Financial Aid Regional Representatives

Meeting: Sacramento, CA

February 5, 2013

Notes by: Rita Grogan

Present: Tim Bonnel, Rhonda Mohr, Margie Carrington, Regina Morrison (R3), Linda Williams, Anafe Robinson (R7), Dennis Schroeder, Tom Bilbruck (R6), Brian Heinemann, Peggy Fiske (R5), Ken Lira (R9), Connie Barton (R1), Robin D’Arcangelo (R2), Kim Westby (R8), Adrienne Burton, Kathy Linzmeyer (R4), AndiSchreibman

Guests: Sonia Ortiz-Mercado, Judy Heiman

Meeting Start Time: 8:40am

Regional Reports

Region 1 – Programs of Study issues.

Region 2 – Solano staffing loss due to retirement. Grade submissions from Faculty for SAP processing. Fraud issues resurfacing. Schools are blaming FTES enrollment losses on FA compliance – can’t receive FA because not meeting SAP. Harassment from students from SAP denials – use code of conduct. AB540; Cleary Act; Gainful Employment; etc. March meeting planned.

Region 3 – No new hires at some schools and have vacant positions. HigherOne and stale-dated checks. College of Alameda having issues with District and positions and District wanting BFAP funds to fund other positions. Los Medanos – FA moving into a new space/offices. Peralta and Los Medanos working on new processes for efficiency. New fraud ring (alleged) with students taking administration of justice courses – getting smarter and expanding out. Margie had sent an e-mail about SB70 – apply to community colleges. Kris Shear said that her District would Consult with legal counsel before sending this type of data to CSAC.

Region 4 – See written report. Multiple Dream Act issues. Cabrillo has a new point person. Rob Mieso, interim, at DeAnza. Francisco Tostado at MPC. Meeting again in March (at Cabrillo). Transitional leadership at colleges/districts.

Region 5 – December meeting and will meet again Feb 20th. More attendance at the meetings. Good discussions similar to other regional discussions. Modesto JC asked about R2T4 and change in SAP. Appeals discussion and processing differences between colleges. New director at Modesto JC – Peggy Fiske!

Region 6 – Need more Dream Act information & training from CSAC. FA fraud prevention best practices presentation at CACCRAO in April.

Region 7 – Region 7 & 8 met in October. Discussion of BOG work group and appeal process. Belief that students will be confused with the new processes. How best communicated to students. BOG FW allocation – will allocation be in jeopardy or split with A&R. HigherOne process discussion & concern about fees & ATM availability. Cerritos has Schools First ATMs on the campus – Cerritos worked with HigherOne and SchoolsFirst to allow HigherOne students to use SchoolsFirst ATMs free of charge. CSAC data collection – how to verify data, etc. Look to CCCCO for answers. Cash for College workshops planned. LA Harbor is going through a rough program review and FAO announced retirement for December 2013. Discussed length of time that PPA is taking. LA group of CC’s going PeopleSoft – 39 months to convert from legacy system.

Region 8 –

Region 9 - Most of the regions colleges participate in the meetings. Use CCC-confer. Joint meeting with region 10. More SAP denials – Pell numbers down significantly.

Region 10

Sonia Ortiz-Mercado: Update on Student Success Task Force

Presentation Prepared

Rhonda’s Opening Remarks – Sonia will explain from the perspective of the enrollment priority regulations about proposed BOG FW changes and how they interrelate.

Sonia:

  • 22 recommendations with a majority related to student services
  • Law doesn’t prohibit or exclude the institutions from creating academic standards and that the special groups can lose priority
  • Legislature may chose to add other protected groups
  • First & Second level
  • Student must meet academic standards
  • Good standing
  • Unit limit threshold – earned units (ADVISORY coming out from CCCCO)
  • Excludes 30 units of Basic Skills & ESL – cumulative
  • Tim will forward the regulatory supporting documentation of this
  • Ed Plans – doesn’t need to be comprehensive (full program); abbreviated (1-term); gives structured guidance to explore the courses (after 17 unis – comprehensive needed)
  • Title 5 revision with definitions of abbreviated and comprehensive
  • See powerpoint presentation for details on slides (notes will be for emphasis or clarification)
  • Appeals
  • Documented extenuating circumstance as defined by CCCCO
  • Disabled and Reasonable accommodation not received
  • Students demonstrate significant satisfactory academic progress in a subsequent term (left for district to decide)
  • Timeline of Priority Enrollment
  • Communicate by Spring 2013
  • Priority starts Fall 2014
  • SB1456 – Matriculation Provisions
  • Orientation, assessment, program of study, & ed plans requirements
  • Brad Hardison – representing CCCSFAAA at the categorical meetings on February 14th

