Finding 372081 (2023-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-03-04
Audit: 293358
Organization: University of the Pacific (CA)
Auditor: Kpmg LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to report 6 out of 52 Pell Grant disbursements to the COD system within the required 15-day timeframe.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with federal reporting deadlines for student disbursement data is essential to maintain eligibility for federal funding.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance internal controls to ensure timely reporting of all Pell disbursements to COD within the specified 15 days.

Finding Text

Finding 2023-002 - Reporting - Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Instance of Noncompliance Federal Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Federal Assistance Listing Number: 84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program Federal Agency: Department of Education Award Year: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 Criteria: Institutions must report student disbursement data to Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system within 15 calendar days after the institution makes a disbursement or becomes aware of the need to make an adjustment to previously reported student disbursement data or expected student disbursement data. Institutions may do this by reporting once every 15 calendar days, bi-weekly or weekly, or may set up their own system to ensure that changes are reported in a timely manner. Condition and Context: During our testwork over 52 student disbursements of Pell Grant funds, we identified 6 disbursements which the University did not report to COD within 15 calendar days after the disbursement. Cause and Effect: The University’s internal control failed in detecting that untimely information was reported to COD. Questioned Costs: None noted. Whether the sampling was a statistically valid sample: The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the University enhance its internal controls to ensure all Pell disbursements are reported to COD within 15 days from the initial disbursement. View of Responsible Officials: Pacific understands finding #2023-002 and agrees that the University will enhance its internal controls to ensure all Pell disbursements are reported to COD within 15 days from the initial disbursement.

Corrective Action Plan

Pacific understands finding #2023-002 and we agree that the University will enhance its internal controls to ensure all Pell disbursements are reported to COD within 15 days from the initial disbursement. Finding #2023-001 Action: The University notes that in the fall of 2022, there were students whose Pell Grant disbursements were not reported within the 15-day requirement to the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD)system. A Banner system issue allowed the origination of the Pell Grant to be sent to COD, however the disbursements were not. There was no indication this was occurring. To prevent future instances of late Pell Grant reporting, we will take the following action, effective February 6, 2024: • Adding an internal reconciliation component to the 10 day Pell Grant processing reminder • Reconciliation will be completed by the Assistant Director of Financial Aid, Operations of Analytics • Reconciliation will be reviewed and approved by Senior Assistant Director of Financial Aid, Operations and Analytics or Director of Financial Aid, Operations and Analytics Person(s) responsible: Aquila Galgon | Assistant Vice President of Financial Aid and Enrollment Strategy

Categories

Reporting Student Financial Aid Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 372080 2023-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 948522 2023-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 948523 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $154.85M
93.342 Health Professions Student Loans, Including Primary Care Loans/loans for Disadvantaged Students $11.18M
84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program $9.73M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $6.79M
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $3.12M
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $1.38M
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $1.32M
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $1.23M
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $1.08M
84.042 Trio_student Support Services $380,486
93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs $363,805
84.047 Trio_upward Bound $299,856
47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences $250,481
47.050 Geosciences $220,859
93.914 Hiv Emergency Relief Project Grants $195,872
47.074 Biological Sciences $174,027
93.113 Environmental Health $167,251
93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders $127,747
84.011 Migrant Education_state Grant Program $120,140
93.084 Prevention of Disease, Disability, and Death by Infectious Diseases $83,216
93.043 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part D_disease Prevention and Health Promotion Services $64,990
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part B_grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $39,229
93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training $35,613
47.076 Education and Human Resources $21,684
99.U02 Defense Health Agency $17,765
93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research $11,997
93.059 Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry $11,054
93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research $9,145
93.761 Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs Financed Solely by Prevention and Public Health Funds (pphf) $3,777
15.922 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act $3,459