Finding 1175566 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-26
Audit: 389353
Organization: William Jewell College (MO)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report new students in the EMBA program within the required 60 days and had inaccuracies in published program lengths.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 34 CFR Sections 690.83(b)(2) and 685.309(b) regarding timely and accurate enrollment reporting to the Secretary.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should establish procedures to ensure accurate reporting of student status changes to NSLDS.

Finding Text

U.S. Department of Education Federal Assistance Number: 84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program and 84.268 Direct Student Loans Award Year: 2024/2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement - Special Tests and Provisions - Enrollment Reporting Pell 34 CFR Section 690.83(b)(2);, FDL34 CFR 685.309(b) states that upon receipt of an enrollment report from the Secretary, a school must update all information included in the report and return the report to the Secretary in the manner and format prescribed by the Secretary and within the timeframe prescribed by the Secretary. Unless it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school discovers that a loan under Title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the school, and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended. In addition, institutions are responsible for accurately reporting all Program-Level Records data elements including Published Program Length. Condition - The College did not report new students enrolled in the entrepreneurial MBA (EMBA) program within the 60 day requirement. In addition, we noted inaccuracies in the published program length for several majors. Cause - The College's controls to ensure accurate and timely information was provided to NSLDS did not operate effectively. Effect or Potential Effect - Accuracy of the Title IV student records depends heavily on the accuracy of the enrollment information reported by the schools. If an institution does not review, update and verify student enrollment statuses and other relevant information then the Title IV student records will be inaccurate. Questioned Costs - None noted. Context - A sample of 40 students out of a population of 292 status changes was selected for testing in 2025. Out of this sample, 10 students were enrolled in the EMBA program and all 10 students' enrollment was reported late. In addition, we noted the following discrepancies in program length: 1) EMBA program length was reported at 2.571 years in NSLDS records, but the program length per the College is 18 months. This error was noted in 10 sample selections. 2) The Bachelors of Business Administration and Management program length was reported at 6.857 years per NSLDS records, but the program length per the College is four years. This error was noted in eight sample selections. The sample was not, and was not intended to be, a statistically valid sample. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable - Not a repeat finding. Recommendation - We recommend that management review this area and establish procedures to ensure that student status changes are reported accurately to NSLDS. View of Responsible Official and Planned Corrective Actions – Management agrees with the stated finding and has implemented a corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Personnel Responsible for Corrective Action: Dr. Tom Stuart, Associate Vice President of Student Financial Services Anticipated Completion Date: April 14, 2026 Corrective Action Plan: The corrective action plan includes the following: 1) With assistance from the NSC, the College established a second branch for EMBA reporting and submitted an out-of-cycle update for all EMBA students in the 2024-2025 population. Moving forward an EMBA enrollment report will be submitted at the start of each monthly term. 2) With regard to program length corrections we have confirmed program-level records in SIS reflect accurate published program lengths and units as well as updated the enrollment reporting parameters used for NSC. We will continue to monitor to ensure that the changes to the reporting parameters correct the program length errors.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Special Tests & Provisions

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1175565 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $6.36M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $1.90M
84.116 FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION $535,698
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $316,449
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $208,055
93.364 NURSING STUDENT LOANS $151,949
47.074 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES $109,164
93.865 CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH $108,194
84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) $3,772