Finding 1176602 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-05
Audit: 390422
Organization: City University of Seattle (WA)
Auditor: BAKER TILLY

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: 21 program-level reports were not submitted to the NSLDS, impacting data accuracy.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with submission deadlines and accuracy standards set by the Department of Education.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure adherence to policies for consistent capturing and transmission of program-level data.

Finding Text

U.S. Department of Education ALN: 84.063 and 84.268 Federal Program Name: Federal Pell Grant Program and Federal Direct Student Loans Criteria: An institution shall submit, in accordance with deadline dates established by the Secretary, through publication in the Federal Registrar, other reports and information the Secretary requires and shall comply with the procedures the Secretary finds necessary to ensure that the reports are correct. The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the Department of Education’s (ED) centralized database for students’ enrollment information. It is the University’s responsibility to update this information timely and accurately. Condition and Context: 21 submissions of program level reporting were not reported to the NSLDS. Questioned Costs: None Effect: Information is utilized by the Department of Education, the Federal Direct Loan program, lenders, and other institutions. Cause: Prior to January 1, 2025, majors and program-level data for domestic students were entered by the domestic enrollment team. With the transition in 2025 of responsibilities to the Registrar’s Office, controls were not fully aligned to ensure program-level elements were consistently captured and transmitted. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: We recommend that the University ensure the policy is followed, which ensures that program-level data is consistently captured and transmitted. Views of Responsible Officials: The University is committed to ensuring full compliance with the NSLDS enrollment reporting requirements and has taken corrective measures to prevent recurrence of

Corrective Action Plan

Background During the audit, it was identified that the University did not report all required program-level record elements to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Cause The root cause of the issue was a gap in our data entry and reporting processes: • Prior to January 1 2025, majors and program-level data for domestic students were entered by the domestic enrollment team. With the transition of responsibilities to the Registrar’s Office, controls were fully aligned to ensure program-level elements were consistently captured and transmitted. Corrective Action Plan The University has taken and will continue to take the following corrective actions: 1. Process Realignment o Responsibility for capturing and validating program-level record elements has been formally assigned to the Registrar’s Office. 2. System Enhancements o Validation reports have been developed to flag missing or inconsistent program-level data prior to NSLDS submission. 3. Follow-Up Monitoring o Quarterly monitoring ensures proactive identification and correction of any missing program-level enrollment data prior to submitting data to NSLDS. Conclusion The University is committed to ensuring full compliance with NSLDS enrollment reporting requirements. We believe the corrective measures outlined above will prevent recurrence of incomplete program-level reporting and strengthen the reliability of our enrollment submissions. Sincerely, Christopher Bryan CFO

Categories

Student Financial Aid

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1176601 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $8.81M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $897,614
12.903 GENCYBER GRANTS PROGRAM $367,450
12.900 LANGUAGE GRANT PROGRAM $64,473
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $35,945
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $23,573
84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) $17,445
12.800 AIR FORCE DEFENSE RESEARCH SCIENCES PROGRAM $5,808