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State University of New York
Office of the University Auditor
Audit Guidance: Educational Opportunity Program
September 18, 2008
To assist campuses in strengthening controls over Educational Opportunity Programs, we offer the following observations made by the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) in their report (2007-S-99) issued on July 3, 2008. Campuses should review the list to determine if there are opportunities to improve their Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP).
Audit Observations
- EOP funds should be used solely for designated EOP purposes. For example, EOP funds designated for counseling EOP students should only be used to pay EOP counselors.
- EOP funds used to support counseling and tutoring services for EOP students should only be paid to employees that spend 100 percent of their time working with EOP students. EOP funds should not be paid to employees that work with non-EOP students.
- Employees paid with EOP funds should not have administrative or non-EOP responsibilities.
- Campuses should ensure that EOP students receive their direct aid on a timely basis.
- Campuses should ensure that EOP students do not receive direct aid beyond the maximum number of semesters (currently ten semesters) allowed unless prior written approval is obtained from the Office of Opportunity Programs.
- Campuses should maintain accurate and complete EOP rosters.
- Campuses should retain all required information regarding verification of student eligibility (academic and financial) for EOP direct aid. University Guidelines requires campuses to maintain EOP student files on a permanent basis.
- Campus should retain documentation to substantiate the work (tutoring and counseling) conducted by employees paid with EOP funds. The documentation for services provided should include the date, type of service, student name, etc.
Other Sources of Information Pertaining to Educational Opportunity Programs
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