A former MSU employee has been charged with embezzling from both the MSU School of Journalism and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.

Raye Grill, a former administrative assistant in the School of Journalism, will have a preliminary hearing on Friday on two counts of embezzlement.

On the first count she is accused of taking an amount greater than $20,000 and in the second count an amount between $1,000 and $20,000, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III confirmed.

University spokesman Terry Denbow said the embezzlement could be characterized as "aggressive and with depth."

A man who answered the phone at Grill's listed number and identified himself as her husband said they had no comment.

Brian Wilson, the president of Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, or MIPA, said about $51,000 was taken from the organization going back about seven years.

Investigators could only go back seven years, Wilson said.

"People are really disappointed and disgusted that something like this could happen," Wilson said. "Financially, there may be some impact. The expectation is that eventually, we'll get this money back."

The first count of embezzling, involving MIPA, is a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine or three times the amount embezzled, Dunnings said.

The second count of embezzlement, against the School of Journalism, also is a felony, punishable by 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine or three times the amount embezzled, Dunnings said.

At press time, no one could confirm when Grill was arraigned.

Grill, who worked at MSU for more than 20 years is no longer an employee as of June, said Jane Briggs-Bunting, director of the School of Journalism and a member of The State News Board of Directors.

University officials wouldn't comment on the reason she left.

Grill gave MIPA updates on its accounts and worked with processing bills and writing checks, Wilson said.

"She was a person who was basically an unofficial book-keeper for MIPA accounts as well as other accounts for the journalism program," Wilson said.

Briggs-Bunting noticed a pattern of discrepancies in the funding of the MIPA program, Wilson said.

An internal audit was done this spring, and the findings were turned over to the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety, Denbow said.

Denbow declined to comment on how much was taken from the School of Journalism and over what time period.

"I know it was a thorough investigation on the part of the institution and on the part of the prosecutor," Denbow said.

Wilson said he learned of the situation in early June.

"My reaction was similar to everyone else on the board, which was shocked, appalled, disgusted and frustrated that someone would cheat an organization whose sole purpose is to serve high school students," Wilson said. "We were all really frustrated this would happen."

MIPA is a secondary education program that works to further interests and careers in journalism through conferences and workshops.

Since learning of the incident, MIPA officials have looked into revising current business practices, Wilson said, including hiring an accountant to go over the books and changing the bank account.

"We want to try to get in position so we can start over and make sure things are done differently this time around," Wilson said.

Margaret Harding can be reached at hardin42@msu.edu.