(RALEIGH) -- A state audit has found that a former official at North Carolina Central University in Durham skimmed money from a program designed to help minority students. State auditor Beth Wood said the official used an unauthorized bank account to divert more than $1 million from the program.

"There was $3.5 million given to the consortium to begin with and a million of it was being diverted and that money came from local school systems who were paying for after school services through this consortium," said Wood.

The former director, Nan Coleman, used the money for items like hair care products, clothes and gas, according to Wood.  The university fired Coleman, in August 2009.

The audit also was critical of North Carolina Central officials for their lack of oversight over the program.