FAC Explorer

Finding 504764 (2024-001)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2024-11-05
Audit: 327385
Organization: Wayland Baptist University (TX)
Auditor: Capincrouse LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to report enrollment data accurately and on time for withdrawn students to NSLDS.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates 34 CFR 690.83(b) and 34 CFR 685.309, affecting students' loan statuses.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Collaborate with the third-party servicer to fix data transfer issues and conduct regular checks on enrollment reporting.

Finding Text

Incorrect Enrollment Reporting to National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Significant Deficiency DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268 and 84.063 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: The University did not report enrollment information to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) in a timely and accurate manner for all withdrawn students. Criteria: 34 CFR 690.83(b) and 34 CFR 685.309 Questioned Costs: $0 Context: Out of 91 students tested, 8 students were not properly reported to NSLDS. All of these students either withdrew between semesters or during a semester. The students have not yet been corrected. Cause: The system tracks the data needed for enrollment reporting, but somehow with the third-party servicer, these were not properly reported to NSLDS. Effect: Inaccurate reporting can impact a student’s loan grace period in school deferment eligibility, beginning loan repayments, appropriate interest charges, etc. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Yes, 2023-003, 2022-003, 2021-005, 2020-002, and 2019-001. Recommendation: We recommend the University work with the third-party to determine why the data is not transferring correctly to NSLDS. We further recommend the University complete spot checks of enrollment statuses to NSLDS, particularly for those students who withdrew. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Incorrect Enrollment Reporting to National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Recommendation: We recommend the University work with the third-party to determine why the data is not transferring correctly to NSLDS. We further recommend the University complete spot checks of enrollment statuses to NSLDS, particularly for those students who withdrew. Planned Corrective Action: An internal SSRS report for official and unofficial withdrawals which accurately reflects withdrawn students remains available to the WBU offices of Financial Aid and the Registrar for verification as part of the planned corrective action. The custom NSC reporting tool(s) will continue to be updated to make sure the correct combination of fields and corresponding data sources are reported as accurately as possible. WBU will continue to work with NSC to mitigate issues related to data not transferring correctly between NSC and NSLDS. § A field-by-field analysis plus any needed corrections to the queries will be performed. • By default, term “W” withdrawals are reconsidered by the updated tool each time a report is generated for NSC. • Some date fields have been corrected that were previously misunderstood by the custom tool’s historical authors. • Post-submission error corrections by registrar staff via NSC’s website are spot-checked by Information Technology when requested. • If certain data issues cannot be resolved satisfactorily via NSC alone, then corrective measures via NSLDS directly may be considered. • The PowerCampus 9.1.2 baseline product’s NSC reporting tool was determined to be insufficient for timely and accurate reporting to NSC with WBU’s current data on several counts. WBU has upgraded the PowerCampus system to version 9.2.3 and will continue to work towards a solution for the baseline reporting tool with the upgraded system. • Some of the recurring data updates needed before running the PC baseline tool, are still being run periodically as a source data benefit for the custom tool. Person Responsible for Corrective Action Plan: Cagan Cummings, Chief Information Officer Anticipated Date of Completion: Ongoing

Categories

Reporting Student Financial Aid Eligibility Significant Deficiency Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $14.23M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $5.29M
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid $452,720
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $198,741
47.076 Stem Education (formerly Education and Human Resources) $161,172
84.116 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education $155,557
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $146,162
84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program $84,079
16.525 Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus $73,439
84.379 Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants (teach Grants) $2,829