State report shows inconsistencies in wilderness program

The State of Oregon has asked MHCC to dig further into possible misconduct in its Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education (WLEE) program after state investigators found thousands of dollars of college funds had been misappropriated. That includes $13,000 in missing inventory initially unaccounted for.

MHCC, in tandem with the Audit Division of the Secretary of State’s office, filed a summary report on Monday.

Results of an initial investigation led by Secretary of State Kate Brown was outlined and the report, in the form of a letter to MHCC President Michael Hay, was published on the college website.

WLEE instructors Bryan and Kim Anaclerio and part-time WLEE instructor Lindsay Montgomery were placed on administrative leave April 16. They have not been allowed back on campus to teach since.

“Anything going on with the faculty, I really can’t address, for a variety of reasons, because nothing is resolved,” said Hay in an interview with The Advocate on Tuesday.

“Contractual language says while we have ongoing investigations, we don’t discuss it. It’s an agreed-upon perspective from both of us,” said Hay.

MHCC Director of Communications Maggie Huffman asked about the status of the Anaclerios and Montgomery, said, “That’s actually typical at every company or organization that you go to: Personnel issues aren’t discussed in a public forum.”

Hay said second-year students in the WLEE program will be allowed to complete the program this year but no new students may enter the program this year. According to Hay, the program is suspended, but the college plans on bringing it back next year.

“Enrollments are good in it, it’s very Northwest-y, it’s very endemic to our area. It’s a good program,” said Hay.

According to Hay’s written response to the state, the investigation showed problems with inventory, travel policies and Perkins Grant reimbursement in regards to WLEE, plus a complaint about the college’s internal investigation process.

“The genesis for the investigation was not the tip-off (from the formal Oregon state government waste hotline),” Hay told The Advocate.

“Literally a year ago, in June-July of 2011, we were concerned about some of the things going on down there (WLEE), so we started investigating,” Hay said.

“It took a while to bring quite a bit of that to light, as we were progressing with it, then the secretary of state was notified by (its) government waste hotline that something was going on down there, which brought them into the picture, so they came in and began investigating almost 11 months later,” he said.

“Once (state auditors) did their initial looks, we agreed to partner with them and research it further,” Hay said. The investigators were on campus from June through the middle of September, he said.

In his resignation letter in June, former board member Ralph Yates expressed his concern over possible misconduct by members of the college after speaking with several “whistleblowers.” After Yates received information of possible misconduct, he contacted the Secretary of State’s office, which launched an investigation.

The letter posted Monday said the auditors checked three different locations on the Gresham Campus for $25,500 worth of recorded inventory and found that $13,000 worth of equipment was missing. After scouring program emails, $1,500 of the missing equipment was determined to be purchased as personal equipment for WLEE students. The MHCC business office found there were no deposits from the students to pay for the equipment.

The travel policies portion showed that there were no documented policies or procedures in place for food or supply purchase reimbursement. The report found $8,500 in food expenses were charged for reimbursement. Included were restaurant receipts between $92 and $141, including a $121 meal receipt from a Gresham restaurant. Two reimbursement requests totaled $177 for non-overnight travel. MHCC guidelines on overnight travel spending allow a maximum $25 per day for instructors. The report showed that on two occasions, that per diem was exceeded by $83.

The WLEE instructors also had access to school “purchase cards,” normally for authorized MHCC personnel to buy inexpensive goods or necessary services for prescribed needs. Purchases on the WLEE cards showed clothing — such as balaclavas, pants, jackets and sunglasses — greeting cards, candy, games and toiletries. The records also showed that some WLEE purchases were used in tandem with the instructors’ REI rewards program (which grants a 10 percent member cash or merchandise refund), resulting in refunds totaling $182 during the period under investigation.

In addition to purchase card issues, two receipts from sporting goods stores showed seven items exceeding $225 each that were filed under “climbing” and five items that ranged from $85 to $140, each filed under “shoes.”

The letter also cites complaints against MHCC about the internal investigation launched in 2011, as well as complaints that the college lacks a comprehensive list of complaints made and actions taken. It states that the investigation was delayed due to several changes in the administration. It said that in September, MHCC implemented a new protocol for the Human Resources Department and Affirmative Action Officer to triage, monitor and coordinate all such complaints and concerns received.

The state letter lists recommendations for each area to address the oversight issues.

Those steps are “reasonable suggestions,” Hay said. “We’re appreciative of that input and are trying to incorporate (them) into our processes and policies, not only for WLEE but across the board, to ensure better stewardship of the money,” Hay said.

Hay’s Monday letter to the state outlined changes being made in the college administration. The changes follow the guidelines in the letter from the Secretary of State’s Office.