The Internal Audit Office (IAO) works with departments across campus to improve university operations.
The mission of the Internal Audit Office (IAO) is to support the university in the successful achievement of its strategic goals. This is accomplished by serving as an independent partner to university leadership, faculty and staff in the identification and balancing of their units’ risks through objective, flexible and proactive audit and consultation services.
NCCU is required by North Carolina General Statute (NCGS) §143-746 to maintain an internal audit function. The Internal Audit Office reports functionally to the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees and administratively to the Chancellor's Office.
The purpose of the IAO is to provide independent, objective assurance and consulting services designed to add value and improve the university’s operations. The IAO assists the university in accomplishing its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. Guided by a value-driven philosophy of partnering with other departmental units, the IAO assists in continuously improving the operations of the university.
The scope of work of the IAO is to determine whether the university’s network of risk management, control and governance processes, as designed and represented by management, is adequate and functioning in a manner to ensure:
Opportunities for improving management control, the university’s image, and overall effectiveness and efficiency may be identified during audits. These and any other relevant matters may be communicated to the appropriate level of management.
The IAO will meet or exceed the Institute of Internal Auditors’ mandatory guidance, including the Definition of Internal Auditing, the Code of Ethics, and the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Standards). This mandatory guidance constitutes principles of the fundamental requirements for the professional practice of internal auditing and for evaluating the effectiveness of the IAO’s performance.
The Institute of Internal Auditors’ Practice Advisories, Practice Guides and Position Papers will also be adhered to, as applicable, to guide operations In addition, the IAO will adhere to the University’s relevant policies and procedures, to the State of North Carolina’s relevant regulations and to the IAO’s standard operating procedure manual.
The internal audit activity should be free from interference in determining the scope of internal auditing, performing work and communicating results. To provide for the independence of the IAO, its personnel report to the chief audit officer. The chief audit officer reports administratively to the Chancellor of North Carolina Central University and functionally to the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees.
Internal auditors will have no direct operational responsibility or authority over any of the activities audited. Accordingly, they will not implement internal controls, develop procedures, install systems, prepare records or engage in any other activity that may impair the internal auditor’s judgment.
Internal auditors must exhibit the highest level of professional objectivity in gathering, evaluating and communicating information about the activity or process being examined. Internal auditors must make a balanced evaluation of all the relevant circumstances and not be unduly influenced by their own interests or by others in forming judgments.
The chief audit officer will confirm to the audit committee, at least annually, the organizational independence of the IAO.