Finding Text
2023-002 – Student Financial Aid Cluster – (a) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (b) Federal Work Study Program (c) Federal Perkins Loan Program – Federal Capital Contributions (d) Federal Pell Grant Program (e) Federal Direct Student Loans (f) Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH), Assistance Listing No. (a) 84.007 (b) 84.033 (c) 84.038 (d) 84.063 (e) 84.268 (f) 84.379 – Year Ended June 30, 2023
Criteria: 34 CFR 668.22 (a)(1) states “When a recipient of title IV grant or loan assistance withdraws from an institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must determine the amount of title IV grant or loan assistance that the student earned as of the student's withdrawal date in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section.”
34 CFR 668.22 (e)(2) states, “The percentage of title IV grant or loan assistance that has been earned by the student is - (i) Equal to the percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment that the student completed (as determined in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section) as of the student's withdrawal date, if this date occurs on or before - (A) Completion of 60 percent of the payment period or period of enrollment for a program that is measured in credit hours; or…”
34 CFR 668.22(j) notes, “(1) An institution must return the amount of title IV funds for which it is responsible under paragraph (g) of this section as soon as possible but no later than 45 days after the date of the institution's determination that the student withdrew as defined in paragraph (l)(3) of this section. The timeframe for returning funds is further described in § 668.173(b).”
Condition: The University did not properly calculate the refunds for no passing grades withdrawal students for 1 out of the 16 students tested (6.3%) due to excluding SEOG Grant from the calculation. We consider this finding to be an instance of noncompliance in relation to Special Tests and Provisions. Statistical sampling was not used.
Questioned Costs: $127
Cause and Effect: Without proper review of refund amounts returned, withdrawal students may return the incorrect amount of Title IV aid. Students should return the same amount as their Return of Title IV calculation.
Recommendation: We recommend the University implement controls to help accurately track that Return of Title IV withdrawal calculations contain all awards disbursed and to be disbursed and that proper documentation is in the file when refunds are made.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with this Single Audit Finding and response is included in the Corrective Action Plan.