Finding 1182710 (2025-001)

Finding Reference: 2025-001 - SFA - Special Tests - Return of Title IV Funds (ASU) Responsible Official: Dr. Capetra Polk, Default Management Coordinator capetra@alcorn.edu Corrective Action Planned: Our prior corrective plan was to ensure that any post-withdrawal aid eligible for disbursement would be processed in a timely manner. Although corrective actions were implemented in response to the previous finding, the university unfortunately returned funds outside the required timeframe, resulting in the current finding. To address this issue, responsibility for the R2T4 process has been reassigned, and new staff have been trained and will assume these duties to prevent future oversights. Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2026 Finding Reference: 2025-001 - SFA - Special Tests - Return of Title IV Funds (DSU) Responsible Official:Megan Smith, Director of Financial Aid (mlsmith@deltastate.edu) and Tammy Prather, Registrar (tprather@deltastate.edu) Corrective Action Planned: Delta State University understands that the spring break start date did not match the days of the break and have resolved the accuracy of those entries to policy. The Registrar and Director of Financial Aid will verify the input of the dates prior to processing withdrawals each year. Delta State University is implementing a weekly process to ensure all R2T4 reviews are conducted and funds returned within the required timeframe. Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2026 Finding Reference: 2025-001 - SFA - Special Tests - Return of Title IV Funds (MVSU) Responsible Official: Angela Fant, Director of Financial Aid (Angela.Fant@mvsu.edu) and Jeffery Loggins, University Registrar (JLoggins@mvsu.edu) Corrective Action Planned: As part of ongoing corrective actions, the Office of Financial Aid will continue to verify the accuracy of data provided by the Registrar’s Office prior to processing and awarding aid. In addition, better coordination will be implemented to manage and ensure the submission of accurate data. Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2026 Finding Reference: 2025-001 - SFA - Special Tests - Return of Title IV Funds (UMMC) Responsible Official: Davita Weary, Director Financial Aid (FinancialAid@umc.edu) Corrective Action Planned: To ensure accuracy, uniformity, and compliance across all UMMC schools, the following corrective actions will be implemented. All academic calendars must clearly state standardized semester start and end dates using the required language. In addition, standardized break and holiday language must be applied consistently for all holidays, recesses, and institutional closures. Oversight of the academic calendar will be provided by the UMMC Academic Affairs Council, and all academic calendars and associated verbiage must be submitted for review and approval by the Council. The Academic Affairs Council will conduct a full review prior to publication, provide feedback and required revisions during the review period, and return any non‑compliant submissions for correction. In addition to calendar requirements, Financial Aid Advisors will be required to participate in Return to Title IV (R2T4) training offered through the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), and the Financial Aid Director will conduct periodic spot checks of R2T4 submissions throughout the year to ensure continued compliance. Estimated Completion Date: Immediately Finding Reference: 2025-001 - SFA - Special Tests - Return of Title IV Funds (USM) Responsible Official: David Williamson, Director of Financial Aid (david.williamson@usm.edu) Corrective Action Planned: The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) acknowledges the audit finding and agrees that controls surrounding Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculations must be strengthened to ensure full compliance with federal requirements. During the Spring 2025 semester, the institution experienced a two‑day weather‑related delay in the start of classes. As a result, the Registrar updated the academic calendar start date to align with the actual commencement of instruction. No in‑person or online classes were held, and no federal aid disbursements occurred prior to the revised start date. The Spring 2025 semester remained a standard academic term with at least 15 weeks of instructional time. While the institution believed the revised calendar reasonably reflected student attendance and instructional activity, the audit identified that the payment period start date used in Return of Title IV calculations did not align precisely with the approved term structure for purposes of federal aid calculations. This misalignment resulted in incorrect day counts for certain withdrawals. To address this issue and mitigate future risk, the University will implement the following corrective actions: •The Office of Financial Aid will formally coordinate with the Registrar prior to the start of each semester to confirm that academic calendar dates used for Title IV purposes align with approved payment periods and federal regulations. •Any future adjustments to the academic calendar regardless of instructional time impact will be reviewed for Title IV implications, and written guidance will be obtained from the U.S. Department of Education by contacting caseteams@ed.gov as appropriate. •Internal procedures for Return of Title IV calculations will be updated to require verification of calendar day inputs against the institution’s final, approved academic calendar prior to processing. These actions are intended to reinforce internal controls over compliance and ensure consistent application of federal requirements across all withdrawals. Estimated Completion Date: March 18, 2026