A former associate vice chancellor who announced her retirement a few weeks ago has been arrested and accused of stealing more than $5,000 from the University. Carolyn Collins, former dean of the University College, is accused of shifting money from the LSU Summer Opportunity Program fund into her Tiger Card account for “personal purchases,” said LSU Police Department spokesman Capt. Russell Rogé. Accounting Services notified LSUPD in May about the transfers. In its investigation, LSUPD discovered Collins had been illegally transferring money since 2003. Because the statute of limitations for some of the alleged thefts has expired, Collins is only being charged for the $5,050 transferred since 2005. Collins was arrested and issued a summons for theft on June 19. Her retirement is effective today, according to Kristine Calongne, University spokeswoman. In 2005, Collins transferred $1,250 into her Tiger Card account, according to LSUPD. Collins transferred $1,200 in 2006, $1,400 in 2007 and $1,200 in 2008. Collins’ base salary for the 2008-09 fiscal year was $153,989. The University College is made up of students who haven’t been admitted to a degree-granting senior college yet. It is the largest academic college on campus. The LSU Summer Opportunity Program, run through the University College, is designed for incoming freshman and allows students to take classes and develop study skills before their first semester in college. Collins was employed at the University for more than 25 years and was LSU’s first black dean of an academic college. She served as Chair of the Diversity Committee of the National Academic Advising Association from 2003 to 2005 and was also part of the 21-member chancellor search committee in 2008. —-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]