Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds ? Assistance Listing No. 84.425 Recommendation: We recommend the universities review their reporting procedures to ensure all required steps are included as well as the supporting documentation to prepare the report is retained. University of Maine at Fort Ken...
Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds ? Assistance Listing No. 84.425 Recommendation: We recommend the universities review their reporting procedures to ensure all required steps are included as well as the supporting documentation to prepare the report is retained. University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) Condition: Two quarterly student reports tested were missing a required disclosure item. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: UMFK has amended all quarterly reports (9/30/2021, 12/31/2021, and 3/31/2022) to include the missing required disclosure item related to eligible students. Supporting worksheets have been updated to include all relevant disclosure items and reported data is verified using queries from both the financial and student information systems to ensure report accuracy and completeness. A review process has been implemented whereby the Financial Analyst signs off on preparation and the Chief Business Officer performs a final review and approval prior to submission. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Megan Desjardins, Financial Analyst for the University of Maine at Fort Kent Pamela Ashby, Chief Business Officer for the University of Maine at Fort Kent Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Completed March 3, 2023 University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) Condition: One annual report tested where the supporting documentation did not agree to what was included in the report. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: We realized the error during the next quarterly report cycle and corrected our internal data sheets, but the federal reporting portal was not open for corrections. Now that the federal reporting portal has reopened, we are in the process of correcting the 2021 annual report. In response to this finding, we have incorporated a verification of data in the spreadsheets used to prepare the annual report and now require a final review by the Chief Business Officer or his or her designee prior to submission. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Christine Wilson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at the University of Maine at Farmington Planned completion date for corrective action plan: March 31, 2023 University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) Condition: One quarterly institutional report was not published timely. Two quarterly student reports tested where the supporting documentation did not agree to what was included in the report. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: As a result of a retirement in June 2022, we implemented additional internal controls for the timely compiling and review of required HEERF quarterly reports. The quarterly reports are now compiled by two staff members, and then reviewed and signed off by the Director of Financial Aid and the Controller?s Office the week prior to each deadline for the posting of the report to the institution?s website. As of July 1, 2022, with the updated quarterly report template and requirements from the Department of Education, we implemented a new, standardized process for gathering the appropriate student data for the reports, and new processes for documenting and retaining the data used in the reports. The reports in question were completed prior to this new process and amendments correcting the report information were made on September 6, 2022, and subsequently posted to the institution?s website. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Connie Smith, Director of Financial Aid for the University of Maine at Presque Isle Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Completed September 6, 2022 University of Maine (UM) Condition: Two quarterly student reports tested where the supporting documentation did not agree to what was included in the report. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: As of July 1, 2022, with the updated quarterly report template and requirements from the Department of Education, we implemented a new, standardized process for gathering the appropriate student data for the reports, and new processes for documenting and retaining the data used in the reports. The reports in question were completed prior to this new process and amendments correcting the report information were made on January 27, 2023 and subsequently posted to the institution?s website. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Connie Smith, Director of Financial Aid for the University of Maine Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Completed January 27, 2023