The FAO Role in The FAO Role in RetentionRetentionEASFAAEASFAA

May 2010May 2010

Allene Begley CurtoAllene Begley Curto

Springfield CollegeSpringfield College

We Keep Our Eyes on the We Keep Our Eyes on the Goal!Goal!

MeetMeet Enrollment Goals Enrollment Goals withwith::

SuccessfulSuccessful Completion of Completion of the Programthe Program

No No Balance DueBalance Due ManageableManageable debt upon debt upon

completioncompletion

What We’ll DiscussWhat We’ll Discuss

What does each department have that we What does each department have that we need?need?

What does each department need from us?What does each department need from us? What policies and procedures does each What policies and procedures does each

department have that impact financial aid?department have that impact financial aid? What financial aid policies and procedures What financial aid policies and procedures

have an impact on each department?have an impact on each department? How can we help students by working How can we help students by working together?together?

Volume 2 Chapter 3, General Participation Requirements

Volume 2 Chapter 10, Administrative Capability

Why is the FAO Why is the FAO CentralCentral to to Retention? Retention?

We “touch” almost every departmentWe “touch” almost every department Regulatory compliance requires us to Regulatory compliance requires us to

be aware of policies and procedures in be aware of policies and procedures in other departmentsother departments

We’re natural problem solversWe’re natural problem solvers We know that sometimes the answer is We know that sometimes the answer is

“No” but we check all options for “Yes”“No” but we check all options for “Yes”

Why Do We Lose Why Do We Lose Students? Students?

Aid packages are a factor – but Aid packages are a factor – but notnot the the main one!main one!

Students don’t complete if they’re Students don’t complete if they’re notnot herehere – and we have to know when they’re – and we have to know when they’re not here!not here!

Students don’t complete if they get in Students don’t complete if they get in academic difficulty!academic difficulty!

Students don’t complete if they owe a Students don’t complete if they owe a balance and we won’t let them register!balance and we won’t let them register!

What other departments What other departments and offices work with and offices work with FAO? FAO?

Admissions Admissions RegistrarRegistrar Academic AffairsAcademic Affairs BursarBursar Student Affairs Student Affairs (Dean of Students/Housing)(Dean of Students/Housing)

Information Technology ServicesInformation Technology Services Career ServicesCareer Services ……and everyone elseand everyone else

What Does the FAO Do?What Does the FAO Do?

Determine Eligibility and Need, Determine Eligibility and Need, Award and Process AidAward and Process Aid

Monitor: Federal requirements on Monitor: Federal requirements on academic eligibility, admission academic eligibility, admission status, enrollment changes, data status, enrollment changes, data reportingreporting

Respond to inquiries from students, Respond to inquiries from students, campuses and outside agenciescampuses and outside agencies

What does the FAO do for What does the FAO do for all of those other all of those other departments?departments?

Notifies students of Notifies students of eligibility as soon as eligibility as soon as possiblepossible

Provides assistance to Provides assistance to resolve eligibility resolve eligibility problems for problems for students/applicantsstudents/applicants

Offers options if aid Offers options if aid does not cover costsdoes not cover costs

Assists in tracking Assists in tracking students who fail to students who fail to enroll, fail to attend enroll, fail to attend

Uses federal Uses federal academic academic requirement for FA to requirement for FA to support academic support academic counselingcounseling

Requests assistance Requests assistance and follow-up for “at-and follow-up for “at-risk” students risk” students

Identifies areas that Identifies areas that have problems in have problems in data entry and assists data entry and assists in resolutionin resolution

Admission StatusAdmission Status

FAO needs good data to plan and FAO needs good data to plan and prioritizeprioritize

Financial counseling can help families Financial counseling can help families make make realisticrealistic decisions decisions

Financial Aid Nights and Early Awareness Financial Aid Nights and Early Awareness activities help to promote the institution! activities help to promote the institution!

Working relationships help to encourage Working relationships help to encourage referrals for families that have problems referrals for families that have problems – and reduce the referrals that are only – and reduce the referrals that are only “spinning our wheels”!“spinning our wheels”!

RegistrarRegistrar

Registration Status can have an Registration Status can have an impact on aid eligibility impact on aid eligibility

College officially reports enrollment College officially reports enrollment to US ED and is responsible for to US ED and is responsible for accuracyaccuracy

Are they Are they reallyreally here? Do they just here? Do they just looklook like they’re here? like they’re here?

We We needneed the documentation for the documentation for students who drop/add/withdrawstudents who drop/add/withdraw

Academic Status and Academic Status and Eligibility for AidEligibility for Aid

SAP policy for FA should support the SAP policy for FA should support the academic standard for the institutionacademic standard for the institution

Academic policies can be different but Academic policies can be different but should not conflict or contradictshould not conflict or contradict

FA notifications should direct students to FA notifications should direct students to academic support servicesacademic support services

FA Probation should require a component FA Probation should require a component that assists academic improvementthat assists academic improvement

Who Knows When We Who Knows When We Need to Return Aid?Need to Return Aid?

