Finding Text
Federal Program Information: Federal Pell Grant Program (ALN: 84.063) and Federal Direct Student Loans (ALN: 84.268) Criteria or Specific Requirement (Including Statutory, Regulatory or Other Citation): N. Special Tests and Provisions - Enrollment Reporting: The University is required to update students’ statuses on the National Student Loans Data System (“NSLDS”) website if they graduate, withdraw or have an increase/decrease in attendance level during the year within 60 days of the date the University becomes aware of the change in enrollment status. There are two categories of enrollment information: “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. Institutions are responsible for accurately reporting the significant data elements under the Campus-Level Record and Program-Level Record that ED considers high risk. Additionally, institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. As with any school/servicer arrangement for the administration of the Title IV programs, if the school uses a third party to meet the NSLDS enrollment reporting requirements, it is the school that must ensure that enrollment information is submitted timely, accurately, and completely. Condition: The University did not accurately report certain significant data elements to the NSLDS website for certain students who graduated, withdrew, or had an increase/decrease in attendance level during the year. Cause: Insufficient administrative oversight and internal controls with respect to enrollment reporting compliance requirements. Effect or Potential Effect: The University is not in compliance with enrollment reporting compliance requirements. Failure to promptly report accurate and timely changes in enrollment status may adversely impact the repayment status for student loan borrowers. Questioned Costs: None. Context: We noted the following exceptions during our testing: • For 9 of 40 students sampled whose status changed during the year, the University failed to accurately report all significant data elements under the Campus-Level Record. • For 13 of 40 students sampled whose status changed during the year, the University failed to submit the Campus-Level Record within the required timeframe. • For 5 of 40 students sampled whose status changed during the year, the University failed to accurately report all significant data elements under the Program-Level Record in a timely notification to the NSLDS website. Identification as a Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding from prior year. This was reported as Finding 2024-008 in the prior year schedule of findings and questioned costs. Recommendation: We recommend that the University enhance its internal controls and implement formal policies and procedures over the applicable compliance requirements to ensure that all status changes are submitted accurately to the NSLDS website within the required timeframe. Views of Responsible Officials: The University concurs with this finding. Shaw University acknowledges the finding regarding variances between institutional records and the status reported in NSLDS. For students 1-3 listed for campus enrollment details, the students withdrew then subsequently re-enrolled. The University, to date has had static to confer degrees which do not coincide with the required timeframe of NSLDS reporting. The University will change degree conferral dates to better coincide with timely NSLDS reporting. Management will continue to monitor this process to ensure ongoing compliance.