Finding 1176218 (2025-001)

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

AI Summary

  • Answer: Management agrees with the audit finding and recommendation.
  • Trend: This indicates a positive response to identified issues, showing a willingness to improve.
  • List: Review the separate corrective action plan for specific steps to address the findings.

Finding Text

Management concurs with this finding and recommendation. See separate corrective action plan document.

Corrective Action Plan

During compliance testing, the Auditor identified—and we concur—that a student received a Subsidized Direct Loan that resulted in an over award. Upon further internal review, we determined that the student was an in-county, dependent student whose Parent PLUS Loan had been denied. In accordance with federal regulations, a PLUS denial provides eligibility for additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds. When the loan was processed, the over award occurred when the Independent Student Cost of Attendance (COA) was applied for one semester instead of the Dependent Student COA. Using the incorrect COA budget resulted in awarding the student excess Subsidized Loan eligibility. Corrective Action: 1. System Controls Implemented: A request was submitted to our ITS Department to develop a daily validation report identifying all students who have the “additional unsubsidized” flag in the Colleague system. The report includes the COA used in determining eligibility. By reviewing this report daily, any inaccuracies in cost of attendance for this student population can be identified and corrected prior to origination and disbursement. 2. Verification of Scope: The report was run for the 2024–2025 academic year. The student described above was the only case identified, confirming that this was an isolated error. 3. Correction to the Award: The student’s Direct Loans were reallocated to remain compliant with federal regulations and the student was notified of the loan change. 4. Staff Training and Communication: A meeting was held with all loan processors to review this finding and reinforce that the Dependent Student COA must be used when processing additional unsubsidized eligibility for dependent students whose parents are denied a PLUS Loan. Ongoing Compliance The Financial Aid Office will maintain the daily validation report as an internal control measure to prevent recurrence. Staff will continue to be trained and monitored for adherence to federal and institutional policy regarding loan eligibility and COA assignments.

Categories

No categories assigned yet.

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1176215 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176216 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176217 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176219 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176220 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176221 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176222 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $22.34M
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $7.74M
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $1.07M
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $640,687
93.493 CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTIVES $472,386
11.619 ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE $446,836
64.027 POST-9/11 VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE $398,951
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $366,975
11.307 ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE $296,686
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $188,162
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $179,322
84.126 REHABILITATION SERVICES VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION GRANTS TO STATES $135,651
20.235 COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR SAFETY TRAINING GRANTS $109,625
10.561 STATE ADMINISTRATIVE MATCHING GRANTS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $84,973
93.173 RESEARCH RELATED TO DEAFNESS AND COMMUNICATION DISORDERS $69,282
20.701 UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS PROGRAM $64,966
93.044 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGING, TITLE III, PART B, GRANTS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND SENIOR CENTERS $61,985
47.041 ENGINEERING $126
94.016 AMERICORPS SENIORS SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM (SCP) 94.016 $86