Finding Text
Department of Education COVID-19 Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) ? Assistance Listing #84.425E, #84.425F #2022-003 ? Major Federal Award Finding - Reporting Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls over Compliance Conditions: We noted during testing of two quarterly reports and one annual report required under the HEERF program that the two quarterly reports selected for testing were not filed timely. There were also no review procedures in place surrounding the reporting process to the Department of Education for the HEERF program. The lack of review procedures in place resulted in inaccuracies noted within the annual reporting. Criteria: Federal regulations 2 CFR Section 200.328 - 200.329 provide that required reporting under the federal program must be completed timely and accurately. The quarterly reports for institutional and student aid portion are required to be updated and posted to the website within 10 days of the end of the quarter. Segregation of duties is also a key element of internal controls, including controls over compliance, and involves processes whereby the activities of one employee are reviewed or checked by the activities of another individual, and avoids one employee having the ability to perform a transaction or process from beginning to end. Cause/Context: The University did not meet the reporting deadline requirements set forth by the Department of Education for the HEERF program. Only one individual was involved in the reporting process. There is a higher likelihood of errors going undetected in the absence of monitoring and review. Inaccuracies were noted in the amounts reported in the 2021 calendar annual report for HEERF student disbursements and institutional expenditures. One error out of a sample of forty tested was also noted with the tracking of student responses regarding receipt preferences for HEERF proceeds. Recommendation: Management should review the University?s practices related to reporting under the HEERF program to ensure that reports are submitted timely and that more than one individual is involved in the reporting process. Management should also submit a revision of the HEERF calendar 2021 annual report once the reporting portal is reopened by the Department of Education. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Finding has been reviewed and addressed. See attached Corrective Action Plan.