Finding 1169503 (2025-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-01-16
Audit: 382425
Organization: Bishop State Community College (AL)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report a student's enrollment status change within the required 60-day timeframe due to a data upload error involving international student attributes.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide, which mandates timely updates for changes in student status, including withdrawals and graduations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen policies and procedures for enrollment reporting to ensure compliance with federal regulations and prevent future errors.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-004 – Special Tests and Provisions – Enrollment Reporting (Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance)- ((Repeat finding) Information on the Federal Program: U.S. Department of Education Student Financial Assistance Cluster Criteria: The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details under the Pell grant and other programs. Institutions must update the Enrollment Reporting Roster for changes in student status, report the date the enrollment status was effective, enter the new anticipated completion date and submit the changes electronically through the batch method or the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. These changes include reductions or increases in attendance levels, withdrawals, graduations or approved leaves-of-absence.Condition: We tested a sample of 25 withdrawn students. In one instance, the change in status was not reported within the required 60-day time frame. Cause: When the College uploads data to the Clearinghouse, international students are omitted. These students are identified by a specific attribute automatically added to their record when they apply to the College. This student initially submitted an international student application, however, the student is not an international student and the status was updated, but the international student attribute was not removed. As a result, the student was excluded from the Clearinghouse upload for the Fall 2024 term. Effect: The College did not report the student enrollment status change in a timely manner. Questioned Costs: None Recommendation: We recommend the College strengthen its policies and procedures related to enrollment reporting requirements to comply with the regulations. Views of Responsible Officials: See Management’s View and Corrective Action Plan included at the end of the report.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025 – 004 - Special Tests and Provisions- Enrollment Reporting (Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance) Management’s Response: Management concurs with the above finding, and the Fiscal Service Office will implement corrective action before September 2026. Management acknowledges the process gap as indicated and noted in the above findings. The Director of Admissions and Records has stated that students who have a student attribute in Banner of INTL will no longer be excluded from the National Student Clearinghouse enrollment reporting upload so as to prevent any reporting issues due to human error when processing admissions applications.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Special Tests & Provisions Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1169501 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169502 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169504 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169505 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $12.66M
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL AID $4.76M
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $602,297
84.002 ADULT EDUCATION - BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $508,809
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $459,612
84.042 TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES $273,385
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $206,426
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $97,605
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $37,700
64.028 POST-9/11 VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE $931