Finding Text
Assistance Listing Number, Federal Agency, and Program Name - Student Financial Assistance Cluster - Federal Direct Student Loans Program (ALN 84.268), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (ALN 84.007), and Federal Pell Grant Program (ALN 84.063) Federal Award Identification Number and Year - Various Pass-through Entity - None Finding Type - Material weakness and material noncompliance with laws and regulations Repeat Finding - Yes - 2024-002 Criteria - If a recipient of Title IV grant or loan funds withdraws from a school after beginning attendance, but before he or she has attended 60 percent of the scheduled length of the semester, the school must perform a return of Title IV funds (R2T4) calculation. If the amount disbursed to the student is greater than the amount the student earned, the unearned funds must be returned. A school must return unearned funds for which it is responsible no later than 45 days from the determination of a student's withdrawal (30 days if never attended) (34 CFR 668.220)(1)). When a recipient of Title IV grant or loan assistance withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must determine the amount of Title IV aid earned by the student as of the student's withdrawal date. Condition - Out of 60 students tested for return to Title IV, we identified 4 students whose calculations were performed outside of the required time frame. Questioned Costs - N/A If Questioned Costs are Not Determinable, Description of Why Known Questioned Costs Were Undetermined or Otherwise Could Not be Reported - N/A Identification of How Questioned Costs Were Computed - N/A Context - The College did not review students who unofficially withdrew from the College during the summer 2024 semester. Out of our sample of 60 students who withdrew from the College during the fiscal year, 3 students did not have a return of Title IV funds calculation performed timely because of the lack of controls identified in the prior year requiring the College to amend previous returns. In total, the College amended 37 returns from the fall and summer 2024 semester. In addition, 1 student in the 2025 spring semester was not completed timely. Cause and Effect - The College experienced turnover in the financial aid department and, throughout the transition, historical procedures and controls were not followed. As a result, the controls to properly identify, calculate, and return Title IV funds for withdrawals were not operating effectively. Recommendation - The College should implement procedures and controls to review all the students who may need calculations completed and to verify that the information used in the Title IV calculations is accurate. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions - The College will work with its Director of Financial Aid to ensure the semester end procedures include stepsto identify those students who unofficially withdrew. Once the students are identified,individuals with appropriate skills and knowledge will be able to determine if a return of Title IV calculation is necessary and appropriately return any funds, as necessary.