Finding 1160423 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-10-15
Audit: 370836
Organization: Abilene Christian University (TX)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A Pell-eligible student received less funding than they should have due to a change in class enrollment.
  • Impacted Requirements: The University failed to comply with eligibility criteria for Pell grants, resulting in an under award of $881.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Update controls to ensure changes in student enrollment are considered for Pell grant awards, and implement a weekly report to track these changes.

Finding Text

Student Financial Assistance Cluster Federal Pell Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.063 U.S. Department of Education Program Year 2024-2025 Criteria or specific requirement – Eligibility – Pell must be awarded to all students who qualify. (34 CFR 690 Subpart F) Condition – A Pell-eligible student was under awarded Pell grants. Questioned costs – $881 Calculated as the difference between what was awarded and what should have been awarded in accordance with the regulations. Context – Out of the population of 4,164 students who received federal financial aid, a sample of 25 students were selected for testing. Our sampling method was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. One student was eligible for more Pell grants than they were awarded. The student added classes after the Pell grant was disbursed that made the student eligible for a higher Pell grant based on the student’s intensity. Effect – A Pell eligible student was under awarded. Cause – The University’s controls did not ensure changes in intensity were considered after Pell awards were made. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable – N/A Recommendation – The University should update their controls to ensure students with changes in intensity are properly awarded Pell grants. Views of responsible officials, reason for recurrence, and planned corrective actions – Management acknowledges and understands the finding associated with Eligibility. The student’s Pell awards has already been corrected and accepted by COD. Management is working with IT to automate the enrollment change report to be sent on a weekly basis to validate that all increases in hours have been appropriately updated and processed.

Corrective Action Plan

Single AUdit Report for 2024-2025 Reference/Finding Number 2025-001 Management's Planned Corrective Action Management acknowledges and understands the finding associated with Eligibility. The student's Pell award has already been corrected and accepted by COD. Management is working with IT to automate the enrollment change report to be sent on a weekly basis to validate that all increases in hours have been appropriately updated and processed. This will also become part of our required annual reconciliation process of the Pell grant program. Responsible Official Bridget Moore Director of Student Financial Services Abilene Christian University Estimated Completion Date July 24, 2025

Categories

Questioned Costs Student Financial Aid Eligibility

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $52.60M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $14.34M
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $638,642
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $468,717
84.047 Trio_upward Bound $301,349
84.042 Trio_student Support Services $255,648
84.044 Trio_talent Search $228,192
84.184 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities_national Programs $224,126
84.217 Trio_mcnair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement $189,596
81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program $181,094
81.121 Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration $30,000
84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program $16,172
84.379 Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants (teach Grants) $9,430
45.310 Grants to States $1,782