Travis Stair

A five-year plan is an effective tool to fortify institutional goals for the long haul. There are many questions to consider and it's best to ensure you have a diverse team composed of constituents and to strive for broad representation. This team will share ideas, but it's imperative a tone is set to encourage all ideas are great. When diving into educational programs, focus on questions that draw the ideas forward and assess what you currently have. Consider articulation agreements with other schools and remember to be adaptable.

Though the FAD holds the largest responsibility in overseeing and handling many issues related to FSA, it takes a team composed of many "capable individuals". These individuals should hold regular quarterly meetings to update the team of current issues and offer an opportunity to discuss current policies and procedures. Should policy/procedure revision be needed, the team should address deficiencies and foster compliance regulations to rectify any issues.

Schools are required to provide an annual notification of the students rights under FERPA. FERPA transferred the right to see who views the school from parent to students while enrolled in college, however, FERPA does permit the parents of students considered to be dependent under IRS regulations to view the student's records. In such cases of review and record requests, a written consent must be received to disseminate PII. 

There needs to separation between the Financial Aid Office & Student Accounts Office. FA is responsible for awarding FSA, while Student Accounts disburses the funds. FA representatives should never be directly involved in the disbursement of funds and Student Accounts should have the capability to change elements that affect the awarding of aid. 

There must be a published policy that clearly states what constitutes an acceptable SAP. Students not in compliance, may be granted an automatic warning. If they do not meet the required standards within a specified timeframe, they lose their aid eligibility unless they opt to pursue an appeal. Approved appeals should have accompanied documentation from an approved representative and the new status will reflect probation. If they are adhering to the academic action plan, they should be able to catch up by the end of the next period.   

Transparency is key to the success of the institution. From verifying the student meets all requirements to enroll and pursue a degree (providing sufficient proof of graduation), to ensuring the Admissions Counselor is providing accurate information and not disseminating false statements. Admissions should also only provide general information regarding financial aid and should in no way be a part of the fa process. Should there be specific questions, they should be directed to the financial aid office for detailed information.