Audit 341204

FY End
2024-06-30
Total Expended
$9.49M
Findings
6
Programs
9
Organization: Southern Wesleyan University (SC)
Year: 2024 Accepted: 2025-02-04
Auditor: Capincrouse LLP

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
521529 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - N
521530 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - N
521531 2024-002 - - E
1097971 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - N
1097972 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - N
1097973 2024-002 - - E

Contacts

Name Title Type
SXNQC85MLC96 Devon Broome Auditee
8646445550 Rachel McMichael, CPA Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: RELATIONSHIP TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the schedule) includes the federal grant activity of Southern Wesleyan University (University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2024. The information in the schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of the Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Therefore, some amounts presented in the schedule may differ from amounts presented in, or used in the preparation of, the basic financial statements. Expenditures in 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. Negative amounts shown on the schedule represent adjustments or credits made in the normal course of business to amounts reported as expenditures in prior years. If the University is required to match certain federal assistance, as defined by the grant agreements, no such matching has been included as expenditures in the schedule. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. See the Notes to the SEFA for chart/table
Title: SUBRECIPIENTS, NON-CASH ASSISTANCE, FEDERAL INSURANCE, LOANS, AND LOAN GUARANTEES Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the schedule) includes the federal grant activity of Southern Wesleyan University (University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2024. The information in the schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of the Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Therefore, some amounts presented in the schedule may differ from amounts presented in, or used in the preparation of, the basic financial statements. Expenditures in 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. Negative amounts shown on the schedule represent adjustments or credits made in the normal course of business to amounts reported as expenditures in prior years. If the University is required to match certain federal assistance, as defined by the grant agreements, no such matching has been included as expenditures in the schedule. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. The University did not provide any federal funds to subrecipients nor did they receive any federal non-cash assistance, insurance, loans, or loan guarantees.
Title: FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the schedule) includes the federal grant activity of Southern Wesleyan University (University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2024. The information in the schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of the Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Therefore, some amounts presented in the schedule may differ from amounts presented in, or used in the preparation of, the basic financial statements. Expenditures in 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. Negative amounts shown on the schedule represent adjustments or credits made in the normal course of business to amounts reported as expenditures in prior years. If the University is required to match certain federal assistance, as defined by the grant agreements, no such matching has been included as expenditures in the schedule. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. See the Notes to the SEFA for chart/table
Title: INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY LIMITATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 34 CFR 600.7(a)1 Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the schedule) includes the federal grant activity of Southern Wesleyan University (University) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2024. The information in the schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of the Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Therefore, some amounts presented in the schedule may differ from amounts presented in, or used in the preparation of, the basic financial statements. Expenditures in 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. Negative amounts shown on the schedule represent adjustments or credits made in the normal course of business to amounts reported as expenditures in prior years. If the University is required to match certain federal assistance, as defined by the grant agreements, no such matching has been included as expenditures in the schedule. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. To maintain institutional eligibility to participate in the Department of Education’s Title IV financial aid programs, the institution is required to comply with 34 CFR 600.7(a)1 which limits the number of correspondence courses, the number of students enrolled in correspondence courses, the number of incarcerated students enrolled and the number of students enrolled without a high school diploma or recognized equivalent. As part of the audit procedures, compliance with these limitations was tested. No non-compliance with the requirements was noted.

