Holyoke Community CollegeHigher Education

Criteria According to 34 CFR 685.309(b)(2): Unless [the institution] it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school discovers that – (i) A loan under title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the school, and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or (ii) A student who is enrolled at the school and who received a loan under title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. The Dear Colleague Letter GEN-12-6 issued by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) on March 30, 2012 states that in addition to student loan borrowers, Enrollment Reporting files will include two additional groups of students: Pell Grant and Perkins Loan recipients. According to 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement updated May 2024: Under the Pell Grant and loan programs, institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway mailboxes sent by ED via the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). The institution determines how often it receives the Enrollment Reporting roster file with the default set at a minimum of every 60 days. Once received, the institution must update 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 NSLDS website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to report student enrollment changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) within 60 days. During our testing, we noted 1 student, out of a sample of 40, that had an incorrect student status and 1 student, out of sample of 40, was not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Cause The College did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that students with status changes had their effective date correctly reported to NSLDS and within the required timeframe. Effect The College did not report the students’ correct effective dates to NSLDS and within the required timeframe, which may impact the students’ loan grace periods. Questioned Costs Not applicable Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of the 40 students selected for testing, 1 student, or 2.5% of our sample, had an incorrect student status and 1 student, or 2.5% of our sample, was not reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Yes, see finding 2023-001. Recommendation The College should provide training to employees responsible for processing information for the NSLDS and ensure that they have adequate knowledge in the related rules and regulations. This training should include an explanation of the effective date of a student’s withdrawal, the importance of reporting the correct effective date and the consequences of incorrect reporting. This oversight should also ensure that the effective date reported to NSLDS is consistent with the date the student separated from the College. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding.

Criteria According to the 2023-2024 Federal Student Aid Handbook, Volume 6 The Campus-Based Programs Chapter 2: In general, students are not permitted to work in Federal Work-Study (“FWS”) positions during scheduled class times. Exceptions are permitted if an individual class is cancelled, if the instructor has excused the student from attending for a particular day, and if the student is receiving credit for employment in an internship, externship, or community work-study experience. Any such exemptions must be documented. Condition Federal regulations state that students are not permitted to work in Federal Work-Study positions during scheduled class times. During our testing, we noted 1 student, out of a sample of 11, worked for a Federal Work-Study program during scheduled class time. Cause The College did not consistently follow the procedures in place to monitor student timesheets related to FWS funds. Effect The College approved FWS funds for time worked during scheduled class times. Questioned Costs Not applicable Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of the 11 students selected for testing, 1 student, or 9% of our sample, had Federal Work Study funds approved for hours worked during scheduled class times. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation The College should strengthen its controls surrounding the approval of hours worked for the Federal Work-Study Program to ensure they are in compliance with federal regulations. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding.

Criteria According to 34 CFR 690.83(b) (1) An institution shall report to the Secretary any change for which a student qualifies including any related Payment Data changes by submitting to the Secretary the student’s Payment Data that discloses the basis and result of the change in award for each student. The institution shall submit the student’s Payment Data reporting any to the Secretary by the reporting deadlines published by the Secretary in the Federal Register. (2) An institution shall submit, in accordance with the deadline dates established by the Secretary, through publication in the Federal Register, other reports and information the Secretary requires and shall comply with the procedures the Secretary finds necessary to ensure that the reports are correct. According to the Federal Register (Volume 83, Number 233): An institution must submit Pell Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Direct Loan, and TEACH Grant disbursement records to COD, no later than 15 days after making the disbursement or becoming aware of the need to adjust a previously reported disbursement. In accordance with 34 CFR 668.164(a), title IV, Higher Education Act (“HEA”) program funds are disbursed on the date that the institution: (a) Credits those funds to a student’s account in the institution’s general ledger or any subledger of the general ledger; or (b) pays those funds to a student directly. Title IV, HEA program funds are disbursed even if an institution uses its own funds in advance of receiving program funds from the Department. Condition Federal regulations require the College to report to the Federal Government’s Common Origination and Disbursement System (“COD”) Federal Pell Grant disbursements made to students within 15 days of the funds being disbursed to the student. During our testing, we noted 1 student, out of a sample of 40, that was not reported within the required timeframe by 7 days. Cause The College has policies and procedures in place to report the disbursement records to the Department of Education through the COD system within the required fifteen calendar days, however, in this case the procedures were not completed properly. Effect The College did not report Pell Grant disbursements to COD within the required time frame. Questioned Costs Not applicable Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of the 40 students selected for testing, 1 student, or 2.5% of our sample, was determined to be reported late to the COD by 7 days. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation We recommend that management of the College review, and if necessary, update the policies and procedures to ensure all Pell Grant funds are reported within the required timeframe. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding.

Criteria According to 34 CFR 685.309(b)(2): Unless [the institution] it expects to submit its next updated enrollment report to the Secretary within the next 60 days, a school must notify the Secretary within 30 days after the date the school discovers that – (i) A loan under title IV of the Act was made to or on behalf of a student who was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the school, and the student has ceased to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis or failed to enroll on at least a half-time basis for the period for which the loan was intended; or (ii) A student who is enrolled at the school and who received a loan under title IV of the Act has changed his or her permanent address. The Dear Colleague Letter GEN-12-6 issued by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) on March 30, 2012 states that in addition to student loan borrowers, Enrollment Reporting files will include two additional groups of students: Pell Grant and Perkins Loan recipients. According to 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement updated May 2023: Under the Pell Grant and loan programs, institutions must complete and return within 15 days the Enrollment Reporting roster file placed in their Student Aid Internet Gateway mailboxes sent by ED via the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”). The institution determines how often it receives the Enrollment Reporting roster file with the default set at a minimum of every 60 days. Once received, the institution must update 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 NSLDS website. Institutions are responsible for timely reporting, whether they report directly or via a third-party servicer. Condition The Federal Government requires the College to report student enrollment changes to the National Student Loan Data System (“NSLDS”) within 60 days. During our testing, we noted 1 student, out of a sample of 40, who had an incorrect status reported to the NSLDS. were reported to NSLDS beyond the required timeframe. The student was a spring 2023 graduate. Cause The College did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that students with status changes were reported to NSLDS correctly. The College's Registrar's office sent the roster including the Spring 2023 graduates to the National Student Clearinghouse, the service entity that processes their uploads to NSLDS, within the acceptable 60 day timeframe. The National Student Clearinghouse did not upload the status updates to NSLDS and subsequently went beyond the 60 day timeframe. Effect The College did not report the student’s appropriate status changes to NSLDS within the required timeframe, which may impact the students’ loan grace periods. Questioned Costs Not applicable Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of the 40 students selected for testing, 1 student, or 2.5% of our sample, had status changes that were not properly reported to NSLDS within the required timeframe. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation The College should strengthen their controls surrounding the review of the NSLDS reporting process to ensure they are in compliance with federal regulations. View of Responsible Officials The College agrees with the finding.

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