Former Fayetteville State official resigns from Democrat comms job following allegations of financial misconduct
The communications official resigned only a few weeks after her new job working for the North Carolina House Democratic Caucus.
During the official’s tenure in FSU, the school’s Office of Strategic Communication ‘made purchases totaling $692,239 . . . that were unallowable and/or did not contain sufficient documentation.’
Joy Cook, formerly a top communications official at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, resigned from her role as Director of Communications for North Carolina’s House Democrats after only a few weeks following accusations of financial mismanagement in her university position.
The development came after a state audit looking into suspicious usage of FSU credit cards. “We received anonymous tips from seven different complainants regarding misuse of funds at FSU,” according to North Carolina state auditor Jessica Holmes.
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This May, the Office of the State Auditor for North Carolina published a report of its findings for its audit of Fayetteville State’s Office of Strategic Communication’s spending.
“The University’s [Office of Strategic Communication] made purchases totaling $692,239 using [Purchasing Cards] and [Travel Cards] that were unallowable and/or did not contain sufficient documentation,” the audit stated.
The alleged misuse of funds took place during Cook’s tenure in FSU’s Office of Strategic Communications. Cook became FSU’s Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications in February 2022, and the audit investigated incidents between January 2022 and August 2023.
The audit specifically requests that the university update its policies to ensure that spending rules are followed by administrators. “The University should take appropriate action to improve compliance with the University’s policies and procedures related to P-card and T-card purchases,” the auditors recommended.
Cook resigned from her new Communications Director position for North Carolina House Democrats a short time before the publication of the audit’s findings.
Following Cook’s resignation, Amanda Eubanks, executive director of the state’s House Democratic Caucus told The Carolina Journal that “[w]e hired Joy Cook off of her merit and over 20 years of nationally recognized communication experience.”
She continued: “Our hiring process is extremely competitive, and her references went through a thorough review and vetting process of which Ms. Cook had exemplary reviews. She has resigned her position, and the House Democratic Caucus is focused on more pressing issues such as funding education and the attack on DEI, which impacts many North Carolinians.”
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A few weeks before Cook’s hiring, Eubanks said: “With her unparalleled proficiency in crisis communications and strategic planning, Cook will be an indispensable catalyst in shaping the party’s compelling narrative and forging formidable alliances with influential stakeholders.”
Campus Reform has contacted Fayetteville State University and Joy Cook for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
