Audit 3923

FY End
2022-06-30
Total Expended
$7.59M
Findings
2
Programs
6
Organization: Boston Architectural College (MA)
Year: 2022 Accepted: 2023-11-21
Auditor: Withum

Organization Exclusion Status:

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Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
2285 2022-002 Significant Deficiency Yes N
578727 2022-002 Significant Deficiency Yes N

Programs

ALN Program Spent Major Findings
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $5.99M Yes 1
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $255,837 Yes 0
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $40,461 Yes 0
19.501 Public Diplomacy Programs for Afghanistan and Pakistan $36,887 - 0
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $20,427 Yes 0
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $6,017 Yes 0

Contacts

Name Title Type
JC27NEEZ7SK2 James Ryan Auditee
6175850184 David A Diiulis Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Federal Student Loan Programs Accounting Policies: The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (the "Schedule") includes the federal award activity of Boston Architectural College (the "College") under programs of the Federal Government for the year ended June 30, 2022. The information on this Schdule is prpeared in accordance iwth 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 College, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of the College. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost priinciples 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: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. There was no federal capital contribution or match by the College during the current year. Direct Student Loan Program-The College disbursed $5,990,514 of loans under the Federal Direct Student Loans Program, which include Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Paren Plus Loans. It is not practical to determine the balances of the loans outstanding to students of the College under the program as of June 30, 2022. The College is only responsible for the performance of certain adminstrative duties and, accordingly, these loans are not included in the College's financial statements.

Finding Details

Finding number: 2022-002 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing #’s 84.063, 84.268 Award year: 2022 Criteria According to 34 CFR 685.309(b)(2): Unless [the institution] it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school 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 school, 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 school and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. The Dear Colleague Letter GEN-12-6 issued by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) on March 30, 2012 states that in addition to student loan borrowers, Enrollment Reporting files will include two additional groups of students: Pell Grant and Perkins Loan recipients. According to 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement updated July 2021: Under the Pell Grant and loan programs, institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway mailboxes sent by ED via the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). The 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 student status, report the date the enrollment status was effective, enter the new anticipated completion date, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method or the NSLDS website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to report student enrollment changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) within 60 days. During our testing, we noted three students, out of a sample of twenty, that were not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Cause Human error mistakenly resulted in lack of reporting of three students. Effect The College did not report three students’ status changes to NSLDS within the required timeframe which could impact the students’ loan grace periods.   Questioned Costs N/A Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of twenty students selected for testing, three students, or 15% of our sample, had a status change that was not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Recommendation The College should provide training to employees responsible for processing information for the NSLDS to ensure that they have adequate knowledge of the related rules and regulations. This training should include an explanation of the College’s date of determination, the importance of timely reporting, and the consequences of late reporting. Additionally, submission of additional rosters and a more formalized review and approval process will reduce the likelihood of such findings in the future. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable See finding 2021-001 included in Management’s Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings. Views of Responsible Officials Management concurs with the auditor’s finding. Finding number: 2022-002 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing #’s 84.063, 84.268 Award year: 2022 Criteria According to 34 CFR 685.309(b)(2): Unless [the institution] it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school 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 school, 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 school and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. The Dear Colleague Letter GEN-12-6 issued by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) on March 30, 2012 states that in addition to student loan borrowers, Enrollment Reporting files will include two additional groups of students: Pell Grant and Perkins Loan recipients. According to 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement updated July 2021: Under the Pell Grant and loan programs, institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway mailboxes sent by ED via the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). The 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 student status, report the date the enrollment status was effective, enter the new anticipated completion date, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method or the NSLDS website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to report student enrollment changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) within 60 days. During our testing, we noted three students, out of a sample of twenty, that were not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Cause Human error mistakenly resulted in lack of reporting of three students. Effect The College did not report three students’ status changes to NSLDS within the required timeframe which could impact the students’ loan grace periods.   Questioned Costs N/A Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of twenty students selected for testing, three students, or 15% of our sample, had a status change that was not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Recommendation The College should provide training to employees responsible for processing information for the NSLDS to ensure that they have adequate knowledge of the related rules and regulations. This training should include an explanation of the College’s date of determination, the importance of timely reporting, and the consequences of late reporting. Additionally, submission of additional rosters and a more formalized review and approval process will reduce the likelihood of such findings in the future. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable See finding 2021-001 included in Management’s Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings. Views of Responsible Officials Management concurs with the auditor’s finding.
Finding number: 2022-002 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing #’s 84.063, 84.268 Award year: 2022 Criteria According to 34 CFR 685.309(b)(2): Unless [the institution] it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school 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 school, 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 school and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. The Dear Colleague Letter GEN-12-6 issued by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) on March 30, 2012 states that in addition to student loan borrowers, Enrollment Reporting files will include two additional groups of students: Pell Grant and Perkins Loan recipients. According to 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement updated July 2021: Under the Pell Grant and loan programs, institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway mailboxes sent by ED via the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). The 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 student status, report the date the enrollment status was effective, enter the new anticipated completion date, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method or the NSLDS website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to report student enrollment changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) within 60 days. During our testing, we noted three students, out of a sample of twenty, that were not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Cause Human error mistakenly resulted in lack of reporting of three students. Effect The College did not report three students’ status changes to NSLDS within the required timeframe which could impact the students’ loan grace periods.   Questioned Costs N/A Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of twenty students selected for testing, three students, or 15% of our sample, had a status change that was not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Recommendation The College should provide training to employees responsible for processing information for the NSLDS to ensure that they have adequate knowledge of the related rules and regulations. This training should include an explanation of the College’s date of determination, the importance of timely reporting, and the consequences of late reporting. Additionally, submission of additional rosters and a more formalized review and approval process will reduce the likelihood of such findings in the future. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable See finding 2021-001 included in Management’s Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings. Views of Responsible Officials Management concurs with the auditor’s finding. Finding number: 2022-002 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing #’s 84.063, 84.268 Award year: 2022 Criteria According to 34 CFR 685.309(b)(2): Unless [the institution] it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school 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 school, 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 school and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. The Dear Colleague Letter GEN-12-6 issued by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) on March 30, 2012 states that in addition to student loan borrowers, Enrollment Reporting files will include two additional groups of students: Pell Grant and Perkins Loan recipients. According to 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement updated July 2021: Under the Pell Grant and loan programs, institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway mailboxes sent by ED via the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). The 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 student status, report the date the enrollment status was effective, enter the new anticipated completion date, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method or the NSLDS website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to report student enrollment changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) within 60 days. During our testing, we noted three students, out of a sample of twenty, that were not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Cause Human error mistakenly resulted in lack of reporting of three students. Effect The College did not report three students’ status changes to NSLDS within the required timeframe which could impact the students’ loan grace periods.   Questioned Costs N/A Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of twenty students selected for testing, three students, or 15% of our sample, had a status change that was not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Recommendation The College should provide training to employees responsible for processing information for the NSLDS to ensure that they have adequate knowledge of the related rules and regulations. This training should include an explanation of the College’s date of determination, the importance of timely reporting, and the consequences of late reporting. Additionally, submission of additional rosters and a more formalized review and approval process will reduce the likelihood of such findings in the future. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable See finding 2021-001 included in Management’s Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings. Views of Responsible Officials Management concurs with the auditor’s finding.