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The effect of differing financial aid processing policies on the retention and success of students at the California com

The effect of differing financial aid processing policies on the retention and success of students at the California community colleges. Mike MacCallum, PhD mmaccallum@lbcc.edu Long Beach City College Strengthening Student Success Conference October 4, 2007. Purpose. Doctoral dissertation

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The effect of differing financial aid processing policies on the retention and success of students at the California com

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  1. The effect of differing financial aid processing policies on the retention and success of students at the California community colleges • Mike MacCallum, PhD • mmaccallum@lbcc.edu • Long Beach City College • Strengthening Student Success Conference • October 4, 2007

  2. Purpose • Doctoral dissertation • PhD International/Intercultural Education • University of Southern California

  3. Background • Personal observation • Regional meetings/conferences • Counseling vs. business model • Whistler’s Financial Aid Office Survey--Spring 2002 • Telephone survey of all CCC Financial Aid Offices • Chancellor’s Office Data Mart

  4. Whistler’s Fin. Aid Office Survey • Factors in financial aid processing • Institutional support • Service policies • Financial aid delivery

  5. Whistler’s Fin. Aid Office Survey • Factors in financial aid processing • Institutional support--22 factors • Director salaries • Access to the administration • Staffing • Applications per FTE • Location • Non-financial aid responsibilities

  6. Whistler’s Fin. Aid Office Survey • Factors in financial aid processing • Service policies--36 factors • BOGW-B verification • Verification level • Processing time • Relations with other offices • Outreach • Obstacles and frustrations

  7. Whistler’s Fin. Aid Office Survey • Factors in financial aid processing • Financial aid delivery--8 factors • Processing time • First check delivery • Pell book advance • Emergency loans • Disbursements per semester

  8. External Factors • Chancellor’s Office Data Mart • Institutional differences--16 factors • Ethnicity • Gender • Location (Peterson’s) • Loan percent of students • Pell percent of students • Zero EFC percent of students

  9. External Factors • Sources of data • Department of Education • Number of applications • Loan default rates • Chancellor’s Office Data Mart • Ethnicity data • Gender data • Retention and success data • Financial aid data • Peterson’s Guide to Colleges & Universities • College location

  10. Dependent Variables • Enrollment Rate • The percentage of ISIRs that resulted in a Pell Eligible enrollment • Retention • The percentage of classes taken by financial aid students resulting in grades of A, B, C, Cr, D, F, I, or NC. • Success • The percentage of classes taken by financial aid students resulting in grades of A, B, C, or Cr.

  11. Definitions • Student • A student enrolled in at least one class as per the MIS data, during 2001/02 • Financial Aid Student • A student enrolled in at least one class as per the MIS data, during 2001/02, with an EFC of 3550 or less (Pell eligible)

  12. The Model

  13. Institutional Support

  14. Number of ISIRs Processed

  15. Financial Aid FTEs

  16. ISIRs per FTE

  17. Fin. Aid Administrators’ Salaries

  18. Chief Financial Aid Position • FA Officer 11FA Supervisor 9FA Manager 11FA Coordinator 2FA Director Only 45FA Director + Other Areas of Resp. 16Assistant Dean 2Associate Dean 6Dean 6

  19. FA Director Reports To • Director 4Assistant Dean 2Associate Dean 4Dean 51Vice President 47

  20. Service Policies

  21. Verification of Income

  22. Total Level of Verification

  23. Relations with Other Offices

  24. Processing Time

  25. Level of Verification and Processing Time • No statistically significant relation

  26. Financial Aid Disbursement

  27. First Pell Disbursement

  28. Pell Advance/Book Grants

  29. Pell Advances/Book Grants

  30. External Factors

  31. Financial Aid Enrollment Rate

  32. Retention and Success

  33. External Factors

  34. External Factors

  35. External Factors

  36. External Factors

  37. External Factors

  38. External Factors

  39. Stepwise Analysis of Variance Results

  40. Factors Related to Enrollment Rate • FactorBetaPercent of Students Receiving Pell .798Total ISIRs Processed -.238FA Director Business Major -.204Asian (total college enrollment) -.184Overall Verification Level -.168FTE Student Workers .127ISIRs per FTE -.125 r2 = .730

  41. Factors Related to FA Retention • FactorBetaDean Level .311Percent of Students Receiving Loans .299Pell Advance -.279Large Computer System -.226Need Staff Training -.181Processing Time (weeks) .176FA Director Business Major .152Need to Upgrade Staff -.137 r2 = .398

  42. Factors Related to FA Success • FactorBetaPercent of Students with Zero EFC -.282Large Computer System -.270Need to Upgrade Staff -.214ISIRs per FTE -.199BOGFW per Pell -.122 r2 = .307

  43. Factors Related to Loan Default • FactorBetaNative Americans .347FA Director Administration Major .247Pell pct. of Students .243Disbursements per Semester .203r2 = .349

  44. CCC Loan Default Rates • Weak, non-significant correlation between loan volume and default rate: r = .16

  45. Caveat • This was a correlational study • Correlational studies do not prove causality • Findings may not apply outside of the California community college system

  46. Obstacles and Frustrations • FactorNo.Pct.Need Additional Staff 78 72%Need to Simplify Regulations 71 66% Lack of Integration in College 61 57% Lack of IT Support 60 56% Need to Improve FAO 48 44%Improve Working Conditions 42 39%Funding to do Outreach 40 37%Need Staff Training 29 27% Need to Upgrade Staff 26 24% Funds for Students 24 22%

  47. Obstacles and Frustrations • FactorNo.Pct.Have 1 Factor 1 0.9%Have 2 Factors 9 8.3% Have 3 Factors 21 19.4% Have 4 Factors 29 26.9% Have 5 Factors 23 21.3% Have 6 Factors 14 13.0% Have 7 Factors 7 6.5% Have 8 Factors 3 2.8% Have 9 Factors 1 0.9% Total 479 Average 4.4

  48. CCCs vs. the University • Universities--Financial aid is crucial to: • Enrollment • Income • Recruitment • Selecting the student population • California Community Colleges • Disconnect between FA and enrollment • Disconnect between FA and college income • Little or no perceived need for recruitment or student selection

  49. Implications for Policy Action-1 • More fully integrate the FAO into the administrative structure of the college • Raise the status of the director • Salary • Position title • Report to a vice president • Provide professional leadership training • Improve image of the Financial Aid Office • Improve image of Financial Aid students

  50. Implications for Policy Action-2 • Reconsider a staffing formula for financial aid offices. • Consider the establishment of minimum position levels for financial aid, similar to those of EOPS. • The Chief Financial Aid Administrator • Technical staff • Consider categorical funding for financial aid offices

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