1. Loss of Fee Waiver Eligibility November 2015
Bryan Dickason
Community College Chancellor's Office

2. Agenda Loss of the BOG Fee Waiver Timing of Notifications
BOGFW and Enrollment priority
2016 Implementation
Full-time Student Success Grant (FTSSG)

3. Brief History Prior to 1984 – There were no per unit fees
1984 – First enrollment fees instituted
1985 – Board of Governors Fee Waiver
2012 – Student Success Taskforce
2014 – Loss of Fee Waiver effective Fall 2016
2015 – First notices of potential loss of eligibility sent after Spring 2015 term

4. Loss of Fee Waiver Eligibility
Starting with the Fall 2016 term, students can lose their BOG fee waiver eligibility.
Do not confuse with Federal and State SAP requirements
The student can still attend, but without a waiver of their fees
BOGFW Notifications started going out after the spring 2015 term

5. Loss of Fee Waiver Eligibility
After two consecutive primary terms of not meeting academic or progress standards
Consecutive terms means two primary terms with no more than a one term break.
Example: Fall 2015, Fall 2016
Example: Spring 2016, Spring 2017
Primary terms are Fall, Winter or Spring

6. Timing of campus notifications
Loss of eligibility notifications must be sent within 30 days of the end of the term
Loss of eligibility begins with the first registration opportunity after notification
The first registration opportunity is student specific, not campus specific

7. Loss of Fee Waiver Eligibility
Academic requirement is a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.
Progress requirement is cumulative satisfactory completion of more than 50% of attempted units.

8. PDF Flow Chart
Two-sided PDF chart describing the loss of fee waiver eligibility

9. Loss of BOGFW Regaining Eligibility:
Loss of BOGFW
Regaining Eligibility:
Meeting Academic & Progress Standards
Successful Appeal
Sitting out 2-consecutive terms
Foster Youth exempt:
BOGFW
Enrollment
Priority
Two possibilities:
Academic Standards
Progress Standards

10. BOGFW – Notification and Timing
BOGFW – Notification and Timing
College enrollment priority: 04/15/2016
Student can choose to register on 04/15/2016 during enrollment priority or wait and register later

11. BOGFW and Enrollment Priority
BOGFW and Enrollment Priority
Loss of the BOG Fee Waiver as a consequence of the loss of Enrollment Priority
Why?
They both share the Academic & Progress Standards
If a student fails either, it affects BOTH the eligibility for BOGFW and Enrollment Priority

12. BOGFW and Enrollment Priority
What’s different?
The 100 unit cap for Enrollment Priority
The notification timing
BOGFW must be done within 30 days from determination of failure to meet Academic and/or Progress Standards
Enrollment Priority has no notification timing specified in the regulations

13. Implementation: Fall 2016
First notification to students were sent following the spring 2015 term
In conjunction with Enrollment Priority
Within 30 days of end of Spring 2015 term (more strict than Enrollment Priority regulations)
Fully operational for registration for the fall 2016 term
Local policies need to be developed and implemented
Coordination with Enrollment Priorities and SSSP efforts across campus
Districts shall ensure that all board policies and course catalogs reflect the BOGFW eligibility requirements and that appropriate and timely notice is provided to students
Loss of BOG Fee Waiver eligibility shall not occur prior to the fall 2016 term

14. Implementation-Continued
FAO processes and system programming changes to conform to regulations
100 unit cap only applies to Enrollment Priority
Must check eligibility status after each primary term
Can affect eligibility status for non-primary terms (i.e. fall and spring probation could affect summer fee waiver eligibility)

15. BOGFW - Appeals 6 circumstances: Extenuating Circumstances
Student with disabilities not receiving timely services
Significant academic improvement
Changes to economic situation
Not receiving essential support services
Special considerations

16. Fee Waiver Appeals
These three appeal reasons apply to both Enrollment Priority and the BOG Fee Waiver
Extenuating Circumstances
Student with disabilities not receiving timely services
Significant academic improvement

17. Fee Waiver Appeals
These three appeal reasons apply only to the BOG Fee Waiver
Changes to the student’s economic situation
Not receiving essential support services
Special consideration of factors related to:
CalWorks
EOPS
DSPS
Veteran Services

18. Appeal Process
Each College District shall establish written procedures by which a student may appeal the loss of the BOGFW (or loss of Enrollment Priority)
The College District can certainly establish an appeal committee that can oversee both the loss of BOGFW and Enrollment Priority
Design appeals process and polices to support student success
Become familiar with your college’s appeal process
You should take into consideration:
Timelines
Deadlines
Appeal committee – who should be part of it?
What to include with the notification

