State of Financial Aid & Scholarships at UTPA Student Financial Services March 2005

Executive Summary Student Financial Services awarded over $71 million in FY2004 and is estimating about $80 million in FY2005. “Financial Aid has Doubled in 5 years” FY2005$80,000,000 est.(12% increase) FY2004$71,182,172( 8 % increase) FY2003$65,736,954(17% increase) FY2002$56,359,410(32% increase) FY2001$42,617,440( 8 % increase) FY2000 $39,425, $39 mil. $80 mil.

Executive Summary Student Financial Services processes over 21,000 Financial Aid applications annually. Over 9800 Financial Aid applications were selected for verification by ED this year.

Financial Aid Recipient Profile Of the 10,626 students receiving “need-based” aid in FY2004 (fall/spring), 77% were eligible for the Pell Grant of which 58% had a zero Expected Family Contribution (EFC) The average “family” income of our students is ~$ $27,000 20% indicated they had dependent children and 68% stated they were first-generation college students on their FAFSA The median loan indebtedness of UTPA students upon leaving the University is ~$9000 compared to $13,400 (Texas four-year public) Income Range # of FA Aid Recipients Percentage (%) $0- $19, % $20,000 - $39, % $40,000 - $59, % $60,000 - $79, % $80, %

Financial Need Analysis Average Cost of Attendance = $10,669 Less:Avg. EFC-$ 1,816 Financial Need $ 8,853 Less:Avg. Award-$ 5,627 Equals Average Unmet Need $ 3,226 We were unable to meet on average 36% of students’ financial need in FY04

Financial Aid Programs FY2004 GrantsWork-StudyLoansTuition WaiversScholarships Federal$25,163,115$942,719$20,869,720 $1,122,448 State$13,185,110$96,574$293,801$3,596,198$91,325 Institutional $954,220 $3,571,404 Private $1,281,793 Total$38,348,225$1,993,513$21,163,521$3,596,198$6,066,970 Grand Total$71,168,427

UTPA Scholarships FY2004 Scholarship Funding by Source Federal$1,122,448 State$91,325 Institutional$3,571,404 Private$1,281,793 Total$6,066,970

UTPA Institutional Scholarships FY2004 (By College/Division Selecting Recipients) College of Arts & Humanities$69,910 College of Business Administration$9,937 College of Education$151,114 College of Health Science & Human Services$218,598 College of Science & Engineering$309,554 College of Behavioral Sciences$53,817 Division of Academic Affairs$76,540 Division of Business Affairs$784,387 Division of Enrollment & Student Services$1,897,547 Total$3,571,404 NOTE: Complete scholarship details available in report

UTPA Scholarships Funded (via Institutional Enhancement Funds) FY2004 ProgramDepartment Awards Gateway Scholarship New Student & Visitor Services$22, Community College Transfer Sch. New Student & Visitor Services$45, UTPA Housing Scholarship Student Financial Services$162, Student Leadership Scholarship Dean of Students$66, Internat’l Doctoral College of Business$1, Educational Leadership Doctoral College of Education$130, Physician Assistant Schol. Physician Assistant Progarm$50, Pharmacy Scholars Program College of Health & Human Serv.$85, Engineering Program Engineering Dept.$77, Computer Science Dev. Schol. Computer Science Dept.$15, AMP Stipend Mathematics Dept.$7, EMSAP Enhancement Pre-Med Program$38, Master of Physics Physics Dept.$13, ARMY ROTC Military Science Dept.$13, Law School Prep Institute Political Science Dept.$21, $750,194.44

University Scholars Program The University Scholars Program is a four-year tuition & fee scholarship awarded to students who have successfully earned college credit through Advanced Placement examinations and/or Concurrent Enrollment at UTPA. It is designed to encourage high school students to enroll in rigorous academic courses that will prepare them for success at the college level. Base Year New Recipients Continuing (eligible) Total Awarded % Increase (in total) Scholarship Awards FY $28, FY %$128, FY %$283, FY %$452, FY %$686, FY %$1,093, FY %$1,400, Estimated

University Scholars “Success” BaseAverage Top 10% YearACTGPACount% FY199926* % FY200026* % FY200125* % FY % FY % FY % FY200523N/A 14772% Entering Freshmen Student Attributes Note: New criteria requiring college credit in Math & English starting fall 2005

Housing Scholarships Base Year New Recipients Continuing (eligible) Total AwardedScholarship Awards FY $252, FY $235, FY $135, FY $240, Purpose/Background: This scholarship is designed to attract top-scoring students to UTPA with an ACT of 21 or higher that reside outside of Hidalgo county. Entering Freshmen Student Attributes Base YearAverage ACT Average GPA (end of 1 st year) Fall Fall Fall Fall n/a Note: Prior to fall 2003 this scholarship was a need-based scholarship

Honors Learning Housing Scholarships Purpose/Background: Four-year housing scholarship targeted to high achieving entering freshmen admitted into the University Honors Program. The goal and focus of the program is to create and sustain a community where intellectual stimulation, campus involvement, service integrity, and support for one another will be commonplace. Awarded $31,750 to 23 students in FY2004 (Funded out of Housing Scholarship Account) Entering Freshmen Student Attributes Base Year Average ACT Retention Rate (fall to spring) Average GPA (fall to spring) Fall %3.72 Fall %3.62 Fall %3.51 Fall %3.45

