Access Programs on the Rise A Dialogue on Pipelines that Remove Barriers to and through Post Secondary Educational Opportunities Barry Simmons, Director, Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, VA Yvonne Hubbard, Director, Student Financial Services, University of Virginia, VA Nicole Hurd, Director of the College Guide Program, University of Virginia, VA Carolyn Lee, Chief Operating Officer, Fulfillment Fund, CA The College Board Forum 2006 San Diego, CA

Program Creation Process 1. Determine/Goal Outcome –What do you want to do? –Why? –Target 2. Build Conceptual Framework –Product –Delivery Channels –Interested/Impacted Parties 3. Secure Funding –Public –Private –Creative 4. Develop Infrastructure –Program Framework/Elements –Staffing/Space/Budget –IT Support –Communications/Publicity/Audience –Institutional Sanction –External Sanction 5. Implement Infrastructure –Training –Event Planning –Oversight –Adjustments –Coordination –Delivery 6. Evaluate Infrastructure Outcomes –Formal/Informal –Internal/External –Quantitative/Qualitative –Feedback Loop – Cybernetic –Cycle –Distribution

Program Creation Process Determine/Goal Outcome –What do you want to do? –Why? –Target

Program Creation Process Build Conceptual Framework –Product –Delivery Channels –Interested/Impacted Parties

Program Creation Process Secure Funding –Public –Private –Creative

Program Creation Process Develop Infrastructure –Program Framework/Elements –Staffing/Space/Budget –IT Support –Communications/Publicity/Audience –Institutional Sanction –External Sanction

Program Creation Process Implement Infrastructure –Training –Event Planning –Oversight –Adjustments –Coordination –Delivery

Program Creation Process Evaluate Infrastructure Outcomes –Formal/Informal –Internal/External –Quantitative/Qualitative –Feedback Loop – Cybernetic –Cycle –Distribution

THE BASICS: AccessUVa 100% of Need Met All Grants To Low-Income Loan Cap on Need-based loans Financial Literacy

Low-Income Students Attend Postsecondary at Lower Rates Source: NELS: 88, Second (1992) and Third Follow up (1994); in, USDOE, NCES, NCES Condition of Education 1997 p by The Education Trust, Inc.

Meeting Need

Meeting our Goals For Meeting Need

Partnerships AccessUV A Coordinators Student Financial Services University Relations Admission Office Assistant VP for University Relations Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Director of Student Financial Services Assistant VP for Finance Dean of Arts & Sciences Center for Undergraduate Excellence State Governmental Relations VP for Finance Director of the Budget President’s Chief of Staff VP for Student Affairs Assistant Dean Arts & Sciences Assistant VP for University Relations Assistant VP Management & Budget Dean of Students Senior VP for Development And Public Affairs Director Institutional Assessment Board of Visitors President’s Office Public Service & Outreach

Orgins In fall of 2003, President Casteen asked VP for Finance to develop comprehensive need-based aid program proposal Proposal with philosophy and business analysis submitted to Board of Visitors in January 2004 Board of Visitors approved resolution in February authorizng comprehensive financial aid program with the financial commitment.

Preparing for Implementation Simplify the message – and make it memorable Experts needed Financial Aid Administrators – Discuss philosophy and develop policy Communicating AccessUVA –Plan and implement marketing campaign Financial Model –Establish projections for budget development METRICS! Have a theory – and gather statistics to show results

Issues Recruiting Issues: –Entering class of 2006 – More applicants from low income families Fewer offered admissions – not academically prepared –Early Identification Special Services –Assistance with financial aid – in all its complexity –To ensure that EVERY STUDENT receives and award letter

Issues –Early Identification Admissions –Assistance with visits to the University –To be aware of personal circumstances –To provide ‘consideration’

Issues Retention issues: –Special needs of more first generation students –Traditional UVa experience vs 'Live at home', live cheaper. –Debt, working hours, and the well equipped, and not-so-well equipped University Non-traditional students: Office hours, language concerns, attracting and holding a diverse workforce. Expanded educational opportunities: Can we afford to ensure all students have access to summer, J- Term, internships, etc. How important are these? How committed are we that students should participate?

Issues Changing Role of the Financial Aid Office: –Not just about the money –Not just about UVa –The financial aid process – difficult, complicated – how can we help each other out? What are the commonalities. How do we contine to identify students using a methodology that uses AGI as a measure of financial strength. –Facilitation – ensuring that all students have a chance to receive an award letter and understand that letter and its implications. –Education - how to manage the funds they receive, how to plan, budget –Oversight and Intervention

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Determine/Goal Outcome –What do you want to do? Impact the largest number of students possible –Why? Resources limit funding possibilities while moderate incomes often neglected –Target Low to moderate income students

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Build Conceptual Framework –Product Need-based grant aid tied to tuition increases –Delivery Channels Normal financial aid application process –Interested/Impacted Parties Students and their families Policy makers University administrators---resources

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Secure Funding –Public Unfunded/discount –Private Opportunity for alumni/friends giving Opportunity for foundation participation –Creative Opportunity for leveraging through challenge grants Opportunity to leverage academic college/departmental funds to need-based

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Develop Infrastructure –Program Framework/Elements Use existing framework Determine any additional program elements –Staffing/Space/Budget Anticipate increased inquiry and processing –IT Support Increased web hits/capacity Multiple production cycles

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Develop Infrastructure---continued Communications/Publicity/Audience Web site development---roll out Other media News release –Institutional Sanction Administration buy-in Academic buy-in Support buy-in –External Sanction Policy makers Parents Alumni/friends Secondary school administrators

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Implement Infrastructure –Training Front end staff, IT staff, counseling staff, QA staff –Event Planning Grand announcement/news conference –Oversight Budgetary monitoring, qualification monitoring –Adjustments Public information/web/publications/front end

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Implement Infrastructure continued –Coordination Processing implications Budget and finance Bursar staff –Delivery Timing with other institutional info Planning and lead time

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE Evaluate Infrastructure & Outcomes –Formal/Informal Both in process –Internal/External Internal---budget, enrollment levels External---affordability –Quantitative/Qualitative both

Program Creation Process VT FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE –Feedback loop/cybernetic Tweak program in future years –Cycle Annual –Distribution Internal and external

Fulfillment Fund Mission To help promising, yet educationally underserved and economically disadvantaged students achieve high school graduation and access to and completion of higher education through programs that also produce systemic change.

