Finding 45537 (2022-001)

-
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2022-11-09
Audit: 39996
Organization: University of Dallas (TX)
Auditor: Forvis LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to report student enrollment status changes accurately and on time to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with enrollment reporting standards under 34 CFR 690.93(b)(2), 34 CFR 682.610, and 34 CFR 685.309.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The University should enhance its processes to ensure timely and accurate reporting of enrollment status changes to NSLDS.

Finding Text

Federal Pell Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.063 Federal Direct Student Loans, Assistance Listing Number 84.268 U.S. Department of Education Program Year 2021-2022 Criteria or specific requirement - Special Tests and Provisions ? Enrollment Reporting (34 CFR 690.93(b)(2); 34 CFR 682.610; 34 CFR 685.309). Institutions are required to report enrollment information. Condition - The University?s processes did not ensure timely and accurate student status reporting to National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Questioned costs - None Context - Out of the population of 688 students with student attendance changes a sample of 25 students was selected for testing. Our sampling method was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. There were 14 attributes tested for each student with at least one status change, which were as follows: Campus-Level records: 1. OPEID Number 2. Enrollment Effective Date 3. Enrollment Status 4. Certification Date Program-Level records 5. OPEID 6. CIP Code 7. CIP Year 8. Credential Level 9. Published Program Length Measurement 10. Published Program Length 11. Program Begin Date 12. Program Enrollment Status 13. Program Enrollment Effective Date Other Records 14. Student changed his or her permanent address.The University reported the incorrect Program Enrollment Effective Date to NSLDS for 16 students and did not ensure timely submission of reports to NSLDS for 2 students. Effect - The University reported incorrect dates for student status changes and did not report the status changes timely. Cause - The University?s processes did not ensure status changes were reported timely and accurately. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable - N/A Recommendation - The University should update their controls to ensure changes in students? enrollment status are reported in a timely and accurate manner. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions - The University agrees with the finding as stated. For the Program Enrollment Effective Date, the University will review the process within its' enterprise system to determine the cause of the change in date of Program Enrollment within the system prior to it being reported to NSLDS. Processes within the system will be corrected to ensure that the actual date of the Program Enrollment change will remain consistent from the time of initiation to the time of reporting to NSLDS. Timely submission of enrollment status changes to NSLDS are executed through the use of the Clearinghouse. All items were reported to the Clearinghouse in a timely manner; however, the items noted in this finding were not retrieved from the Clearinghouse by NSLDS in a timely fashion. The University will review the process and make necessary changes to ensure that all status changes are reported in a timely manner to both the Clearinghouse and NSLDS.

Corrective Action Plan

Summary: The University of Dallas contracted with Forvis to provide an opinion on the state of the University of Dallas compliance with the Single Audit standards. In providing such assessment the entity found that the institution was not in compliance with a matter that was not material in nature but need correction. The following is a Corrective Action Plan to address such deficiency. Reference Number 2022-001 Responsible Parties: James Huebner, UD Financial Aid and Marissa Darby, UD Registrar offices UD Financial Aid will request a copy of the Enrollment File Submission from the UD Registrar to ascertain that the appropriate formatting is performed from the UD Student Information System/Financial Aid Management System. (SIS/FAMS) Upon such assessment, UD Financial Aid in conjunction with UD Registrar will employ the expertise of the UD SIS/FAMS Systems Administrator, Blake Palmer, to ensure compliance with the file layout provided by the Third-Party Enrollment reporting agency the National Student Loan Clearinghouse. If such file layout cannot be corrected in the UD SIS/FAMS, then UD Financial Aid along with the UD SIS/FAMS Systems Administrator will report the specific error to the University?s ERP provider (Ellucian) for modification. To resolve the error while such modifications are being deployed the UD Financial Aid will employ the expertise of UD Institutional Effectiveness to edit such file to comply with the aforementioned format. UD Financial Aid will audit such records in the NSLDS system to ensure all data integrity end to end. The described process will be fully implemented by November 30, 2022. If the expertise of the University?s ERP provider (Ellucian) is needed to correct specific errors to execute a more automated process, the time frame may be extended to no later June 1st 2023.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Special Tests & Provisions Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $13.66M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $2.08M
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $1.85M
84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program $1.75M
84.200 Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need $244,341
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $215,882
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $194,985
81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program $33,059