Letter From The Editor
June 4, 2018
Hello readers! I am pleased to introduce myself to you as the editor of College and University Auditor. I currently work at the Office of Internal Audit and Consulting Services for the University of Missouri System after spending the majority of my auditing career in state and local government. I enjoyed the transition to auditing in higher education, and have found College and University Auditor to be an important resource. I look forward to learning with you through the excellent content in this and future issues!
As internal auditors, we evaluate a wide range of programs and processes, each of which requires learning new subject matter, meeting new people, and puzzling out how things work and how they can improve. Every engagement is different and challenging in its own way. This variety is what I love about my work and I suspect many of you do as well.
The articles in this issue of College and University Auditor reflect this variety and speak to the diverse knowledge and skills required for internal auditing. Our contributing authors offer great ideas for how to do our jobs, and serve our institutions, better. Dr. Christopher Neck explores the importance of positive self-talk in “The Auditor’s Mindset: Self-Talk and Auditing Performance,” and offers suggestions for how to improve our performance as auditors. In “Getting the Real Message,” Joe Koenig provides tips for asking the right questions and discerning truth from lies when conducting interviews and investigations. Both articles offer useful techniques to add to your auditing skill set.
To better understand the complex regulatory environment in higher education, Marion Candrea and Erin Egan provide a summary of key resources in their article “How to Stay Ahead in an Ever-Changing Regulatory Environment.” Offering this type of expertise can help your internal audit function remain current and relevant. In his article “GDPR: An Opportunity for Internal Auditors to Lead the Focus on Data Protection,” Mark Bednarz argues that the European Union’s recently implemented General Data Protection Regulation serves as a reminder that universities have a responsibility to secure and control the use of personal data. Internal audit can add value by engaging and encouraging university leadership to move past a focus on cybersecurity and toward an understanding of data security. Both articles offer practical and strategic advice for making internal audit a key resource for your college or university.
Finally, in “Seven Secrets to Success with Students,” Toni Stephens offers insightful guidance for building an effective student internship program. She observes that internship programs benefit the internal audit function, offer unique opportunities for students, and can help feed the professional “pipeline.” Equally important, an internship program can help align internal audit with the mission of higher education by promoting learning and student success.
Our goal for College and University Auditor is to provide you with articles that inform and inspire you in your daily work. To do this, though, we need your help! Please consider sharing your ideas, tips, knowledge and wisdom related to auditing in higher education by submitting an article. Our Deputy Editor, Marilyn Carnevale, our experienced team of copy editors, and I will help you through this process (do not worry – it is easy). If there is a particular topic you would like to see in a future issue, please let me know. You can send your questions, suggestions, or article submissions to me at editor@ACUA.org, or reach me by phone at (573) 882-7557. I look forward to hearing from you.
Until then, happy reading and enjoy your summer!
About the Author
Sonja Erickson
Sonja Erickson, CIA, CGAP, is a Lead Auditor with the Office of Internal Audit and Consulting Services for the University of Missouri System. In addition to her work with ACUA, Sonja volunteers as the Vice President for Membership for the...
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