Finding 1176726 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-06

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College submitted incorrect tuition and fees data in the FISAP, impacting compliance with federal reporting requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Annual submission of the FISAP is necessary for funding campus-based programs, and the College failed to reconcile this report with internal records.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure timely completion of the year-end closing process and require CFO or controller sign-off on FISAP metrics before submission.

Finding Text

2025-001 Significant Deficiency – Special Reporting Program: Student Financial Aid Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 84.268, 84.063, 84.003, 84.007 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award Year: June 30, 2025 Criteria: The College is required to submit the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP) annually to receive funds for the campus-based programs. Condition: The College incorrectly reported information on tuition and fees in the FISAP submitted to the Department of Education. Questioned Costs: None Cause: The FISAP was not reconciled to the College’s internal records prior to submission due to staffing turnovers and delays in producing the financial statements. Effect: The College did not operate in accordance with the special reporting compliance requirement. Identification of Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding Recommendation: The College should ensure that the year-end closing process is completed timely and require a sign-off from the CFO or controller of financial statement metrics reported on the FISAP prior to submission. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with this finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Management’s Corrective Action Plan 6/30/25 Finding: Tuition revenue reported on the FISAP did not agree to the final audited general ledger due to timing of preparation and lack of documented reconciliation. Management Response and Corrective Action Plan: Management concurs with the finding. During the fiscal year, the Director of Financial Aid prepared the FISAP using tuition data obtained from the Bursar’s office in early September in order to meet the October 1 filing deadline. At that time, not all year-end adjusting journal entries had been recorded by the Controller, and a formal reconciliation of the FISAP tuition amount to the final general ledger had not been performed. To remediate this issue and strengthen internal controls over federal reporting, the College has implemented the following corrective actions: Formal Reconciliation Requirement Effective immediately, all financial data reported on the FISAP will be reconciled to the final general ledger balances after year-end adjusting entries are posted. Defined Roles and Review Process The Director of Financial Aid will prepare the FISAP using tuition revenue from the Controller-approved general ledger. The Controller will prepare and document a reconciliation between: FISAP tuition revenue General ledger tuition revenue The Chief Financial Officer will review and sign off on the reconciliation prior to FISAP submission. Responsible Officials: Controller (reconciliation), Director of Financial Aid (FISAP preparation), CFO (final review) Implementation Date: Effective for the June 30, 2026 reporting cycle.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1176723 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176724 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1176725 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $3.45M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $1.33M
84.116 FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION $155,694
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $28,469
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $19,963