Finding 388527 (2023-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-03-29
Audit: 300226
Organization: Wittenberg University (OH)
Auditor: Rsm US LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to return Title IV funds for three students within the required timeframe.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with FSA Handbook and Federal regulations regarding timely refunds of financial aid.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Establish and document a quality assurance process with stronger controls to ensure compliance moving forward.

Finding Text

Finding 2023-002 Federal Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Federal Assistance Listing Number: 84.063 and 84.268 Federal Agency: Department of Education Award Year: 2023 Criteria: The University is required to implement procedures to appropriately administer funding under the Student Financial Assistance Cluster to return Title IV funds in the appropriate time required by regulations. Condition: During the course of our testing, we identified three students from a sample of three whose return of Title IV aid was not calculated and returned in the appropriate time required. Cause: Administrative oversight by personnel in refund process. Context: Controls did not operate properly to refund students with Federal Direct loans or Pell grants. Effect: The University has not complied with certain requirements of FSA Handbook and Federal Code of Regulations to return aid properly to the students. Repeat Finding: No Recommendations: The University should implement and document an overall quality assurance process including adequate controls to prevent overall noncompliance. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the finding. See page 43 for Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Planned: The Office of Financial Aid acknowledges that there have previously been a lack of controls in place when monitoring the R2T4 process. The staff member who was previously responsible for this process is no longer employed at Wittenberg University. The Director of Financial Aid who joined Wittenberg in a permanent capacity in May 2023 has been cross-training the new staff in the office to ensure a system of checks and balances on each of the federal aid processes. Wittenberg will also be using the R2T4 process within Ellucian Colleague to ensure that there is no need for additional manual calculations and/or data entry to be done. Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Sigrun Olafsdottir, Director of Financial Aid Anticipated Completion Date: Fiscal year 2024

Categories

Student Financial Aid Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 388528 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 964969 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 964970 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $7.90M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $2.14M
84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program $2.13M
84.047 Trio_upward Bound $487,895
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $255,170
47.076 Education and Human Resources $177,974
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $155,049
47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences $104,823
84.379 Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants (teach Grants) $1,886