Consortium Agreements

Consortium Agreements Presented by: Julie Martin Coordinator of Scholarships, Saint Louis University Laura Feuerbacher Guffey Financial Aid Counselor, Saint Louis University

Background • Julie Martin • BS in Mathematics, Webster University • BA in Business Management, Webster University • FA counselor at Cincinnati Bible College, University of Cincinnati-Raymond Walters College, and SLU. • Laura Feuerbacher Guffey • M.Ed Counseling Psychology, Mizzou • PhD candidate, Higher Education, Saint Louis University, May 2009

The Basics! • The Difference Between a Home institution and Host institution? • A Home Institution is the school where the student is enrolled in a degree or certificate program. • A Host institution is the school where the student is taking part of his or her program requirements through either a consortium or contractual agreement. • What is a consortium agreement? • An agreement between two or more institutions in order for the student to receive FSA funds while studying at a school or organization other than the student’s “home” institution AND the courses count towards a degree program at the home institution.

Basics Continued… • Who do you involve? • Financial Aid staff at home & host institutions • Academic Dean(s) • Registrars Office; for notification of drop/withdrawal • Agreements can go on indefinitely with other schools unless otherwise stated in the agreement. They can also be written for one student or multiple students.

Basics Continued… • Elements of a Written Consortium Agreement • The Department of Higher Education does NOT have a specific format to use for a consortium agreement. • The following elements are required: • The name of the home institution • Budget or cost of attendance at each institution • Enrollment status at each institution • Indicate the institution responsible for disbursing aid and monitoring eligibility. (typically the home institution). • FA office procedures when student withdraws/cancels/drops below full-time/part-time.

Basics Continued… • Contractual Agreements • Highlighted in the student handbook Chapter 7 • When an eligible school signs an agreement with an ineligible school under which the ineligible school provides part of the educational program for students enrolled at the eligible school. • If you have questions about this particular agreement please contact the presenters for follow up.

Federal Information/Resources • Information for Financial Aid Personnel Library (IFAP) • http://www.ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/Vol2Ch70809.pdf • Students should understand that credit may not be given by the home school for grades not sufficient for the home school, even if the host school considers the grade acceptable. • Credits taken at a host school must be calculated in quantitative piece of a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (credits earned vs. credits attempted)

Federal Information/Resources cont. • Agreements to participate in the TEACH Grant began with the 2008-2009 academic year. Schools with consortium or articulations agreements may award the TEACH Grant. • http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2008/gen0807.html • GEN-08-07: Institutional Eligibility for the TEACH Grant Program The institution does not have a teacher preparation program but it – • Provides one or more two-year programs of study that are acceptable for full credit to either a baccalaureate teacher preparation degree program or a baccalaureate degree program in a high-need field at another TEACH Grant-eligible institution with which it has an agreement See Example, next page.

GEN-08-07 • School #1 can award TEACH if: Full Credit #1 #2 -no teacher prep program -TEACH eligible -At least one, 2-year program of study -Bachelors in teacher prep or Bachelors in High Need Field

GEN-08-07 continued… • Offers a baccalaureate degree that, in combination with other training or experience, will prepare a student to teach in a high need field and has an agreement with another institution that offers a teacher preparation program or a post-baccalaureate program that prepares students to teach Agreement #1 #2 -no teacher prep program -Bachelors degree -teacher prep program -training or experience -post-bach program teacher prep -to teach in high need field

GEN-08-07 continued… • Offers a post-baccalaureate program that will prepare a student to teach, but does not offer a baccalaureate teacher preparation program. -no teacher prep program -post-bachelors prep to teach -no bachelors teacher prep

State Information/Resources • Access MO • Home institution allowed to pay if student is considered full-time AND host institution is a Missouri institution that has been approved for participation for the CBHE. • Bright Flight • Allowed to pay when student is in a consortium agreement if home institution considers student to be full-time AND host institution is a Missouri institution that has been approved for participation by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE). • The “plan is to present the revised rules to the CBHE for approval at the December 2008 meeting”. (Kellie Reed, MDHE) • Can be deferred up to 27 continuous months if participating in an international student exchange program

Saint Louis University Information • SLU’s policies • Must have Dean’s signature on consortium form • Host institution must be a Title IV eligible school • Students are eligible for federal and state aid, but not SLU merit aid. • Consortium agreement is for one semester only. If attending another institution for longer he/she must complete an agreement for every semester.

Saint Louis University InformationContinued… • The student must be degree seeking at the home institution • When is a student allowed to do a consortium agreement? • Studying abroad for a semester • Needs a class to graduate and dean “okays” it • Family illness

Example 1 • Allison • Attending University of Granada Spain • Taking 15 hours of class • What financial aid is she eligible for while studying abroad? • Once financial aid eligibility is determined then cancel any aid she will not be able to use.

Example 1 continued… • When creating the budget you have to manually change it. • Fall semester in Granada Spain + Spring semester at SLU

Example 1 continued… • Once the budget has been updated you must notify the Registrar’s office. • Send them a copy of all forms you received from the student’s host institution. • The Registrar’s office will then be able to note the system that student is enrolled full time and is not in the grace period of loan repayment.

Example 2 • Anna • Attending Logan College of Chiropractic • Did not pass class at SLU • What financial aid is the student eligible for? • Hint – the host school she is attending is a Missouri school

Issues/Problems/Examples/Resolution • Drops • Changes in registration • Complete withdraw • Good communication with other offices • Example – short term loan • Resolution – marking the file in the computer system, paper file, student responsibility (agrees to notify the offices of schedule changes), and follow up with departments at a certain point in the semester or term.

Contact Information • Laura Guffey • feuerblc@slu.edu • (314)977-4208 • Julie Martin • jmarti72@slu.edu • (314)977-4211

Thank You!!!!

Consortium Agreements