Finding 1176198 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-03

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report student status changes to the NSLDS within the required 60-day timeframe, leading to discrepancies in enrollment records.
  • Impacted Requirements: Enrollment Reporting for Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan programs mandates timely updates to student status, which were not consistently met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The College should create and enforce new procedures to ensure all status changes are reported accurately and on time, with regular internal monitoring.

Finding Text

2025-001 Enrollment Reporting Federal Program – U.S. Department of Education (ED), Student Financial Assistance Cluster, Federal Pell Grant Program, CFDA 84.063; Federal Direct Student Loan Program, CFDA 84.268. Program Year – July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Special Tests and Provisions – Enrollment Reporting – Under the Pell grant and loan programs, colleges must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file. Once received, the institution must update for changes in the data elements for the Campus Record and the Program Record identified above, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method, spreadsheet submittal, or the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website. Colleges are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. When a Direct Loan was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the institution, and the student ceased to be enrolled on at least a halftime basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or a student who is enrolled at the institution and who received a loan under Title IV has changed his or her permanent address, the institution must report the change in its next updated Enrollment Reporting Roster file (due within 60 days of the change). Condition – Notification of the student status change (graduated, withdrew, less than half-time) did not reach the NSLDS within the required time frame. In addition, the status change per the College’s records did not consistently match what was reported in the NSLDS’s enrollment detail. Questioned Costs – None. Context – From a sample of 25 students selected from a population of 808 students who received Pell grants or loans and had a status change during the year, timely notification to NSLDS was not provided for eight of the students tested. For these eight students, the status change was not reported within the required 60 day timeframe. In addition, for seven other students selected for testing, the status change was not reported accurately. Our sampling method was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Effect – Student status changes exceeded the 60-day period for student enrollment changes reported in roster files. In addition, student status changes were not accurately reported. Cause – The College did not consistently report enrollment changes within 60 days. Identification as a Repeat Finding – 2024-002, 2023-003. Recommendation – We recommend the College develop and implement procedures to help ensure all student status changes and errors in enrollment reporting batch process are reported within the required timeframes. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions – Concur. The College will review and update current procedures to ensure timely processing and monitoring of NSLDS reports. Internal reports will be run simultaneously to make sure all students are captured and their status is correctly reported.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding Number 2025-001. Enrollment Reporting - The College hired a full-time Registrar in December 2025. Upon onboarding, the Registrar will collaborate with the College’s third-party consultant(s) to conduct a comprehensive review and re-evaluation of the enrollment reporting configuration and associated business processes. This review will ensure alignment with federal reporting requirements and institutional best practices. During this review period, the Registrar and the Financial Aid Office will jointly implement ongoing monitoring procedures to ensure that all students are accurately captured and that enrollment statuses are correctly and timely reported to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). These monitoring controls will remain in place until the enrollment reporting system and processes are fully vetted and validated for compliance. Anticipated Completion Date - February 28, 2026. Responsible Contact Person for Planned Corrective Action: Dominique Colyer, Director of Financial Aid

Categories

Student Financial Aid

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1176196 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176197 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $7.78M
84.002 ADULT EDUCATION - FEDERAL - ADMINISTERED BASIC GRANT PROGRAM $445,791
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION - CARL PERKINS EDUCATIONAL ACT $339,256
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $280,918
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $164,250
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $141,787
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION_INSTITUTIONAL AID $130,898
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE ALLOWANCE $15,245
10.558 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM $3,598
47.046 LOUIS STOKES STEM PATHWAY AND RESEARCH ALLIANCE (ILSPRA) $500