Finding 1161367 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-10-24
Audit: 371249
Organization: Augsburg University (MN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A significant deficiency in internal controls led to an incorrect expense coding for an R&D grant.
  • Impacted Requirements: Expenses must be necessary, reasonable, and properly allocated as per 2 CFR Part 200.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The University should enhance procedures for reviewing and approving R&D expenditures to ensure accuracy.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: National Science Foundation Federal Program Name: Research and Development Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 47.076 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: R&D - 2025 Award Period: June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance • Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: The Code of Federal Regulations 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E, requires that expenses be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principals (200.403(a)) and allocable to a particular Federal award or other cost objective if the goods or services involved are chargeable or assignable to the Federal award or cost objective in accordance with relative benefits received (200.405). Condition: We noted that one out of 8 items selected for period of performance was incorrectly coded to an R&D grant. Questioned costs: $100 Context: The University's review and internal controls over R&D grant charges did not identify an expense that had been incorrectly coded. Cause: The University’s processes and controls did not ensure that all expenses charged to R&D grants were valid R&D expenditures. Effect: An incorrect amount of R&D expenditures was drawn down. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: We recommend that the University review its procedures around review and approval of R&D expenditures to ensure that only valid expenditures are reported. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Research and Development Cluster— Assistance Listing Nos. Various Recommendation: We recommend that the University review its procedures around review and approval of R&D expenditures to ensure that only valid expenditures are reported. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The University does have existing internal control processes over its federal grants. The principal investigators code, approve, and submit expenditures for payment. In addition, principal investigators receive periodic grant reports which include the detail of all transactions charged to their grants for review. The University will add an additional control step to review coding of research and development payment requests in the ERP system prior to payment. Names of the contact persons responsible for corrective action: Gerri Stepanek and Carole Kampf Planned completion date for corrective action plan: September 1, 2025

Categories

Questioned Costs Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Period of Performance Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1161348 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161349 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161350 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161351 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161352 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161353 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161354 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161355 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161356 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161357 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161358 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161359 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161360 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161361 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161362 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161363 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161364 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161365 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1161366 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) $19.58M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $9.50M
84.038 FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM_FEDERAL CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS $948,108
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $685,822
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $513,684
47.050 GEOSCIENCES $364,938
84.042 TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES $334,197
84.217 TRIO MCNAIR POST-BACCALAUREATE ACHIEVEMENT $285,688
94.021 AMERICORPS VOLUNTEER GENERATION FUND 94.021 $160,003
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $81,075
93.243 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROJECTS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE $76,681
47.074 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES $61,237
43.008 OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) $24,134
93.242 MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH GRANTS $21,265
93.853 EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS $21,171
93.307 MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH $21,084