Section 1: Internal Control

PURPOSE/SCOPE

To provide an overview of the Control Activities element of internal control.

AUTHORITY

UT System policy UTS142.1 assigns direct responsibility to the Institutional Financial Reporting Officer to establish internal controls over the preparation of the Annual Financial Report (AFR). Control activities are essential to effective internal control.

UNIVERSITY GUIDELINES

An effective internal control system must include control activities at every level and in all activities of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). These activities may include, but are not limited to:

1. Segregation of duties: See UTSA Financial Management Operational Guideline (FMOG)
   Monitoring Plan for Segregation of Duties and Reconciliation of Accounts.
2. Integrity and confidentiality of information: Access to financial information systems is restricted to protect against unauthorized access, disclosure, modification or destruction, as well as to assure the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of information. For more information, see the UTSA Information Resources Acceptable Use Policy; UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) 8.12 - Information Resources Use and Security Policy; FMOGs - Security Access Management and Control: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts - Fiscal Management System and Red Flag Rules; and the Office of Research Integrity website.
3. Policies and procedures: The UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures and Financial Management Operational Guidelines are examples of UTSA policies and procedures. Other examples of UTSA and UT System policies are available at the UTSA Policies and Required Links website.
4. Reconciliations: Comparing information from separate accounts or sources (such as the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers) to determine whether the information is consistent, analyzing any differences, and correcting the account(s) so that the information in both accounts is accurate. For more information and examples of reconciliation see FMOGs Statement of Accounts (SOA) Reconciliation Process and Reconciliation of Student Financial Data.
5. Certifications and sub-certifications: See FMOGs Fiscal Management Sub-Certification Work Plan and Fiscal Accountability and Stewardship of University Resources.

For an overview of internal control see FMOG Internal Control Overview.

DEFINITIONS

REFERENCES/LINKS

• UTSA Audit, Compliance and Risk Services website
  (http://www.utsa.edu/acrs/)

• UT System policy UTS142.1 - Policy on the Annual Financial Report (http://www.utsystem.edu/policy/policies/uts142_1.html)

RELATED FORMS/WORKSHEETS

None at this time.

REVISION HISTORY