Navigating R2T4 NHASFAA 2012 Allene Begley Curto Springfield College

Navigation Tools for Return of Federal Aid When we are required to return federal aid When we are required to return federal aid When we are required to offer federal aid not yet disbursed When we are required to offer federal aid not yet disbursed How a student earns federal aid based on attendance How a student earns federal aid based on attendance How we know when a student has begun or has withdrawn (officially or unofficially) How we know when a student has begun or has withdrawn (officially or unofficially)

The Basic Concepts behind the Requirements… If you never began attending, you are not eligible for federal aid If you never began attending, you are not eligible for federal aid If you began but did not complete the term, you may not be eligible for all of the aid that you received If you began but did not complete the term, you may not be eligible for all of the aid that you received If you began but did not complete the term, you may still be eligible for some of the aid that you did not yet receive If you began but did not complete the term, you may still be eligible for some of the aid that you did not yet receive US ED requires the school to know if a student began attendance and whether they completed the term US ED requires the school to know if a student began attendance and whether they completed the term

We are required to return federal aid… If a student began attendance, but withdrew before completing 60% of the term If a student began attendance, but withdrew before completing 60% of the term If a student failed to pass at least one course that “spanned the term” and the school can not document that the student completed at least 60% of the term If a student failed to pass at least one course that “spanned the term” and the school can not document that the student completed at least 60% of the term

We are required to offer a post-withdrawal disbursement.... If a student began attendance, did not complete the term, but has earned aid which has not yet been disbursed, and If a student began attendance, did not complete the term, but has earned aid which has not yet been disbursed, and The student meets the requirements for a late disbursement The student meets the requirements for a late disbursement

What Aid has been earned? Did they begin? Did they begin? Did they complete? Did they complete? If they began but didn’t complete, what percent of the term did they complete? If they began but didn’t complete, what percent of the term did they complete? In how many courses did they actually begin? In how many courses did they actually begin? What do we know and when did we know it? What do we know and when did we know it?

What Aid “could have been disbursed”? Was Stafford loan originated prior to WD? Was Stafford loan originated prior to WD? Did student complete MPN prior to the calculation? Did student complete MPN prior to the calculation? Was SEOG/Perkins awarded prior to WD? Was SEOG/Perkins awarded prior to WD? Just because it could have been disbursed doesn’t mean that you will disburse it!! Just because it could have been disbursed doesn’t mean that you will disburse it!!

Who Knows? Who Tells FAO? How does the school know if a student began attendance in at least one course? How does the school know if a student began attendance in at least one course? How does the school know if the student stopped attending? How does the school know if the student stopped attending? Who reviews students who fail to pass at least one course in a term? Who reviews students who fail to pass at least one course in a term? How is FAO notified on any and all of the above? How is FAO notified on any and all of the above? How is it documented by the school? How is it documented by the school?

Percentage Completed Days Attended divided by Days in the Term = Percentage completed Exclude scheduled breaks that are at least 5 consecutive days from both Days Attended and Days in the Term

Nonterm Credit Hours Clock Hours Nonterm Credit Hour programs – Number of Credit hours expected to be completed in payment period divided by number of credit hours completed at withdrawal. Nonterm Credit Hour programs – Number of Credit hours expected to be completed in payment period divided by number of credit hours completed at withdrawal. Clock Hours – Total number of clock hours scheduled to be completed at time of withdrawal divided by total clock hours in period Clock Hours – Total number of clock hours scheduled to be completed at time of withdrawal divided by total clock hours in period

Modules Do all courses span the entire term? Do all courses span the entire term? Are there groups of courses that begin and end in less than the full term? Are there groups of courses that begin and end in less than the full term? Do you have formal modules within the term with a specific begin and end date? Do you have formal modules within the term with a specific begin and end date?

Formal Modules Segments within the term Segments within the term If withdraws from one segment must calculate return unless signs statement plans to enroll for next module If withdraws from one segment must calculate return unless signs statement plans to enroll for next module Even if signed statement will need to calculate return if does not enroll Even if signed statement will need to calculate return if does not enroll

Courses that do not span the term Attends course that has class meetings/academic activities that do not span the term Attends course that has class meetings/academic activities that do not span the term If does not begin attendance in other courses, recalculate aid If does not begin attendance in other courses, recalculate aid If does not attend the full portion of term for which the course is scheduled may need to return aid and/or recalculate aid If does not attend the full portion of term for which the course is scheduled may need to return aid and/or recalculate aid

Attendance Must be documented by school – not just a statement by the student Must be documented by school – not just a statement by the student If you are “required” to take attendance, you must use the last date of attendance (and not date of withdrawal for example) If you are “required” to take attendance, you must use the last date of attendance (and not date of withdrawal for example) Attendance can be an academic activity and not just a scheduled class date Attendance can be an academic activity and not just a scheduled class date

Grant Overpayment Limited to the amount by which the original grant overpayment is greater than half of the total Title IV grant funds received by student Limited to the amount by which the original grant overpayment is greater than half of the total Title IV grant funds received by student A student does not have to repay a grant overpayment of $50 or less A student does not have to repay a grant overpayment of $50 or less

Programs from which Funds are Returned Pell Grant, SEOG, FFEL, Federal Direct Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, ACG, SMART Pell Grant, SEOG, FFEL, Federal Direct Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, ACG, SMART No funds are returned from FWS No funds are returned from FWS

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement Counseling School required to contact student prior to making a post-withdrawal disbursement of loan funds School required to contact student prior to making a post-withdrawal disbursement of loan funds Explain obligation to repay loan funds Explain obligation to repay loan funds Confirm loan funds still required by student Confirm loan funds still required by student Document result of contact in file Document result of contact in file Post-withdrawal from loan to school requires consent even if student owes balance to school Post-withdrawal from loan to school requires consent even if student owes balance to school

Return of Funds Timeline Must return unearned funds within 45 days of the date that it determines that student has withdrawn Must return unearned funds within 45 days of the date that it determines that student has withdrawn Note that date that school determines student has withdrawn is not the date that FAO became aware of the fact! Note that date that school determines student has withdrawn is not the date that FAO became aware of the fact! Note that return is required in 45 days, but the calculation must still be done in 30 days from date school determined WD! Note that return is required in 45 days, but the calculation must still be done in 30 days from date school determined WD!

Why we should know if a student began/completed the term… Successful completion of the educational program is the goal Successful completion of the educational program is the goal Enrollment retention requires knowledge of who is really here Enrollment retention requires knowledge of who is really here Students need response/support/action if not attending or don’t register Students need response/support/action if not attending or don’t register

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS