Finding 1167997 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-01-07

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Austin Community College District failed to report enrollment status changes for seven students within the required 60 days.
  • Impacted Requirements: This finding violates 34 CFR 685.309, which mandates timely reporting to NSLDS.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The college should reassess and improve its procedures for reporting enrollment status changes to ensure compliance.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: Student Financial Aid ALN: Various Award Period: September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025 Type of Finding: * Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance * Other Matters Criteria or Specific Requirement: The Code of Federal Regulations, 34 CFR 685.309 requires that enrollment status changes for students be reported to NSLDS within 30 days or within 60 days if the student with the status change will be reported on a scheduled transmission within 60 days of the change in status. Condition: During our testing of 60 students, we noted seven students where the change in enrollment status was not reported within 60 days. Questioned Costs: None Context: During our testing, it was noted Austin Community College District does not have a process in place to ensure the timeliness and accuracy of NSLDS reporting. Cause: Austin Community College District did not have a process in place to ensure the students who graduated or withdrew were reported timely and accurately. Effect: Austin Community College District did not comply with Department of Education (ED) regulations by reporting student enrollment status changes timely and accurately. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: We recommend Austin Community College District reevaluate their procedures and review policies surrounding reporting status changes to NSLDS to ensure timely and accurate reporting. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

U.S. Department of Education 2025-001 Student Financial Assistance Cluster – Assistance Listing No. Various Recommendation: We recommend Austin Community College District re-evaluate their procedures and review policies surrounding reporting status changes to NSLDS to ensure timely and accurate reporting. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: ACC submitted all student graduates’ status changes to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) accurately and in a timely manner, however a number of individual records in the transmitted files were not further reported by NSC to NSLDS in a timely manner. ACC is developing internal controls that include follow-up review of all reported records sent from NSC to the NSLDS system, to ensure 100% accurate and timely reporting. The Enrollment and Records Specialist will review and certify all files and submissions, with a second audit verification of records’ status and timely reporting conducted by the Director of Compliance and Operations. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Annisha Morgan, Director of Enrollment and Records Compliance and Operations Planned completion date for corrective action plan: December 19, 2025. If the Department of Education has questions regarding this plan, please call Linda Terry at 512-223-7503.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Reporting Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1167994 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1167995 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1167996 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $60.52M
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $38.59M
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $1.31M
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $1.25M
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $1.19M
84.335 CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOL $757,582
12.910 RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT $590,982
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL AID $441,110
84.047 TRIO UPWARD BOUND $338,397
84.042 TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES $322,140
84.116 FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION $308,102
84.044 TRIO TALENT SEARCH $273,881
11.023 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) TALENT CHALLENGE PROGRAM $156,604
84.002 ADULT EDUCATION - BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $110,887
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $95,778
14.251 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS $63,212
17.285 REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP $62,878
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $59,449
10.855 DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE LOANS AND GRANTS $34,087
10.223 HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS EDUCATION GRANTS $11,710
47.050 GEOSCIENCES $6,249
84.287 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS $4,638