DES MOINES – As a result of alleged improprieties regarding deposits of ticket proceeds for the Hawkeye Express and at the request of University of Iowa officials, the Iowa Auditor’s Office conducted a special investigation of certain operations of the University’s Athletic Ticket Office.
Auditor of State Mary Mosiman today released a report on a special investigation of the University of Iowa (University) Athletic Ticket Office (Ticket Office) and the operations of the Hawkeye Express for the period September 1, 2005 through November 30, 2013. The Ticket Office is responsible for the sale of tickets to various athletic events administered by the Athletics Department. In addition, the Ticket Office sells tickets to ride the Hawkeye Express, a train used to transport fans from the Depot (near Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, IA) to Kinnick Stadium on football game days. The special investigation was requested by University officials after an internal audit determined collections for Hawkeye Express tickets had not been deposited for 2 game days in 2011.
Mosiman reported all collections for Hawkeye Express tickets were not deposited for 3 football games in 2011. None of the collections were deposited for the games against Tennessee Tech and Michigan State on September 3, 2011 and November 12, 2011, respectively. In addition, not all collections were deposited for the September 24, 2011 game against the University of Louisiana-Monroe. The estimated undeposited collections for the 3 games total $74,200.00.
Mosiman also reported the collections from the September 11, 2010 game against Iowa State University were deposited with the sales from the Ball State University game on October 14, 2010. Ticket proceeds are to be deposited during the week following the football game.
However, Mosiman reported the ticket proceeds for 31 game days were not deposited within the following week. The number of days between the game day and the date the ticket proceeds were deposited for the 31 game days ranged from 9 days to 157 days.
Mosiman also reported it is not possible to determine if additional collections at the Depot were not deposited because reconciliations were not performed at the Depot prior to the 2012 football season.
The report includes recommendations to strengthen internal controls, including segregating duties for the recording and depositing of ticket sales, performing reconciliations of ticket sales to deposits, and improving cash handling procedures.
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