Lisa Blazer, PhDStudent Financial Aid

And Enrollment Services

Tuition and Fee CommitteeNovember 2009

Financial Aid AwardingFederal Awards

Grants – PELL, FSEOG, ACG, SMARTWork-StudyStudent Loans – Direct Loan ProgramParent Loans

State AwardsGrants – TEXAS Grant, Top 10%, SLEAP, LEAPWork-StudyCollege Access Loan – alternative

Institutional AwardsGrants – Set AsidesWork-Study – Set AsidesScholarships – Donor related and Set Asides

Institutional Financial Aid Awarding – Set AsidesStatutory Set-Asides

Texas Public Education GrantLimited pot of money to awardFirst-come, first-serve until funds are exhaustedLow to medium Expected Family Contributions

(Need-based)Typically awarded alongside federal and state

grantsUndergraduate Residents, Undergraduate Non-

Residents, Graduate Residents, Graduate Non-Residents

Institutional Financial Aid Awarding – Set AsidesDesignated Set- Asides

UTSA GrantNeed-basedFirst priority to students that are not receiving any

other grantsScholarships

Need-based (help for recruiting/admissions)Work-Study

Need-basedAdded several hundred positions during the summer

and increased total allocation and positions across campus $1.2 designated for 2009-10

Special Programs OfferedUTSAccess – tuition and fee guarantee for

students with loan income ($30K or less)Receiving grants/scholarships to cover tuition

and feesAdditional resources in collaboration with

Academic Affairs for tutoring, advisingWork-study awarded

Special Programs OfferedGraduation Incentive Grant – funds to

graduate on-timeWelcome Back Program – funds to return to

school and finishEducation Loan Forgiveness Program – 0%

interest loan that can be forgiven if working in high need, low income schools

Non-need based grant – middle income students – early applicants

Education and AccountabilityStudents

Education: We will continue to offer several different avenues for students to learn about the financial aid and enrollment services processes through – web, online forms, Facebook, Twitter, Chats, Outreach, Counseling, Correspondence

Accountability: As a result of the learning, students are accountable and responsible for ensuring paperwork is complete, deadlines are met, thus receiving better financial aid packages and getting paperwork completed on time

Education and AccountabilityStaff

Education: We continue to provide quality training to the staff that includes new regulations, policies, procedures, customer service, etc. so that they are knowledgeable

Accountability: We expect our staff to be accountable for the information that they have learned and to use it accordingly when working with students or when processing data and paperwork

Current Services Provided to StudentsEnrollment Services Call Center – 200,000 calls a

yearOpen 8:00-6:00 M-Th, 8:00-5:00 Fr, 1st Sat each

month 9-1Financial AidRegistrarAdmissionsFiscal Services (payments by phone and questions)

Enrollment Services Counters –Main 81,000 students served – DT 34,000 students servedOpen 8:00-6:00 M-Th, 8:00-5:00 FrFinancial AidRegistrarAdmissionsResponded to over 14,000 emails for financial aid and

registrar

Current Services Provided to StudentsFinancial Aid Processing

$180 Million in aid each year; 20,000 students receiving some form of aid

Compliance with federal and state regulations (constantly changing)

Special Circumstances for students experiencing hardship – loss of income, family situations, additional living costs, etc.

Current Services to StudentsBook/Cash Loans

Give out approximately 125-150 book loans at the beginning of each semester for $500 each

Mid-semester loans – students in extreme situations can borrow up to $500

Tuition and Fee Loans (Emergency Loans)Cover tuition and fees at the beginning of

semester90 Days to pay back (during given semester)Late financial aid applicants

Current Services to StudentsOutreach/Inreach

We have a team working with prospective and current students

Information to students about applying for aid, types of aid available, etc.

New InitiativesExpanding Outreach/Inreach

Financial Aid is on Facebook and TwitterResearching the possibility of chat roomsFall Financial Aid Round-up – focused on

specific type of FA applicationExpanding Financial Literacy

Students understanding consequences of additional loan borrowing – Special Circumstances and Cash Loans

Collaborating with Academic Affairs on several events and official Financial Literacy Plan

Default Prevention: additional contacts to students that are delinquent – beginning 2010

New InitiativesIntelliresponse

24/7 Frequently Asked Question ServiceKnowledge-based softwareFinancial Aid, Registrar and Fiscal ServicesShould be up and running before the end of

2009