Finding Text
Item 2022-001 ? Significant Deficiency ? Reporting: Special Reporting Federal Award: Student Financial Aid Cluster ALN No. CFDA 84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans U.S. Department of Education Award year ended June 30, 2022 Criteria or specific requirement: Pursuant to OMB 1845-0030: The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) (P.L. 110-315) was enacted on August 14, 2008 and reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA). It requires participating Title IV institutions to apply for funds and report expenditures for the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins), the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Programs on an annual basis. The data submitted electronically in the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP) is used by the Department of Education to determine the institution?s funding need for the award year and monitor program effectiveness and accountability of fund expenditures. The data is used in conjunction with institutional program reviews to assess the administrative capability and compliance of the applicant. There are no other resources for collecting this data. The HEA requires that if an institution anticipates not using all of its allocated funds for the FWS, and FSEOG programs by the end of an award year, it must specify the anticipated remaining unused amount to the Secretary, who reduces the institution?s allocation accordingly. The changes to the version of the FISAP are to update the deadline and award year references, incorporate new data fields added to capture cumulative service cancellation reimbursement activity beginning in the 2019-20 award year under the Perkins Loan Program. The latest form for Fiscal Operations Report for 2022-2023 and Application to Participate 2024-2025 (FISAP) and Reallocation Form expires 2023-05-31. The FISAP is submitted annually to receive funds for the campus-based programs. The institution uses the Fiscal Operations Report portion to report its expenditures in the previous award year and the Application to Participate portion to apply for the following year. By October 1, 2021, the institution should submit its FISAP that includes the Fiscal Operations Report for the award year 2020-2021 and the Application to Participate for the 2021-2022 award year (FWS, FSEOG 34 CFR 673.3; Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate Instructions). Conditions: During the audit of the submitted FISAP, we noted the total number of undergraduate students reported for 2021-2022 was 1,322, but should have been 1,318, and tuition and fees for the award year July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 for undergraduate and graduate/professional students were $48,718,257 and $22,599,277, respectively, but should have been $56,954,284 and $14,229,629, respectively. Context: Key line items required in the FISAP contain critical information that should be reported completely and accurately through the award year. Cause: There were issues within the Office of Financial Aid under the leadership of a new Director of Student Financial Aid regarding the reporting process. Key line items reported were derived from the Office of Financial Aid, but not reconciled to align with the Business Service Office and with the requirements of the applicable reporting regulations. Effect: The total number of undergraduate students reported, and tuition and fees for the award year July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 for undergraduate and graduate/professional students were reported inaccurately on the FISAP. Questioned cost: None. Recommendation: We recommend that the University ensure that all key line items within the FISAP are reconciled timely between the Office of Financial Aid, Business Service Office, and reported to align with the requirements of the applicable reporting regulations. Views of responsible officials (unaudited): Management concurs.