Rebecca,
You make an excellent point about passing on helpful information through references. This is key, since many students unfortunately associate references with collections. FA is not the only department that should be communicating with references and building positive relationships. In addition to career services, I like the suggestion that sudden drops in attendance can also be addressed across departments, since the academic success of students directly affects successful loan repayment.
Kellee Gunderson
It is important to collect current information about our students throughout their time with us because they often move or get new phones and without the information we will not be able to get in touch with them when we need to.
To make improvements on collecting this information we should have forms available in the main lobby for students to fill out and then file in their folder.
Have regular check in calls to make sure their number is correct and let them know we care about them.
Karolina,
It is a very good idea to have forms available to students and reminders to keep contact information updated. Students can move or change phone numbers more than once during the course of enrollment so it's important to keep up to date on it rather than try and hunt the information down later. I like the idea of check-in calls to help you verify what you have is good information and letting the students know that you care will create good relationships that will help you in the future.
Cheryl Kesson
Your point about letting the students know that "we care about them" is so important! We have said this many times, but it is important to understand how difficult it can be to connect with students if we wait until delinquency or only contact them at officially mandated points, e.g. exit interviews. That sort of strategy tells the student that we don’t really care… students should feel empowered and valued, and our interactions should not just be the minimum our jobs require.
I think it is important for financial reasons yes to collect debt if student "skips". but also as a grat tool if a student goes missing, the student could be hospitalized and then use it to send get well card and notify academics if they are not aware.
Nichelle,
You make a good point that we have not really touched on previously. Yesterday our team attended a great FSA webinar where they suggested that schools offer support to students that have dropped; because unemployed students are more likely to default, it is in our best interest to assist students even if they have not completed their program or degree. This advice fits nicely with your point- a student who needs to withdraw for personal or health reasons should be encouraged by faculty and staff so that they can perhaps return to school in the future. Keeping in contact with students that have disappeared from class can benefit the student and the school.
Kellee Gunderson
It is beneficial to have valid borrower contact info and reference throughout the student's attendance so that if necessary the student can be located later on when they may most need that contact. There are many ways to find out whether there is some discrepancy with the address the student gave, i.e. letters informing the student of the disbursement of their loans are often returned because the student moved some time after enrollment. Addresses can thus be corrected. As far as for references, our students give references for enrollment processes and later give references on their institutional loan request and their MPNs. A cross check can be made which can help verify info. In addition, contact phone numbers can be important not only for loans later on, but in other emergency cases, so it is doubly important to verify reference information. Periodic address checks can be made at the completion of various steps in our 6-month program, but during exit counseling is also a good point during which to check addresses and reinforce the need for the student to keep contact info updated even after graduation.
Donn,
You are absolutely correct that information must be updated and maintained throughout enrollment. Registration periods and new disbursements are perfect times to reconnect with students. Shifting the students’ focus from loan references (with the inevitable collections connotation) to contact information intended for broader purposes (e.g. emergency numbers and placement/career assistance) could help encourage students to be more forthcoming.
Kellee Gunderson
Maintaining up to date contact and reference information is essential to communicate with students if they are absent or not keeping current with their financial obligation.
Background checks and reminding students to update their files help to maintain up to date information, specially when letters are returned as undeliverable, or with disconnected phone numbers.
Dr. Manuel,
Encouraging students to update their files regularly can be challenging, so we look for new ways to gather information- emergency contact cards, graduation announcements, bookstore orders, registration, release of test scores or class grades, accessing the course management system, career workshops, tutoring, academic advisement – any milestone or touch point can be an opportunity if all departments participate in this goal!
Kellee Gunderson
Gathering this information is not only imortant during the enrollment process. I feel it is important at the beginning of each term. Students' lives are constantly changing. Unfortunately sometimes they dont communciate with some of the references they ahve provided. This is why I suggest a "check in" on a termly basis.
Marjie,
We completely agree with you! The FA office should keep in contact with students regularly; regardless of program length or degree type, we can find natural milestones to re-engage students.
We suggest gathering new demographics throughout the student’s enrollment. As you suggest, the references provided when a student first enrolls may not be the best people to contact several years later. Asking for new information (a new in-law? a new boyfriend or girlfriend?, a new neighbor?) at the time of loan disbursement, grade and exam score release, or term begin allows us to make gathering data routine. If students sense that we want references for use in future collection calls, they will not give us good information. If they see it as part of the registration process, they will be more forthcoming.
Kellee Gunderson
It is beneficial and crucial, becuase once the student graduates it will be all we have to mainting communication with them in regards to their financials/loans. We have incorporated email to our contact information sheet that is updated at the begging of each semester, to ensure we keep all of our contact information uptodate.
Sandra,
We repeat this often, but gathering new phone numbers at the start of each term or semester is critical! I am sure that you have seen how often students change their contact information.
Also, we observe that students often provide 'throw-away' email addresses (accounts they keep just for ads, spam, and other unwanted correspondence- most of us have a secondary address that we use for this purpose). Alternatively, students may provide only their school email, which they never access again after graduation. If we demonstrate that scores, registration information, job search and resume tips, or other beneficial information will be provided, students may be more willing to share an email address that they check frequently.
Kellee Gunderson
Is so benefitial to gather information from our students, not only to ansure repayment of their loans, but also to get to know our students better
Edgar ,
You make a great point that gathering information helps us learn about our students. A good example is reference data- a dependent student who lives at home, lists the parents’ address as a mailing address, and provides the parents as primary references may have a very different set of concerns and questions than an adult re-entry student who lists son and daughter as references. This type of information gives us a glimpse into the needs and unique challenges of a diverse student body.
Kellee Gunderson
It is important that you get the back ground, ive had student who said everything was fine when it comes to their background, and later told me they thought it was removed
MARIE ,
This is a good point that we have not discussed in great detail. There are things that could make it difficult or even prevent a student from being to obtain a job or the necessary licenses for their field of study and that should be reviewed.
Cheryl Kesson
There are so many reasons I can think of to have accurate records. In addition to ensuring the probability of repayment of loans, there is also the ongoing support of our student body that benefits from accurate contact information. If we can’t get in touch with them, we don’t know if can help them. Often times just knowing someone cares makes huge impact for a student. Also, a large component of our organization’s reputation is built on our graduate’s success. If we loose touch with them, we loose an invaluable source of credibility for our reputation.
Laura,
The conversations in our forums tend to focus on loan repayment – how to counsel students through financial difficulties, how to prevent them from becoming ‘skips’, etc. However, I think you have made an important point. Beyond a school’s cohort default rate, we must also consider the strength and reputation of our academic programs as well as our placement/employment rates. Hearing from successful alumni can make a huge difference to potential students and skeptical members of the higher education community.
Kellee Gunderson
