Finding 588388 (2023-004)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-02-06
Audit: 15908
Organization: Schreiner University (TX)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The University failed to accurately report student enrollment changes to NSLDS, leading to discrepancies in data.
  • Impacted Requirements: Title IV regulations mandate timely and accurate updates to enrollment data; errors were found in 11 out of 25 tested cases.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Revise reporting procedures, implement data review controls, and ensure reconciliation with NSLDS to maintain accuracy.

Finding Text

Criteria: Title IV regulations (34 CFR 685.309(b)) require that upon receipt of an enrollment report from the Secretary, institutions must update all information included in the report and return the report to the Secretary: (i) in the manner and format prescribed by the Secretary; and (ii) within the timeframe prescribed by the Secretary. Unless it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, an institution must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the institution discovers that: (i) a loan under Title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the institution, and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or (ii) a student who is enrolled at the institution and who received a loan under Title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. Condition/Context: There was a lack of controls over the process of reporting student enrollment data to NSLDS. The following exceptions were noted in our testing of enrollment status change reporting for 25 students:  Eight students' status change effective dates reported to National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS) did not agree to the support provided from the University's system at either the campus level, program-level or both.  Three of the students mentioned above, also had incorrect status changes reported the NSLDS at the program-level. The sample was not a statistically valid sample. Cause: The University's controls surrounding NSLDS enrollment reporting did not detect or appropriately handle errors and omissions in the reporting. Effect: Incorrect information was reported to NSLDS. Questioned Costs: Not applicable. Recommendation: The University should revise its procedures to ensure NSLDS enrollment reporting is completed accurately and timely for all status changes and all students. Controls should be implemented that include review of data submitted to NSLDS and reconciliation of the information NSLDS retains to the underlying enrollment data should be performed. Management's Response: The University has made all corrections to the identified records. The University is reviewing its current processes and evaluating if additional review controls need to be put in place to ensure timely and accurate NSLDS data.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 11945 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 11946 2023-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 588387 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $7.87M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $2.71M
84.031C Higher Education Institutional Aid $1.47M
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $106,842
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $99,505
84.379 Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants (teach Grants) $33,558