Audit 54842

FY End
2022-06-30
Total Expended
$23.66M
Findings
2
Programs
22
Year: 2022 Accepted: 2023-01-29

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
57900 2022-001 Significant Deficiency - C
634342 2022-001 Significant Deficiency - C

Contacts

Name Title Type
RKUJCJLT96G3 Anthony Degregorio Auditee
9785563932 Steven Cohen Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Federal Student Loan Programs Accounting Policies: 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. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. The College disbursed $1,990,072 of loans under the Federal Direct Student Loans program, which include Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Parent 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 administrative duties and, accordingly, these loans are not included in the Colleges financial statements.
Title: Basis of Presentation Accounting Policies: 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. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of Northern Essex Community College (the College) under programs of the Federal Government for the year ended June 30, 2022. The information on this Schedule is prepared 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 College, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net position, or cash flows of the College.

Finding Details

Finding number: 2022-001 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Programs: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Assistance Listing #: 84.425F Award year: 2022 Criteria For Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act HEERF II and American Rescue Plan Act HEERF III, the Certification and Agreements and/or Supplemental Agreements requires that Student Aid Portion (ALN 84.425E) should be disbursed within 15 calendar days of the drawdown from the Department of Education?s G5 grants system (?G5?) and Institutional Aid Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3) funds (all other ALNs) should be disbursed within 3 calendar days of the drawdown from G5. For lost revenue, the ?obligation? occurs on the date the institution completes its estimate of its amount of lost revenue after the estimation period. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to disburse the Institutional Aid Portion of HEERF funds within three calendar days of drawdown from G5. During our testing, we noted that the entire balance of the HEERF III Institutional Aid Portion was drawn down during fiscal year 2022 but none of the balance was expended within three calendar days of drawdown. Cause Due to the inexperience with the HEERF III program, the College did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that Institutional Aid Funds were disbursed within three calendar days of drawdown. Effect HEERF III Institutional Aid Funds were drawn down in excess of disbursements and the excess funds remained unspent beyond the three-calendar day threshold for institutional expenditures. Due to these circumstances, the College was not in compliance with the cash management requirement of the HEERF III agreements. Questioned Costs $6,062,177 Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. We selected one HEERF institutional drawdown to test and it was not disbursed within the required three-calendar day threshold. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation We recommend that the College review their excess cash and utilize that cash before drawing additional funds from the HEERF funding to ensure that there is not any additional excess cash on hand. In addition, we recommend that the College implements procedures to ensure that future cash drawdowns occur within the required period before or after expending the grant funds. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding.
Finding number: 2022-001 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Programs: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Assistance Listing #: 84.425F Award year: 2022 Criteria For Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act HEERF II and American Rescue Plan Act HEERF III, the Certification and Agreements and/or Supplemental Agreements requires that Student Aid Portion (ALN 84.425E) should be disbursed within 15 calendar days of the drawdown from the Department of Education?s G5 grants system (?G5?) and Institutional Aid Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3) funds (all other ALNs) should be disbursed within 3 calendar days of the drawdown from G5. For lost revenue, the ?obligation? occurs on the date the institution completes its estimate of its amount of lost revenue after the estimation period. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to disburse the Institutional Aid Portion of HEERF funds within three calendar days of drawdown from G5. During our testing, we noted that the entire balance of the HEERF III Institutional Aid Portion was drawn down during fiscal year 2022 but none of the balance was expended within three calendar days of drawdown. Cause Due to the inexperience with the HEERF III program, the College did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that Institutional Aid Funds were disbursed within three calendar days of drawdown. Effect HEERF III Institutional Aid Funds were drawn down in excess of disbursements and the excess funds remained unspent beyond the three-calendar day threshold for institutional expenditures. Due to these circumstances, the College was not in compliance with the cash management requirement of the HEERF III agreements. Questioned Costs $6,062,177 Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. We selected one HEERF institutional drawdown to test and it was not disbursed within the required three-calendar day threshold. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation We recommend that the College review their excess cash and utilize that cash before drawing additional funds from the HEERF funding to ensure that there is not any additional excess cash on hand. In addition, we recommend that the College implements procedures to ensure that future cash drawdowns occur within the required period before or after expending the grant funds. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding.