Finding Text
2024-001 Enrollment reporting
Sponsoring Agency: Department of Education
Cluster: Student Financial Assistance
Award Names: Pell Grant Program and Federal Direct Student Loans
Award Number: Not applicable
Award Listing Title: Federal Pell Grant Program and Federal Direct Student Loans
Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.063 and 84.268
Award Year: 2023-2024
Pass-through entity: Not applicable
Criteria
Institutions must review, update, and certify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP). There are two categories of enrollment information, "Campus Level" and "Program Level," both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. (34 CFR 685.309)
Additionally, when a Direct Loan was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the institution, and the student ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or a student who is enrolled at the institution and who received a loan under Title IV has changed his or her permanent address, the institution must report the change in its next updated Enrollment Reporting Roster file (due within 60 days of the change). (34 CFR 685.309)
Condition
Through testing of 16 student enrollment status changes, we noted that 3 out of 16 student selections were not reported to NSLDS within 60 days of the effective change date. On average, they were reported 10 days late.
Cause
The Institution utilizes the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to report status changes. The Institution does not provide status changes to NSC until first of term reporting following the add/drop period. Once the Institution sends changes to NSC, there is a lag between NSLDS receiving the enrollment status change data. As such, more than 60 days had elapsed before either a withdrawn or graduation status was reported to NSLDS.
Effect
The effective administration of Title IV loans could be impacted when changes in students' status are not reported timely and accurately. The accuracy of enrollment information is important as the student's enrollment status determines eligibility for the in-school status, deferment, grace periods, and repayments, as well as the Government's payment of interest subsidies.
Questioned Costs
None identified.
Recommendation
We recommend that the lag in timing of submission of date to NSC and ultimate transmittal to NSLDS is taken into consideration when a student withdraws at Amherst to ensure timely reporting in the future.
Management’s Views and Corrective Action Plan
Management's response is included in "Management’s Views and Corrective Action Plan included at the end of this report after the summary schedule of status of prior audit findings.