Recommendation: We recommend the District review the R2T4 requirements and implement procedures to ensure award adjustments as determined by the R2T4 calculations are being properly adjusted to the student’s account and the correct amounts are being returned to the Department.
Response to Recommenda...
Recommendation: We recommend the District review the R2T4 requirements and implement procedures to ensure award adjustments as determined by the R2T4 calculations are being properly adjusted to the student’s account and the correct amounts are being returned to the Department.
Response to Recommendation: The District acknowledges the importance of adhering to R2T4 requirements and has taken the following actions to address this recommendation: The District adjusted the student samples as notated by auditors. Samples with discrepancies have been recalculated based on R2T4 requirements and correct amounts have been returned to the Department of Education. Verification of corrected R2T4 calculations was provided to auditors.
Action taken in response to finding:
1. Consultant Engagement:
o A NASFAA-certified consultant with extensive experience as a financial aid director has been hired to assist the R2T4 team during the 2024-2025 aid year.
o The consultant will review all R2T4 calculations to ensure compliance and accuracy. Additionally, a secondary staff member is assisting in reviewing all 2024-2025 R2T4 calculations.
2. Training Initiatives
o Provided department-wide training on R2T4 policies and procedures.
o Delivered in-depth training sessions specifically tailored for the R2T4 team.
o The R2T4 team has successfully completed NASFAA’s R2T4 course series to enhance their expertise.
3. Staffing Adjustments
o An Accounting Technician under the direction of the District Business Manager will be assigned to Financial Aid to support R2T4 processing and reconciliation to ensure accuracy and compliance.
o Additionally, this Accounting Technician will need to have view-only access to all data and reports available in the Student Financial Aid module contained in Colleague in
o order to be effective in providing meaningful analysis and reconciliation of student-level detail to summary ledgers and reports contained in the Fiscal Services module of Colleague and other financial reporting tools.
4. Process Improvements
o Instruct the R2T4 team to use the Department of Education’s R2T4 worksheet in the COD system instead of the R2T4 module in Colleague.
o This change addresses the lack of automation and checks in the Colleague system, which has been a contributing factor to discrepancies.
o Financial Aid has reached out and established rapport and protocols with academic and registrar offices to enhance understanding of academic engagement, registration processes, and data fields.
o The department has updated the policy and procedures manual, including cheat sheets to clarify points of regulatory interpretation along with El Camino’s data fields to use.
5. System and Workflow Evaluation
o Identified that the R2T4 module in Colleague lacks automation or checks and balances to flag manual input discrepancies.
o Future plans include exploring system enhancements or alternatives to improve functionality and reduce reliance on manual calculations.
o The District has begun evaluating ways to improve the R2T4 reports to help automate this process as much as possible.
Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Chau Dao, Director of Financial Aid & Basic Needs
Planned completion date for corrective action plan:
Implementation Timeline:
Consultant Review: Begin immediately, with ongoing review throughout the 2024-2025 aid year; retain consultant services for 2025-2026 aid year.
Training: Complete with Spring 2025 R2T4 calculation, with periodic refresher sessions scheduled on an annual basis.
Staffing Request: The Accounting Technician position will be assigned no later than July 1, 2025. This position shall be filled by existing accounting staff or, if needed, a new employee.
Process Transition: Full transition to the COD system worksheet for R2T4 calculations with the Fall 2024 term R2T4 calculation.
System Evaluation: Initiate and maintain ongoing discussions with IT and software providers, leveraging opportunities from conferences, networking events, and training sessions to explore and implement improvements.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
Conduct monthly audits of R2T4 calculations to identify and address errors promptly.
Maintain ongoing collaboration with the consultant to refine processes and implement best practices.
Evaluate the effectiveness of new training and staffing adjustments after six months and report findings.