Atlanta college getting accounting help amid staff vacancies

Students walk on the Atlanta Metropolitan State College. AJC FILE PHOTO

Students walk on the Atlanta Metropolitan State College. AJC FILE PHOTO

Atlanta Metropolitan State College has been getting assistance in recent months from the University System of Georgia and another college to help manage its financial paperwork, officials told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A report last year by the state's Department of Audits and Accounts found numerous problems, such as the inability to provide financial records for how it collected about $2.7 million from some individuals or businesses, that the college said largely stemmed from staff turnover including a vacancy in its controller position. The AJC first reported on those problems last year.

College officials said they are still dealing with some staffing issues and have been meanwhile getting assistance from the University System and Dalton State College.

“The System office is assisting AMSC with continuing to correct those findings, which includes assistance from Dalton State College. This arrangement is about taking advantage of System resources,” the college said in a statement Wednesday.

Staff from Dalton State College’s financial aid office has been on campus providing support since January and will be there through July, Atlanta Metropolitan College officials said. Staff from Dalton State College accounting will be there through June 2019 providing support to the finance office, Atlanta Metro officials added.

Atlanta Metropolitan State officials said the ongoing work has had no impact on student enrollment or retention.

The college, located south of downtown Atlanta, had an enrollment of about 2,500 students last fall, according to state data.