New Criticisms of UVa Investment Fund

Slush

Slush?

by James A. Bacon

Lawmakers have raised new concerns about a $2.3 billion University of Virginia investment hoard that critics have characterized as a “slush fund.”

The controversial pot of cash was originally labeled as “University Operating Funds.” Then it was marked “Strategic Investment Fund” in a Jan. 31 document — two weeks before the Board of Visitors formally authorized the naming of it as an investment fund, reports the Daily Progress.

“It’s almost like the board is there to rubber-stamp [administrative decisions],” said Sen. William R. DeSteph, R-Virginia Beach.

“In light of this cash reserve, why are we raising student tuition and acting like we’re broke?” asked Sen. J. Chapman Peterson, D-Fairfax City.

The university has designated the fund to recruit new faculty, build new lab space, and provide financial aid to high-achieving students from low-income schools around Virginia in support of its “affordable excellence” program.

The magnitude of the controversy has grown in recent days. DeSteph, Peterson and other legislators also allege that the university gave conflicting reasons for opening up a $300 million line of credit. Summarizes the Daily Progress:

In November, the board gave the administration clearance to take out up to $300 million in operating lines of credit.

According to previous university statements, this cleared the way for the university to transfer $480 million in operating cash to the Strategic Investment Fund — providing it with a boost while keeping UVa’s bond rating strong.

But according to minutes from the November meeting, during which Chief Operating Officer Patrick D. Hogan addressed the board, the purpose of these new lines of credit was to meet different “stress scenarios” facing the university, such as an inability to fund operating expenses or convert assets into cash “without significant losses.”

“The operating lines of credit will be a new source of liquidity and are being considered only as back-up liquidity,” according to a summary of the action item provided to the board in November.

DeSteph said the administration acted inappropriately. It appears administrators told the board — and the public — it would use these lines of credit one way and then decided to use it another way, he said.

“What they told the public was they were going to set up lines of credit and only use them if needed,” DeSteph said. “It looks like they set up the lines of credit and maxed them out.”

The legislators also charged that the Board of Visitors went into closed executive session last month to talk about the fund. “I feel like they’re trying to do as much of their business beyond the public’s eye [as possible],” said Peterson. “A $2 billion cash reserve? How can that not be a public issue?”