Massachusetts Bay Community College failed to properly track its inventory and neglected to report the loss of equipment to the state as required, according to an audit released Monday by State Auditor Suzanne Bump’s office.
The audit, which examined the college’s internal recordkeeping from July 2009 through June 2015, found the school’s high staff turnover led to sloppy accounting of objects including computers, furniture, and office equipment.
The college did not properly maintain inventory, including purchase date and cost, of approximately 12,000 items, the audit found. It also found that MassBay did not immediately report four out of six unaccounted-for losses of equipment totalling $8,500 that occurred during the period of the audit and failed to report another six losses, totaling $4,000, that happened before the audit’s period.
The college attributed the problems in part to significant changes in management staff lately. In addition, a policy about taking inventory was created but not implemented, the audit found.
The audit recommended the college implement better internal controls.
The audit also found that the college effectively oversees administrative expenditures and is now compliant with federal sexual harassment laws.
MassBay was deemed out of compliance in 2014 because it did not publish annual security reports about crimes and emergencies that occurred on campus, according to the audit.
Although federal investigators have now deemed the school compliant, the matter was referred to a special governmental appeals group because that violation was serious, the audit said.
That group, which is considering penalties, has not notified the school of its determination, the audit said.
MassBay, with an enrollment of 5,369, has a main campus in Wellesley Hills and satellite campuses in Ashland and Framingham.
In January, the state inspector general issued a separate report with the results of an investigation about allegations of misconduct by maintenance employees at MassBay.
Laura Krantz can be reached at laura.krantz@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurakrantz.