Increasing Retention and College Access Among Underrepresented Students Access Programs on the Rise

Institutional Roadblocks to College Culturally irrelevant curriculum Lack of access to college prep curriculum Poor school culture Large, overcrowded schools Depersonalized environment Growing achievement gap A culture of low expectations An obsolete educational model Setting the Context

Beginning with the End in Mind The questions that have driven the development process are: What are the standard things that ALL high school students need to know and be able to do to achieve college access? What challenges do our students encounter that limit their opportunities and capacity to achieve college access? What role can the Fulfillment Fund play in assisting: –Students on the college-track move forward? –Students in the middle close their achievement gaps? –Students who are low-performing make up for academic and attitudinal gaps.

Curricular Framework

Curriculum Design Gradual development over a 4-year period Students will have completed work products as evidence of their progress towards college readiness such as: –9 th Grade- H.S. Graduation Plan, Academic Improvement Plan –10 th Grade- Academic Improvement Plan, Individual Advocacy Plan, Career-Personality Correlation Instrument –11 th Grade- College Readiness Portfolio –12 th Grade- Completed UC Application, Plan for life after high school

Curriculum Evaluation Is there a significant change in College Readiness observable in FF students? What is the magnitude of the change? To what degree can we attribute the change in College Readiness to the delivery of services & curriculum? Intensity of additional services, participation, number of lessons to which a student is exposed. College Readiness Index Gauging Overall Impact

College Readiness Index Curriculum Transcripts ELA & Math

One-on-One Sessions:  Parent/Mentor Involvement  Academic Counseling  College Counseling  Financial Aid Counseling  Transfer Counseling  Career Counseling  Graduate School Counseling

Destination: College College Visits: Local and Out-of-State Cultural and Educational Field Trips Community Service Activities Job Shadowing Group Workshops: – Test Preparation (e.g. SAT/ACT) – College Essay and Application – Financial Aid and Scholarship – Career Exploration – Transitions to College

Required advisement for students on academic probation to boost retention Continuing college/career planning Paid summer internships and career training Year-end college graduation celebration Post-College Alumni Association committed to supporting our mission

It’s not just the Money Pre-college counseling---the student Pre-college counseling---the family Retention counseling Financial literacy Debt management Peer counseling Outreach

Accomack Northumberland Northampton Middlesex Suffolk City Chesapeake City Virginia Beach City Isle Of Wight Southampton York James City Lancaster Gloucester Charles City Surry New Kent Prince George Arlington Prince William Fairfax King George Westmoreland Spotsylvania Fauquier Loudoun Clarke Frederick Highland Augusta Rockingham Bath Rockbridge Albemarle Warren Madison Greene Page Alleghany Bland Roanoke Bedford Campbell Pulaski Scott Sussex Greensville Dinwiddie Chesterfield Appomattox Mecklenburg Amelia Cumberland Charlotte Halifax King William Henrico Powhatan Henry Patrick Carroll Grayson Washington Richmond Essex King And Queen Hanover Orange Culpeper Louisa Amherst Botetourt Brunswick Buchanan Buckingham Caroline Craig Dickenson Floyd Fluvanna Franklin Giles Goochland Lee Lunenburg Mathews Montgomery Nelson Nottoway Pittsylvania Prince Edward Rappahannock Russell Shenandoah Smyth Stafford Tazewell Wise Wythe Virginia = 31.8% Data Source: 2000 Census 37.8% to68.9% 21.4% to37.8% 14.3% to21.4% 10.3% to14.3% 6.6% to10.3% Percent of Year Olds With at Least a Baccalaureate Degree –

Campbell Pulaski Scott Washington Carroll Grayson Henry Patrick Appomattox Halifax Southampton Sussex Greensville Charles City Prince George Dinwiddie Chesterfield Mecklenburg Amelia Cumberland Charlotte King William Henrico Powhatan New Kent Suffolk City Isle Of Wight James City Gloucester Surry Chesapeake City York Virginia Beach City Lancaster Prince William King George Westmoreland Spotsylvania Arlington Fairfax Fauquier Loudoun Richmond Essex King And Queen Hanover Orange Culpeper Louisa Amherst Botetourt Brunswick Buchanan Buckingham Caroline Craig Dickenson Floyd Fluvanna Franklin Giles Goochland Lee Lunenburg Mathews Montgomery Nelson Nottoway Pittsylvania Prince Edward Rappahannock Russell Shenandoah Smyth Stafford Tazewell Wise Wythe Virginia = $23,975 Data Source: 2000 Census $24,844 to$41,052 $20,196 to$24,844 $17,077 to$20,196 $15,103 to$17,077 $12,788 to$15,103 Percent of Year Olds With at Least a Baccalaureate Degree – 2000 Per Capita Personal Income,

National College Advising Corps University of Virginia- Guide Program Model University-based access programs- delivery systems 25% increase in college-going rate Up to 112% increase in applications Eight new program to be funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Leadership- National College Access Network

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