Sacramento City College

Student Services Program Review Worksheet

Spring 2005

Program Name: Financial Aid Intake

Part A: DATA

1. Mission or purpose of program: Financial Aid Program Review focuses on three areas: 1) Outreach, 2) Intake, and 3) Awards, Disbursements, and Follow-up. This section is Financial Aid Intake.

The mission of Financial Aid Intake is to provide effective services and procedures that will expedite the application process that prepares the application to be awarded financial aid.

2. Staffing: List each staff position and their duties within the program:

Position Title (Example: Assessment SPA) / Job Responsibilities (Example: Administers & scores assessment instruments, maintains Assessment Center data)
Financial Aid Supervisor / Plan, develop, organize, direct and administer policies and procedures to complete the application process.
Financial Aid Officers (4) / Assist with the above. Each year set up PowerFAIDS upgrades and parameters to enable the intake of student records into the system. Design letters to students. Provide the lead for all intake functions. Provide training to implement new procedures.
Asst. Financial Aid Officer (4) / Accomplishes the above under the leadership of the FAO’s. Lead to FA Clerks. Implement procedures to accomplish the above. Train FA Clerks.
Financial Aid Clerk II (6) / Oversee customer service at the front counter, by phone and internet. Train temporary and student staff. Review the intake of required documentation, enter receipt of documents, and notify students of missing information. Review enrollment status. Review Satisfactory Academic Progress. Complete the Verification process. Conduct final review of documents and award, if eligible.
Temp and Student Staff (10) / Assist at the front counter, data entry, answer phones, and other clerical duties.

3. Workflow: Describe (each step) how a work assignment flows through the program on campus and at off-campus sites, to include a typical procedure for providing services to a student. Use flow charts, if necessary, to describe the workflow. Consider questions such as: what initiates services; what preparation is involved; what services do students receive and how; how are services provided to off-campus sites; who is eligible for services and how is that determined; how are services tracked; and is there follow-up to initial services?

Steps / Descriptions
1 / Conduct annual planning session to discuss workflow, streamline student procedures, and expedite awards to students.
2 / Each year upgrade PowerFAIDS system. Update software parameters, including letters to students. Load financial aid application student records to system.
3 / Update initial contact letter. Batch produce appropriate letter to students, enclose proper documentation, mail to student.
4 / Train counter staff to review incoming documentation, to answer questions, and to enter receipt of documents into the PowerFAIDS system.
5 / Perform the federally mandated regulation called Verification. Approximately 30% of all applicants are required to complete Verification. These students must provide documentation of the family’s income and certify the household size and number in college.
6 / Review all students for Satisfactory Academic Progress to determine if they may continue to receive financial aid.
7 / Verify student enrollment by file transfer from District IT and by manually checking the PeopleSoft system.

4. Funding: List all funding sources and amounts. What are these funds used for?

Budget Source

/ Amount / Spending Categories
CDF / $3,667.00 / Printing, supplies, temp and student staff, training expenses, copier lease, etc.
BFAP / $227,333.00 / Regular classified staff, benefits, software license ($15000/year), temp and student staff, printing, supplies, computer equipment, etc.
MISSA / 2,659.00 / Temp staff and equipment.
Part B: ANALYSIS & ACTION

1. Strengths of Workflow & Functional Analysis:

·  Financial Aid continues to decrease the time it takes to process an application, even in light of the increase in applicants.

·  In 2003-2004 Financial Aid received a large increase in funding from the state. These categorical funds have been used to hire six new staff. The new staffing has helped to expedite the processing of financial aid.

·  The annual planning session focuses on ways to streamline the application process and eliminate any unnecessary procedures.

2. Weakness of Workflow & Functional Analysis:

·  The Financial Aid intake process, although automated, relies heavily on staff to complete many manual tasks to award a student financial aid. Many District IT requests to automate and interface systems have been postponed due the implementation of the PeopleSoft system. Without increased automation the financial aid staff will no longer be able to manage the increase in applicants.

·  The lack of adequate office space diminishes the effectiveness and efficiency of the office.

