Annually, Internal Audits and the Management Audit and Compliance Committee (MACC) review the university's audit cycle plan (ACP). The ACP specifies all areas and activities that are scheduled to be audited/reviewed by Internal Audits over the next six years. There are approximately 125 different areas identified on the ACP with audit/review frequencies varying from six months to six years. The ACP is divided into six-month cycles and contains the estimated hours required to perform each audit/review. The purpose of the annual review is to conduct a risk assessment of university activities to ensure that Internal Audits' resources are being focused to best meet the needs of the university. With the university’s focus on governance and engagement, the associate vice president and chief audit officer (AVP/CAO) is a member of the president’s Governance Board along with the leaders of university counsel, Ethics and Compliance, and the Secretary’s Office. Contributing as a brain trust of problem-solving and new ideas, the Governance Board convenes frequently to enhance Temple’s proactive approach to challenges facing peer universities as well as projecting the future of the dynamic landscape here at Temple. As a member of the Governance Board, the AVP/CAO meets frequently with the president.

Both Internal Audits and the MACC believe that this process ensures that the proper areas and activities are receiving Internal Audits' attention.

The Semiannual Objectives Plan (SAOP) is the listing of audits/reviews to be performed by Internal Audits during a six-month cycle. The SAOPs are extracted from the audit cycle plan and contain a prioritization of each audit/review as well as a brief description of the planned scope.

The ACP and SAOP are reviewed and approved by the president and provided to the Compliance, Audit, and Risk Committee of the Board of Trustees.

While the ACP is the long-term guide for our work, as conditions warrant, we reprioritize the audit schedule to quickly address changes in the higher education landscape and across the university.