Finding Text
Pell and SEOG Awarding Errors Finding Type: Significant deficiency and reportable noncompliance with laws and regulations. Criteria and Condition: Out of our sample of 43 students, we noted the College did not award a Pell grant to one student who was eligible. The error was not identified by the College’s procedures for awarding and reviewing financial assistance. After reviewing all of the Pell grant recipients, it was determined that there were a total of six students affected. Context: In the case of the student tested, the student should have received a Pell grant and SEOG grant. Cause: The College’s procedures for awarding and reviewing financial assistance did not timely identify the error. Effect: The College should have awarded an additional $5,417 in Pell grants and $3,000 in SEOG grants to the six students who were affected. Recommendation: We recommend the College evaluate its procedures for reviewing financial assistance and implement changes to validate the awarding of financial assistance. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: When the Department of Education changes Pell Grant eligibility parameters, there is a process that is run to update Pell Grant eligibility in the Datatel processing system. However, when new eligibility parameters increase the number of eligible students due to increasing the estimated family contribution (EFC) eligibility cut-off, there is a separate process that must be run to catch these newly eligible students. This was the scenario in 2022-23. Six students that were not originally eligible for Pell Grant became eligible. Similar circumstances also occurred in 23-24 and the process was run ensuring all eligible students are being awarded. The additional process has been added to the financial aid calendar to ensure this will not happen in the future.