Finding 547579 (2024-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-31
Audit: 351759
Organization: Newberry College (SC)
Auditor: Capincrouse LLC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The College failed to report enrollment data to NSLDS accurately and on time, affecting 35 out of 83 students tested.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates 34 CFR 690.83(b) and 34 CFR 685.309, which mandate accurate and timely enrollment reporting.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a system for timely reporting of withdrawn or graduated students and conduct regular reconciliations and spot checks of enrollment statuses.

Finding Text

Enrollment Reporting to NSLDS Material Weakness DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALN #: 84.268 and 84.063 Federal Award Identification #: 2023-2024 Award Year Condition: The College did not report enrollment information to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) in a timely and accurate manner. Criteria: 34 CFR 690.83(b) and 34 CFR 685.309 Questioned Costs: $0 Context: Out of 83 students tested, 35 students were not reported accurately to NSLDS. Twenty-six of these students showed "No Record Found," and the remaining 9 students still appeared enrolled after withdrawing/graduating in the Fall 2023 term. Cause: Timely reconciliations of enrollment statuses were not completed throughout the year. 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repeat finding, if applicable: 2023-007 Recommendation: We recommend the College put a system in place to ensure that withdrawn students are reported as withdrawn or graduated in NSLDS in a timely manner. We also recommend that the College complete reconciliations of enrollment status periodically and complete spot checks of enrollment statuses to NSLDS regularly to ensure any students appearing as "No Record Found" are updated. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Enrollment Reporting to NSLDS Planned Corrective Action: Finalize automation of file configuration, reporting schedule, and transmission process. Person Responsible for Corrective Action Plan: Sid Parrish, Vice President of Institutional Reporting Anticipated Date of Completion: December 31, 2025 While Newberry College successfully transitioned to the JI platform as planned, the automation of enrollment reporting to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) has not yet been fully implemented on the projected timeline. This delay is primarily due to the unexpectedly complex nature of the data table transition required within the new system. The structure and formatting of enrollment data in JI differed significantly from our previous platform, requiring extensive mapping, validation, and customization to ensure accuracy and alignment with NSLDS reporting requirements. That portion of the work is now complete. In addition, the College experienced a change in personnel within the Registrar's Office. While our new Registrar brings significant experience with other student information systems, she required full training on the JI system before assuming full reporting responsibilities. To ensure resolution, the College's Director of Institutional Research is working closely with the Information Technology team and the new Registrar to finalize the automation process. This includes active collaboration with both the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) and NSLDS to identify, understand, and clear errors that have surfaced in early iterations of the automated enrollment file. These efforts have helped isolate remaining issues and informed adjustments to the file configuration, reporting schedule, and transmission process. We believe this will lead to a fully functional, automated enrollment reporting process by the end of fiscal year 2025. In the interim, the Registrar is manually submitting enrollment files to the NSC to ensure that student status information is communicated to NSLDS in a timely and accurate manner. This manual submission process remains in place and will continue until the automated solution is fully operational.

Categories

Reporting Student Financial Aid Eligibility Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 547580 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 547581 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 547582 2024-006
    -
  • 547583 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 547584 2024-005
    - Repeat
  • 547585 2024-007
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1124021 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1124022 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1124023 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1124024 2024-006
    -
  • 1124025 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1124026 2024-005
    - Repeat
  • 1124027 2024-007
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.766 Community Facilities Loans and Grants $24.20M
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $11.30M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $4.43M
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $157,021
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $71,453
84.379 Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants (teach Grants) $32,062