Finding 1176577 (2025-009)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
F
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-05
Audit: 390365
Organization: Johnson C. Smith University (NC)
Auditor: BDO USA PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to meet federal requirements for managing equipment and real property, including maintaining accurate records and conducting physical inventories.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with federal regulations on equipment management, including documentation of inventory, tagging for federal ownership, and maintenance records.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance internal controls and formalize policies for equipment management; ensure completion of a physical inventory by June 30, 2026.

Finding Text

Federal Program Information: Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (11.028) and Higher Education Institutional Aid (ALN: 84.031B and 84.031E) Criteria or Specific Requirement (Including Statutory, Regulatory or Other Citation): F. Equipment and Real Property Management - Equipment records shall be maintained, a physical inventory of equipment shall be taken at least once every 2 years and reconciled to the equipment records, an appropriate control system shall be used to safeguard equipment, and equipment shall be adequately maintained. Equipment property records should contain the following information about the equipment: description (including serial number or other identification number), source, who holds title, acquisition date and cost, percentage of Federal participation in the cost, location, condition, and any ultimate disposition data including, the date of disposal and sales price or method used to determine current fair market value. The Uniform Guidance further requires that equipment owned by the Federal Government shall be identified (tagged) to indicate Federal ownership. Condition: The University did not comply with the requirements of equipment and real property management. Cause: Insufficient administrative oversight and internal controls with respect to equipment and real property management. Effect or Potential Effect: The University did not comply with the requirements of equipment and real property management. Questioned Costs: None. Context: The University was unable to provide documentation supporting the completion of a physical inventory of equipment and real property purchased with federal funds during the most recent two fiscal years. Additionally, for 1 of 1 sampled items in the CMC program, the University was unable to provide documentation supporting the required tagging and appropriate maintenance of property records for federally funded equipment. Identification as a Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding from prior year. This was reported as Finding 2024-010 in the prior year schedule of findings and questioned costs. Recommendation: We recommend that the University enhance its internal controls and implement formal policies and procedures over the equipment and real property management compliance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials: Government Sponsored Programs and Research (“GSPAR”) has implemented processes for recording and inventorying federal purchases during the Fall 2024. Early in 2025 we updated all inventory information to capture all necessary information. In addition, the grant onboarding process was revised to emphasize key federal regulations and emphasize the importance of compliance. The University will complete a physical inventory by June 30, 2026. While there was improvement the issues were not fully remediated by June 30, 2025.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Plan: GSPAR will improve its internal controls, policies, and procedures to mandate a physical inventory annually. GSPAR will attest/certify all inventory once every two years, beginning in May 2026 to rectify the remaining audit deficiency. This ensures accurate tracking and accountability of assets. In partnership with Moore & Van Allen JCSU also updated our equipment management policy, procedures and training modules to address this audit finding (updated January 15, 2026). Anticipated Completion Date: June 2026

Categories

Equipment & Real Property Management

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1176550 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176551 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176552 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176553 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176554 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176555 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176556 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176557 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176558 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176559 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176560 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176561 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176562 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176563 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176564 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176565 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176566 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176567 2025-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176568 2025-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176569 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176570 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176571 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176572 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176573 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176574 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176575 2025-009
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176576 2025-009
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176578 2025-010
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176579 2025-010
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $12.35M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $6.16M
11.028 CONNECTING MINORITY COMMUNITIES PILOT PROGRAM $2.38M
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL AID $499,663
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $457,333
84.120 MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT $401,852
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $388,738
84.047 TRIO UPWARD BOUND $369,588
84.042 TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES $366,285
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $269,267
84.217 TRIO MCNAIR POST-BACCALAUREATE ACHIEVEMENT $232,533
93.243 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROJECTS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE $201,323
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $185,839
93.391 ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT STATE, TRIBAL, LOCAL AND TERRITORIAL (STLT) HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR HEALTHCARE CRISES $48,474
89.003 NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS GRANTS $46,856
97.062 SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP AWARDS $26,250
97.061 CENTERS FOR HOMELAND SECURITY $15,207
11.417 SEA GRANT SUPPORT $5,250
93.859 BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING $4,800
93.310 TRANS-NIH RESEARCH SUPPORT $2,000
17.268 H-1B JOB TRAINING GRANTS $1,078
54.001 INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY CENTERS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE $773