4.8 Narrative

The institution is in compliance with its program responsibilities under Title IV of the 1998 Higher Education Amendments. (In reviewing the institution’s compliance with these program responsibilities, the Commission relies on documentation forwarded to it by the Secretary of Education.) ( Title IV Compliance )

Narrative: Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College (OCtech) is in compliance with responsibilities required under Title IV of the 1998 Higher Education Amendments. The College awards Federal Title IV funds to eligible students through disbursement of Pell funds, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) funds, Federal Family Educational Loan Programs (Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Parent Plus Loans) and Federal Work Study funds. During the 2003-04 award year, 3502 students were enrolled at OCtech. Approximately $5,208,234 in Pell Grant, $147,234 in SEOG and $109,928 in Federal Work Study funds were disbursed to students as reported on the FIASP for the corresponding year.

OCtech is audited annually by an independent CPA firm to establish compliance with state, local, and federal regulations. Under the Single Audit Act Requirements section of the 2004 audit financial statements, the auditors concluded that the College complied, in all material respects, with the requirements that are applicable to each of its major federal programs. They also reported no matters involving the internal control over compliance and its operation that they considered to be material weaknesses. They did, however, report another matter involving internal control to the College in a separate letter dated August 25, 2004. This is detailed on pages 54-55 of the 2004 audited Financial Statements. The matter specifically addressed software issues that resulted in misleading transmittal dates for Pell payment requests. Payments were requested within the 30-day timeline. However, transmittal dates on some records indicated a payment request in excess of the 30-day time limit due to software issues. The College worked with the software provider, Datatel, to resolve this issue over a period of several months. The 2003 issues were finally resolved by year end.

OCtech has worked and continues to work with support staff of Datatel, our software provider, to improve payment and transmittal issues. In order to identify issues in a timelier manner, a procedure has been implemented in the Financial Aid Office to send and receive Pell payment requests on Monday and Wednesday of each week to ensure compliance with the 30-day payment request requirement. Prior to this, payments were requested every two weeks. The Financial Aid Office was found to be in compliance with its Title IV program responsibilities this past year and in all previous years.

OCtech has been consistently listed in good standing with the United States Department of Education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a means for students to learn that OCtech remains in good standing.

Audit findings are reported to the Orangeburg-Calhoun Area Technical Education Commission and are available from the Vice President for Business Affairs at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.