Finding 1174915 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-23

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to report accurate and timely enrollment status changes to NSLDS for some students.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 34 CFR 685.309, which mandates reporting changes within 30 or 60 days and ensuring accurate effective dates.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Review and improve processes for reporting enrollment data to ensure accuracy and timeliness.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Federal Program Title: Student Financial Aid Cluster ALN Numbers: Multiple Award Period: September 1, 2024 through 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. Regulations require the status include an accurate effective date and status. In addition, 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, it was noted the effective date reported on the "Campus Level" report in NSLDS did not match the University records for 2 of the 60 students tested. It was also noted that the change in enrollment status was not reported timely for 2 of the 60 students tested. Questioned Costs: None. Context: There were discrepancies between the effective dates reported to NSLDS and the University's records as well as timely reporting issues. Cause: The University's processes and controls did not ensure that student effective dates were properly and timely reported to NSLDS. The effective date should be the student's last date of attendance and academically-related activity. 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: Yes, 2024-001 Recommendation: We recommend reviewing the components of the enrollment roster file to ensure the correct effective date is reported correctly for the "Campus Level" as well as making sure records are being timely reported. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Recommendation: We recommend reviewing the components of the enrollment roster file to ensure the correct effective date is reported correctly for the "Campus Level" as well as making sure records are being timely reported. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: Although the Colleague data is correct, the logic in Colleague used to send the files to the NSC is excluding records when the student is not registered for classes in the month an action such as graduation or withdrawal occurs. In that situation the NSC is inserting default dates onto the record based on the last date of their classes in the prior term. We will continue to manually review and correct issues when needed. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Sean Murphy, Registrar Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Already in place.

Categories

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

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1174911 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1174912 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1174913 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1174914 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $25.11M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $509,551
84.038 FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM_FEDERAL CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS $487,807
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $215,227
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $21,364