Audit 297643

FY End
2023-06-30
Total Expended
$41.81M
Findings
4
Programs
20
Organization: Fairfield University (CT)
Year: 2023 Accepted: 2024-03-26
Auditor: Kpmg LLP

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
384532 2023-001 Significant Deficiency - N
384533 2023-001 Significant Deficiency - N
960974 2023-001 Significant Deficiency - N
960975 2023-001 Significant Deficiency - N

Contacts

Name Title Type
CMMFBJ2F9W56 Michael Trafecante Auditee
2032544035 Charlene Laniewski Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Federal Perkins and Health Professions Student Loan Programs Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of Fairfield University (the University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2023. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the University, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of the University. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Indirect costs are allocated to individual grants within the Schedule in accordance with the contractual provisions of each grant. The indirect costs are calculated based upon either a negotiated rate with the Department of Health and Human Services effective through June 30, 2023, or the specific requirements of the particular grant. The University has elected not to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The University administers and accounts for all aspects of the Federal Perkins Loan and the Health Professions Student Loan Programs. Therefore, the University’s financial statements include the programs’ transactions. There were no new loans issued during the fiscal year. Loans outstanding at the beginning of the year and activity for the loans during the year are included on the accompanying Schedule, detailed as follows: - 84.038 - Loans outstanding at July 1, 2022 - $701,685, Amounts assigned during the year ended June 30, 2023 - $0, Amounts repaid during the year ended June 30, 2023 - $287,279, Reserve for doubtful accounts - $70,169, Loans outstanding at June 30, 2023 - $344,237 - 93.364 - Loans outstanding at July 1, 2022 - $298,319, Amounts assigned during the year ended June 30, 2023 - $0, Amounts repaid during the year ended June 30, 2023 - $82,994, Reserve for doubtful accounts - $74,580, Loans outstanding at June 30, 2023 - $140,745
Title: Federal Direct Student Loan Program Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of Fairfield University (the University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2023. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the University, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of the University. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Indirect costs are allocated to individual grants within the Schedule in accordance with the contractual provisions of each grant. The indirect costs are calculated based upon either a negotiated rate with the Department of Health and Human Services effective through June 30, 2023, or the specific requirements of the particular grant. The University has elected not to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. For the Federal Direct Student Loan Program, the University is only responsible for the performance of certain administrative duties; therefore, the associated net assets and transactions are not included in the University’s financial statements, and it is not practicable to determine the balances of loans outstanding to students of the University under this program at June 30, 2023. The Schedule includes the amounts loaned to students during the year ended June 30, 2023.
Title: Subrecipient Activity Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of Fairfield University (the University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2023. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the University, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of the University. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Indirect costs are allocated to individual grants within the Schedule in accordance with the contractual provisions of each grant. The indirect costs are calculated based upon either a negotiated rate with the Department of Health and Human Services effective through June 30, 2023, or the specific requirements of the particular grant. The University has elected not to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The University is the subrecipient of federal funds, which are reported as pass-through funds on the Schedule as the expense is incurred.

