Finding 501926 (2024-001)

Federal Program: Student Financial Assistance Cluster Listing Number: 84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans Program Federal Agency: Department of Education Award Year: June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024 Criteria: According to the Code of Federal Regulations 685.309, enrollment information must be reported within 30 days whenever attendance changes for students, unless a roster will be submitted within 60 days. An institution must notify the Secretary of Education if it discovers that a loan under Title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the school and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time bases or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended. Department of Education lists several certification methods for enrollment reporting, including certifying directly through the National Students Loan Data System (NSLDS) web site, or certifying through NSLDS’s batch enrollment reporting process. Additionally, there are two categories of enrollment information within NSLDS, “Campus Level” and “Program Level,” both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. Condition and Context: Of the 40 students with enrollment changes we selected for test work, we noted that for three students, the University did not report the student’s status or enrollment change accurately to NSLDS within the required 60 days period. Possible Cause and Effect: The University’s internal control process failed in detecting that untimely information was reported to NSLDS. Isolated or Systemic: Systemic. Questioned Costs: None noted. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the University enhance its internal controls to ensure all information submitted to NSLDS is reviewed for accuracy on a timely basis. View of Responsible Officials: The University concurs with this finding as stated. We will modify internal controls to ensure accurate and timely reporting of student status changes to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).