3. Goals and Actions: Please describe method(s) for improvement implementation.

These method(s) should be consistent with unit plan goals.

Goal 1:
Action / Linkage to Other Plans / Year End Status & Accomplishments
1a. / Acquire and hire new financial aid position to oversee the highly technical financial aid database system and several other financial aid software programs. This position will take a lead role in the PeopleSoft implementation and training. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 2:
2a. / Develop and implement a Financial Aid Online Orientation for all financial aid applicants. Provide information about the intake process and student responsibilities. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
2b. / Develop and expand financial aid information, including on the Web. Increase use of electronic financial aid application, FAFSA on the Web. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 3:
3b. / Continue to participate in planning and implementation of PeopleSoft. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 4:
4a. / Provide staff development and training to financial aid staff. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE

4.  Resource Requests: Anticipated implications (budget item, facilities, staff, coordination). Includes funds requested for all three program review areas.

Department Budget Request
Budget
Request / Operating Budget Increase / Instruction Increase / Computers / Equipment / Furniture / New Program Startup / Marketing Materials / Remodel Space / Faculty
Hires / Staff Hires / Student Hires / Temp Hires
Student Help and Temp Salaries / $28000. / 5 / 2
Printing Publications / $10000.
Web Maintenance / $ 2000.
Training Expenses / $ 3000.
Software Specialist / $ 2500. / $ 500. / $ 1000. / 1

Part A: DATA

1. Efficiency: How many students received services this year?

Helpful Hints: Show the number and variety of services you provided, show the hours and convenience of services as well. These are also your

key performance indicators that you will use for your unit plan.

A key indicator of financial aid success is the number of applications received each year . In the past three years applications have increased by 3220, which is a 27% increase in the number of students applying for financial aid.

2001-02  12121

2002-03  13402

2003-04  14550

2004-05 15441*

2. Student Equity: Which students were served in terms of ethnicity, age, gender, disability or any

characteristic relevant to this program’s services?

No information available.

3. Effectiveness: How did the services affect student outcomes?

Helpful Hints:: There are a variety of ways you can show that your services contributed to positive student outcomes. Examine ways to show that students who participated in the unit’s services: registered for college; enrolled in classes; were placed successfully; established an educational plan; followed through to referred services; stayed in school their first semester; succeeded in their courses.

The number of applicants has increased by 3220 in the past three years. This significant increase in application is a outcome of increased outreach and inreach activities.

Part B: ANALYSIS AND ACTION

1. Strengths of Accountability:

·  Financial Aid continues to provide services to students who reflect the diversity of the campus and community.

·  Financial aid continues to value the student and establishes goals to expedite financial assistance to students.

2. Weaknesses of Accountability:

·  The number of applicants has increased by 3220 in the past three years. Except for the Cal Grant Programs, there has not been a similar increase in the other financial aid programs. This includes the major federal grant program, Pell Grant. Although there has been a slight increase in Pell Grants over the past years, the increase does not correlate with the increase in applicants.

·  The increase in workload—expanded evening and weekend hours, the reversion to manual processes with the implementation of PeopleSoft, recent addition of posting fee waivers due to PeopleSoft--has a major impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Intake process.

·  Inadequate office space continues to limit the effectiveness of the Financial Aid Office.

3. Please describe method(s) for improvement implementation. These method(s) should be

consistent with unit plan goals.

Goal 1:
Action / Linkage to Other Plans / Year End Status & Accomplishments
1a. / Acquire and hire new financial aid position to oversee the highly technical financial aid database system and several other financial aid software programs. This position will take a lead role in the PeopleSoft implementation and training. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 2:
2a. / Develop and expand financial aid information, including on the Web. Increase use of electronic financial aid application, FAFSA on the Web. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 3:
3b. / Continue to participate in planning and implementation of PeopleSoft. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 4:
4a. / Provide staff development and training to financial aid staff. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE

