Finding Text
Student Financial Assistance Program Cluster – Department of Education
Federal Financial Assistance Listing #84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program (PELL) P063P222209, P063P232209
Eligibility
Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance
Criteria: 34 CFR 690 contains requirements that apply to student eligibility over the Federal Pell Grant Program. Condition: One instance was identified in which the student was over‐awarded Federal Pell assistance.
Cause: The Watertown location does not use the auto package tool within Anthology for awarding students; rather, awarding student assistance is a manual process. The incorrect line item was read on the PELL chart resulting in the student being over‐awarded Pell assistance.
Effect: One student was over‐awarded Pell assistance.
Questioned Costs: $99 in PELL assistance was over‐awarded to the student.
Context/Sampling: A non‐statistical sample of 60 of the University’s 673 students receiving student financial assistance was selected for testing. The sample resulted in testing $1,420,156 out of $14,469,668 in federal financial assistance.
Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes – 2023‐003.
Recommendation: We recommend that management review procedures and control processes over monitoring of Pell eligibility.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.