Condition: We examined a sample of Title IV aid recipients to verify that information reported on the Enrollment Reporting roster file sent to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) matched the student's academic files and found instances where students received Title IV aid during a semester but the status of withdrawn or graduate were not reported correctly or timely on the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting roster files sent during that semester.
Criteria: Per the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide, a school should report all students that NSLDS includes in its request to the school on a roster file. This includes timely and accurate reporting of the status of the student of withdrawn or graduate.
Cause: The status of the students were not timely and accurately reported to NSLDS.
Effect: Students could potentially not be placed in grace or repayment status when they should be.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place. They have had interim Director who also left in December 2023. A new Director has been hired in January 2024 and has begun working on issues.
Recommendation: We recommend that personnel in charge of enrollment reporting be diligent in reviewing the roster file to ensure that all appropriate students are shown and attendance changes are reported in a timely and accurate manner.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved in enrollment reporting to the NSLDS have reviewed the NSLDS Reporting Manual to better understand and accurately report the student's enrollment status. There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place. The new Director came on in the fall of 2022 and then left in December 2023. The College is still working on fully implementing new procedures and catching up submissions.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: During our review of the return of Title IV funds, we noted that students were not being properly identified as withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. This resulted in 7 students noted that never had a calculation performed, but should have, and 22 students that were reported late.
Criteria: When a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date.
Cause: Student Financial Aid personnel does not have a method to properly identify students who are required to have a return of funds calculation. After several attempts to obtain a listing of students, the auditors requested assistance from the IT department, who was able to get the auditors a list very quickly. This list was compared to Student Financial Aid recipients to identify the population of students who should have had a calculation performed.
Effect: Funds required to be sent back to the Department of Education are either missed or are late.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend training of Student Financial Aid personnel on the rules and regulations over return of funds. In addition, we recommend that Student Financial Aid personnel work with the IT department to develop a report that can be ran weekly or bi-weekly to identify the students and timely prepare the calculations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved are undergoing training to learn requirements. Processes and procedures are being developed to ensure timely calculations and refunds.
Condition: During our review of the return of Title IV funds, we noted that students were not being properly identified as withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. This resulted in 7 students noted that never had a calculation performed, but should have, and 22 students that were reported late.
Criteria: When a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date.
Cause: Student Financial Aid personnel does not have a method to properly identify students who are required to have a return of funds calculation. After several attempts to obtain a listing of students, the auditors requested assistance from the IT department, who was able to get the auditors a list very quickly. This list was compared to Student Financial Aid recipients to identify the population of students who should have had a calculation performed.
Effect: Funds required to be sent back to the Department of Education are either missed or are late.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend training of Student Financial Aid personnel on the rules and regulations over return of funds. In addition, we recommend that Student Financial Aid personnel work with the IT department to develop a report that can be ran weekly or bi-weekly to identify the students and timely prepare the calculations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved are undergoing training to learn requirements. Processes and procedures are being developed to ensure timely calculations and refunds.
Condition: During our review of the return of Title IV funds, we noted that students were not being properly identified as withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. This resulted in 7 students noted that never had a calculation performed, but should have, and 22 students that were reported late.
Criteria: When a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date.
Cause: Student Financial Aid personnel does not have a method to properly identify students who are required to have a return of funds calculation. After several attempts to obtain a listing of students, the auditors requested assistance from the IT department, who was able to get the auditors a list very quickly. This list was compared to Student Financial Aid recipients to identify the population of students who should have had a calculation performed.
Effect: Funds required to be sent back to the Department of Education are either missed or are late.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend training of Student Financial Aid personnel on the rules and regulations over return of funds. In addition, we recommend that Student Financial Aid personnel work with the IT department to develop a report that can be ran weekly or bi-weekly to identify the students and timely prepare the calculations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved are undergoing training to learn requirements. Processes and procedures are being developed to ensure timely calculations and refunds.
Condition: We examined a sample of Title IV aid recipients to verify that information reported on the Enrollment Reporting roster file sent to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) matched the student's academic files and found instances where students received Title IV aid during a semester but the status of withdrawn or graduate were not reported correctly or timely on the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting roster files sent during that semester.
