Cape Cod Community College

This is a Massachusetts State Auditor report on Cape Cod Community College's federal student financial aid programs for July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.

“In accordance with Chapter 11, Section 12, of the Massachusetts General Laws, the Office of the State Auditor has conducted an audit of CCCC’s Federal Student Financial Assistance programs funded through the United States Department of Education (ED) for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.”

The State Auditor reviewed the college as part of the statewide Single Audit and checked whether the college followed rules for federal student aid money.

“We conducted our audit in conjunction with the Single Audit of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.”

Student aid rules affect students' loans, repayment timing, eligibility, and federal financial obligations, so late or incomplete reporting can create real consequences.

“A student’s enrollment status determines eligibility for in-college status, deferment, grace period, and repayment schedules, as well as the government’s payment of interest subsidies; therefore, enrollment reporting is critical for effective administration of Title IV programs.”

If you were a student or taxpayer, the report matters because students must get clear loan information, work-study should not interfere with class, and student loan records should be accurate and on time.

“Consequently, these students that worked during scheduled class hours lost valuable time in class that is needed to complete their course work.”

The college generally complied in the areas tested, but the auditor found weaknesses that needed fixing in loan letters, work-study oversight, and enrollment-status reporting.

“Our audit disclosed that CCCC did not have adequate internal controls and relevant written policies and procedures in place to verify and ensure that changes in student enrollment status were correctly reported to NSLDS in a timely manner.”

The college said it had made or would make changes, including improving loan notices, updating work-study timesheets and guidance, and creating written procedures to monitor student status reporting.

“For 2011-2012, the Registrar and Financial Aid Director will monitor a sample of students from each Clearinghouse submission to verify the data reaches NSLDS within the required timeframe.”

The report is significant because it shows problems in the controls that protect students' rights, class time, and accurate federal loan records, even though the audit did not say the whole program failed.

“These instances indicate a breakdown in both the supervisory and monitoring controls that, if not addressed, could lead to further issues in the FWS program.”

FFEL means a federal student loan program; FWS means Federal Work Study; NSLDS is the federal student loan data system; NSC is the clearinghouse the college used to send enrollment updates.

“CCCC utilizes the NSC to facilitate its responsibility to notify NSLDS of changes in the enrollment status of its students.”