4.  Resource Requests: Anticipated implications (budget item, facilities, staff, coordination)

Department Budget Request
Budget
Request / Operating Budget Increase / Instruction Increase / Computers / Equipment / Furniture / New Program Startup / Marketing Materials / Remodel Space / Faculty
Hires / Staff Hires / Student Hires / Temp Hires
Student Help and Temp Salaries / $28000. / 5 / 2
Printing Publications / $10000.
Web Maintenance / $ 2000.
Training Expenses / $ 3000.
Software Specialist / $ 2500. / $ 500. / $ 1000. / 1

Part A: DATA

1. Student Satisfaction: What student input/feedback do you have regarding services?

Helpful Hint: This does not have to be a scientific project. Consider asking students how they like the service during specific days of the semester. Put questionnaires or a suggestion box in your area. Follow up with students with a phone call and ask what was helpful or what was a barrier for them.

Student input and feedback is very important to the planning process in financial aid. Every student comment or concern is evaluated to improve service and communication to students.

2. What faculty and staff input/feedback do you have regarding services?

Helpful Hint: This does not have to be a comprehensive campus survey. Contact the people you work with and ask them how your unit is doing. Record their comments. Get information and feedback that is meaningful to your unit.

As with student input, all faculty and staff input is encouraged and analyzed to improve service and communication to students and the campus community.

3. How are the services communicated to students, potential students, and the campus?

(Example: The Early Assistance Program contacts instructors by e-mail, voicemail and letters. Students are contacted by mail or phone. There is a Los Rios online site under construction.

Services are communicated through a variety of publications , these include campus, federal and state publications. Information is communicated in several different ways including the following:

·  Students: Website, college newspaper, college newsletters, FA workshops, FA Information

·  Potential Students: Website, K-12 newspaper, SCC Outreach, SCC letters to HS students, FA presentations, FA Information

·  Campus: All the above and through Flex Day presentation

4. What are the documents, letters, and reports produced by the unit?

CAMPUS

·  SCC Financial Aid Handbook—offers students, parents and the community information specific to SCC.

·  FA Information—Cover to FAFSA, provides detailed information to students.

·  “Thank You” letter—Initial contact letter sent to all applicants, notifies the student of required documentation.

·  “Missing Info” letter—Follow-up letter sent to notify student of missing documents.

FEDERAL

·  FAFSA—Free Application for Federal Student Aid, application required to apply for federal and state financial aid.

·  US Department of Education Student Guide—Excellent financial aid publication made available to students, parents, potential students, SCC outreach centers, etc.

STATE

·  Cal Grant GPA Verification Form—Submitted in addition to the FAFSA to be considered for Cal Grant.

·  Fund Your Future—Similar to the federal Student Guide, but includes Cal Grant and other state programs.

Part B: ANALYSIS AND ACTION

1. Strengths of Communications & Relations:

·  We are fortunate that the federal and state publications are available at no charge. We use these to provide accurate financial aid information.

·  The SCC website is a new and effective way to get information to students. The financial aid website is being updated to provide better information to students.

·  In addition to campus specific financial aid information, many links are available to access federal and state sites.

2. Weaknesses of Communications & Relations:

·  The federal and state publications do not provide school specific information to students. The campus must still publish financial aid information specific to the campus. The cost of publications have increased significantly.

3. Please describe method(s) for improvement implementation.

These method(s) should be consistent with unit plan goals.

Goal 1:
Action / Linkage to Other Plans / Year End Status & Accomplishments
1c. / Acquire and hire new financial aid position to oversee the highly technical financial aid database system and several other financial aid software programs. This position will take a lead role in the PeopleSoft implementation and training. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 2:
2a. / Develop and expand financial aid information, including on the Web. Increase use of electronic financial aid application, FAFSA on the Web. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 3:
3b. / Continue to participate in planning and implementation of PeopleSoft. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE
Goal 5:
5a. / Provide staff development and training to financial aid staff. / PT1, PT2, PT4, DSS, DAGm M1, M2, PFE

4.  Resource Requests: Anticipated implications (budget item, facilities, staff, coordination). Includes funds requested for all three program review areas.