I am joined once again by AMI Managing Director Stern. In this episode, we look at a third-party independent in non-profit setting and how it could help universities survive Varsity Blues. Many people might not consider the need for a third-party independent in the non-profit setting. However, in light of the Varsity Blues scandal and the negative publicity around it, there is renewed interest in this approach in an area where it has not previously seen a lot of traction. Most interestingly, Stern believes this will be the “next frontier” for federal, state and local prosecutors. He believes there is a “landscape for potential abuse out there” and that Varsity Blues may only be the starting point.
It really starts from the position that most non-profits have less money than for-profit businesses so their compliance programs are typically not as well invested in. Moreover, most non-profits tend to see themselves, because they typically do not have a profit motive, as not open to waste, fraud and abuse. As Stern said, “they see themselves as wearing white hats and they do not see the need for compliance programs.” Finally, they tend to be very siloed. All these factors make the need for robust compliance even more important.
The bottom line is that after the NCAA basketball corruption scandal, the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and others, non-profits will be investigated more thoroughly by federal, state and local regulators. Hiring a third-party independent, such as Stern, on a proactive basis can help any entity.
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