Finding 1179255 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-12
Audit: 391638
Organization: Washington College (MD)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Timely reporting of student status changes to NSLDS is not being met, affecting compliance with federal regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls over federal awards must ensure accurate and timely reporting of enrollment status changes as per 34 CFR 685.309 and 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2).
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Review and enhance training for the Registrar's Office to improve reporting procedures and compliance with NSLDS requirements.

Finding Text

2025 – 001: National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Reporting Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Federal program title: Student Financial Aid Cluster ALN Number: 84.063, 84.268 Federal Award Identification Number: P063P241568, P063Q241568, P2687K251568, P268K261568 Award Period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance, Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Internal Control – Per 2 CFR section 200.303(a), a non-Federal entity must: Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Compliance: 1. The Code of Federal Regulations, consisting of 34 CFR 685.309 and 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2), requires that enrollment status changes for students be reported to NSLDS within 30 days or within 60 days if the student with the status change will be reported on a scheduled transmission within 60 days of the change in status. Additionally, schools are required to certify enrollment at a minimum of every 60 days or every other month. 2. The Code of Federal Regulations, consisting of 34 CFR 685.309 and 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2), requires certain student enrollment information be reported to the Department of Education. Information provided to the Department of Education should agree to the institution’s records. Condition: The change in status was not reported timely to the NSLDS. Questioned costs: None Context: This condition occurred for 3 out of 24 students Cause: The Registrar's Office has been through several transitions over the past five years and training has been inadequate during this period. Specifically, there was not sufficient training on enrollment submissions, error resolutions, and timely updates. Effect: The NSLDS system is not updated timely with the student information which may cause over awarding should the student transfer to another institution and the students may not properly enter the repayment period. Repeat Finding: Yes, 2024-001 Recommendation: We recommend the College review its reporting procedures to ensure that students’ statuses are accurately and timely reported to NSLDS as required by regulations. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Student Financial Aid Cluster – National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Reporting Assistance Listing No. 84.063, 84.268 Recommendation: We recommend the College review its reporting procedures to ensure that students’ statuses are accurately and timely reported to NSLDS as required by regulations. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: We have reviewed and updated our documentation, as needed; we have worked with our vendor to locate one source of errors and have corrected those issues in our database; we have started a two-person check on our enrollment and graduation uploads. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Kelly Rowett-James Planned completion date for corrective action plan: We have completed the documentation review and the work with the vendor. We have started our two-person check on enrollment uploads and will continue to do so going forward; our first graduation upload will be done in May and we will start our two-person check for that type of transmission with that upload. If the U.S. Department of Education has questions regarding this plan, please call Jennifer Gallagher at 410-778-7765.

Categories

Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Student Financial Aid Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1179254 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $4.78M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $1.40M
20.616 NATIONAL PRIORITY SAFETY PROGRAMS $184,833
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $146,511
66.466 GEOGRAPHIC PROGRAMS - CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM $119,226
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $95,352
20.611 INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO PROHIBIT RACIAL PROFILING $32,151