2023-007 Exit Counseling (Significant Deficiency) Criteria: Federal regulations stipulate that an institution must ensure that exit counseling is conducted with each Federal Direct Loan borrower shortly before the student borrower ceases at least half-time study at the school. If a student borrower withdraws from the school without prior knowledge or fails to complete the exit counseling as required, exit counseling must, within 30 days after the school learns that the student has withdrawn from school or failed to complete the exit counseling as required, be provided either through interactive electronic means, by mailing written counseling materials to the student borrower at the student borrower’s last known address, or by sending written counseling materials to an email address provided by the student borrower that is not an email address associated with the school sending the counseling materials. Condition: During our testing, we noted eight instances, in a sample of nine students requiring exit counseling, in which evidence of exit counseling and notification of exit counseling could not be provided by the College. Action Taken: We concur with this finding. Currently, students receive a withdrawal notification that provides them with a link to complete their exit counseling. Moving forward and during the completion of the withdrawal, the students will be presented with an exit counseling digital page. On this page, withdrawal information will be provided to the student along with the deadline to complete the exit counseling. Students will also certify that they have received and understood the information. Once the withdrawal form is completed, students will get a follow up email that will also direct them to the exit counseling at www.studentaid.gov and inform them of the 30-day deadline. Responsible Party: Lola Kennedy, Senior Director of Financial Aid and Sharon Murphy, Registrar Point of Contact: Lola Kennedy, Senior Director of Financial Aid (lkennedy@columbiasc.edu) and Sharon Murphy, Registrar (smurphy@columbiasc.edu) Expected date of correction: April 1, 2024