School wants to access a bank account and the bank says not to let them.

[NeedBankAdvice]

What is the name of your state? MA

I was the treasurer at my university and had two separate accounts under my control, one on campus and one off campus. The on-campus account was under school control as well, and the off-campus was a personal account with only my name on the account (I tried to get other officers on it, but they wouldn't.)

Well, my duties are over and now the school wants to look over the account which they've never done before, and the problem is that I don't have receipts for the transactions anymore since 1) my bag containing the register was stolen, and 2) the rest of the receipts were shredded by the bank along with everything else in the checkbook. I wasn't aware the school would do this as they haven't done it before. I went to the bank to get a print out of the statements and the Customer Support agent there told me to check with a lawyer as I had no receipts and several reimbursement checks written to myself and others and the dean of student affairs has a grudge against me and I feel he's just looking for something to use against me at ethics committee. He said he's not sure the school has any legal right to look into the account since it's personal account just under my name. I was wondering if it does have any right to look into it, or if my lack of receipts will be the reason I'm suspended at school...which I'm sure is what he's going for. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[seniorjudge]

The university wants to make sure there has been no embezzlement.

I would think you would want that also.

 

[NeedBankAdvice]

I want that as well but it seems it would be difficult to prove. The bank customer service person and I were discussing it because there are a lot of checks written to me and others as reimbursement for things paid for, and unfortunately I no longer have the receipts for what they covered. He suggested that I look into this as it is well known at school that the reason this is going on is that a particular administrator has a personal grudge against me and is pushing for this. I'm stupid for not keeping better records, and I don't want that to be my undoing. Well, the register and receipts for the first of the two years were in a bag that got stolen in a restaurant when I went outside to take a phone call and my friends left the bag unattended at the table. I know this sounds shady or whatever, but the bank CS suggested I look into this to avoid any problems from not having records (which I admit is mostly my fault, but I hardly think it's worth any discipline--especially considering this isn't standard procedure at the school.)

So, again, does the school have any right to look over the account considering it's a personal checking account, although it was the account associated with the school? I'd be completely open to letting them see it, but I fear that the fact I don't have the receipts will be used to punish me when I did nothing wrong besides bad record keeping.

Thanks.

 

[moburkes]

If the money wasn't yours it shouldnn't have been in a personal checking account to begin with. The whole thing sounds shady to me - shady on YOUR part. None of what you have described makes sense. I can't imagine that every single receipt and what-not was in that bag that just happened to have been stolen. Did you file a police report?

 

[xylene]

Keep in mind:

University policy is not law.

They do not need to 'convict' to anything like a criminal standard for them to kick you out of school.

If I were an administrator at your university you would already be suspended for the bad record keeping that was coincidentally personally enriching. That willful blindness is going to cost you if you keep it up.

You should consult a lawyer - your education and possible criminal prosecution are at stake.