“Almost $1 million in restricted donations funds being used for renovations to Memorial Hall; a software error caused the $600,000 over allotment of financial aid for the class of 2013.”

Events that will define the future of Erskine College and Seminary took place over only a few hours March 2 and 3 at a special called meeting of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church’s General Synod at the Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock, N.C.

According to first-hand accounts of people who were there, the tug-of-war over the destiny of the school began almost immediately.

The meeting started Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 with Ken Wingate, who spoke for the Moderator’s Commission on Erskine College and Seminary, reading the group’s findings and detailing several examples not found in the print version.

A motion was made for the meeting to enter a closed-door session due to the “sensitive” nature of the information, but by a voice vote the motion did not carry.

At least two financial irregularities were reported and pointed to as a lack of proper board oversight of the administration — one regarding almost $1 million in restricted donations funds being used for renovations to Memorial Hall, and about $600,000 being overspent in the admissions department budget. Two conflicts of interest were also disclosed, one in the college funding of renovations to the president’s home, and another regarding work being done on campus by a construction company operated by two Erskine employees.