State Update Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Charles W. Puls, Ed.D. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Student Financial Aid Programs charles.puls@thecb.state.tx.us
Overview A couple current events A couple upcoming projects Some legislative recommendations Some questions for discussion
Financial Aid Advisory Committee Slate of nominees Delisa Falks, TASFAA President Paul Galyean, Jacksonville College Heidi Granger, The University of Texas at El Paso Ed Kerestley, Angelo State University Karen LaQuay, Wayland Baptist University Tam Nguyen, University of North Texas Health Science Center Kelly Prater, Amarillo College Arnold Trejo, Texas A&M University - Kingsville Denise Welch, Panola College Brent Williford, Blinn College
TASSP Certification Deadline October 15 Both nominees and renewal students lose their eligibility if they don’t apply by the deadline
Upcoming SFAP Projects CAL quarter-point discount for recurring ACH Greater automation of grant disbursements Summer grant procedures
Summer Trailer vs. Header Must be consistent Cannot treat summer as header for some students and as trailer for others Satisfactory Academic Progress Header: SAP measured before summer Trailer: SAP measured after summer Disbursements Still working to identify the extent to which institutions can use funds from one appropriation year in a different academic year
THECB Legislative Recommendations – Financial Aid Major Policy Recommendations to Achieve 60x30TX Texas WORKS Internship Program Improving Student Transfers Programmatic Enhancements to Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Transparency Increasing Bonding Authority Modifications to TEOG (eligibility for baccalaureate programs) and TEXAS Grant (135 credit hour limit) Statute Cleanup and Minor Revisions Update Loan Program Statute
Discussion Questions State Priority Deadline Texas WORKS What is the impact of encouraging HRI’s, technical institutes, community colleges and independent institutions to utilize the priority deadline? Texas WORKS What are the impacts of offering a program like this? TEXAS Grant and Transfer Students What are the challenges to awarding TEXAS grant to transfer students? TEG and Exceptional Financial Need Does the EFC cutoff for exceptional need require further review? TEOG and Matching Funds What would be the impact of allowing Pell as a matching fund?