Release of Information on Audit Angers Officials

State officials investigating allegations of fiscal mismanagement at Cerritos College were angered Tuesday after learning that the college board president released an unauthorized update on the audit.

Headlined “College Officials Feel Vindicated,” a two-page statement distributed to news organizations early Tuesday by board President Bob Verderber said that auditors had completed their work and “found nothing illegal.”

State Auditor Kurt Sjoberg said his office is considering filing a misdemeanor criminal complaint against Verderber because all information regarding the audit was to remain private until a final report was issued, no earlier than October.

“We’re not even done with our work,” Sjoberg said. He refused to confirm any statements in Verderber’s release.

Verderber said he was unaware that information discussed during a conference Friday between auditors and college officials was to remain confidential. He said he wanted to pass on the information because some board members have used allegations from the original audit request in campaign materials for October’s board elections.

The state Legislature ordered the audit this year after Assemblywoman Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) raised various allegations of budgeting problems, conflicts of interest and inaccuracies in reporting student attendance at the Norwalk campus.