Finding Text
Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education; Office of Federal Student Aid Pass through Entity: Not applicable Program Name: Federal Pell Grant Program ALN and Program Expenditures: 84.063 ($554,113) Award Number: P063P223315 Federal Award Year: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 Questioned Costs: $1,461 Condition Found: The amount of Pell grant awarded was calculated incorrectly for one of the nineteen students who received Pell in our sample. The student was awarded Pell grant funds as if the student was enrolled full-time for the fall and spring semesters when the student was only enrolled ¾ time in the fall and half-time in the spring. The Student Financial Aid Office caught the original error. $731 of Federal Pell Grant funds was returned to the Department of Education for the fall semester on March 1, 2023. The Student Financial Aid Director identified that $1,461 should be returned from the spring semester; however, the University has yet to the return the funds. Criteria: Federal Pell Grant eligibility is determined by the student’s expected family contribution (“EFC”), cost of attendance, and enrollment status. Cause: The financial aid office was not informed that the student withdrew from courses after enrollment was finalized. This decreased the enrollment status from full-time to ¾ time in the fall semester and full-time to half-time for the spring semester. Possible Asserted Effect: The student received $1,461 in Pell Grant funds that the student was ineligible to receive. Repeat Finding: There was not a similar finding for the year ended June 30, 2022. Statistical Sampling: The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: The University should return $1,461 of Federal Pell Grant Funds to the Department of Education. Communication between the offices should be improved so that financial aid is made aware of enrollment status changes timely. In addition, the Student Financial Aid Director should monitor the third-party administrator and follow-up when returns are not completed timely. Management Response: $1,461 was returned to the source on December 4, 2023. Communication between the offices will be improved so that financial aid is made aware of enrollment status changes timely. In addition, the Student Financial Aid Director will monitor the third-party administrator and follow-up when returns are not completed timely.