BOG FW Updates – Rhonda Mohr

  • Welcome & Overview PPT (in handouts)
  • Notification during, or by, the end of Spring 2013 semester for enrollment priorities
  • Single-term fee waiver programming if your system doesn’t accommodate this currently
  • Regulations will require that BOG FW not be given for the next term until SAP is evaluated for these students.
  • Academic interventions & support services for students are all on the academic side of the house.
  • Appeals & Notifications – through A&R
  • Fee Waiver work group – proposed draft regulations for student interventions are so vague (per Rhonda), e.g., “The District must have policies and procedures to address intervention activities.”
  • Does vagueness equal flexibility? Or open to interpretation? Each college has the opportunity to identify their performance standards on which they will be graded and the unique way(s) they will implement these standards.
  • The funding formula will look at providing ALL services and not just doing well in one area.
  • CCCSFAAA state issues committee schedules a conference call with Brad Hardison, Sheila, Kim Myles & Kris Shear so that they understand the issues that relates to the individual colleges.
  • Loss of fee waivers caused by “sitting out” for a term because of not meeting academic progress. – how does sitting out help?
  • Enrollment priorities have same “sitting out” provisions
  • On a school by school basis, register in November for Spring & gave Spring BOG. At end of Fall, the student is DQd. You cannot pull back the BOG so does the student lose it for the next Fall? What if in that Spring the student did significantly better?
  • For students who show up on the first day, do we have to look at BOG SAP before awarding? Answer is YES.
  • Henry Villareal is the CACCRAO representative on the committee. Rita will contact him to address this via the CCC-Admissions web site for similar discussions as above. Impact on service to students, etc.

Allocations

  • Initial allocations sent out.
  • Adjustments to base & capacity for every college
  • Adjustments to 2% for any colleges with penalties
  • $5000 released to those colleges who posted outreach events after March 2nd
  • Held $84K for base & capacity for not re-submitting files regarding zero BOG updates records.
  • Because of the delay of some college’s and/or not reporting, there may be changes to the 11/12 allocations (penalties to be determined) and 12/13 (to be determined).
  • Increased are assumed permanent because of new formula provided in legislation – when fees increased from $36 to $46.

BOG FEE WAIVER 2013-14 – available now and incorporates the Dream Act as well as SB 1899 approvals. Shaded areas must be completed, if applicable, by students.

  • Student marital status is now shaded
  • Answer all questions for dependency determination – no skip logic
  • Q21 – spouse ended January 1, 2013; dependent has 30 years.
  • Still 4 pages

I CAN AFFORD COLLEGE – Paige Marlatt Dorr; LindsayPangburn (soft copies of handouts to come)

  • Revised flyers on web site for use now
  • Spring & Summer a busy time
  • Order collateral materials (soft copy)
  • Campaign update
  • Revamping the entire web site
  • Information on the dream act
  • New 12/13 BOG fee waiver up and available (ENGL & SPAN)
  • Advertising re March 2nd Cal Grant deadline running now
  • Foster Youth – publications available soon
  • 30 second ads – comeback “king” spot (English only right now)
  • Awareness Study – beginning to lose awareness in the 16-24 year old age groups
  • Most of Hispanic younger (16-24) targets preferred English rather than Spanish translations
  • Refocused limited dollars to focus on specific target offices
  • Brochures –
  • Foster Youth,
  • Veterans,
  • Jobs
  • Unemployed
  • General community College – needs re-vamping
  • Transfer Associate Degrees – have some materials that go out in combination with other collateral requests
  • “A degree with a guarantee!”
  • Clear Channel Promotion
  • Mailing to CCs and High Schools
  • Details will be forwarded via Tim & Rhonda
  • Submit an essay about how their life would be better if they received free money for college
  • Prizes!

Dream Act:

  • Implementation statuses – mostly manual at this point
  • Are AB540 students being harmed

Veteran’s Update – David Lawrence (& Felipe, student intern)

E-mail:

  • Hired as veteran’s services coordinator 4 months ago
  • First time in the history of CCCCO to have this position
  • Held Veteran’s Summit in Redwood City
  • Plan to hold additional summits this year
  • Regional Representation committee –
  • Plan to meet regularly
  • Requested current listing of regional representatives
  • Tim will forward to us
  • Expand VRC (Veterans’ Resource Center) at campuses
  • Looking for funding
  • Re-vamping the veteran’s web site
  • Used grant funding to produce informative material for faculty – Dr. Joseph
  • Glimpse into military culture and transition to civilian life
  • PTSD and TBI symptoms awareness along with resources & tips
  • Teaching strategies for your student veterans
  • Sierra College has a public access video to link regarding working with veterans

DREAM ACT VERIFICATIONS: AB131 DREAM ACT Application 2013-14 Verification Guide for the Cal Grant Program [forwarded from Nancy Coolidge (UC) last week].

  • 20% random selection
  • upfront selection (not later)
  • Required to verify students selected to receive a Cal Grant
  • Same as Fed V1 requirement
  • What about selective service requirement for eligibility
  • Have to select every male for selective service registration
  • Can’t do the online application; must mail
  • Require proof of mailing
  • MUST validate receipt of HS diploma or equivalent

MIS CODING – erroneously coding AB540 students as SB09 8XXXX– this is the incorrect data field. AB540 students should be coded as 50000 for SB09.

