Finding 1205111 (2025-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-31
Audit: 396784

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Corporation failed to notify the NSLDS on time about a student's status change, violating Title IV regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Institutions must update and return enrollment reports promptly and notify the Secretary of any significant student status changes within specified timeframes.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Review and improve procedures for reporting student status changes to ensure timely notifications to the NSLDS.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-004: Enrollment Reporting Federal Program - Student Financial Aid Cluster, Federal Direct Student Loans Federal Agency - U.S. Department of Education Assistance Listing Number - 84.268 Federal Award Year - June 30, 2025 Criteria: Title IV regulations (34 CFR Section 685.309(b)) require that upon receipt of an enrollment report from the Secretary, institutions must update all information included in the report and return the report to the Secretary: (i) in the manner and format prescribed by the Secretary; and (ii) within the timeframe prescribed by the Secretary. Unless it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, an institution must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the institution discovers that: (i) a loan under Title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the institution, and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or (ii) a student who is enrolled at the institution and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. Condition: The Corporation did not notify the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) in a timely manner for one student with a status change in our sample of 25 students. The sample was not a statistically valid sample. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with this finding. Cause: The Corporation’s procedures for reporting all students were not designed appropriately in order to allow for timely reporting to the NSLDS. Effect: The accuracy of Title IV student loan records depends heavily on the accuracy of the enrollment information reported by the schools. If an institution does not review, update and verify student enrollment statuses, effective dates of the enrollment status and the anticipated completion dates, then the Title IV student loan records will be inaccurate. Recommendations: The Corporation should review its procedures for student status changes and NSLDS notifications to ensure there are follow-up and review procedures being performed for all students with status changes at the Corporation. Views of Responsible Officials: Management acknowledges and concurs with this finding. The Corporation will periodically perform independent reviews of the information provided to the NSLDS to ensure the status change information has been updated in the NSLDS during the required time period.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025-004 - Enrollment Reporting: Untimely Status Update Condition: One student who graduated in December 2024 was not reported within the required 60-day timeframe. Corrective Action Plan: The College will strengthen enrollment reporting controls within Colleague by: • Performing a monthly reconciliation between Registrar records and enrollment reporting files submitted to NSLDS. • Utilizing Colleague reporting tools to identify recent graduates and status changes requiring updates. • Establishing a compliance calendar with system reminders for required reporting deadlines. • Training staff on reporting requirements aligned with the National Student Loan Data System. Responsible Party: Mandy Schnorr, Director of Financial Aid, Cara Moyer, Registrar Anticipated Completion Date: June 30, 2026

Categories

Student Financial Aid Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1205110 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $13.17M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $2.53M
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL AID $706,067
93.959 BLOCK GRANTS FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE $381,029
84.042 TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES $305,502
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $221,296
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $193,027
47.041 ENGINEERING $81,276
93.788 OPIOID STR $66,430
59.037 SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS $43,436
93.866 AGING RESEARCH $34,602
47.041 TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS $24,861
23.001 APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT (SEE INDIVIDUAL APPALACHIAN PROGRAMS) $5,514
84.038 FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM_FEDERAL CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS $2,177