Finding 1214582 (2024-006)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-05-12
Audit: 401247
Organization: Roxbury Community College (MA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College did not comply with its Federal Work Study (FWS) policy, as two out of twenty-five students lacked signed agreements or exceeded their awarded amounts.
  • Impacted Requirements: The College failed to follow 34 CFR 675.10, which mandates that FWS agreements be in writing and uniformly applied.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen controls to ensure all FWS participants have signed agreements and that payments do not exceed award amounts.

Finding Text

Finding number: 2024-006 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Programs: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing #: 84.033 Award year: 2024 Criteria According to 34 CFR 675.10: (a) An institution shall make employment under FWS reasonably available, to the extent of available funds, to all eligible students. (b) An institution shall establish selection procedures and those procedures must be— (1) Uniformly applied; (2) In writing; and (3) Maintained in the institution's files. Condition The College’s policy regarding Federal Work Study (“FWS”) requires the student to sign a work study agreement prior to working. One of the twenty-five selected students who received FWS did not have a signed agreement and 1 of 25 selected students received FWS above the amount included in their award letter without approval from the financial aid department. Cause The College failed to have proper review procedures in place to ensure agreements were in place for work study participants and that students earned FWS did not exceed the amounts reported per their award letters.. Effect The college was not in compliance with their FWS policy. Questioned Costs $798 Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of the 25 students selected for testing, 2 students, or 8%, were not in compliance with the College’s FWS policy. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation The College should continue to strengthen its controls surrounding FWS policy to ensure all students who receive assistance under the title IV program have a signed agreement in place and do not receive FWS amounts in excess of their award letter.. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding and has implemented the corrective action plan within the management corrective action plan section of this report.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding number: 2024-006 Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Programs: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing #: 84.033 Award year: 2024 Corrective Action Plan: The College experienced significant turnover during FY24. The College has added controls to monitor earnings against authorized award amounts and periodic reviews to ensure compliance with all program requirements. Timeline for Implementation of Corrective Action Plan: Immediate Contact Person Loriann Weiss Interim Director of Financial Aid

Categories

Student Financial Aid

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1214579 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214580 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214581 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214583 2024-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214584 2024-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214585 2024-009
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214586 2024-010
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214587 2024-011
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1214588 2024-012
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $4.81M
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $198,966
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL AID $165,342
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $136,764
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $107,918
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $33,935