Complete withdrawal from Complete withdrawal from allall courses in courses in any term – what is the process?any term – what is the process?

Failure to successfully complete at least Failure to successfully complete at least one course in any term – who monitors one course in any term – who monitors and reviews?and reviews?

Drop of course may change eligibility – Drop of course may change eligibility – how does FAO know? how does FAO know?

Failure to Failure to beginbegin attendance – who knows? attendance – who knows? Beginning and then Beginning and then stoppingstopping – who – who

knows?knows?

Registrar/Academic Registrar/Academic Affairs/Affairs/Faculty/Student AffairsFaculty/Student Affairs

Who knows when they’re not here?Who knows when they’re not here? Who knows when a student is in crisis (or Who knows when a student is in crisis (or

approaching one)?approaching one)? Who knows when they officially Who knows when they officially

withdraw/drop? withdraw/drop? Once someone knows, who else do they Once someone knows, who else do they

tell?tell? When does FAO find out?When does FAO find out? Do we take attendance?Do we take attendance?

Why Should We Monitor Why Should We Monitor Attendance if NOT Attendance if NOT Required?Required?

Academic imperative for successful Academic imperative for successful completioncompletion

Aid eligibilityAid eligibility Requirement to return aid if stops Requirement to return aid if stops

attending/withdrawsattending/withdraws

……but but whowho will do this? will do this?

Business OfficeBusiness Office

Together, we can provide prompt Together, we can provide prompt processing and crediting of aidprocessing and crediting of aid

FAO needs to notify student, family, and FAO needs to notify student, family, and bursar of changes to aidbursar of changes to aid

We need to keep students enrolled and We need to keep students enrolled and prevent large balances due that block prevent large balances due that block registration/transcriptsregistration/transcripts

Avoid over-awards because FAO didn’t Avoid over-awards because FAO didn’t have information from other departmentshave information from other departments

What about Outside Aid What about Outside Aid that that mustmust be reported to be reported to FAO? By Whom?FAO? By Whom?

Vocational Rehabilitation BenefitsVocational Rehabilitation Benefits AmeriCorps VouchersAmeriCorps Vouchers Employer Tuition BenefitsEmployer Tuition Benefits Outside ScholarshipsOutside Scholarships Third Party BillingThird Party Billing AnythingAnything that is only provided due that is only provided due

to the enrollment in schoolto the enrollment in school

Information TechnologyInformation Technology

Good dataGood data Identify Reporting needsIdentify Reporting needs Good dataGood data Accurate and helpful web pagesAccurate and helpful web pages Good dataGood data Appropriate use of electronic Appropriate use of electronic

communicationcommunication ……and don’t forget and don’t forget good datagood data! !

What is some of the Data What is some of the Data That Needs to be Correct That Needs to be Correct for Students?for Students?

Name, Address and Phone valid Name, Address and Phone valid and correctand correct

Social Security Number/Date of Social Security Number/Date of Birth correctBirth correct

Admission data (entry term, status, Admission data (entry term, status, etc.) correctetc.) correct

Registration, Attendance coded Registration, Attendance coded correctly and on timecorrectly and on time

Who is Entering that Data Who is Entering that Data and Why?and Why?

They report to They report to someonesomeone who at who at least least mightmight need that data for need that data for somethingsomething

The person that they report to may The person that they report to may report to someone report to someone elseelse who needs who needs that datathat data

IT, Development, other departments IT, Development, other departments want correct data alsowant correct data also

Career ServicesCareer Services

Employment helps students/former Employment helps students/former students to repay loans! Even if students to repay loans! Even if they they don’tdon’t graduate graduate

Counseling on Counseling on expectedexpected earnings earnings should be part of financial literacy should be part of financial literacy effortsefforts

Work study can be a retention tool Work study can be a retention tool for students for students

Assistance to Students Assistance to Students and Staffand Staff

What do staff in different offices What do staff in different offices need in order to properly counsel need in order to properly counsel students?students?

Where do they find it?Where do they find it? How and When do we train staff, How and When do we train staff,

give them new information?give them new information?

The Tough OnesThe Tough Ones

The family that The family that wantswants your school your school but can’t afford your schoolbut can’t afford your school

The student who hits the wall The student who hits the wall academicallyacademically

The student who has a personal or The student who has a personal or family crisis/tragedyfamily crisis/tragedy

How Do We Become How Do We Become Partners?Partners?

Identify the officesIdentify the offices Find the alliesFind the allies Outline the requirements Outline the requirements andand the the

benefitsbenefits Meet with the stakeholdersMeet with the stakeholders Review periodicallyReview periodically

Wrap-upWrap-up

QuestionsQuestions AnswersAnswers CommentsComments DiscussionDiscussion

Contact information: Contact information: Allene Begley Curto Allene Begley Curto acurto@spfldcol.eduacurto@spfldcol.edu