Finding 1237591 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-28
Audit: 412534
Organization: Flagler College, Inc. (FL)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report student enrollment changes accurately and on time to the NSLDS, with 30 out of 40 sampled cases showing noncompliance.
  • Impacted Requirements: Institutions must report enrollment information within 30 days and ensure internal controls are in place as per federal guidelines.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance policies and monitoring of enrollment reporting processes, especially regarding third-party service providers, to ensure compliance.

Finding Text

Federal agency: Department of Education Federal program title: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.063 – Federal Pell Grant Program 84.268 – Federal Direct Loan Program Award Period: July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025 Type of Finding: Other Matters Finding related to Compliance within Uniform Guidance and Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls over Compliance. Criteria or specific requirement: Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct loan programs via the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) (OMB No. 1845-0035) (Pell, 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2); Direct Loan, 34 CFR 685.309). Institutions must review, update, and verify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website. There are two categories of enrollment information with separate record types; “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and timely. The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides the requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details using the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Process. Institutions must report enrollment changes within 30 days; however, if a roster file is expected within 60 days, you may provide the updated data on that roster file. Additionally, the College is required to ensure adequate internal controls over compliance are established and maintained in accordance with 2 CFR 200.303. Condition: During our testing of the Direct Loan and Pell Grant programs, we selected a sample of 40 students to test for timeliness and accurate reporting of student status changes to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). 30 Students had one or more noncompliant reporting elements noting 30 Instances where students’ campus level enrolment was not certified every 60 days to NSLDS during active enrollment period. Questioned costs Known: None. Context: Out of a sample of 40 enrollment changes selected for testing for the requirement noted above, we noted 30 students with exceptions. 2025– 002 (Continued) Cause: Oversight and clerical error within the Financial Aid office. Effect: The NSLDS system is not updated with the student information in time which can cause over awarding should the student transfer to another institution and the students may not properly enter the repayment period.. Repeat Finding: Yes 2024-002 Recommendation: We recommend that the College continue to enhance its policies and procedures regarding enrollment reporting including additional monitoring over the third-party service provider to ensure that reporting is completed accurately and timely. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Management has addressed their corrective action plan in a separately issued letter.

Corrective Action Plan

Student Financial Aid Cluster – Special Tests and Provisions – Credit Balance Recommendation: We recommend that the College reviews its internal control processes for improvements and to detect potential non-compliance issues related to timeliness. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: Student refund payments will be prioritized for processing at the first payment date following notification of the credit balance. To ensure continuity of operations during employee absences, leave, and staffing transitions, the College has established authorization for multiple individuals to review and approve refund payments. Additionally, the College has enhanced its refund monitoring procedures. Following each refund batch submission, the Student Accounts Office will monitor and verify that EFT transactions and/or paper checks have been successfully processed and completed within the required 14-day timeframe. The College expects these enhancements to promote the timely and consistent processing of credit balance refunds and to reduce the risk of future delays resulting from staffing availability or processing issues. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Brittney Percival (Director of Students Account) and Theresa Lincoln (Controller) Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Ongoing and effective immediately.

Categories

Student Financial Aid

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1237587 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1237588 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1237589 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1237590 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1237592 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $16.17M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $4.86M
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $136,871
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $121,292
84.379 TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS (TEACH GRANTS) $47,150
84.038 FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM_FEDERAL CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS $41,352
45.129 PROMOTION OF THE HUMANITIES FEDERAL/STATE PARTNERSHIP $6,052
11.420 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVES $4,600