19. Automatic Appeals
You may also include automatic appeals to your process and changes, some suggestions:
Example:
Returning students after sitting out 2 primary terms
Significant Academic Improvement:
Fall cumulative GPA
Spring cumulative GPA
Fall GPA
Automatic appeal granted for Spring 2018

20. Q&A
Questions received from colleges

21. Q&A
Question: Are the BOGFW rules finalized? Meaning no changes are expected by Fall 2016 or do we expect some additional changes? Answer: The regulations are final and we don’t anticipate any changes.

22. Q&A
Question: Will the Chancellor’s office send out additional information regarding responsibility of implementation? Admissions and Records or Financial Aid? Answer: For the student, it is better to have one appeal process that handles both Enrollment Priority and Fee Waiver. Choose the department that will best serve the students.

23. Q&A
Question: Will there be any templates for Appeals that a school can go by or use? Or is it up to the school to make up? Answer: No, we don’t have a template. You might want to ask the list serve for samples.

24. Q&A
Question: How is the definition of “Significant Academic Improvement” defined? Answer: It should be at a minimum 2.0 GPA and 50% unit completion for a term, but you can make it higher than that. If a student has a cumulative GPA or Progress % that is below the standards but he/she does well in a recent term you could grant him/her an appeal.

25. Q&A
Scenario: Student fails Academic Progress for two consecutive terms, but it’s due to prior grades. Those two consecutive semesters they had greater than 50% completion and 2.0, but because we check on cumulative grades they fail. Can we automatically approve them under “Significant Academic Improvement” or does the student have to initiate the Appeal themselves? Answer: Yes, this is a good example for “Significant Academic Improvement”. You could automate this process rather than having the student initiate an appeal.

26. Q&A
Question: The BOGFW rules should mirror the scenario, correct? In our college policy, we have 12 units as minimum to take a look at the student’s academic history. Meaning if a student has attempted less than 12 units but has attended multiple semesters, even though the student may have failed and dropped classes, the student would still be eligible for the BOGFW because the student never attempted 12 units. Is this correct? Answer: Yes, the 12 unit minimum applies. You only calculate probation after a student attempts 12 units.

27. Q&A
Question: Consecutive terms. So if we have a student who attends every other primary term the student would not be subject to dismissal because they do not have a FALL/SPRING combo? Answer: No. Consecutive semesters in this case means any two semesters the student takes without a two primary term gap. The student has to “sit out” for at least two semesters to regain eligibility. If the student sits out two semesters he/she still comes back with his/her poor GPA or Progress %, he/she may land again on probation at the end of the first term back.

28. Q&A
Question:
There are Six Circumstances for which a student can appeal the loss of the BOGFW. If the committee denies the appeal can we add a 7th option? For example if an appeal was denied the student would have to take a 4 hour workshop on Academic Progress and then have their BOGFW reinstated. Or even just add an additional option for the appeal process. So if the student did this workshop we could approve it?  .
Answer:
You can set your own appeal processes, which can include requiring a workshop as part of the appeal, but not as a separate option on its own.  Good idea.

29. Q&A
Question:
If the student sits out one year after one failed term, is the student OK to receive BOGFW?
Answer:
Yes. The student only had one failed term, he/she didn’t have to sit out a year to regain eligibility for the BOGFW.

30. Other
CO and the Foundation is collaborating on communication strategies and collateral materials
BOGFW tri-fold publication already available (English and Spanish)
Colleges should develop process and system changes, and communication/notification strategies
Part of your College District’s written guidelines for the appeal process
Colleges should be fully informed about student support services available
Develop process for referring students

31. Full-time Student Success Grant
New for

32. FTSSG Program Description
Senate Bill 93, part of the 2015 Budget Act, created a new grant program for California community college students
“Full-Time Student Success Grant” (FTSSG) program
Payable starting fall
All California Community Colleges will be participating.
For full-time Cal Grant B recipients

33. Intent of FTSSG Funding
$39 million was provided to leverage the existing Cal Grant B program with supplemental grant funding
To support student persistence, retention and success
To increase grant aid to community college students to reduce the unmet need gap
To strengthen the value of the Cal Grant B Access award for the most disadvantaged of our students

34. Questions? Comments? Thoughts?
Bryan Dickason
CCCCO
Questions?
Comments?
Thoughts?