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GREENSBORO — In the face of new audit disclosures, an N.C. A&T spokesman said Sunday the university wants to get on with its business rather than point fingers.

"The audit kind of speaks for itself," said Mark Kiel, vice chancellor for development and university relations. "The university position is that we are just trying to move forward. .... We are not interested in trying to assign blame."

The audit, released last week, said the university had inappropriately transferred $380,000 from a campus vending contract to former Chancellor James Renick's discretionary fund maintained by the N.C. A&T Foundation.

Efforts to reach Renick at his home in Washington on Sunday were unsuccessful.

He left the university last year to take a position with the American Council on Education there.

"In 2005," the audit says, "the former chancellor signed a gift document indicating that the funds were solicited from the vendor for the foundation; however, there is no mention of the foundation in the vending contract.

"Internal auditors and a team of consultants hired by the university both concluded that the moneys should not have been transferred to the foundation account."

The audit says the money was used for such "unallowable items" as commission for art work, travel for Renick's wife to accompany him on university-related business and payments for foundation/alumni events.

The audit provided no details about the art, travel or events in question. It also said $150,000 of the money was given to an unidentified faculty member to buy an annuity.

The vending contract money should have been used for scholarships, student aid, debt payment and student activities, the audit said.

In recent months, several employees have been fired and charged with criminal offenses because of financial irregularities. More charges could be forthcoming.

"Whatever legal process that takes place is beyond our responsibility," Kiel said.

The audit has been forwarded to federal prosecutors, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Guilford County District Attorney, according to The Associated Press.

Guilford District Attorney Doug Henderson said Sunday he had not received a copy of the audit.

Asked whether Renick might be in legal trouble, Henderson said: "I can't tell you if he is or if he is not …. Once we get it we will look at it and see what is appropriate, if anything. As of yet, we have nothing."

In its response to the audit, A&T said it annually communicates to the campus community that university funds should not be transferred to nonuniversity accounts.

The A&T foundation is a nonprofit group involved mainly in fundraising.

On and around the university campus, Renick has plenty of defenders.

"Renick wanted to do things right," said D. Hayes Clement, a member of the university board of trustees. "I don't think he would have done anything knowingly that he thought was illegal."

Said Pamela L. Johnson, head of A&T's alumni association: "Chancellor Renick was not a bad chancellor. He was very effective. He brought a lot of attention to the university on all levels."

Contact Donald W. Patterson at 373-7027 or donpatterson@news-record.com