Durham, N.C. — A supervisor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law received almost $60,000 in extra pay for handling duties in addition to his regular job, despite state personnel laws prohibiting such payments, according to a state audit released Tuesday.

N.C. Central is trying to recoup the improper payments, Interim Chancellor Charles Bectin said in his response to the audit.

The former law school dean asked Gregory Clinton, the law school's director of information technology and facilities, to manage the school's move to the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Building in downtown Durham while the Turner Law Building on campus was renovated in 2005, according to the audit.

The dean gave Clinton a $7,500 bonus, and Clinton asked his successor for similar payments when the renovations were complete and the law school returned to campus, the audit states. The new dean told auditors that Clinton told him that the former dean had already agreed to provide the payments, so another $15,000 was approved.

In 2010, N.C. Central officials asked Clinton to oversee the installation of electronic classrooms across the university, and he was paid $19,165 in fiscal 2011 and $17,606 in fiscal 2012 for his work on the project, according to the audit.

Because Clinton's job falls under the State Personnel Act, he is ineligible under state law to receive supplemental pay for his work, the audit states.