Student Financial Assistance Cluster – Assistance Listing No. Various
Recommendation: We recommend the University review its reporting procedures to ensure that students’ statuses are accurately and timely reported to NSLDS as required by regulations.
Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: ...
Student Financial Assistance Cluster – Assistance Listing No. Various
Recommendation: We recommend the University review its reporting procedures to ensure that students’ statuses are accurately and timely reported to NSLDS as required by regulations.
Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.
Background:
The Bethel University Registrar is responsible for ensuring timely and accurate reporting to NSLD via the National Student Clearinghouse. Cheryl Fisk was appointed to serve as University Registrar on August 1, 2022. While new to Bethel, she is not new to Clearinghouse reporting. She assumed the oversight of the Clearinghouse reporting and is working to ensure timely, accurate submissions.
• Bethel reports student enrollment to NSLDS via the National Student Clearinghouse
• Currently, the people involved in the process include:
o Data Management Team: Ana Ortiz, Records and Data Specialist
o Registrar Staff: Cheryl Fisk, University Registrar
o Information Technology Service Staff: Bethel Information Technology Staff
Based on the previous audit, adjustments were made to standardize the submissions to the Clearinghouse. Extra efforts were made to ensure that needed corrections were done within the required time frame. We have started to simplify our degree conferral policy to improve the accuracy of the reporting of graduates. However, because of major changes in the Information Technology Department staffing, we were not able to research how the submission reports are compiled or the automatic process that is used to clean and prepare the data before it is added to the submission reports.
We have reviewed the Clearinghouse training. We have also sought the advice from other institutions who report to the Clearinghouse. We originally thought that the frequency of our batches was the problem. However, it appears that the issues may be in the way the submission data are prepared and compiled into the submission reports. Multiple reports must be compiled and then combined to create the submission for both branches.
Corrective Action:
Our corrective action will involve several parts.
• First, we will work ITS staff to determine which fields and tables the submissions are using to create the Clearinghouse reports. Currently, the submission batches are reporting on two branches where multiple terms (i.e. termcodes) are involved. The reports may need to some revision.
• Second, we will be proactive in confirming that the Clearinghouse has received our submissions and has processed them in a timely manner
• Third, we will monitor closely what the Clearinghouse records show for graduation and withdrawal dates for students in comparison to what is in our student information system to ensure they are in sync. Then we will double check that information to what is showing at NSLDS. Corrections will be made if needed.
• Fourth, we will continue to adjust our conferral process to ensure that graduation information is reported in a timely way
• Fifth, we will confer with the Financial Aid Office when dealing with complicated registration changes. This will ensure we are in sync in our interpretations of the situation.
• Sixth, we will continue to take advantage of Clearinghouse, Banner, and any other related training opportunities.
Name of Contact person Responsible for Corrective Action: Cheryl Fisk
Planned completion date for the correction action plan: June 1, 2025. This will provide time to test corrective measures to ensure everything is submitting properly.