Finding Text
Finding 2022-003: Significant Deficiency - Reporting - Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Federal Program: COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Not Applicable Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.425 E and F Federal Award Number: P425E200098 and P425F200480 Federal Award Year: June 30, 2022 Repeat Finding: 2021-002 Criteria: The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) has issued guidance for the Education Stabilization Funds (ESF) Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) for quarterly reporting for all sections (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3) and (a)(4) that requires that institutions to prepare a report for each quarter for funds that are drawn down and disbursed/spent. The reports are to be posted on the institution?s website within 10 days of the calendar quarter end. Additionally, institutions are required to prepare an annual report and submit to the Department summarizing the uses of the HEERF funds for the calendar year. Condition/Context: The quarterly and annual reporting contained some information that did not agree to support provided, and some of the quarterly reports were posted to the University?s website late. The University?s student portion quarterly reports June 30, 2021 and March 30, 2022 were selected for testing: ? Both reports included the number of students eligible for emergency student grants and the University was not able to provide support for as the counts were estimated. ? The June 30, 2021 report the amount of emergency grants disbursed to students and the number of students that received the grants both did not agree to the support provided. ? The June 30, 2021 report was posted to the University's website after the deadline of 10 days after calendar quarter end, it was posted October 27, 2021. ? The March 30, 2022 report, the amount of emergency grants disbursed to students and the number of students who received the grants were cumulative numbers and not just for the quarter as required. The University?s institutional portion quarterly report for June 30, 2021 selected for testing reported the total for lost revenue from academic sources and the total for other uses that did not agree to support provided. Additionally, the report was posted to the University's website after the deadline of 10 days after calendar quarter end, it was posted November 18, 2021. The 2021 annual report had some information that did not agree to the underlying support provided by the University. Specifically, the total for lost revenue and the total for other uses, and the required two new uses (direct outreach and monitoring and suppressing) were not reported although the support file provided did include costs for those items. Additionally, the number of students who received emergency grants did not agree to the support provided, and the institutional portion emergency grants to student accounts to cover outstanding amounts was reported incorrectly and should have been lost revenue for room and board refunds. The sample of reports tested was not a statistically valid sample. Cause: The University?s control surrounding preparing, reviewing and posting the reports did not deter or prevent errors in the reporting or late posting of the quarterly reports to the University?s website. Additionally, the University?s supporting files did not agree to the information reported. Effect: The University?s student portion reports contained some information that was cumulative and not quarterly as required and the institutional portion and annual report contained some information that was not accurate. Additionally, two of the quarterly reports were posted to the University?s website after the deadline. Questioned Costs: Not applicable Recommendation: The University should ensure it keeps up to date on the Department?s HEERF guidance and ensure that reporting is done accurately and timely. Additionally, the University should ensure that it keeps supporting files that agree to all reporting. Management?s Response: The University is currently gathering data for the 2022 HEERF annual performance report to be completed between March 6 to March 24, 2023. During this time, corrections can and will be made to the 2021 annual performance report. Proper support will be maintained for both reports. There will be no reporting past calendar 2022 as all awarded HEERF funds have been expended.