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 Expenditure: 84.063 ($557,058) Award Number: P063P223976 Federal Award Year: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 Questioned Costs:$2,585.50 Condition Found: For one of the twenty-five students in our sample, Federal Pell Grant funds were disbursed when the student did not begin attendance. Cause: The student was enrolled in on-line courses and the financial aid office did not realize the student never began attending the courses. Possible Asserted Effect: $2,585.50 needs to be returned to the Department of Education. Communication between offices should be improved to ensure that the financial aid office is informed when students make changes to their enrollment status. Repeat Finding: There was not a similar finding in the prior year. Statistical Sampling: The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: The School should return $2,585.50 of Federal Pell Grant funds to the Department of Education. Communication between the offices should be improved so that the financial aid office is promptly made aware of changes in a student’s enrollment status. The financial aid office should verify that the student completed an academic activity in an on-line class before disbursing aid. Management Response: The School returned the $2,585.50 in question to the Department of Education on September 6, 2023. Communication will be improved between the various offices on campus. Policies and procedures are being reviewed and updated, as needed, for the students participating in on-line courses.