FNUC Officials Urged To Step Down Over Money Issue

FNUC Officials Urged To Step Down Over Money Issue

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 12:27

 

 

An instructor at the First Nations University of Canada is calling on the president and vice-president of the school to step down.

 

Randy Lundy, who heads up the English department at the FNUC, has written an open letter to the school’s board of governors.

 

In the letter, Lundy says he is dismayed to see reports of alleged financial misspending at the institution by top officials.

 

As a result, he says, both president Charles Pratt and vice-president Al Ducharme should step away from their current duties until the matter is resolved.

 

School officials have said Pratt may comment on the matter tomorrow, after holding a meeting with students, staff and faculty.

 

Meanwhile, the chairman of the university’s board of governors says action is being taken to address the rumours of financial mismanagement at the school.

 

Chief Clarence Bellegarde says the board has retained an accounting firm to review all the allegations that have been laid against the school.

 

The FNUC’s former financial officer has filed a lawsuit against the school over his firing.

 

Back in November, Murray Westerlund outlined several concerns he had with the way top brass at the FNUC were utilizing expenses. Soon after that, he was gone.

 

Chief Bellegarde says the board will get to the bottom of what’s going on.

 

“They selected (chartered accountants) Meyers Norris Penny to come and review point by point the allegations, and they’re currently engaged in doing the work now, and we’re awaiting the report, which I’m told should be coming near the end of February,” Bellegarde says.

 

He adds that a report on the school’s governance model is due Feb. 18.