Finding 564498 (2024-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-06-11

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Discrepancies in the Upward Bound Annual Performance Report, specifically differing dates of last project service for students.
  • Impacted Requirements: Annual Performance Reports must be accurate and align with supporting documentation as outlined in the Compliance Supplement.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The College should enhance controls and verification procedures for TRIO program reporting to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Finding Text

Criteria: Annual Performance Reports must be submitted annually and the Compliance Supplement identifies certain line items as containing critical information. Condition: For the Upward Bound Annual Performance Report, the following was noted: 1. One out of two students sampled included a different date of last project service (5/18/2024) than what was on the contact detail (1/9/2024). Context: A finding with regards to discrepancies in the Annual Performance Reports for Student Support Services and Talent Search was reported as 2023-004. Effect: When critical information contained in annual performance reports cannot be substantiated by, or is in conflict with, supporting documentation, erroneous information could be reported to the Department of Education. Cause: As a result of turnover in program management, a cause could not be provided by the College. Recommendation: We recommend that the College review their controls over the annual reporting process related to the TRIO programs and establish improved review and verification procedures to ensure the accuracy of the reports. Management's Response: Upward Bound staff will closely review all information for program participants and ensure that details are correctly noted.

Corrective Action Plan

For Upward Bound, we have decided to completely re-enroll all participants in the program as past participants were missing information due to oversight of previous staff. Under the new Director, all TRiO Upward Bound participants have engaged in re-registering for the program as if a new participant to ensure we have all the necessary documentation for the program. Applications and checklists have also been updated to assist with ensuring we have the correct documentation and signatures. Moving forward, we will implement an additional verification step in our application review process to ensure that all required signatures—especially the student signature—are present before submission. In this specific case, we will reach out to the student to obtain the missing signature as soon as possible to complete their file. Contact person(s) responsible for correctiv action: Desiree Anderson, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs Anticipated completion date: August 15, 2025

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 564492 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 564493 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 564494 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 564495 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 564496 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 564497 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1140934 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1140935 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1140936 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1140937 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1140938 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1140939 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1140940 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $5.23M
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $1.91M
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $420,786
84.042 Trio Student Support Services $300,079
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $292,872
84.002 Adult Education - Basic Grants to States $287,763
84.047 Trio Upward Bound $245,748
84.044 Trio Talent Search $238,958
84.116 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education $176,867
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $124,181
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $99,078
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $87,100
64.028 Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance $85,111
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $17,150
47.076 Stem Education (formerly Education and Human Resources) $11,417
94.006 Americorps State and National 94.006 $1,560