Spring Hill College officials say a recently uncovered embezzlement case involving a former employee was an isolated incident and that no other college funds are believed to be at risk.
The Mobile college issued a statement after court records showed that Tracie Lawrence, who previously served as the school’s student accounts director, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with the theft of roughly $186,000 from the college. According to court records, Lawrence electronically transferred the funds from college accounts into her own bank account over a period spanning from January 2010 to June 2014.
Fred Salancy, Spring Hill College’s vice president of advancement, said in a statement that an internal audit of the college’s accounts uncovered the discrepancies, prompting a broader investigation.
“An internal audit of accounts at Spring Hill College recently revealed some discrepancies in our accounts,” Salancy said. “We have determined that the irregularities are isolated and not on-going. It was further determined that current security measures concerning the institution’s funds and accounting are entirely adequate.”
Salancy added that the college’s cooperation with law enforcement helped bring the case to its current resolution, and that insurance provisions in place at the college mean no Spring Hill College funds are ultimately at risk from the theft.
Founded in the 19th century and located in midtown Mobile, Spring Hill College is one of the oldest Catholic colleges in the country and has long played a prominent role in the city’s higher education landscape. News of the embezzlement case drew attention from alumni and current students concerned about the security of the college’s financial systems, prompting administrators to move quickly to reassure the community.
The college’s statement emphasized that the security review conducted in the wake of the case found no evidence of additional vulnerabilities, and that the isolated nature of the scheme meant no structural changes to the college’s accounting practices were deemed necessary beyond continued monitoring.
The guilty plea to wire fraud closed out the criminal side of a case that had raised questions about internal financial oversight at the private college.