Finding 522687 (2024-001)

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Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-02-11
Audit: 342022
Organization: McHenry County College (IL)
Auditor: Sikich CPA LLC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to return Title IV Financial Aid for two students within the required 45 days after their withdrawal.
  • Impacted Requirements: This noncompliance violates 34 CFR 668.22 regarding timely calculations and returns of Title IV funds.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Assign specific responsibilities for reviewing Title IV calculations to ensure timely compliance moving forward.

Finding Text

2024-001: Late Return of Title IV Financial Aid - Student Financial Aid Cluster – Assistance Listing #s 84.007, 84.033, 84.063, 84.268 - Grant Period - Year Ended June 30, 2024 Criteria: According to 34 CFR 668.22 when a recipient of Title IV grant or loan assistance withdraws from a College during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the College must determine the amount of Title IV grant or loan assistance that the student earned as of the student's withdrawal date. Condition: During our Return of Title IV Fund testing, we noted that the College did not calculate or return Title IV Student Financial Aid for two out of twenty-five students tested until after 45 days when the student ceased attendance. We consider the untimely calculation and Return of Title IV Student Financial Aid to be an instance of noncompliance relating to the Special Tests and Provisions Compliance Requirement. Statistical sampling was not used when making sample selections. Questioned Costs: $0 Effect: The College did not calculate or return unearned Title IV Financial Aid to the U.S. Department of Education within 45 days of when the student was determined to cease their attendance at the College. Cause: The College’s internal controls did not identify the need to complete a corrected return of Title IV amount for two students within the required 45 days. Recommendation: We recommend the College assign specific responsibilities to review students return of Title IV calculation to verify the correct amount is calculated and returned in a timely manner. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with this finding and response is included in Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

2024-001: Late Return of Title IV Financial Aid - Student Financial Aid Cluster – Assistance Listing #s 84.007, 84.033, 84.063, 84.268 - Grant Period - Year Ended June 30, 2024 Condition Found During our Return of Title IV Fund testing, we noted that the College did not calculate or return Title IV Student Financial Aid for two out of twenty-five students tested until after 45 days when the student ceased attendance. We consider the untimely calculation and Return of Title IV Student Financial Aid to be an instance of noncompliance relating to the Special Tests and Provisions Compliance Requirement. Corrective Action Plan The Financial Aid Department has implemented a practice in which Return of Title IV funding will be performed, no later than the day prior to the weekly disbursement of funding to ensure accuracy while performing our awarding and disbursing processes. The practice includes a report creating a list of all students who require an evaluation on due to withdrawals from all Title IV eligible courses or grades of F in all courses or a combination of the two for an entire term. Upon report creation, the Director of Financial Aid will review all students accordingly and make a Return of Title IV calculation. This calculation will be reviewed by the Coordinator of Financial Aid to ensure accuracy and that a timely return has been completed. A document has been created that the Director of Financial Aid and the Coordinator of Financial Aid will Initial as they have completed their steps in the process. Responsible Person for Corrective Action Plan Financial Aid Director, Chris Heftka Coordinator of Financial Aid, Erik Mitchell Implementation Date of Corrective Action Plan October 1, 2024

Categories

Special Tests & Provisions Student Financial Aid Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $4.47M
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $732,209
84.031 Higher Education_institutional Aid $519,345
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $387,741
84.048 Career and Technical Education - Basic Grants to States $337,549
84.047 Trio_upward Bound $321,807
84.002 Adult Education - Basic Grants to States $291,026
84.116 Congressionally Directed Grants $200,579
64.028 Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance $118,639
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $102,429
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $80,104
47.076 Stem Education $46,393
59.037 Small Business Development Centers $42,821
21.009 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (vita) Matching Grant Program $42,505
84.335 Child Care Access Means Parents in School $14,927
21.027 Covid-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $6,996
10.170 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill $5,545