Recruitment Scholarships Gateway Scholarships – Awarded by college recruiters to recruit high achieving Entering Freshmen to UTPA Target: Top 10%, valedictorians, salutatorians Budgeted at $140,000 in FY2005 Community College Transfer Scholarships – Awarded by college recruiters to attract high achieving community college transfer students to UTPA Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship STCC/ Valley Scholars Transfer Transfers from community colleges with articulation agreements such as Laredo & Coastal Bend Budgeted at $125,000 in FY2005

Retention Scholarships Purpose/Background: The UTPA Retention Scholarship was established in Fall 2001 as an institutional effort to improve UTPA’s retention rates, specifically the SO/JR retention rate, as well as to recognize students for their academic excellence during their Freshman year. This is a one year scholarship to assist students with their educational expenses. Awarding Methodology: Select Freshmen who meet the following criteria: Completed 24 hours during Fall/Spring of their Freshman year Had a 3.0+ cumulative GPA by the end of their Freshman year # of Awardees # Retained (after 1 year) SO/JR Retention Rate % FY % FY % FY %

Student Leadership Scholarship Purpose/Background: Four-year student leadership program that serves as a training ground and mentoring program for future leaders. Annual scholarship awards of $1500 ($750 semester) Awarded $66,771 in FY2004 Base YearAvg. SATAvg. ACT Fall Fall Fall Fall Overall Student Attributes

University Excellence Scholarships Students apply annually by December 1 st using an on-line scholarship application. Recipients are selected by the University Scholarship Committee & notified by February 1 st. Funded via University Endowment accounts. Fall 2005 Cohort 1491 applicants 448 recipients (30%) $539,480 available Breakdown of how funds are distributed: 65% - Entering Freshmen 30% - Undergraduates 5% - Graduates # Awardees Average ACT Average GPA Entering Freshmen Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Graduates27

University Excellence Scholarships Program Success: Entering Freshmen Student Attributes Base Year # Entering Freshmen Awardees# Retained Average ACT Retention Rate (%) Fall % Fall % Fall % Fall % Fall n/a21n/a

Other Programs of Interest (supported w/ Institutional Enhancement Funds) Base Year Average ACT Entering Freshmen Retention Rate Base Year 6 year Graduation Rate Fall %Fall % Fall %Fall % Fall %Fall % Fall %Fall % Approximately $2 mil. awarded in FY2004 to over 1100 UTPA students ($312,000 funded via IE funds to increase number of students assisted). Work-study Program Program Success…Work-study Works!

Other Programs of Interest (supported w/ Institutional Enhancement Funds) New Wage Rate Scale in order to attract & retain students in program. Current wage rates are not competitive with off-campus employment $312,000 currently funded via IE funds and an additional $150,000 will be needed in FY06 to maintain current workforce with new wage rates. Work-study Program Current Wage Rates Proposed Wage Rates 1 st year$5.15$ nd year$5.73$ rd year$6.11$ th year (+)$6.11$7.50 Graduate Students Same as above$8.00 New Wage Rate Scale for FY2006 To support program each work-study job is funded as below: 54% - Federal/state WS funds 16% - Institutional Account 30% - Dept. Account

Other Programs of Interest (supported w/ Institutional Enhancement Funds) Perkins Loan Program: Institutional Match is no longer required as of FY2006 due to federal contribution not being funded (Dept. of Ed may phase out program) Budgeted at $140,000 annually

TEXAS Grant Program UTPA will award ~4800 students TEXAS Grants in FY2005 totaling over $15 million.

Recent Achievements Implemented new on-line services for students Financial Aid awards can be acepted/denied on-line via ASSIST New On-line Student Employment System Loans by Web – students can now complete their entire loan process on-line (pre-loan session to e-sign promissory note) The Financial Aid Advisor The Financial Aid Advisor student e-newsletter Designed new departmental webpage

Recent Achievements Lowest student loan default rate in Texas (among colleges/universities with over 1000 students in repayment)

Recent Achievements Revised many departmental processes & procedures to be more customer-friendly. Instead of focusing on the 5% of students that cause problems we focus our processes on the 95% that do what they need to do. “Compliance should not drive our processes… our student customers should.” Designated an Entering Freshmen & Transfer Student Advisor to better serve special population. Would like to re-organize current organizational structure to better facilitate the complete application flow for students & parents: from submitting a FAFSA, advising students & parents with special needs and completing the verification process. Improved the “Quality” of publications and correspondence to students to further enhance the image of UTPA. Improved Customer Service

Challenges Need larger scholarships & renewable scholarships to recruit high- achieving students (Example: Presidential Scholarship). Renewable scholarships not only “recruit” students but they also “retain” students Funding for “recruitment” scholarships should be approved early (by September 1 of prior year) to effectively recruit students to UTPA Financial Aid & Scholarship funds has doubled in 5 years from $39 mil. in FY2000 to an estimated $80 mil. in FY2005… staffing has gone from 23 FTEs to 26 FTEs. Additional staffing needed to serve growing student population and administer aid programs effectively. Implement new Student Information System over the next 2-3 years Spring 2004 Spring 2006 Spring Planning/Process Mapping Implementation Phase Go-Live Student Financial Services New SIS Implementation Impact