Disbursement Card Services – Sara Tyson, Dean of Student Financial Aid Programs (includes Foster, EOPS, Cal Works)

  • Dear Colleague Letter GEN 12-08 (in handouts)
  • NACUBO – best practices on disbursement card service behaviours (Tim sent out on CFAO list serve)
  • If you have a revenue sharing plan, keep students best interests in mind
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – issued call for comment from stakeholders regarding practices regarding disbursement card services
  • Safeguards against disbursement card services companies
  • Tim surveyed colleges about usage
  • Sara related the following story
  • Senator’s aide had a personal story to tell: Her daughter attends Chico State and looking for some fill-in classes and trying to find units and applied to multiple community colleges. She applied to all these colleges but had NOT applied for financial aid but received a HigherOne debit card.
  • CCCCO is expecting them to entertain a bill for opt out provisions.
  • Each college/district can select the option set up.
  • Suggest customization of web pages to vendors
  • HOT ISSUES:
  • Consumer Information – fully sunshine & this may be what will be legislated
  • Fee Side (student association hot on this topic)
  • Automatic card delivery even when the student doesn’t enroll (only applies for admission)
  • Use our leverage, individually & as a group, to change the consumer information provided

Legislative Analyst Office – Judy Hyman

  • Analysis for New Cal Grant eligibility rules
  • Community colleges not subject to cohort default rates elimination
  • Assessment & Recommendations
  • Policy worked the way legislature intended
  • Issue #1 – default rate (3yr cohort) is a better measure than the 2-year rate
  • Look at other measures if something better comes along
  • Issue #2 – we don’t see the connection between the proportion of students borrowing vs. the graduation rate
  • Some students are pursuing degrees or transfer
  • In the sub-set of Cal Grant students, it seems reasonable to look at graduation and transfer rates
  • Graduation rate for CSAC is “on time” – what does that mean?
  • Right now, we use 6-year cohort rates
  • Student’s “jobbing out” – how do you account for that? It’s a success (or is it?).
  • Brian asks if the college has the authority to refuse a student a Cal Grant?
  • Should we stay in the Cal Grant program given the extraordinary workload requirements?
  • Main features of the program
  • Cliff effect – either full tuition or nothing
  • Prorate based on Pell Grants (governor’s proposal several years ago)
  • Specific Recommendations
  • Who are the students being served and how does it (the service) affect outcomes?
  • Regression analysis to predict success of Cal Grant students using publicly available data
  • Clean up data issues
  • Avoid making changes during an active award series
  • Longer period of time for implementation to iron out the kinks in processing

SB70 – Agreed with CSAC regarding ability to report to meet the letter of the law

  • Agreed to change regulations to reflect that agreement
  • Meetings to address reporting
  • President’s were mailed an amended IPA that reflects the new agreement
  • CSAC withdrew the regulations as submitted – actually withdrew them before they sent the amended IPA
  • We signed a revised IPA without substantiating regulations
  • Two more corrections of the regulations that have come out after the amended IPA
  • Enrollment on each program
  • “Each” was removed
  • CCCCO to meet Thursday with CSAC – reporting enrollment, persistence & graduation cohort
  • File layouts and CCCCO IT area are still on track for reporting implementation
  • Data will be submitted on each colleges’ behalf
  • Not sure how the data will be available
  • Data on Demand – must review data and submit by March 31st
  • Placement Data
  • TBD – still meeting to resolve how this data will be reported
  • BIG cost to survey and monitor students for 2 years or provide unitary information on all students
  • FERPA issue to provide unitary information?
  • CCCCO will check with their legal counsel

ADULT EDUCATION Transition as proposed

  • Instead of $900M that is currently given to HS; only $300M in federal money would be given to CCs
  • Assumption that we have some of the infrastructure currently in place
  • Some HS CTE programs were federal Pell eligible through approved schools
  • These HS had their own financial aid officers
  • More clock hour type programs coming forward

CSAC Exam Passage Rate Links for Gainful Employment

  • Kris Shear suggested a common web page with all of the links on one page
  • She suggested CCCCO do this
  • CCCCO suggests CSAC do this

Budget: Tim Bonnel – 13-14 Budgets

  • 6870 (soft copy in handouts) – reductions can’t be predicted out to individual colleges because it is fair share calculation
  • $1.4Mil reduction from 2%
  • $1.4Mil reduction from base ($0.91/waiver)
  • no change to capacity funding
  • All A/B/C fee waivers will be form driven via FAFSA or Dream Application
  • Trailer Bill Language - DRAFT
  • Would eliminate California dependency status definitions and would default to the federal definitions
  • Section 76305 is a new section and needs discussion and review

Meeting End Time: