FINDING 2024-001 – Special Tests and Provisions – Return of Title IV Funds:
Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls Over Compliance
Corrective Action Plan:
A traditional undergraduate who withdrew did not have an R2T4 calculation completed within 30 days of withdrawal and federal funding was not returned within 45 days of withdrawal. The withdrawal process by the student and academic staff was not completed according to process or timeframe.
The course deregistration and withdrawal process for a traditional undergraduate student did not occur following standard procedures or timeframe. The Registrar’s Office entered two different course deregistration dates, within the two-week add/drop period, into the student information system and the withdrawal was entered nearly 60 days after the first day of class. The withdrawal and leave of absence reports generated daily and enrollment adjustment report generated weekly had inadequate queries to catch this complicated course deregistration and withdrawal situation to trigger timely R2T4
calculation and return of federal funding. Following this finding, the Financial Aid Office identified the reporting deficiencies and started dialog with the Registrar’s Office and Information Technology regarding student information system screens and fields being used by the Registrar’s Office that need to be adjusted on the reports.
The Registrar’s Office understands the interdependency between its office and the Financial Aid Office with regards to enrollment adjustments and completing an R2T4 calculation, returning federal funding, monitoring Common Origination and Disbursement transmission and any necessary communication with students. With
daily and weekly monitoring of said reports, and the Registrar’s Office proactively notifying the Financial Aid Office of any enrollment adjustments that are nearing the R2T4 deadlines rather than solely relying on reports, the Financial Aid Office will be positioned to be compliant with the federal deadlines. The Financial Aid Office will begin a two-person review of calculation and funding return and a recorded acknowledgement of such.
Name of Contact Person: Kim Johnson, Vice President for Enrollment Management, 714-966-5415
Projected Completion Date: Review of all fall 2024 enrollment
adjustment/withdrawal/leave of absence students after the first day of class (August 26, 2024) will be done by the vice president for enrollment management (serving as director of financial aid) and assistant director during November 2024. Going forward, said two-person review will be done daily by the assistant director and at a minimum biweekly by a senior manager.