Audit 385384

Finding 2025-001 - Enrollment Reporting Federal Programs: Federal Direct Student Loans, Federal Pell Grant Program Federal Award Numbers: 84.268, 84.063 Federal Award Year: June 30, 2025 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Not Applicable Repeat Finding: 2022-001, 2023-001, 2024-001 Criteria: Title IV regulations (34 CFR 685.309(b)) require that upon receipt of an enrollment report from the Secretary, institutions must update all information included in the report and return the report to the Secretary: (i) in the manner and format prescribed by the Secretary; and (ii) within the timeframe prescribed by the Secretary. Unless it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, an institution must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the institution discovers that: (i) a loan under Title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the institution, and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or (ii) a student who is enrolled at the institution and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. Condition: The change in student status for 3 of the 60 students tested was not reported to the National Student Loan Data Systems (NSLDS) within 30 days or included in a response to a roster file within 60 days. The status for 1 of 60 students tested was inaccurately reported to NSLDS. The sample was not a statistically valid sample but was determined using Chapter 21 - Audit Sampling Considerations of Uniform Guidance Compliance Audits of the Government Auditing Standards and Single Audit Guide. Cause: The College's procedures for reporting all student status changes were not appropriately followed in order to allow for timely and accurate reporting to NSLDS. Effect: The accuracy of Title IV student loan records depends heavily on the accuracy of the enrollment information reported by the College. If an institution does not review, update and verify student enrollment statuses, effective dates of the enrollment status and the anticipated completion dates, then the Title IV student loan records will be inaccurate and could affect student loan repayments. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: The College should review its policy on enrollment reporting to NSLDS to ensure all status changes during the year are reported in a timely and accurate manner. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Registrar completed an analysis of each of the changes in student status that were not reported timely or accurately. The following actions have been implemented to improve processes and to reduce the likelihood of noncompliance. The College has instituted a more stringent Incomplete policy for graduate students that aligns with the mandatory NSLDS reporting deadlines of 30 days for status changes and 60 days for roster file responses. The Registrar's Office has established a manual communication protocol requiring staff members who process student status changes outside regular reporting cycles (mid-semester withdrawals, off-cycle graduations, leaves of absence, late grade changes affecting enrollment status) to immediately notify the designated NSLDS reporting staff member via email or direct communication. All staff members processing degree conferrals have been trained. In addition, standing interdepartmental meetings have been established to improve communications. The NSLDS reporting staff member maintains a simple log to track these notifications and ensure timely submission to NSLDS. Registrar's Office is working directly with their NSC analyst to align the Summer Graduates Only reporting windows and all other National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) reporting deadlines with the 30-day and 60-day NSLDS requirements.