Few things excite Kwabena Boakye more than watching Chelsea of England triumph in a good soccer match or spending quality time with his wife Grace and reading a good book to one of his three young children.

The Ghanaian native also is pretty passionate about serving as Georgia Perimeter College’s chief internal auditor, a position he has held for the past four years.

“I’m very, very, very inquisitive—so auditing comes natural to me,” the accountant says.

Boakye uses phrases like “broad based” to explain the Office of Internal Audit’s role which, according to its webpage, is to assist GPC’s management team with governance, risk management, compliance and internal control responsibilities, while helping to improve organizational and operational effectiveness and efficiency.

More specifically, educating faculty, staff and students about ethics and workplace fraud is a big focus for Boakye and his team consisting of an information technology and internal auditor.  Accordingly, this month GPC is joining the University System of Georgia in recognizing International Fraud Awareness Week Nov. 16-22 with a series of seminars open to staff, students and the public.

“The intention is to host activities to bring awareness and to promote an ethical culture on our campuses,” Boakye stresses.

The sessions, with titles such as “Four Myths about Fraud in the Workplace,” will serve to educate employees and students about issues such as the proper use of GPC-issued laptops and tablets, Boakye says. He also points to the recent smoking ban and the compliance ethics surrounding it.

The USG has created a website citing other examples of workplace ethics and fraud, including matters such as surfing the web while at work, claiming sick leave to attend to personal business and failing to disclose tobacco-use status on benefits forms.

Jim Rasmus, GPC chief human resources officer, says Georgia Perimeter’s internal audit department is leading the charge to cultivate a strong ethical workplace.

“GPC acts as a steward of both state and student funds and we need to constantly remind ourselves of the responsibility to manage those funds appropriately,” Rasmus says.

Boakye started his job at GPC in 2010 after conducting audits for the California State University System chancellor’s office. He adheres to dual reporting, answering to the Georgia Perimeter president as well as the associate vice chancellor and chief audit officer for the USG Board of Regents. Like Rasmus, he characterizes GPC’s ethical culture as “sound” and invites anyone with concerns to call the confidential ethics hotline, which is administered by a third party vendor, although Boakye provides administrator coordination.

Mostly, however, the goal for internal audits is to be proactive. The office provides training on request, advisement and systems evaluations on a regular basis.

“We try to be preventive so people can come in and work out issues, before an audit is necessary,” Boakye explains.

Ultimately, Boakye says, the aim is to create a controlled and ethical work environment that leads to student satisfaction and success.

“Most people do what is expected of them and people are aware of the need to do the right things at the right times and to operate within established policy regulations and procedures,” he says.

Georgia Perimeter College is hosting the following events during International Fraud Awareness Week:

Ethics in a Nutshell

Laura King, CPA, CFE, GPC Assistant Professor of Accounting,

Monday, Nov. 17, 2-4 p.m.

SB 1110, Decatur Campus

Identity Theft

Kia Thomas, Wells Fargo Relationship Manager

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2-4 p.m.

NB 2102, Dunwoody Campus

Four Myths about Fraud in the Workplace

Representative from the State of Georgia Office of the Inspector General

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2-4 p.m.

CL 4190, Clarkston Campus

Fraud and Ethics Facts