Finding Text
Assistance Listing, Federal Agency, and Program Name - ALNs 84.063 and 84.268; Department of Education; Federal Pell Grant Program and Federal Direct Loan Program
Federal Award Identification Number and Year - N/A
Pass through Entity - N/A
Finding Type - Material weakness and material noncompliance with laws and regulations
Repeat Finding - No
Criteria - Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct and FFEL loan programs via the NSLDS (OMB No. 1845 0035) (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 information reported by institutions.
Condition - The Univeristy of Rio Grande did not report student status changes accurately for certain students who withdrew during the year.
Questioned Costs - None
Identification of How Questioned Costs Were Computed - N/A
Context - Of the 63 students tested for student status change, 7 student status changes was not properly reported.
Cause and Effect - The University did not have a process in place to ensure proper reporting for all student status changes. As a result, there were instances where reporting of a student who withdrew did not occur.
Recommendation - We recommend that the College put a control process in place to ensure all student status cahnges are reported timely and accurately.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions - To address the root cause of the enrollment reporting error, which stemmed from turnover in the registrar's office during Spring 2024 and resulted in an oversight of unofficial withdrawals reported to the Clearinghouse/NSLDS until identified during the audit, a comprehensive corrective action plan has been developed.
Our institution is implementing a new ERP system, we will automate enrollment reporting to ensure timely and accurate data submission. Additional staff will be recruited and trained, with cross training programs to mitigate turnover impact. Regular internal audits will ensure compliance. Improved communication and coordination will enable continuous monitoring to improve overall efficiency and accuracy.