Finding 1215397 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-05-21
Audit: 401965
Organization: Athens State University (AL)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to report student enrollment status changes to NSLDS within the required 60-day timeframe.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 34 CFR part 690, which mandates accurate and timely enrollment reporting for federal financial aid eligibility.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance controls and involve multiple staff members to ensure timely reporting of enrollment changes to NSC.

Finding Text

– Student Financial Assistance – Enrollment Reporting Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Award(s) Federal Pell Grant Assistance Listing Number(s): 84.063 Award Year: 2025 CRITERIA: 34 CFR part 690 establishes rules governing the accuracy and timeliness of enrollment reporting to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). Schools are required to confirm and report to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) the enrollment status of students who receive federal funds. Enrollment information is used to determine the borrower’s eligibility for in-school status, deferment, interest subsidy, and grace period. Enrollment changes, such as a change from full-time to half-time status, graduation, withdrawal, or an approved leave of absence, are changes that need to be reported. The enrollment information is merged into the NSLDS database and reported to guarantors, lenders, and servicers of student loans. CONDITION: Through our Enrollment Reporting testing, we noted 2 out of 40 selections for which the students had a change in enrollment status but were not included in the enrollment reporting to NSLDS within 60 days of the change in enrollment. We also noted 1 out of the 40 selections that were not reported to NSLDS. QUESTIONED COSTS: None. CAUSE/EFFECT: The automated Banner reports that process student enrollment status changes in Banner and notifies the University of students to send to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) for reporting to NSLDS did not include all students with changes in a timely manner. As such, the required enrollment reporting for these students was not performed timely and the University was not in compliance with the Enrollment Reporting timeline requirements. RECOMMENDATION: The auditor recommends the University enhance its controls and incorporate multiple individuals in the process to ensure that student enrollment changes are captured and reported timely. VIEW OF RESONSIBLE OFFICIALS: Management concurs with this finding and has taken steps towards the reassessment of controls, review these accounts and implement controls to ensure that timely reporting to NSC is performed.

Corrective Action Plan

Management’s Response: Management understands the importance of ensuring information is reported accurately and timely and the requirement to report to the NSLDS the enrollment status of students who receive federal funds. The University will review its controls and procedures to ensure that not only are status changes reported to the Clearinghouse, but also that the enrollment changes are reported appropriately from the National Student Clearinghouse to NSLDS. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action: We will reassess controls, review these processes and implement controls, including multiple layers of review, to ensure that timely and accurate enrollment reporting is made. Furthermore, the reporting data was appropriately updated subsequent to the required timeframe. Name of Responsible Person: LaShanda Chamberlain, Director of Student Financial Aid Implementation Date: Immediately

Categories

Student Financial Aid Eligibility Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1215395 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1215396 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $13.36M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $7.42M
84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) $421,052
84.116 FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION $360,931
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $235,765
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $120,979
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $102,149
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $59,082
47.084 TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS $34,832