Finding 395117 (2023-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-04-30

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School failed to process cost of living disbursements electronically due to missing banking information from recipients.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls over compliance with federal program requirements were inadequate, leading to insufficient documentation for check disbursements.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement and enforce policies for collecting recipient banking information and maintain proper documentation for all disbursements.

Finding Text

Criteria: The School must design, implement, and maintain effective internal controls over compliance with the requirements of laws, statutes, regulations, rules and provisions of contracts or grant agreements applicable to the School's federal program. Condition: The School could not process certain cost of living disbursements through electronic funds transfers, making it necessary to issue checks to recipients. Further, the School did not maintain adequate supporting documentation of initial check disbursements. Cause: The School did not obtain appropriate banking information from certain recipients in order to make electronic disbursements in a timely manner. Effect: Certain cost of living disbursements were initially processed as checks, but later processed through electronic funds transfers. Further, the School did not maintain adequate supporting documentation of the initial check disbursements. Perspective Information: We were unable to test the internal controls surrounding the processing of the cost of living disbursements adequately due to the School not maintaining adequate documentation. Recommendations: We recommend that the School ensure policies and procedures are implemented and adhered to related to obtaining recipient banking information. We also recommend that adequate documentation is maintained for any check disbursements. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The School will ensure that adequate policies and procedures are implemented and followed.

Corrective Action Plan

To ensure compliance with federal guidelines, the School has already in September 2023 implemented a process of validating received bank information from students by issuing a $1 transaction to ensure validity. The improvement of this internal control will only be reflected in next year's audit. Further, from September 2024, the School is implementing a policy of requiring verified bank information from students expecting a loan refund in order to matriculate, which will simplify the refund process. Additionally, in those rare instances in which electronic funds transfers cannot be made, our policies and procedures will be amended so that adequate documentation of check disbursements is maintained.

Categories

Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Special Tests & Provisions

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 971559 2023-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $5.39M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $408,966
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $110,799