Finding 1173690 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-16
Audit: 387390
Organization: College of Saint Benedict (MN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report accurate student enrollment status and effective dates to NSLDS, violating federal regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Enrollment changes must be reported within 30-60 days, and corrections to roster files must be made within 10 days if they fail compliance checks.
  • Recommended Follow-up: The College should review and improve its reporting procedures to ensure compliance with NSLDS requirements.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: United States Department of Education Federal Program Name: Student Financial Aid Assistance Listing Number: Student Financial Aid Cluster Award Period: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 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. In addition, regulations require the status include an accurate effective date. Regulations require that an institution make necessary corrections and return the records within 10 days for any roster files that don’t pass the NSLDS enrollment reporting edits. Condition: During our testing, we noted 1 of the 40 students enrollment status and enrollment effective date per institution's record did not match what was reported to NSLDS. Questioned Costs: None Context: During our testing, we noted the College did not have proper procedures in place to verify the reports sent to NSLDS are including accurate and correct information. Cause: The College processes and controls did not ensure that student status changes were properly reported to NSLDS. The effective date should be the student's last date of attendance and academically-related activity. In addition, students enrollment status should be certified every 60 days. Effect: The NSLDS system is not updated with the correct student information which can cause a student to not properly enter the repayment period. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend the College review its reporting procedures to ensure the students' statuses are accurately reported to NSLDS as required by regulations. Views of Responsible Official: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Recommendation: We recommend the College review its reporting procedures to ensure the students' statuses are accurately reported to NSLDS as required by regulations. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The Financial Aid Office updated procedures when citizenship documentation is received for a student previously classified as a noncitizen. The Financial Aid Office will notify the Office of Records and Registration of the student’s status change. Prior to disbursing Title IV aid, the Financial Aid Office will verify with the Office of Records and Registration that the student has been added to required NSLDS reporting. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Tasha Marwitz Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Effective immediately.

Categories

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

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1173685 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173686 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173687 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173688 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173689 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $7.05M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $2.04M
84.038 FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM_FEDERAL CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS $974,586
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $488,763
84.047 TRIO UPWARD BOUND $408,171
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $337,576
84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) $33,948
45.149 PROMOTION OF THE HUMANITIES DIVISION OF PRESERVATION AND ACCESS $19,291
47.074 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES $8,363