Finding Details

Finding No. 2023-001 Student Financial Assistance Cluster: U.S. Department of Education: Federal Pell Grant Program – ALN 84.063 Federal Direct Loan Program – ALN 84.268 Statistically valid sample: No and it was not intended to be. Repeat finding: Not a repeat finding. Compliance Requirement – Special Tests and Provisions – Enrollment Reporting – Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance Criteria Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct loan program via the NSLDS (OMB No. 1845-0035). The administration of the Title IV programs depends heavily on the accuracy and timeliness of the enrollment information reported by institutions. Institutions must review, update, and certify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website which the financial aid administrator can access for the auditor. The data on the institution’s Enrollment Reporting Roster, or Enrollment Maintenance page, is what NSLDS has as the most recently certified enrollment. There are two categories of enrollment information, “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides the requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details using the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Process. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) (OMB No. 1845-0002) mailboxes sent by ED via NSLDS. An institution determines how often it receives the Enrollment Reporting roster file with the default set at a minimum of every 60 days. Once received, the institution must update for changes in the data elements for the Campus Record and the Program Record identified above, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method, spreadsheet submittal, or the NSLDS website (Pell, 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2); Direct Loan, 34 CFR 685.309). Condition and Context We selected twenty-five students who received a Federal Direct Loan or a Pell Grant and whose enrollment status changed during the year and noted the following exceptions. • For twenty-five enrollment status changes, the status change was not reported within 60 days. Twenty-four of these twenty-five were reported 85 days late, and the last was reported 193 days late. Cause The students involved in this finding were all students who graduated. The University uses the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to report enrollment information to the NSLDS. The University submitted graduation status changes through the degree verify file on a timely basis to the NSC. However, the NSC did not timely notify the University to file the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC and therefore, the NSLDS. The University subsequently provided the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC outside of the 60 calendar day reporting requirement. Effect Enrollment status changes not reported in a timely manner could impact the timeliness of the student entering repayment status. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs related to this finding. Recommendation We recommend the University reinforces its policies and procedures for persons responsible for reporting status changes to the service provider to ensure compliance with the requirement of submitting accurate and complete enrollment reports in a timely manner to the NSLDS. Views of Responsible Official Management of the University agrees with the recommendation. Corrective action by the Provost for Graduate Continuing and Professional Studies and University Registrar is as follows: The graduates only enrollment report will be supplied to the NSC by the Registrar’s Office on a consistent schedule of submission within 60 days of each graduation period. Initial corrective action was completed by the University Registrar’s office in October, 2023 with the submission of a graduates only enrollment report to the NSC. A schedule for consistent submissions of a graduates only enrollment report has already been provided to the NSC.
Finding No. 2023-001 Student Financial Assistance Cluster: U.S. Department of Education: Federal Pell Grant Program – ALN 84.063 Federal Direct Loan Program – ALN 84.268 Statistically valid sample: No and it was not intended to be. Repeat finding: Not a repeat finding. Compliance Requirement – Special Tests and Provisions – Enrollment Reporting – Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance Criteria Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct loan program via the NSLDS (OMB No. 1845-0035). The administration of the Title IV programs depends heavily on the accuracy and timeliness of the enrollment information reported by institutions. Institutions must review, update, and certify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website which the financial aid administrator can access for the auditor. The data on the institution’s Enrollment Reporting Roster, or Enrollment Maintenance page, is what NSLDS has as the most recently certified enrollment. There are two categories of enrollment information, “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides the requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details using the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Process. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) (OMB No. 1845-0002) mailboxes sent by ED via NSLDS. An institution determines how often it receives the Enrollment Reporting roster file with the default set at a minimum of every 60 days. Once received, the institution must update for changes in the data elements for the Campus Record and the Program Record identified above, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method, spreadsheet submittal, or the NSLDS website (Pell, 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2); Direct Loan, 34 CFR 685.309). Condition and Context We selected twenty-five students who received a Federal Direct Loan or a Pell Grant and whose enrollment status changed during the year and noted the following exceptions. • For twenty-five enrollment status changes, the status change was not reported within 60 days. Twenty-four of these twenty-five were reported 85 days late, and the last was reported 193 days late. Cause The students involved in this finding were all students who graduated. The University uses the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to report enrollment information to the NSLDS. The University submitted graduation status changes through the degree verify file on a timely basis to the NSC. However, the NSC did not timely notify the University to file the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC and therefore, the NSLDS. The University subsequently provided the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC outside of the 60 calendar day reporting requirement. Effect Enrollment status changes not reported in a timely manner could impact the timeliness of the student entering repayment status. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs related to this finding. Recommendation We recommend the University reinforces its policies and procedures for persons responsible for reporting status changes to the service provider to ensure compliance with the requirement of submitting accurate and complete enrollment reports in a timely manner to the NSLDS. Views of Responsible Official Management of the University agrees with the recommendation. Corrective action by the Provost for Graduate Continuing and Professional Studies and University Registrar is as follows: The graduates only enrollment report will be supplied to the NSC by the Registrar’s Office on a consistent schedule of submission within 60 days of each graduation period. Initial corrective action was completed by the University Registrar’s office in October, 2023 with the submission of a graduates only enrollment report to the NSC. A schedule for consistent submissions of a graduates only enrollment report has already been provided to the NSC.
Finding No. 2023-001 Student Financial Assistance Cluster: U.S. Department of Education: Federal Pell Grant Program – ALN 84.063 Federal Direct Loan Program – ALN 84.268 Statistically valid sample: No and it was not intended to be. Repeat finding: Not a repeat finding. Compliance Requirement – Special Tests and Provisions – Enrollment Reporting – Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance Criteria Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct loan program via the NSLDS (OMB No. 1845-0035). The administration of the Title IV programs depends heavily on the accuracy and timeliness of the enrollment information reported by institutions. Institutions must review, update, and certify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website which the financial aid administrator can access for the auditor. The data on the institution’s Enrollment Reporting Roster, or Enrollment Maintenance page, is what NSLDS has as the most recently certified enrollment. There are two categories of enrollment information, “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides the requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details using the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Process. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) (OMB No. 1845-0002) mailboxes sent by ED via NSLDS. An institution determines how often it receives the Enrollment Reporting roster file with the default set at a minimum of every 60 days. Once received, the institution must update for changes in the data elements for the Campus Record and the Program Record identified above, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method, spreadsheet submittal, or the NSLDS website (Pell, 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2); Direct Loan, 34 CFR 685.309). Condition and Context We selected twenty-five students who received a Federal Direct Loan or a Pell Grant and whose enrollment status changed during the year and noted the following exceptions. • For twenty-five enrollment status changes, the status change was not reported within 60 days. Twenty-four of these twenty-five were reported 85 days late, and the last was reported 193 days late. Cause The students involved in this finding were all students who graduated. The University uses the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to report enrollment information to the NSLDS. The University submitted graduation status changes through the degree verify file on a timely basis to the NSC. However, the NSC did not timely notify the University to file the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC and therefore, the NSLDS. The University subsequently provided the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC outside of the 60 calendar day reporting requirement. Effect Enrollment status changes not reported in a timely manner could impact the timeliness of the student entering repayment status. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs related to this finding. Recommendation We recommend the University reinforces its policies and procedures for persons responsible for reporting status changes to the service provider to ensure compliance with the requirement of submitting accurate and complete enrollment reports in a timely manner to the NSLDS. Views of Responsible Official Management of the University agrees with the recommendation. Corrective action by the Provost for Graduate Continuing and Professional Studies and University Registrar is as follows: The graduates only enrollment report will be supplied to the NSC by the Registrar’s Office on a consistent schedule of submission within 60 days of each graduation period. Initial corrective action was completed by the University Registrar’s office in October, 2023 with the submission of a graduates only enrollment report to the NSC. A schedule for consistent submissions of a graduates only enrollment report has already been provided to the NSC.
Finding No. 2023-001 Student Financial Assistance Cluster: U.S. Department of Education: Federal Pell Grant Program – ALN 84.063 Federal Direct Loan Program – ALN 84.268 Statistically valid sample: No and it was not intended to be. Repeat finding: Not a repeat finding. Compliance Requirement – Special Tests and Provisions – Enrollment Reporting – Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance Criteria Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct loan program via the NSLDS (OMB No. 1845-0035). The administration of the Title IV programs depends heavily on the accuracy and timeliness of the enrollment information reported by institutions. Institutions must review, update, and certify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website which the financial aid administrator can access for the auditor. The data on the institution’s Enrollment Reporting Roster, or Enrollment Maintenance page, is what NSLDS has as the most recently certified enrollment. There are two categories of enrollment information, “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides the requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details using the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Process. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) (OMB No. 1845-0002) mailboxes sent by ED via NSLDS. An institution determines how often it receives the Enrollment Reporting roster file with the default set at a minimum of every 60 days. Once received, the institution must update for changes in the data elements for the Campus Record and the Program Record identified above, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method, spreadsheet submittal, or the NSLDS website (Pell, 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2); Direct Loan, 34 CFR 685.309). Condition and Context We selected twenty-five students who received a Federal Direct Loan or a Pell Grant and whose enrollment status changed during the year and noted the following exceptions. • For twenty-five enrollment status changes, the status change was not reported within 60 days. Twenty-four of these twenty-five were reported 85 days late, and the last was reported 193 days late. Cause The students involved in this finding were all students who graduated. The University uses the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to report enrollment information to the NSLDS. The University submitted graduation status changes through the degree verify file on a timely basis to the NSC. However, the NSC did not timely notify the University to file the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC and therefore, the NSLDS. The University subsequently provided the graduates only enrollment report to the NSC outside of the 60 calendar day reporting requirement. Effect Enrollment status changes not reported in a timely manner could impact the timeliness of the student entering repayment status. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs related to this finding. Recommendation We recommend the University reinforces its policies and procedures for persons responsible for reporting status changes to the service provider to ensure compliance with the requirement of submitting accurate and complete enrollment reports in a timely manner to the NSLDS. Views of Responsible Official Management of the University agrees with the recommendation. Corrective action by the Provost for Graduate Continuing and Professional Studies and University Registrar is as follows: The graduates only enrollment report will be supplied to the NSC by the Registrar’s Office on a consistent schedule of submission within 60 days of each graduation period. Initial corrective action was completed by the University Registrar’s office in October, 2023 with the submission of a graduates only enrollment report to the NSC. A schedule for consistent submissions of a graduates only enrollment report has already been provided to the NSC.