Finding Text
2023–002 National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Enrollment Reporting
Federal Agency: Department of Education
Federal Program Title: Student Financial Aid Cluster
CFDA Number: 84.268 – Federal Direct Loan Program
Award Period: July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023
Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance (Other Matters)
Criteria or specific requirement: The Code of Federal Regulations, 34 CFR 685.309 (b) outlines that schools must update the secretary with pertinent information within 30 days (unless it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days) after the date the school discovers a student changed enrollment from half time/full time/graduate/withdrawal/etc. Section 4.4.2 of the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide (Circa November 2018) establishes the definition of the effective date, certification date, and received date.
Condition: During our detail testing of NSLDS Enrollment Reporting we noted instances where the University did not comply with the requirements noted above.
Questioned costs: None.
Context: During our detail testing of NSLDS Enrollment Reporting we noted the following discrepancies in our sample of 13 students:
• 8 instances in which the program enrollment effective date did not match the program-level enrollment effective date per NSLDS
• 10 instances for which the student's status was not reported timely
• 13 instances in which the student's enrollment was not certified timely
• 11 instances where the enrollment effective date was incorrect per NSLDS
• 6 instances for which the student's status was not reported to NSLDS
Cause: the University’s policies and procedures did not detect and correct these errors to ensure compliance.
Effect: Noncompliance with federal regulations which could lead to untimely reporting of enrollment information to NSLDS.
Repeat Finding: Yes, prior year finding 2022-003.
Recommendation: We recommend that the University review their policies and procedures to ensure accurate reporting and responding to enrollment rosters to NSLDS.
Views of responsible officials: See Corrective Action Plan prepared by the University.