Finding Details

Untimely and Inaccurate Returns of Title IV Funds (R2T4) Significant Deficiency DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268, 84.063 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: The University did not always calculate nontraditional students’ unearned Title IV funds correctly or return funds timely. Criteria: 34 CFR 668.22 Questioned Costs: $184 Context: Out of 9 withdrawals tested, 3 modular unofficial withdrawals had inaccurate R2T4 calculations. Two of those inaccurate R2T4s were also late returns totaling $4,057 ranging 12 to 18 days late. One student did not have the week break between modules excluded from the total days used in the R2T4 calculation ($49 FDL over returned). One student, who was tested for the Fall and Spring semesters, did not have the correct tuition cost included in both the Fall and Spring R2T4 calculations ($184 FDL under returned in the Fall, $210 FDL over returned in the Spring). These were not corrected during the audit. Cause: There was transition in the financial aid office in the middle of the 2023-2024 award year. Effect: Incorrect amounts of unearned Title IV funds were returned and returns were not made timely. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend an individual in financial aid with the appropriate level of experience periodically review modular students’ R2T4 calculations and returns to help ensure that internal controls over such process can operate effectively and achieve compliance. We also recommend the financial aid office run a 0-credit report at the end of each term for modular students to ensure that all unofficial withdrawals requiring returns are returned timely. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
Untimely and Inaccurate Returns of Title IV Funds (R2T4) Significant Deficiency DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268, 84.063 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: The University did not always calculate nontraditional students’ unearned Title IV funds correctly or return funds timely. Criteria: 34 CFR 668.22 Questioned Costs: $184 Context: Out of 9 withdrawals tested, 3 modular unofficial withdrawals had inaccurate R2T4 calculations. Two of those inaccurate R2T4s were also late returns totaling $4,057 ranging 12 to 18 days late. One student did not have the week break between modules excluded from the total days used in the R2T4 calculation ($49 FDL over returned). One student, who was tested for the Fall and Spring semesters, did not have the correct tuition cost included in both the Fall and Spring R2T4 calculations ($184 FDL under returned in the Fall, $210 FDL over returned in the Spring). These were not corrected during the audit. Cause: There was transition in the financial aid office in the middle of the 2023-2024 award year. Effect: Incorrect amounts of unearned Title IV funds were returned and returns were not made timely. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend an individual in financial aid with the appropriate level of experience periodically review modular students’ R2T4 calculations and returns to help ensure that internal controls over such process can operate effectively and achieve compliance. We also recommend the financial aid office run a 0-credit report at the end of each term for modular students to ensure that all unofficial withdrawals requiring returns are returned timely. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
Need Analysis DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: Students were not appropriately awarded loans based on need. Criteria: 34 CFR 685.200(a), 34 CFR 685.203 Questioned Costs: $1,237 Context: Out of 60 students tested, 2 students were not awarded aid appropriately based on need analysis. One student who graduated in the Spring term had their loans incorrectly prorated for completing 21 total credit hours out of 24 credit hours for full-time determination; this caused the student to be under awarded $1,563 in FDL. One student was awarded $1,237 in subsidized loans over need. These were not corrected during the audit. Cause: There was transition in the financial aid office in the middle of the 2023-2024 award year. Effect: Students not awarded need based federal aid according to eligibility. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend that the University set up reports in the student information system to periodically check for over or under awarding of need based federal aid. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
Untimely and Inaccurate Returns of Title IV Funds (R2T4) Significant Deficiency DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268, 84.063 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: The University did not always calculate nontraditional students’ unearned Title IV funds correctly or return funds timely. Criteria: 34 CFR 668.22 Questioned Costs: $184 Context: Out of 9 withdrawals tested, 3 modular unofficial withdrawals had inaccurate R2T4 calculations. Two of those inaccurate R2T4s were also late returns totaling $4,057 ranging 12 to 18 days late. One student did not have the week break between modules excluded from the total days used in the R2T4 calculation ($49 FDL over returned). One student, who was tested for the Fall and Spring semesters, did not have the correct tuition cost included in both the Fall and Spring R2T4 calculations ($184 FDL under returned in the Fall, $210 FDL over returned in the Spring). These were not corrected during the audit. Cause: There was transition in the financial aid office in the middle of the 2023-2024 award year. Effect: Incorrect amounts of unearned Title IV funds were returned and returns were not made timely. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend an individual in financial aid with the appropriate level of experience periodically review modular students’ R2T4 calculations and returns to help ensure that internal controls over such process can operate effectively and achieve compliance. We also recommend the financial aid office run a 0-credit report at the end of each term for modular students to ensure that all unofficial withdrawals requiring returns are returned timely. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
Untimely and Inaccurate Returns of Title IV Funds (R2T4) Significant Deficiency DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268, 84.063 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: The University did not always calculate nontraditional students’ unearned Title IV funds correctly or return funds timely. Criteria: 34 CFR 668.22 Questioned Costs: $184 Context: Out of 9 withdrawals tested, 3 modular unofficial withdrawals had inaccurate R2T4 calculations. Two of those inaccurate R2T4s were also late returns totaling $4,057 ranging 12 to 18 days late. One student did not have the week break between modules excluded from the total days used in the R2T4 calculation ($49 FDL over returned). One student, who was tested for the Fall and Spring semesters, did not have the correct tuition cost included in both the Fall and Spring R2T4 calculations ($184 FDL under returned in the Fall, $210 FDL over returned in the Spring). These were not corrected during the audit. Cause: There was transition in the financial aid office in the middle of the 2023-2024 award year. Effect: Incorrect amounts of unearned Title IV funds were returned and returns were not made timely. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend an individual in financial aid with the appropriate level of experience periodically review modular students’ R2T4 calculations and returns to help ensure that internal controls over such process can operate effectively and achieve compliance. We also recommend the financial aid office run a 0-credit report at the end of each term for modular students to ensure that all unofficial withdrawals requiring returns are returned timely. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
Need Analysis DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: Students were not appropriately awarded loans based on need. Criteria: 34 CFR 685.200(a), 34 CFR 685.203 Questioned Costs: $1,237 Context: Out of 60 students tested, 2 students were not awarded aid appropriately based on need analysis. One student who graduated in the Spring term had their loans incorrectly prorated for completing 21 total credit hours out of 24 credit hours for full-time determination; this caused the student to be under awarded $1,563 in FDL. One student was awarded $1,237 in subsidized loans over need. These were not corrected during the audit. Cause: There was transition in the financial aid office in the middle of the 2023-2024 award year. Effect: Students not awarded need based federal aid according to eligibility. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend that the University set up reports in the student information system to periodically check for over or under awarding of need based federal aid. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.