Finding 1173609 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-16
Audit: 387334
Organization: Lasell University (MA)
Auditor: CBIZ CPAS PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: One student's enrollment status was reported late to NSLDS, exceeding the 60-day limit for changes.
  • Impacted Requirements: Accurate and timely reporting of enrollment changes is essential for student eligibility and federal loan management.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Improve oversight of enrollment reporting processes and ensure accuracy in data sent to NSC for timely transmission to NSLDS.

Finding Text

Finding – Special Tests and Provisions: Enrollment Reporting – Federal Direct Student Loan Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.268; June 30, 2025 Award Year; U.S. Department of Education Criteria or Specific Requirement Enrollment information, including the effective date of separation from the institution, must be accurately reported within 30 days whenever attendance changes for a student, unless a roster will be submitted within 60 days. The changes include reductions or increases in attendance levels, withdrawals, graduations, and approved leaves of absence. It is the institution’s responsibility, as a participant in the Title IV aid programs, to monitor and report these changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). (NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide November 2022, and 34 CFR 685.309(b)) Condition Found Of the eleven students selected for enrollment reporting testing, one student within the sample was reported to NSLDS outside the maximum 60-day window. Note that this was not a statistically valid sample. Questioned Costs None. Cause Within the University's student information system, PowerCampus, the degree verifier report was not cross referenced with the graduation report. This student was on the degree verifier report but did not appear on graduation report, which is the report that is sent to the National Student Clearinghouse ("NSC") who then transmits information to NSLDS on behalf of the University. Effect A student’s enrollment status determines eligibility for in-school status, deferment, grace periods, and repayments, as well as the government’s payment of interest subsidies. The notification of student status changes to NSLDS will cause a student to enter into a grace period and determine a repayment date and, therefore, accurate and timely notification of student status to NSLDS is needed. Identification as a Repeat Finding Not a repeating finding. Recommendation The University should remain vigilant in its oversight over timely communication of enrollment reporting detail to NSC and from NSC to NSLDS as it is the University's responsibility to ensure this information is received timely by NSLDS, regardless of report errors within their system. The University should also ensure that information provided to NSC for reporting is accurate and complete to the information in the PowerCampus system. The University should review the graduation report that was provided to NSC to ensure there are not additional students that may need to be reported correctly. Views of Responsible Officials and Correct Actions See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding – Special Tests and Provisions: Enrollment Reporting – Federal Direct Student Loan Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.268; June 30, 2025 Award Year; U.S. Department of Education Cause: Within the University's student information system, PowerCampus, the degree verifier report was not cross referenced with the graduation report. This student was on the degree verifier report but did not appear on graduation report, which is the report that is sent to the National Student Clearinghouse ("NSC") who then transmits information to NSLDS on behalf of the University. Condition: One student was excluded from the report used for the Clearinghouse as a graduated student. As they did not appear on the report twice, the Clearinghouse changed their status to withdrawn. The School then became aware of the change and the graduated status was transmitted to the clearinghouse on 2/7/25 and not received by NSLDS until 7/24/25. Criteria: The Enrollment information, including the effective date of separation from the institution, must be accurately reported within 30 days whenever attendance changes for a student, unless a roster will be submitted within 60 days. The changes include reductions or increases in attendance levels, withdrawals, graduations, and approved leaves of absence. It is the institution’s responsibility, as a participant in the Title IV aid programs, to monitor and report these changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). (NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide November 2022, and 34 CFR 685.309(b)) Corrective Action Plan to be Taken: After each graduation period the Registrar’s Office will compare the Degree Verify file against the Graduation Enrollment file as both files are uploaded to the National Student Clearinghouse. The Degree Verify file is generated and uploaded after the Graduation Enrollment file; this process of report comparison will allow us to capture any student not reported in the Graduation Enrollment file. Thereby ensuring all graduating students are reported correctly to the National Student Clearinghouse. We’ll begin this process, on October 3, 2025 with the August 2025 graduates as they were just reported to the National Student Clearinghouse this past month. Sincerely, Linda M. Arce Registrar

Categories

Student Financial Aid Special Tests & Provisions Eligibility Reporting

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM $11.59M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $2.87M
84.365 THE LASER SCHOLAR PROJECT $676,297
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $261,868
84.325 INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROJECT $139,622
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $106,362
16.525 REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING ON CAMPUS $59,396
47.076 BUILDING A YOUTH-LED LEARNING COMMUNITY $29,002