Consortium/Contractual Agreements and Study Abroad Programs

1. Consortium/Contractual Agreements and Study Abroad Programs RMASFAA 2011

2. DEFINTIONS CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT A written agreement between two or more eligible institutions CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT A written agreement between an eligible institution and an ineligible institution

3. HOME VERSUS HOST SCHOOL • HOME SCHOOL • The school where the student is enrolled in a degree or certificate program • HOST SCHOOL • The school where the student is taking part of his/her program requirements through a consortium/contractual agreement

4. CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT Program offered in a written arrangement MUST meet the requirements of an eligible program • No limit on the portion of the eligible program that may be provided by eligible schools other than home school • A school could have: • One agreement for each student; • A separate agreement with each host school; or • A blanket agreement with a group of schools • Agreement contents can vary and depends on interests of the schools involved AND the accrediting or state agency standards

5. CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT, (cont.) • Must disclose to prospective & enrolled students programs designed to be offered by another entity: • Portion of program not being offered by the degree/certificate granting school • Name & location of other school/organization • Method of delivery not being offered by the degree/certificate granting school • Estimated additional costs that student may incur due to arrangement

6. CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT (CONT.) • Should also clearly indicate... • The school that will grant the degree or certificate • Student’s tuition/fees, room/board at each school • Student’s enrollment status at each school • The school responsible for disbursing aid and monitoring eligibility • Procedures for calculating awards, disbursing aid, monitoring SAP, keeping records as well as R2T4 in the event the student withdraws.

7. CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT Program offered in a written arrangement MUST meet the requirements of an eligible program • Eligible school is prohibited from entering into a contractual agreement IF ineligible school or organization has had its eligibility to participate in the FSA programs terminated by the Secretary or • Ineligible school has voluntarily withdrawn from participation in the FSA programs under a termination, show-cause, suspension, or other proceeding initiated by the institution’s state licensing agency, accrediting agency, or by the Secretary

8. CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT (CONT.) • Eligible school is always the home school and is responsible for maintaining all records necessary to document student eligibility and receipt of aid • Limit on portion that can be offered by ineligible school • No more than 25% can be provided if both home and ineligible school are owned or controlled by the same individual, partnership, or corporation • No more than 50% can be provided if both are separately owned or controlled BUT the home school’s accrediting agency or state agency must determine and confirm in writing that the agreement meets its standards for contracting out education services

9. Why do schools enter into consortium and contractual agreements?

10. To provide access to additional courses at schools in the same geographical area • To allow students to take courses at other schools during the summer • To provide access to additional courses via distance learning • To allow students to do a semester or year at another school domestically

11. FACILITATING INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS • 2 Plus 2 Programs • Study Abroad Programs • Group of school offering an entire degree program via distance learning • Programs jointly offered by 2 or more schools

12. 2 PLUS 2 PROGRAMS • A partnership between a 2 year and a 4 year institution to facilitate a student completing the last 2 years of his/her 4 year degree. • These programs are also often referred to as “bridge” or “4 year degree completion” programs.

13. 2 PLUS 2 PROGRAMS (CONT.) • Characteristics of the last two years of these programs are frequently: • Tailored to meet the needs of non-traditional students • Offered via distance learning • Offered in the evening only • Offered on the site of the 2 year school • Offered in various places in the community at temporary sites • Offered right on site of the student’s workplace

14. 2 PLUS 2 PROGRAMS (CONT.) • Unique issues with 2 Plus 2 Programs: • Determining where the student is enrolled at any given time • Determining what to do if the student is a regular student at a two year college and beginning to take some upper level courses at a senior institution • Determining which school is going to provide financial aid • Satisfactory Academic Progress • Tracking appropriate enrollment information with partner school

15. STUDY ABROAD CONSORTIUMS • Students participating in a study abroad program approved by the home school are eligible for FSA funds, regardless of whether the program is required for the student’s degree or certificate program, as long as... • The home school must be located in the United States AND • Student is an eligible, regular student enrolled in an eligible program at the home school (aid eligibility should be based off of the higher COA of the Study Abroad Program AND • Eligible school approves the program of study abroad for academic credit AND • Credits earned must be acceptable toward graduation in the student’s program by the home school

16. STUDY ABROAD (CONT.) • Student is a degree seeking student at eligible school #1 and plans to attend eligible school #2 in the U.S. that has a study abroad program in conjunction with an eligible foreign school or organization • The two eligible schools in the U.S. must have a consortium agreement in place with each other • Eligible school #2 must have a consortium or contractual agreement with the foreign school or organization CONSORTIUM CONSORTIUM/CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT STUDENT RETURNS HOME

17. STUDY ABROAD (CONT.) • Student is a degree seeking student at an eligible school and plans to enroll in a study abroad program with an eligible foreign school or organization • The eligible school must have a consortium or contractual agreement with the foreign school or organization STUDENT RETURNS HOME

18. STUDY ABROAD CONSORTIUMS & FOREIGN LOCATIONS • Eligible school sends faculty and student to a foreign location (could be a school, organization, or just a site) • Foreign location would be considered an additional location and rules in 34 CFR 600.32 (Eligibility of Additional Locations) apply

19. STUDY ABROAD CONSORTIUMS & FOREIGN LOCATIONS • International Student Exchange Program • http://www.isep.org/ • National Student Exchange • http://www.nse.org/ • College Consortium for International Students • http://ccisabroad.org/

20. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS • The home school may decline to give credit for host school courses in which a student earns a grade that is not acceptable at the home school even if the host school accepts the grade for its resident students • Grades earned do not have to be included in the GPA calculation, but must be included in calculating the quantitative (PACE) component of SAP, as well as maximum credits for program

21. Does school wish to enter into a consortium agreement? Consortium agreement not required, but cannot combine enrollment without one Update policies and procedures and execute consortium agreement Is the student enrolled as a regular student at both schools? Cannot execute consortium agreement School not required to enter into consortium Is the student enrolled as a regular student at the home school? Cannot execute consortium agreement (contractual agreement is necessary) Are both schools Title IV eligible? Cannot execute consortium agreement Will the home school give academic credit on the same basis as if it provided the coursework itself? Consortium Agreements Among Eligible Institutions, NASFAA Spring Training, 2003 Slide 17

22. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES • Be sure your consortium/contractual guidelines are clearly defined in your policy and procedure manual • Treat students consistently • Do you process campus-based aid for all students or a certain population and explain why each group should be treated differently Distance learners only Not all courses are offered online Satellite campus Not all courses are offered onsite Undergraduates only Graduate/Professional/Law students only Study Abroad

23. KEEP IN MIND • A student may only receive Title IV assistance for courses that are required as part of that student’s certificate or degree program • Exception: Study Abroad – Eligible school must approve the program of study abroad for academic credit Student must be eligible regular student enrolled in an eligible program at the home school Eligible school must approve the program of study abroad for academic credit Credits earned must be acceptable toward graduation in the student’s program by the home school • Under a consortium agreement (not a contractual agreement), either school can process a student’s aid provided the student has normal access to all sources of Title IV aid, including campus-based funds • A consortium/contractual agreement between schools should clearly indicate (1) what the reporting expectations are and (2) within what timeframe those reporting expectations are to be met

24. Examples of Consortiums

25. Evaluate Request (only certain programs are approved) Student Requests Consortium Notify Student DENY APPROVE Inst. A as Host Notify Host School of student’s request Gather forms and add documents to tracking Inst. A as Home Send CA to Host school for signature Student confirms first day of attendance at host school Provide COA and proof of enrollment to home school Receive signed CA from Host school Total of external/internal hours is manually posted. Copy of CA taken to Registration Office/Perkins Loan Office for Clearinghouse reporting Release Aid Mark consortium enrollment hours Manual process monitors transcript receipt, credit, grade & hours Automated weekly process monitors enrollment for drops, updates, etc. Notify Home school of changes Example of ‘Institution A’ Process Slide 21

26. Student Requests Consortium Evaluate Request Notify Student DENY APPROVE Inst. Bas Home Create/send/receive signed agreement from host school Post consortium enrollment hours on consortium tracking page Inst. B as Host Total of external hours is manually posted to remote hours on Financial Aid Term for disbursement. These hours will be evaluated for Clearinghouse reporting Provide COA and proof of enrollment to home school Automated weekly process monitors transfer credit and updates course grade, hours, creates report Capability to run manual report to create a summary report for a term and a clearinghouse report Post consortium enrollment hours on consortium tracking page Automated weekly process monitors enrollment for drops, updates consortium tracking page, creates report Example of ‘Institution B’ Process Slide 33

27. To request a Consortium, student must submit the following: KU Consortium Agreement Request form (this slide) KU Advisor Certification form (next slide), completed and signed by academic advisor A copy of the course description(s) from the Host School

28. The advisor certification form must list the external course subject and number exactly as it will appear on the external school transcript • If a KU equivalency does not exist in the system at the time of the contract, it must be created by the time the transcript is eventually received • The contract must have the correct number of units taken for the external course

29. Host school must include dates of enrollment, credit hours enrolled, and the full cost of attendance • Host school agrees to assume responsibility for: • providing documentation of student’s enrollment at the host school and COA • providing student with consumer information • notifying us in a timely manner if the student changes enrollment

30. Where can you learn more?

31. RESOURCES • US Department of Education, Regulatory Update 2011, Written Arrangements to Provide Educational Programs, Participant’s Guide, 1-40 - 43 • CONSORTIUM/CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS & TWO PLUS TWO PROGRAMS • Cheryl Leibovitz, U.S. Department of Education, NASFAA Conference, 2000 • NASFAA, CONSORTIUM AGREEMENTS • Spring Training, 2003 • 2010-2011 FEDERAL STUDENT AID HANDBOOK • Written Agreements between Schools, Volume 2, Chapter 7, 2-22 to 2-24 • THE BLUE BOOK • Written Agreements between Schools, Chapter 6, 1-79 to 1-83, October 2005 • CONSORTIUM AGREEMENTS, NASFAA CONFERENCE 2011 • Stephanie Covington • Connie Corcoran

32. Top 10 Reasons You know you've studied Abroad: • 10. if you don't say 'koala bear & quote...they're marsupials’ • 9. when you're back home and forget what is the correct side of the road to drive on • 8. when your passport has more stamps in it than your parents • 7. you now qualify for the expert traveler lane at the airport • 6. when you dream in a different language

33. 5. when you actually plan not to graduate on time, just so you can study abroad one more semester • 4. when you start checking flight prices regularly just to see where you should plan your next trip • 3. when you start to think your parents now have a wicked accent • 2. when you've stopped shaving your legs • 1. when anything and everything can remind you of an occurrence abroad (and your friends are tired of hearing about it!)

34. Consortium/Contractual Agreements and Study Abroad ProgramsValerie CurtinUM Helena College of TechnologyValerie.curtin@umhelena.edu