1. THOMAS J. DALTON, EXCELSIOR COLLEGE HOW TO AWARD AID IN MODULAR PROGRAMS

2. AGENDA Defining Modules and Academic Calendars Excelsior’s Terms with Modules How to treat Withdrawals in Modules R2T4 with modules Modules – Institutional Best Practices

3. DEFINING MODULES AND ACADEMIC CALENDARS

4. DEFINING A MODULAR PROGRAM Modules are courses in a student’s program that do not span the entire length of the payment period or period of enrollment Example: A School has a15-week summer term, during which students can enroll in any or all of the following sessions: Three 5-week sessions offered one after the other A single 14-week session

5. SUMMER TERMS Most summer terms contain multiple or mini-sessions (Ex. Summer 1, Summer 2, and Summer 3) These are considered to be modules by the DOE School has options Combine mini-sessions into a single term Numerous advantages Treat as stand-alone terms Could result in entire program being a nonstandard term program Awards of FSA (Title IV) must be made for summer Option to not pay FSA for enrollment in summer, intersessions, J-terms, Maymester etc. does not exist 5

6. ACADEMIC CALENDARS 1.Standard Term 2.Non-standard Term 3.Non-term 6

7. 1. STANDARD TERM Semesters 15-17 weeks Trimesters 15-17 weeks Quarters 10-12 weeks Terms are the payment period for all Title IV programs Summer may be an exception 7

8. 2. NON-TERM All clock-hour programs must be non-term for Title IV Non-term programs may be credit-hour There are no terms to use as payment periods Payment periods are determined by student completing ½ of the hours AND ½ of the weeks of instruction in the program’s defined academic year for Title IV If a program has terms that overlap each other, the program is non-term for Title IV 8

9. 3. NON-STANDARD TERM Non-standard term programs have terms Non-standard terms are terms that do not fit the definition of standard terms Non-standard terms may be shorter or longer than standard terms Non-standard terms may be substantially equal to each other or many not be substantially equal to each other Substantially equal means no more than two weeks different in length 9

10. EXCELSIOR’S TRIMESTER CALENDAR 16-week trimesters Includes three modules One 15-week module Two sequential 8-week modules For the purposes of Federal Student Aid (FSA) & Clearinghouse Reporting Excelsior College’s trimester calendar is classified as “Standard Terms” with “Modules” 10

11. EXCELSIOR’S TRIMESTERS Fall – beginning late August Spring – early January Summer – early May. 11

12. TRIMESTER - TERM STRUCTURE http://www.excelsior.edu/academic- calendar

13. EXCELSIOR’S “ STANDARD TERM” WITH “ MODULES” 13

14. FINANCIAL AID TRIMESTER PROCESSING Students are strongly encouraged to register for ALL courses they wish to take prior to the start of the Trimester. Financial aid voucher is good for all modules in the Trimester. Students are billed for ALL courses in the Trimester regardless of the module they are taking them in. Students may take any combination of 15-week & 8-week module(s) within a Trimester. 14

15. FINANCIAL AID TRIMESTER PROCESSING All FSA recipients have the same payment period of 16-weeks in length, even those students that take credits in just one of the eight week modules. Enrollment status is determined by the total number of credits in the Trimester SAP is measured at the end of each Trimester (not the individual module). 15

16. FINANCIAL AID TRIMESTER PROCESSING Clearinghouse Reporting All Students have the same reporting period of 16-weeks in length (One Trimester). Even those students that take credits in just one of the eight week module. Attendance status will be determined by the total credits taken in a Trimester. Full-time ¾-time Half-time Less than half-time 16

17. STUDENT EXAMPLE A Undergraduate takes 6 credits in the Fall I, 8-week module 6 credits in the Fall II, 8-week module This student is a full-time student with 12 credits for the payment period The payment period is August 25, 2014 through December 14, 2014 17

18. STUDENT EXAMPLE B Undergraduate takes 3 credits in the Fall I, 8-week module 6 credits in the Fall 15-week module This student is a ¾-time student with 9 credits for the payment period The payment period is still August 25, 2014 through December 14, 2014 18

