Pell Award Errors
Finding: As noted in the audit report, there were 5 instances out of 60 students with Pell award errors.
Auditors' Recommendation: The University should have appropriate policies and procedure, as well as safeguards in place to ensure Pell eligibility and awarding is correctly determined.
School Response: The school agrees with this finding and has initiated corrective action.
Corrective Action Plan: For student #5, there was a Pell awarding error where the student was under awarded Pell by $172. The school made the correction to the award and disbursed the additional Pell.
For student #16, student was over awarded Pell Grant for $1723 due to incorrect refunds made while adjusting for changes in the student's schedule. The school has refunded the $1723 over award back to the fund source.
For student #24, the student was initially awarded correctly, but withdrew during their 2nd term. Due to incorrect Pell Recalculation on the R2T4, the school refunded too much Pell grant, and the student was under awarded by $458. The school has disbursed the additional Pell so the student is now paid correctly.
For student #27, the student was over awarded Pell by $350 due to in error in Pell Recalculation based on the student's schedule. The school has refunded the over award to the fund source.
For student #43, the student was under awarded by $22 due to an error in Pell Recalculation based on the student's schedule. The school has disbursed the additional Pell grant funds to correct the error.
Starting with the Fall 2023 semester the school has implemented a new student information system (SIS), Colleague. The school has also partnered with a third-party servicer, Financial Aid Services (FAS), to assist with packaging. The new SIS automatically adjusts Pell grant whenever there is a change to a student's schedule during the term through the school's census date for each term and module. The system will schedule a refund for any over awards and increase the Pell award for any that may have been under awarded. Since this is no longer reviewed solely by the financial aid office, this is expected to reduce the number of errors in Pell awarding. In addition to the system adjustments, the school's third-party servicer, FAS, will review packaging for any students with changes to the number of registered credits during the term to ensure the system is making adjustments properly and the students are correctly packaged.
Name(s) of the contact person{s) responsible for corrective action: Financial Aid Director, Holly Hardnett and third-party servicer, FAS, representative
Planned completion date for corrective action plan:
• New Colleague SIS implemented live beginning in the Fall semester 2023.
• Training for Pell Recalculations in Colleague July 2023.
• Registration/schedule changes for term reviewed by FAS at least weekly.