Finding Text
Criteria or specific requirement: Per the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, an institution receiving funds under Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) is required to publicly post on the institution?s website certain key information on a quarterly basis. This reporting is required for both the institutional and the student portion of funding.Condition: During testing to determine if the required quarterly reports (both the student funding reports and the institutional funding reports) were both timely and accurate/supported by the College?s books and records, we noted for the three quarterly student funding reports, the College did not have records to support the estimated total number of students eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants reported. As such, the amounts reported could not be substantiated.Context: Of the three student funding quarterly reports tested, the estimated total number of students eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants could not be substantiated.Questioned costs: None.Cause: When obtaining the number of eligible students reported on the student funding quarterly reports, a snapshot of eligible students was obtained. The student aid database, PowerFAIDS, doesn?t track by date or quarter in a way that would allow the recreation of the total eligible students nor was a report kept for future reference.Effect: The College is not in compliance with all statutory or regulatory provisions as it pertains to the HEERF student quarterly reporting.Repeat Finding: Yes. See 2021-003.Recommendation: For any reports required by federal grants or programs, the College should establish procedures that include ensuring an audit trail remains for information reported. Those who review after prepared should trace back to such information.Views of responsible officials and management?s response: The College agrees with the finding.