Finding Text
Finding No. 2022-001 ? Enrollment reporting Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education (DOE) Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster ? Federal Direct Loan Program: ALN: 84.268, Federal Pell Grant Program: ALN: 84.063 Criteria: Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant, Direct Loan, and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs via the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) (Pell, 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2); Direct Loan, 34 CFR 685.309). The administration of the Title IV programs depends heavily on the accuracy and timeliness of the enrollment reported by institutions. Institutions must review, update, and verify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file. The Department of Education lists several certification methods for enrollment reporting, including certifying directly through the NSLDS web site, certifying through the NSLDS?s batch enrollment reporting process, or through certification of rosters provided to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). Per 2 CFR 200.303, a non-federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-federal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The University generally certifies its enrollment information through rosters provided to the NSC. Of the 40 students with enrollment changes that we selected for test work, we identified 1 student whose change in enrollment status was not timely and accurately transmitted to NSLDS. The University was notified of the student?s enrollment status change from full-time to ?Graduated? in February 2022. Accordingly, the students? status changes should have been transmitted after the semester to report both Campus Level and Program Level enrollment status as ?Graduated.? However, in submitting enrollment information through rosters provided to the NSC, both Campus Level and Program Level statuses were reported as ?Withdrawn.? Questioned Costs: None. Prevalence: Identified in 1 out of 40 students tested. Management evaluated the impacted enrollment roster noting that 64 students ?Graduated? status was not applied and they are improperly reported as ?Withdrawn.? The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Effect: Inaccurate submission of student enrollment status information could affect the determinations that lenders and servicers of students? loans make related to in-school status, deferments, grace periods, and repayment schedules, as well as the federal government?s payment of interest subsidies. As the University reported these students as withdrawn prior to reporting as graduated, the students loan subsidy and repayments schedules were not impacted. Cause: The University?s internal control processes did not operate consistently to ensure that all enrollment information, including status changes, were submitted accurately to NSLDS. When the February 2022 graduation roster was submitted to the NSC certain records were not applied as there was a mismatch in the information provided. An error file was received by the University, but the corrections were not made. Recommendation: We recommend that the University review its processes and internal controls to ensure that all enrollment information and status changes are reported completely, accurately, and in a timely manner. Additionally, we recommend a review of the submitted enrollment data to the NSLDS be performed to ensure current student information and status is properly reflected. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding, and corrective measures are being made.