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JAMIE THOMPSONAuditors question more than $31,000 spent by USF professor Joseph Moxley. He says the money was a gift, not a grant.
TAMPA - An English professor at the University of South Florida has been accused of misspending as much as $31,040 on expenses such as meals, televisions and travel, including a trip to a remote French village to "write without distraction."
An internal investigation released Thursday said Joseph M. Moxley misspent funds in the past five years on trips to London and New York. It also said he submitted expense reports for reimbursement twice and ran up $1,413 in cell phone bills that included many personal calls.
Moxley, on staff since 1984, disputes almost all of the findings. He said he received $55,000 in cash from Microsoft Corp. in 1999 to support his "research, writing and computer-related activities." He also received $50,000 in software and other support, auditors said.
Moxley said the money was a gift, not a grant, and that he sought approval from the highest levels of the university's development office before spending any of it. Other than some unintentional bookkeeping errors, Moxley said, he did nothing wrong.
"I have been cranking out work," he said.
The report was the fourth time in three months a USF English professor has been cited for financial irregularities, and the latest in a series of problems in the English department. Earlier this week, USF released another report saying Moxley improperly used university equipment for an outside project.
USF spokeswoman Michelle Carlyon said administrators are troubled by the latest findings and are discussing discipline and policy changes.
"We are continuing to examine other issues within the department," she said.
The report focused on the $105,000 Moxley received in 1999 from Microsoft.
"They said, "Be creative, be productive, have an impact,"' Moxley said. "It was an honor."
He signed over a check for $55,000 to the university's fundraising arm, the USF Foundation. He said administrators told him he could spend the money on travel, meals, salary, equipment, software and other items.
But auditors who reviewed his expense reports said he violated policy.
The investigation includes trips he took between 1999 to 2003 at a cost of $9,676. In some cases, Moxley attended conferences, met with other scholars and taught courses. Other times, he went to clear his head.
"I was in a remote French village, writing my heart out,' he said.
Investigators said travel must be related to official business.
Additionally, the audit focused on a deal Moxley made in 2000 to have a fiction book published. The contract required him to buy 150 copies of the book. He submitted $1,200 he paid for the books as a printing cost.
Not allowed, auditors said.
It was unclear why the university reimbursed expenses that were later deemed invalid.
Moxley also asked reimbursement for $845 he spent on videos, music, cable television and books. He told investigators the music was used at a reception for graduate students, and then kept for his personal use.
In explaining the situation, Moxley told investigators he had submitted receipts to a staff member, and thought the items would be excluded if not valid.
Moxley said he has apologized for the bookkeeping errors and offered to write the university a check, which he said investigators declined. Another $650 in expenses was submitted twice, for which Moxley also apologized.
Moxley bought a cell phone and submitted 23 cell phone bills totaling $1,413 for reimbursement. Investigators said a significant number of calls were personal - not allowed under university rules.
"I wanted to make myself available to my students, and it was approved," he said.
The investigation says Moxley asked for $185 in reimbursement for airfare already paid by another organization. He also submitted as expenses meals with his wife, saying he wanted to compensate her for marketing expertise she offered to USF. Compensating a spouse, in any form, is inappropriate, auditors said.
Auditors questioned three TVs worth $1,202 that were found in Moxley's homes. Moxley said he used the TVs to edit more than 70 videos about writing and composition. The auditors said their purpose could not be substantiated.
On Thursday, Moxley provided a copy of a letter sent to USF by a Microsoft employee, Roberto Bamberger, saying the company was pleased with his work.
"The quality and quantity of Dr. Moxley's work has far exceeded our expectations as evidenced by volume of publications," the letter says.
Since receiving the money, Moxley said he has published four books, three chapters in books and eight scholarly articles.
Moxley said he looks forward to telling his side to administrators.
"I expect to have this matter determined through the university's procedures," he said, "rather than in the press."