Finding Text
SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENT FINDINGS
This section identifies the significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, fraud, noncompliance with provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, grant agreements and abuse related to the financial statements for which Government Auditing Standards require reporting.
There were no such findings in the current year that are required to be reported in accordance with Government Auditing Standards.
SECTION III - FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS
This section identifies the audit findings required to be reported by 2 CFR 200.516(a) (significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, material instances of noncompliance, including questioned costs and material abuse).
Finding 2023-001:
Student Financial Assistance Cluster, Department of Education Programs
Program Names: Federal Direct Student Loans
AL Numbers: 84.268
Criteria or Specific Requirement:
34 CFR 685.309 and 34 CFR 690.83(b)(2) require the institution to update its Enrollment Reporting roster file at a minimum of every 60 days. Once a change in enrollment status has been received, the institution must update its roster file for changes in student status, report the date the enrollment status was effective, enter the new anticipated completion date, and submit the changes electronically through the batch method or the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website.
Condition:
The University did not report enrollment status updates for graduate students to the NSLDS through the National Student Clearinghouse as required under 34 CFR 682.610 for 16 of 40 students tested, within the 60-day required time frame.
Cause:
The exceptions noted were a result of a failure in the University’s processes and controls surrounding the validation of support uploaded to the National Student Clearinghouse. A manual trigger to an automated process was not initiated, resulting in a report not capturing enrollment changes in a timely manner for students who graduated from the University after the end of the Spring 2023 semester.
Effect or Potential Effect:
A student’s enrollment status determines eligibility for in-school status, deferment, and grace periods. Enrollment reporting in a timely and accurate manner is critical for effective management of the program. Changes in enrollment status were not submitted to the NSLDS within the time frame required under 34 CFR 682.610.
Questioned Costs:
None noted
Context:
The sample selected for testing is representative of the population. However, it was determined upon further review of the entire population by the University that there were 354 instances of noncompliance that were not included within the sample.
Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable:
This is not a repeat finding.
Recommendation:
We recommend that the University implement an additional step in its enrollment status change process to ensure that graduate status changes are reported in a timely manner and that the population of enrollment changes is complete. We also recommend that the University continue to develop and document additional policies and procedures to ensure that all enrollment changes are reported accurately, completely, and in a timely manner.
Views of responsible officials:
Management concurs with this finding. See separate corrective action plan document.