RESTITUTION TO STUDENTS

In January 2013, approximately one year after an employee reported illegal student fee practices, the Office of Internal Audit of the Louisiana State University System released an audit report confirming that the LSU School of Art engaged in unauthorized student fee collection and misuse of student funds from 2009 to 2012.

The President of the University said, “Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the draft of the Internal Audit on the administration of course fees at the School of Art…Management [a]grees.” He set a March 31 completion date to correct the administrative personnel issues and financial control procedures underlying the misdeeds.

In February, the College of Art + Design announced it would refund unauthorized fees to students and alumni harmed. However, no unit of the University indicated any intention to restitute misappropriated funds.

In April 2013, BUREAU of CHANGE acquired surplus projectors, scanners and light boxes from the state of Louisiana. As a gesture of care and restitution, we awarded them to LSU students and alumni at the premiere where we released the public record, *EDUCATION NOT GUARANTEED, in Baton Rouge, LA.

The initiators of BUREAU of CHANGE explain, “The University has not admitted to its students the extent of their loss. While the BUREAU’s operating budget is less than 0.01% of that of LSU, we felt it was important to provide some small relief to students.”