19. STUDENT EXAMPLE C Undergraduate takes 9 credits ALL in the Fall I, 8-week module This student is a ¾-time student with 9 credits for the payment period The payment period is August 25, 2014 through December 14, 2014 19

20. STUDENT EXAMPLE D Undergraduate takes 6 credits ALL in the Fall II, 8-week module This student is a half-time student with 6 credits for the payment period The payment period is August 25, 2014 through December 14, 2014* * 1 st disbursement can’t happen prior to 10 days before the module start date of October 20, 2014 20

21. HOW TO TREAT WITHDRAWALS IN MODULES ASK 3 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

22. DETERMINING WITHDRAWAL FROM A MODULAR PROGRAM Determine withdrawal by asking three questions: 1.After beginning attendance in the payment period or period of enrollment, did the student cease attendance or fail to begin attendance in a course he or she was scheduled to attend? A.If no, this is not a withdrawal B.If yes, proceed to question 2

23. DETERMINING WITHDRAWAL FROM A MODULAR PROGRAM 2.When the student ceased attendance or failed to begin attendance in a course he or she was scheduled to attend, was the student still attending other courses? A.If yes, this is not a withdrawal. Recalculate aid per applicable program regulations and school policies B.If no, proceed to question 3

24. DETERMINING WITHDRAWAL FROM A MODULAR PROGRAM 3.Did the student confirm in writing his or her intent to attend a course in the module beginning later in the term? A.If yes, this is not a withdrawal. Recalculate aid per applicable program regulations and school policies B.If no, R2T4 regulations apply

25. R2T4 WITH MODULES

26. WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF FUTURE ATTENDANCE ED realized that modular programs often lend themselves to flexible and changing enrollments, so it provided a way for schools to be excused from doing R2T4’s for class schedule changes This is referred to as the intent to return notification

27. WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF FUTURE ATTENDANCE Student must confirm intent to attend module later in same period Must be an positive confirmation from the student Can be electronic Cannot assume student will come back for classes already scheduled New enrollment in classes later in the module show intent to return

28. WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF FUTURE ATTENDANCE Timing: Must be received close to date student ceased attendance Must be received before time period elapses that school must take R2T4-related action required by regulation

29. STUDENT RETURNS TO SCHOOL DURING PERIOD If student returns in same payment period or period of enrollment before R2T4 process is completed, no requirement to complete R2T4 process If student returns to school within same payment period or period of enrollment, or within 180 calendar days for clock-hour or nonterm credit hour programs after R2T4 has been completed, school must “undo” R2T4 calculation

30. STUDENT SAYS THEY WILL RETURN, BUT… If the R2T4 calculation is not completed because a student says she will return later in the period, but the student does not return: The withdrawal date is the last date of attendance, the midpoint, or the last date of attendance in an academically-related activity (depending on whether school is required to take attendance)

31. DETERMINING PERCENTAGE OF DAYS COMPLETED For credit-hour programs: Days attended Days in period = % completed

32. DETERMINING PERCENTAGE OF DAYS COMPLETED However, if the student dropped the classes in the 2 nd and 3 rd modules before ceasing attendance in the 1 st module, the number of days in the period would be only the days in the first module Scheduled breaks of more than 5 consecutive days should be excluded when calculating percentage completed

33. MODULES – INSTITUTIONAL BEST PRACTICES

34. Evaluate current processes and systems occurring between various offices and areas with regard to modular enrollment Assess whether current communication structure with students is adequate to verify whether student will attend later sessions in a period Educate students regarding the impact of not completing all sessions in a period

35. MODULES – INSTITUTIONAL BEST PRACTICES Consider an automatic communication to students alerting them to option of providing written confirmation of future attendance Evaluate procedure for R2T4 calculations that must be “undone” when student returns Involve other offices in discussions of unique nature of modules and R2T4 requirements

36. QUESTIONS??? TDALTON@EXCELSIOR.EDU