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Online Programs: Challenges and Solutions

Online Programs: Challenges and Solutions. Goals. Distance Education Courses HEA Sec. 103 and 484(I) 34 CFR 600.2, 668.38

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Online Programs: Challenges and Solutions

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  1. Online Programs: Challenges and Solutions

  2. Goals

  3. Distance Education Courses HEA Sec. 103 and 484(I) 34 CFR 600.2, 668.38 Distance education refers to instruction delivered to students who are physically separated from their instructor, to support regular and substantive interaction between student and instructor, whether in real time or through time delay

  4. Distance Education Challenges

  5. Verification • Educational Purpose • Identity • Citizenship • Unusual enrollment History

  6. Identity and statement of educational purpose For students selected for verification tracking group 5: “A student who is unable to appear at the school must sign and submit the statement of educational purpose, and he must submit a copy of his ID with the statement signed by a notary public confirming that the student appeared before her and presented the ID confirming his identity” For students who are flagged in the V6 group who only qualify for non-need based aid, the verification of identity/educational purpose is not required.

  7. Citizenship – US Citizens

  8. Citizenship – Eligible Noncitizens

  9. Challenges: Verification

  10. Solutions: Verification

  11. Enrollment status Challenges

  12. Enrollment status: Challenges

  13. Processing Aid: Challenges • Confirming Participation • Challenges of Module Based Programs • Change in enrollment status: student vs institution at fault • Add/drop policy: working with or against disbursement and refunding policies • What invisible barriers do your distance students face?

  14. Are you an institution required to take attendance? From FSA Handbook, Volume 6, Chapter 1 • Discussion Posts • Group Projects • Submitting weekly assignments • Administrative withdraw policy

  15. R2T4 and Overawards • Problem: • Higher risk of overaward/overpayment • Solutions: • Routine monitoring of attendance • Routine monitoring of enrollment status, particularly for module-based programs

  16. Communication • Problem: • How do you effectively communicate with students at a distance? • Solutions: • Office hours and procedures may need to change, including additional phone lines, attention to email, and time zones

  17. Invisible Barriers • Problem: • What processes does your institution have that work only for students in residence? • Solutions: • Paradigm shift (websites, social media, open online forums, physical vs. virtual location of offices, etc.)

  18. Cost of Attendance

  19. Allowable COA Costs Tuition and Fees Books, supplies Transportation Miscellaneous Room and board Dependent care Disability care Loan fees Exceptional Expenses*

  20. Allowable COA Costs

  21. COA considerations Student by student considerations: Student unemployed? Do they have daycare expenses? Where do they live? Internet/computer costs Aggregate borrowing: sustainable to degree completion? What financial literacy resources are available? Institutional considerations: Distance learners must be treated same way as traditional learners COA must be same for all students in same program Room and board component should be adjusted for less than half time enrolled students

  22. COA Resources College Board IPEDS NASFAA Tools EASFAA Peers Survey Monkey

  23. Fraud

  24. Fraud OIG Audit Findings: Colleges disbursed $222 million in aid to more than 42,000 online students who did not earn credits during a payment period

  25. Fraud OIG’s IPAR: Distance Education Fraud Rings L42L0001 “Education programs that are delivered solely through the Internet present unique opportunities for fraud and challenges for oversight, because Title IV programs were designed to deliver aid to students who are physically present in traditional classrooms, rather than alternative on-line environments”

  26. Fraud Challenges • Distance Education Programs growing quickly • Verification of Identity is not required • Refunds

  27. Fraud Solutions Verification of Student Identity Aligning disbursement/refund schedule with add/drop schedule NSLDS and CPS flags for potential fraud activity Monitor classroom activity Additional technologies

  28. Community

  29. Community Extend activities to your distance students Alumni chapters Creating special connectedness to campus life Engaged scholarship opportunities

  30. Shared Experiences Other Challenges Questions? Melody DeFlorio mdeflori@norwich.edu 802-485-2019

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