Finding Text
Finding 2022-001 ? Significant Deficiency, Compliance and Control Federal Award No. 84.268, 84.007, 84.033, 84.038, 84.063 & 84.379 U.S. Department Of Education Student Financial Aid Cluster ? Special Tests and Provisions Criteria: According to 34 CFR Section 685.309(b), upon receipt of an enrollment report from the Secretary, a school must update all information included in the report and return it to the Secretary in the manner and format prescribed by the Secretary and with the timeframe prescribed by the Secretary. According to the Federal Student Aid Handbook, Volume 2, Chapter 3, a university must report changes in student?s enrollment status, the effective date of the status, and an anticipated completion date to NSLDS. Changes in enrollment to less than half-time, graduated, or withdrawn must be reported within 60 days of the withdrawal determination date for schools that submit roster files to NSLDS. Condition: In our nonstatistical sample of 40 students, it was noted for 4 individuals the students? reported status within NSLDS was not updated as withdrawn or graduated within 60 days of the date of withdrawal or graduation. In our nonstatistical sample of 45 students, it was noted for 4 other individuals the students? reported status within NSLDS was timely updated to ?Withdrawn? but was not updated to ?Graduated? status. Context: When degrees were conferred after initial reporting, then the Registrar's office needed to manually update the Clearinghouse with the correct information. This manual process did not take place for these students. Effect: Students may not enter repayment or their grace period within the appropriate timeframe from their exit from the University or students may not receive adequate notice of the timing of their grace period. The Department of Education may not have the correct data to utilize. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs to report as the finding relates only to enrollment reporting and is not related to eligibility. Cause: The University does not have proper processes and related controls in place to complete the required updates to NSLDS for reporting changes in enrollment status within the 60 day requirement. Indication Of Repeat Finding: Enrollment Reporting is a repeat finding from the immediate prior year; see Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings 2021-001. Recommendation: The Registrar department should review and consider revisions to its processes and related controls in place to ensure completion of updates to NSLDS within the required 60 day timeframe. Views Of Responsible Officials/Corrective Action Plan (Unaudited): The Registrar and the IT department are working together to ensure timely and accurate data is being transmitted on a regular schedule to the Clearinghouse as needed. When date determination exceptions occur (e.g., degrees being conferred after initial reporting or withdrawal dates being retroactively determined for administrative purposes), the Registrar?s Office, IT, and Financial Aid will work together to determine the appropriate date adjustments needed to manually update the Clearinghouse with the correct information if needed as quickly as possible. Completion Date: June 30, 2023 Contact Person: Julie McAdoo, University Registrar