Criteria: Per the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide, a school should report all students that NSLDS includes in its request to the school on a roster file. This includes timely and accurate reporting of the status of the student of withdrawn or graduate.
Cause: The status of the students were not timely and accurately reported to NSLDS.
Effect: Students could potentially not be placed in grace or repayment status when they should be.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place. They have had interim Director who also left in December 2023. A new Director has been hired in January 2024 and has begun working on issues.
Recommendation: We recommend that personnel in charge of enrollment reporting be diligent in reviewing the roster file to ensure that all appropriate students are shown and attendance changes are reported in a timely and accurate manner.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved in enrollment reporting to the NSLDS have reviewed the NSLDS Reporting Manual to better understand and accurately report the student's enrollment status. There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place. The new Director came on in the fall of 2022 and then left in December 2023. The College is still working on fully implementing new procedures and catching up submissions.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: There were no monthly Title IV reconciliations performed.
Criteria: Per SFA requirements, the College is required to reconcile the COD data files with the College’s financial records.
Cause: Turnover in the staff and Director positions of the College. The new employees were not aware of this requirement.
Effect: Noncompliance with SFA requirements.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend that the direct loans are reconciled at least monthly between the COD and the College’s general ledger.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved have received training and been made aware of requirements. Monthly reconciliations will be performed immediately.
Condition: During our review of the return of Title IV funds, we noted that students were not being properly identified as withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. This resulted in 7 students noted that never had a calculation performed, but should have, and 22 students that were reported late.
Criteria: When a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date.
Cause: Student Financial Aid personnel does not have a method to properly identify students who are required to have a return of funds calculation. After several attempts to obtain a listing of students, the auditors requested assistance from the IT department, who was able to get the auditors a list very quickly. This list was compared to Student Financial Aid recipients to identify the population of students who should have had a calculation performed.
Effect: Funds required to be sent back to the Department of Education are either missed or are late.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend training of Student Financial Aid personnel on the rules and regulations over return of funds. In addition, we recommend that Student Financial Aid personnel work with the IT department to develop a report that can be ran weekly or bi-weekly to identify the students and timely prepare the calculations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved are undergoing training to learn requirements. Processes and procedures are being developed to ensure timely calculations and refunds.
Condition: During our review of the return of Title IV funds, we noted that students were not being properly identified as withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. This resulted in 7 students noted that never had a calculation performed, but should have, and 22 students that were reported late.
Criteria: When a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date.
Cause: Student Financial Aid personnel does not have a method to properly identify students who are required to have a return of funds calculation. After several attempts to obtain a listing of students, the auditors requested assistance from the IT department, who was able to get the auditors a list very quickly. This list was compared to Student Financial Aid recipients to identify the population of students who should have had a calculation performed.
Effect: Funds required to be sent back to the Department of Education are either missed or are late.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend training of Student Financial Aid personnel on the rules and regulations over return of funds. In addition, we recommend that Student Financial Aid personnel work with the IT department to develop a report that can be ran weekly or bi-weekly to identify the students and timely prepare the calculations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved are undergoing training to learn requirements. Processes and procedures are being developed to ensure timely calculations and refunds.
Condition: During our review of the return of Title IV funds, we noted that students were not being properly identified as withdrawn, either officially or unofficially. This resulted in 7 students noted that never had a calculation performed, but should have, and 22 students that were reported late.
Criteria: When a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date.
Cause: Student Financial Aid personnel does not have a method to properly identify students who are required to have a return of funds calculation. After several attempts to obtain a listing of students, the auditors requested assistance from the IT department, who was able to get the auditors a list very quickly. This list was compared to Student Financial Aid recipients to identify the population of students who should have had a calculation performed.
Effect: Funds required to be sent back to the Department of Education are either missed or are late.
Perspective: There has been high turnover in the SFA department, including a time where there was not a Director in place.
Recommendation: We recommend training of Student Financial Aid personnel on the rules and regulations over return of funds. In addition, we recommend that Student Financial Aid personnel work with the IT department to develop a report that can be ran weekly or bi-weekly to identify the students and timely prepare the calculations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Dodge City Community College staff involved are undergoing training to learn requirements. Processes and procedures are being developed to ensure timely calculations and refunds.