If the allegations are true, that’s an awful lot of taxpayer cash.

Alison Burdo reports for the Philadelphia Business Journal:

West Chester University hid millions, hoodwinked state for $146 million: Lawsuit

West Chester University’s former chief budgeting officer is claiming the suburban Philadelphia school lied about its budget for three years so it could receive more than $146 million in state funding in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday.

Colleen Bradley, who began work as the director of budget and financial planning and chief budgeting officer in November 2011, alleges she was wrongfully terminated by the university after speaking out about the misuse of funds, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Her 62-page complaint contends the university violated Pennsylvania’s whistle-blower law and seeks damages.

Though the university claimed break-even or deficit budgets, it actually increased its assets by $56.6 million over three years, the lawsuit alleges. Concealing the surpluses allegedly allowed the university to reap more than $146 million in state funding. The university hid the funds in an account for facility maintenance, the lawsuit said.

In a statement, West Chester officials disputed the allegations.

“The university . . . vigorously denies Ms. Bradley’s allegations and believes her legal claims to be without merit,” said Pamela Sheridan, spokeswoman for West Chester, the largest university of 14 in the state system, which is also named as a defendant.