Federal Reports

Section 487(a)(17) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), requires postsecondary schools participating in Title IV programs to annually report data, including data relevant to students’ cost of attendance and financial aid and the schools’ graduation rates, to the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to the satisfaction of the Secretary. The objective of our inspection was to determine whether Spring Hill College (Alabama) reported verifiable data to IPEDS for the 2021–2022 reporting period. We determined that Spring Hill College reported verifiable data to the Department’s IPEDS for the 2021–2022 reporting period. Specifically, all data elements that we selected and reviewed that the school reported through the Graduation Rates, Institutional Characteristics, and Student Financial Aid surveys for the 2021–2022 reporting period were supported by datasets, information system reports, or other records. Because all the data sets that we reviewed were verifiable, we do not make any recommendations in this report. However, our results are limited to the data sets we reviewed, and it is critical that Spring Hill College continue to report verifiable data to IPEDS. 

OIG evaluated the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights’ efforts to ensure compliance and accountability among USDA agencies and staff, in accordance with applicable civil rights laws and regulations.

Why We Did This Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General is issuing this report to Notify the Agency of concerns identified during a review of Inflation Reduction Act grants. The concerns relate to an EPA policy that applies to all Agency subawards, not just to Inflation Reduction Act subawards.

Summary of Findings

The OIG has identified concerns regarding the terms and conditions listed within the revised EPA Subaward Policy, commonly referred to as the Subaward Policy, Amended Grants Policy Issuance (GPI) 16-01, effective October 1, 2024. The Subaward Policy’s statements regarding subrecipient access to information about mandatory disclosure requirements and whistleblower protections and regarding the OIG’s right to access records are inconsistent, incomplete, and not easily navigable.

The Payment Integrity Information Act was enacted to improve efforts to identify and reduce federal improper payments—payments the federal government should not have made or made in an incorrect amount under statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirements. NASA complied with the Act during fiscal year 2024, but there were several reporting errors that resulted in overpayments collected being overstated by an immaterial amount.