Finding 1117015 (2024-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-29
Audit: 350321
Organization: Whittier College (CA)
Auditor: Kpmg

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report accurate student enrollment status changes to NSLDS, leading to discrepancies and untimely updates.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 34 CFR 685.309, which mandates updating and certifying enrollment data every 60 days or upon status changes.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance internal controls to ensure timely and accurate reporting of student status changes to NSLDS.

Finding Text

Student Financial Assistance Cluster 84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program and 84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans Program Department of Education July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Per 34 CFR 685.309, institutions with direct loan programs must review, update, and certify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file, and report accurate Campus-Level and Program-Level Enrollment Data separately at least every 60 days or within 60 days of the student's status change. This is for the purpose of providing complete and accurate data to lenders regarding enrollment status so they may properly determine when repayment of the loans should begin. During our Enrollment Reporting testwork over 40 students that received loans under Title IV and ceased to be enrolled on at least a halftime basis, went on leave of absence, graduated, or withdrew, we noted the following: 2 student enrollment status change effective dates reported to NSLDS at the Program Level did not agree with Whittier’s internal records or to the Campus Level report. 16 student enrollment status changes were not reported to NSLDS within the required 60-day timeframe.Systemic. The College’s control failed in detecting that untimely information was reported to NSLDS. None noted. The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Yes, a similar finding was noted in the prior year. We recommend that the College enhance its internal controls to ensure all information submitted to NSLDS is reviewed for accuracy on a timely basis. The College concurs with this finding as stated. We will modify internal controls to ensure accurate and timely reporting of student status changes to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

Categories

Student Financial Aid Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 540572 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 540573 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1117014 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $4.21M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $1.57M
84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program_federal Capital Contributions $1.33M
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $260,641
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $129,607
43.001 Science $42,639