specific amount of money that might have been misappropriated.

The public did not find out about the allegations of financial misconduct until Tuesday, after blogging platform Medium posted an expose which has since been deleted.

Students at the historically black university in Washington, DC are demanding answers, and some have called for University President Wayne A.I. Frederick to resign. Jessica Brown, a Howard alumna, spoke to CNN affiliate WJLA saying that she is heartbroken. "You have students who dream about going to Howard, whose families risk everything."

For the rest of the story:
www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/howard-university-students-demand-answers-in-financial-aid-scandal/ar-AAvgv7i?li=BBnbfcL

Video:
www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/03/30/howard-university-financial-aid.hln

[Bornthrilla]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Howard employee if ultimately found innocent.

I remember A&T charged an IT director for embezzlement a couple of years ago, led him out in handcuffs and he later beat all the charges. I think he successfully sued the university for wrongful termination too.

[Bornthrilla]

Here's another one, but I am not sure how this eventually played out:

NC A&T foundation employee charged with embezzling $400K
BY WEB STAFF, UPDATED AT 02:38PM, MAY 29, 2014


GREENSBORO, N.C. — An employee of the N.C. A&T University Foundation has been charged with embezzling $400,000 from the organization over three years.

The foundation confirmed Shirlye Cornelia Grandy, 50, its former director of accounting, was charged Thursday with embezzlement, obtaining property by false pretenses, corporate malfeasance and computer fraud.

The instances appear isolated only to Grandy, according to the foundation’s interim director Shirley Frye.

“The Foundation is an independent entity that supports N.C. A&T University in a variety of ways, and this crime will in no way compromise any of the Foundation’s financial commitments to students, faculty and programs we support at the university,” Frye said in a statement.

Grandy was released on a written promise to appear in court, Greensboro Police told the News & Record.

The university issued a statement on Thursday in response to the criminal investigation:

“News of the recent arrest and criminal investigation of a N.C. A&T Foundation employee has left the university community stunned.

I am deeply disturbed about the facts surrounding the criminal investigation,” said Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. “We are invested in the success of the university’s associated entities and ensuring that this never happens again. Moving forward, our commitment to restoring trust within the university community—and among supporters, constituents and the public—is a priority.

In December 2013, Foundation staff alerted the university of accounting discrepancies and a subsequent investigation was launched. The Foundation operates as an independent 501(c) (3) associated entity of the university established to foster and promote the growth, progress and general welfare of the university.”\

Read more:

myfox8.com/2014/05/29/nc-at-foundation-employee-charged-with-embezzlement-according-to-report/

[oldschool]

Grandy was found guilty and sentenced to prison .

[Aggie One]

Man Thrilla, not a good example to draw from! Grandy lost her 4-day trial back in July of 2016. She got 70-90 months in Women's Prison ACTIVE and ordered to pay restitution.

[Bornthrilla]

Yeah, I was originally talking about the other guy from the IT department. Forget his name, but I believe he beat the case.