The University of Oregon has begun a search for a new chief auditor.  

The chief auditor heads the Office of Internal Audit, an independent, objective assurance and consulting department designed to add value and improve university operations. It evaluates and identifies opportunities to improve the effectiveness of governance processes, risk management and internal controls.  

The university's previous chief auditor, Leah Ladley, left her position in the fall. Since her departure, the UO has hired an outside firm, Deloitte, with expertise in audit work, including information technology, risk, governance and contract compliance.  

The chief auditor position has been publicly posted, with a closing date of March 31. Opus Partners, a search firm, has been hired to assist with the search.  

The chief auditor directs the university’s independent internal audit program and coordinates a range of audit functions to support the university’s needs, including creating and managing a program to deliver financial, operational, performance and compliance audits as needed. The position reports directly to the Board of Trustees and is managed administratively by the president. 

The Office of Internal Audit prepares an annual assessment of university operations that assists in developing the audit plan for the coming year. This process, known as a risk assessment, identifies issues that could affect the university's ability to meet strategic, operational, financial, compliance or other types of objectives. 

The annual audit plan uses risk-based methodology, which is reviewed and approved by the president and the Executive, Audit and Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees.