TROCAIRE COLLEGELocal Government

Finding 2024-001: Assistance Listing #84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans. Criteria: The College is required to provide exit counseling to student borrowers who withdraw or graduate from the College within 30 days of the institution’s knowledge of the exit (34 CFR § 685.304(b)). Condition: Student borrowers who left during or after the fall and spring semesters were not provided with the required exit counseling materials within 30 days of their exit. During our testing of Return of Title IV for withdrawn students, we noted five students (sample size seven, remaining two did not receive Federal Direct Loans) who did not receive exit counseling within the required time frame. Additionally, during our testing of Federal Direct Loans, there was one fall graduate in our sample; the exit counseling was not provided within the 30 days. Further inquiries of College employees indicated that spring graduates also did not have exit counseling within the 30 day requirement. Cause: Beginning with the fall 2023 semester, the College automated the process for providing exit counseling, however, did not consider the application of the 30 day requirement to withdrawn students. Effect: The College did not provide exit counseling to student borrowers who withdrew or graduated within 30 days of the institution’s knowledge of the exit. Questioned Costs: None Auditors’ Recommendation: The College should review its procedures for providing exit counseling to student borrowers to ensure compliance with DOE requirements. Views of Responsible Officials: The College, upon identification of this issue, immediately reviewed its procedures and made the necessary changes.

Finding 2020-001: Student Financial Assistance Cluster - CFDA #84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program; CFDA #84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants; CFDA #84.033 Federal Work-Study Program; CFDA #84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans. Criteria: Institutions that are ?attendance taking schools? are required to determine that a student withdrew within 14 days of the student?s last day of attendance (LDA). The documented last day of attendance is then used in the Return of Title IV Calculations (calculations) to determine the amount of aid earned (34 CFR ? 668.22(b)). Condition: Our audit procedures identified that the College did not have procedures in place to identify unofficial withdrawals, within the required 14 days based on attendance. Four students from Fall 2019 and two students from Spring 2020 were deemed unofficial withdrawals. Statement of Cause: Turnover in the Student Financial Aid Office resulted in job duties being reallocated and the process for unofficial withdrawals not to be followed. Effect: The College did not perform the calculations, return the required funds, and/or complete the required reporting within the required timeframes. Questioned Costs: $22,980, the total amount calculated as unearned aid. Context: After identification of this matter, the College performed a review of attendance records and determined there were six unofficial withdrawals (four from Fall 2019, two from Spring 2020). A total of $11,221 was returned on July 9, 2020 for the Fall students. $11,759 from Spring was not returned due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related waivers. Recommendation: The College should review its procedures for identifying all unofficial withdrawals to ensure unofficial withdrawals are identified within 14 days of the LDA. Current Status: The College has taken corrective action and has returned the required funds. The College has also developed additional procedures to identify unofficial withdrawals within required timeframes.