Message from the President
October 5, 2007
TO: Faculty and Staff
FR: Ruben Armiñana, President
RE: California Institute on Human Services (CIHS)
In the next few days there will possibly be media reports regarding the leadership of our California Institute on Human Services. I want to provide you with the same public document that the media has access to in regard to the actions and activities of CIHS managers. Please be clear that these issues are only in regard to the top leadership of the CIHS.
In December 2006, SSU’s Division of Administration and Finance noticed what appeared to be fiscal irregularities within the administering of some (not all) grants under CIHS. The Executive Director Tony Apolloni and Senior Director George Triest were placed on administrative leave on February 12, 2007 while a CSU Board of Trustees special investigation took place. The CSU team worked with an external firm, KPMG, that supplied expert opinion on federal regulations regarding the administration of grants. The special investigation confirmed fiscal/costing irregularities. The culminating investigative report included several recommendations to Sonoma State University, which we accepted.
Delegation of authority was given to the leadership of CIHS nearly 20 years ago. We asked for and were given regular reports and updates on the operation of the California Institute. There were no indications of problems in those reports. The special investigation by the CSU auditor has shown otherwise.
Below is a link to the special investigation report.
Both Apolloni and Triest were non-retained in June 2007 due to a lack of confidence in their ability to appropriately fulfill the duties of their positions. Apolloni made the decision to exercise his right to retreat to a faculty teaching position (Political Science) which he expects to do in Spring 2008. He has entered the Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP) as well.
- KPMG Costing Compliance Review (May 2007)
- Health and Human Services, Fiscal Integrity Unit Site Visit Report (May 15, 2007)
- Chief Financial Officer's Statement to Academic Senate (November 29, 2007)
- Grants and Contracts Audit (CSU Office of the Auditor, November 16, 2007)
