Finding Text
2022-002 Agency: U.S. Department of Education Assistance Listing Number(s): 84.007, 84.268, 84.033, 84.038, 84.063, and 84.379 Program: Student Financial Assistance Programs Cluster Condition: Management's review of the enrollment reporting did not detect errors on certain student data elements. Certain student records within the NSLDS were identified with inaccurate data elements. Criteria: The College is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining internal control over compliance for special tests and provisions and for accurately reporting significant data elements under the Campus-Level and Program-Level records within the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS or Clearinghouse) that DOE considers high risk. Questioned Costs: Questioned costs could not be determined. Context: Five students were identified with inaccurate data elements reported out of a total of 40 students tested. Cause: The College?s internal control over compliance did not detect and correct the errors. The preparer incorrectly input the student's status into NSLDS resulting in inaccuracies in significant Campus-Level and Program-Level enrollment data elements that DOE considers high risk. Effect: The College incorrectly reported certain Campus-Level and Program-Level records in NSLDS which is information that DOE considers high risk and the College?s internal controls over compliance did not detect and correct the errors. Recommendation: We recommend management review policies and procedures surrounding enrollment reporting submissions to ensure the accuracy of data elements reported to DOE. A review performed by an appropriate individual separate from the preparer prior to the submission of the enrollment reports to NSLDS may improve the accuracy of enrollment reporting. Management's Response: In previous submission of these students' graduation status, errors in the Alverno dataset resulted in accurate transmissions to the Clearinghouse in some cases. Since that time, we have improved our review process. Our current process involves a collaboration between the Registrar and Senior Data Specialist on the Institutional Research team within our Assessment and Outreach Center to ensure that the number of graduating records matches in all reporting processes. This double review provides another opportunity to find and correct enrollment errors before submitting the files to the Clearinghouse. Additionally, the Senior Data Specialist carefully reviews all errors returned by the Clearinghouse and makes corrections to the records as needed to ensure that completions are correctly applied. Finally, campus wide processes to verify enrollment at census and creation of standardized calendar dates have been implemented to reduce the opportunities for data error.