Finding Text
Finding 2025-019 – U.S. Department of Education (ED), Title IV Student Financial Aid Programs - Failure to Provide Annual Fire and Safety Notification (Material Weakness): Information on the federal program – Federal Direct Student Loans, ALN 84.268, June 30, 2025; Federal Pell Grant Program, ALN 84.063, June 30, 2025; Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, ALN 84.007, June 30, 2025; Federal Work-Study Program, ALN 84.033, June 30, 2025. Criteria – In accordance with 34 CFR § 668.41(e), an institution must annually distribute to all enrolled students and current employees the required annual security report containing the campus security policies and crime statistics required under federal law. The institution must also provide notice to prospective students and prospective employees regarding the availability of the report. Additionally, institutions that maintain on-campus student housing facilities are subject to the fire safety reporting requirements under 34 CFR § 668.41(e) and 668.49. Such institutions must annually distribute the Annual Fire Safety Report, which includes required fire statistics and information regarding fire safety systems, policies, procedures, evacuation practices, and fire safety education and training. Institutions may combine the Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report into a single document, provided the applicable federal requirements are met and the required information is distributed to the appropriate students and employees. Condition – During testing of the University's compliance with annual campus safety and fire safety reporting requirements, the institution did not provide documentation demonstrating that the required annual notification was distributed to enrolled students and current employees during the audit period. As a result, we were unable to verify that students and employees were appropriately notified of the availability of the required annual security and, as applicable, fire safety information in accordance with federal requirements. Cause – The condition appears to have resulted from insufficient procedures for ensuring that the required annual notification is distributed to students and employees and that documentation supporting the distribution is maintained and readily available for review. Effect – Failure to distribute and maintain documentation supporting the required annual notification may result in noncompliance with federal campus security and fire safety reporting requirements. Additionally, students and employees may not receive timely access to required information regarding campus crime statistics, security policies, emergency procedures, fire safety statistics, and fire safety practices. Questioned Costs – $0 Repeat Finding – No Perspective – The annual notification requirement is an important component of the University's responsibility to provide students and employees with timely access to federally required campus safety and fire safety information. The absence of documentation demonstrating distribution of the required notification prevents the University from demonstrating compliance with applicable annual disclosure requirements. Auditor's Recommendation – The University should establish and implement procedures to ensure that the required annual notification is distributed to all enrolled students and current employees within the federally required timeframe. The University should also maintain documentation supporting the date, method, and population to which the notification was distributed. Management should assign responsibility for preparing, reviewing, distributing, and retaining evidence of the annual notification and implement a supervisory review process to ensure that all applicable campus security and fire safety reporting requirements are completed timely. View of Responsible Officials – Management agrees with the finding. See the accompanying Corrective Action Plan for the University's planned corrective actions, responsible officials, and implementation dates.