Return to Title IV Town WASFAA Conference Tribal Funding Return to Title IV Town WASFAA Conference Green Bay, Wisconsin April 3, 2019

Gayla Jenkins Senior Administrative Program Specialist University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee jenkinsg@uwm.edu

Panelists Shannon Chapman Education Director Menominee Indian Tribe Sherry King Higher Education Advisor, Member of Oneida Nation Oneida Nation

Panelists Jessica Last Higher Education Advisor Oneida Nation Blake Taylor Financial Aid Counselor University of Wisconsin - Parkside

Objective Create a forum – communication Develop stronger relationships Gain practical tips for better service Discuss current issues/topics

Overview Background - BIA Grants/Tribal Offices Basics of awarding BIA Grants Interaction with Panelists & FAAs Wrap up with Q & A

BIA GRANT Defined- Bureau of Indian Education Higher Education Grant Program U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Postsecondary Education Purpose – supplemental assistance for American Indian and Alaska Native Scholars

BIA Grant Student Eligibility *Member of, or at least one-quarter degree Indian blood descendent of a federally recognized tribe *Demonstrate financial need- FAFSA *Must apply through tribal education office

Tribal Offices In Wisconsin 11 Federally Recognized Tribes (tribal sovereignty – self government rights) Bad River Forest County Potawatomi Ho-Chunk Lac Courte Oreilles Lac du Flambeau Menominee Oneida Red Cliff Sokaogon Chippewa St. Croix Chippewa Stockbridge Munsee

Tribal Offices Different funding policies (file system) *Forms/faxing/email/postal mail/security *Student contact-teamwork *FERPA – releasing student information *PTAC – privacy issues

BIA Grant Award Processing Scenario 1: FAA receives FNA/FRF form from tribe but student has not completed FAFSA Email student informing of need for FAFSA Process ISIR/ Complete File Review and Verification (if required) Award Per Packaging Policy Scenario 2: FAA receives FNA/FRF form from tribe and student has already been awarded

BIA Grant Award Processing Packaging Policy: Step1 First package without considering BIA Step2 If total aid package – after BIA funds are added – does not exceed need, make no adjustment to the package Vol 3-Calculating Awards & Packaging, 2017-2018 , Page 3-157 FSA HB Sept 2017

BIA Grant Award Processing Step2 (Continued) If package plus BIA exceeds need – eliminate in sequence: loans, work-study, grants EXCEPT PELL or BIA GRANT(you may alter the sequence at student’s request if you believe it would benefit student) ***Consult tribe*** KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT ALL TRIBAL FUNDING IS CONSIDERED BIA FUNDING(For many tribes federal BIA funding is only a small percentage of the education funding they provide to students)

BIA Grant Award Processing When the funding comes in……. Bursars/business office receives all funds Scholarship or BIA Grant? Check correspondence/terminology Why does it matter? Central Data Request- CDR (UW System) Accuracy Delays in disbursement of funds

BIA Grant Award Processing Tribal funding not considered BIA: Treated like a scholarship Estimated Financial Assistance (need-based) Example: Tribe awards student without requiring a FAFSA and does not consider need as a factor. Student has COA of $24,268, EFC of $20,268. Assessed need is $4000. Tribe’s funding policy awards $7000 regardless of need. Original award consisted of $5500 sub and $2000 unsub. We would have to cancel the $5500 sub loan since need would be covered with tribal funding (scholarship). We could replace the sub loan with unsub but only with student’s approval.

Questions for Panelists (Tribal Reps) What is the most common problem you encounter when providing tribal funding for your students? How can financial aid administrators assist you in eliminating/minimizing this problem?

Questions for Panelists (FA Administrators) What is the most common problem you encounter when administering tribal funding to your students? How can higher education offices assist you in eliminating/minimizing this problem?

Scholarship Resources for Students: American Indian College Fund https://collegefund.org/ Bureau of Indian Education – Higher Education Grant Program Information for Prospective American Indian College Students https://www.bie.edu/cs/groups/xbie/documents/text/idc1-028546.pdf Bureau of Indian Education – List of Scholarships and Grants https://www.bie.edu/ParentsStudents/Grants/index.htm Cobell Scholarship http://cobellscholar.org/

Sources: BIE Higher Education Grant Program-Information for Prospective American Indian College Students https://www.bie.edu/cs/groups/xbie/documents/text/idc1-028546.pdf Federal Student Aid Handbook https://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1718FSAHbkVol3Chapter7.pdf Tribal Leaders Directory https://www.bia.gov/tribal-leaders-directory U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs https://www.bia.gov/bia/

Thank You!

Questions?