FINDING 2022 – 005:
Repeat of Prior Year Finding 2021-003
Type of Finding: Material Weakness-Enrollment Reporting
Name of Responsible Individual: Joyce Lubeck-Sonenberg, Acting Director of Financial Aid
Criteria: An institution is required to update students’ changes in status on the National Student Loans
Data System (NSLDS) website within 30 days of the date the institution becomes aware of the
change in enrollment status for students that graduate, withdraw, or have an increase or decrease in
attendance during the fiscal year (34 CFR 685.309).
Condition: For certain students selected for testing who graduated or withdrew during the year, the
University did not submit an appropriate and/or timely status change notification to the NSLDS
website. A group of graduated students were erroneously reported as ‘withdrawn’ from the University.
Corrective Action: Audit results identify several Wheeling University Enrollment Reports that were
found to be incomplete, inaccurate, or not completed within an acceptable time frame as required by
regulations. In response to finding 2022-005, Wheeling University has implemented several significant
corrective actions towards improving Enrollment Reporting. The apparent cause of these findings was a
lack of administrative capability, staff turnover, and a general lack of a systematic process for
completing accurate Enrollment Reports to the National Student Clearing House (NSC) and National
Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Since these findings were first noted, the Wheeling University
Registration Office and Financial Aid Office have added competent staff and have provided sufficient
training and experience to ensure Enrollment Reports are completed within the regulatory guidelines.
The Vice President of Enrollment has worked closely with the Financial Aid Office and the Registration
Office to ensure there is a clear understanding of who reports to the National Student Clearing House
and who is responsible for monitoring NSLDS. There are also weekly meetings between the Business
Office, Registration, and Financial Aid to ensure all reporting is correct and completed in a timely
manner.
Anticipated Completion Date: A new process has been in place Since October 2023 and is ongoing.