1. FINANCIAL AID COMPLIANCE FOR STUDENT AND NEW PROGRAM SUCCESS Campus Open Forum Ellen Durnin, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs Terricita Sass, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Ilene Crawford, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Faculty Leadership Council April 14, 2016 1

2. ISSUE OVERVIEW  Financial Aid provisional status is not new (2011)  Inadequate reporting of students who did not attend the university as of the third week the primary factor leading to a full investigation and subsequent provisional status  Issues of compliance regarding monitoring students not maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (S.A.P.) were also noted.  Millions in fines were initially paid and an attendance reporting process was put in place for the first three weeks of class  In subsequent years, better reporting and faculty support reduced the impact.  Fines were not assessed. The Financial Aid office monitored and returned funds by shifting resources 2

3. ISSUE OVERVIEW  Less attention was given to reporting students who stopped attending which is another critical component of the compliance process  This is a national issue and one that impacts other Connecticut schools particularly as the federal government increases scrutiny of financial aid dollars  As a result of provisional status, additional time is required to enroll students in new programs and provide them with financial aid 3

4. WHAT DOES PROVISIONAL STATUS MEAN  This less than desirable designation is provided by the US Dept. of Education (DOE)  It speaks to our historical inability to consistently demonstrate adequate management of federal funds primarily through lack of controls with attendance  It limits the flexibility of some processes for affected institutions such as requiring approval for all new academic programs, which historically can take as many as eight months.  Institutions without this designation only provide updates periodically as an FYI to DOE  It increases the monitoring and reporting burden of the Financial Aid office, requiring more time on administrative processes and reports and less time working with students, providing better programs and outreach activities. 4

5. WHAT PROVISIONAL STATUS DOES NOT MEAN  Does NOT mean our individual academic programs are under federal scrutiny  Does NOT mean that the BOR may deny program approvals due to this designation  Does NOT mean the university cannot add new programs  Does NOT mean students are in danger of losing their ability to secure federal or state funds  Does NOT mean a payment of fines makes the problem go away  Does NOT mean improving the way the Financial Aid office functions will alleviate the issue  Does NOT mean a software or technical program can solve this problem 5

6. WHAT IS THE P.P.A. AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?  The Program Participation Agreement is an application required at least every ten years by each institution receiving federal aid for students (a.k.a. Title IV funds).  Includes Pell grants, SEOG, federal student and parent loans  75% of SCSU students receive some form of federal and/or state aid  Federal aid is important to ensure access for students and is a key component of the institutions’ fiscal stability  SCSU’s Financial Aid processes approximately $90M in aid annually  The current P.P.A. will expire at the end of the fiscal year  The new application was submitted on December 21, 2015  Expecting a decision in May 6

7. POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF THE P.P.A. DECISION  Full approval – No restrictions  Current provisional status extended  Provisional status with additional restrictions  Though highly unlikely for SCSU at this stage, the loss of federal aid to the institution is a designation reserved for the most severe offenders. The university has not received any indication of this level of sanctions. 7

8. A BRIEF HISTORY (PRE-2016) 2011 Aid Investigation and alert 2012 Letter of Provisional Status received Fall 2012 Action taken on attendance reporting and S.A.P. process modified Fall 2012 Request for reporting mid-term assessments for both UG & GR – Flexibility with how to provide grades Oct 2013-EMC review of needs for mid-term grading in Banner and ‘Stopped Attending’ Reporting Needs 2013-Present. Semester reminder emails from the Provost on attendance reporting 8

9. OCTOBER 2015-MARCH 2016 Fall 2015 PPA preparation and submission Spring 2016 charge to document new program process Provost’s Office convened meeting to review process revealing gaps Established the CIT co-chaired by Crawford & Doughman Additional discovery related to new programs from 2015 forward Financial Awards adjusted to remain in compliance 9

10. MARCH 2016-PRESENT Communicated issue to President & Cabinet Met with specific Deans & impacted faculty of new programs Met with the FLC to begin collaborating on communications and possible solutions Met with the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate for immediate but temporary action Campus communication sent with invitation to forum Open Forum 10

11. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CURRENT AND NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS?  Students in new programs effective fall 2015 are ineligible for aid until the decision on the current P.P.A. is received (Expected May, 2016)  We are holding off on rolling out any new programs until we receive the US Department of Education’s decision in May.  New programs that are currently in any stage of approval must await the decision of the P.P.A before advertising, recruiting or enrolling students  Documenting, streamlining and publishing the appropriate protocol for new program development from idea to student enrollment 11

12. IMPACTED PROGRAMS  Master of Library and Information Science & Respiratory Therapy (Included in current PPA for approval)  Submission to DOE in summer pending BOR approvals and PPA decision  AS/BS Public Utilities Management  BS-Environmental Systems and Sustainability Studies  BS/MS Athletic Training  Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) - pending expected spring 2016 BOR approval  BS-Biotechnology - pending expected spring 2016 BOR approval 12

13. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?  Education of the faculty on the importance of attendance reporting within the first three weeks prior to the census date  Additional attention given to reporting the last date of attendance for students receiving a failing grade because they STOPPED ATTENDING after the first three weeks.  Temporary approval granted by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate to use an FS grade with the last date of attendance for those students only. Additional written instructions forthcoming for spring 2016  Convene a small working group comprised of representation from the Provost’s Office, Enrollment Management, Academic Policy and Technology Committees of the Senate to develop recommendations for possible policy development and implementation for monitoring and reporting attendance 13

14. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?  Continue the collective work of faculty reporting to better position Southern to respond to inquiries by DOE or others on attendance reporting  Continue the transparency and communication among the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Leadership Council and other campus stakeholders 14

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16. THANK YOU AND STAY TUNED! 16