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The Road to Student Financial Literacy. A Grass Roots Collaboration at the College Of St. Scholastica . Current status of financial literacy. Why important for our students?. St. Scholastica’s WellU. The online course. What next?. Contents.
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The Road to Student Financial Literacy A Grass Roots Collaboration at the College Of St. Scholastica
Current status of financial literacy Why important for our students? St. Scholastica’s WellU The online course What next? Contents
If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the highest return. – Benjamin Franklin Do you agree?
Current Status • Financial literacy is the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage one’s financial resources effectively for lifetime financial security – Jumpstart Coalition • Multiple studies show that financial literacy is lacking, a definite and widespread problem in the United States • Good news from the Financial Literacy Center: • MN was the 2nd best state! • Higher level of education attained, the more financially literate • With poor economy, slow recovery, high unemployment, the problem is magnified
Current Status as Related to Education • K-12 education: • Only 4 states require .5 credit of personal finance • 17 states require personal finance be incorporated into other subjects • Colleges/Universities: • Kansas State – IPFP (Inst. Pers. Fin. Planning) • Powercat Financial Counseling – A peer counseling model • U of North Texas – Student Money Management Center • Other: • Financial Literacy Center – RAND
Current Status – Importance to Higher Ed • Increased tuition and student debt loads combined with economic issues are creating hardships • Tuition increases much greater than normal inflation • Student debt surpassed $1 trillion! • Student use of other forms of debt is also greatly increasing. 84% of students use credit cards, with half of students having 4 cards! (Sallie Mae, 2009) • Lives are being negatively impacted!
Current Status – Importance to Higher Ed • Increasing consumer financial literacy is now a public policy objective to improve welfare through better decision making (U.S. House of Representatives, Financial Services Committee 2009) • National Strategy for Financial Education • President Obama in his State of the Union address: “So let me put colleges and universities on notice, if you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you receive from taxpayers will go down.”
Current Status – Importance to Higher Ed • Result? Increased rules & regulation! • Require better transparency for education ‘consumers’ • Mandates for education ‘providers’ • Mandates for grant/aid/loan participants • More scrutiny for accreditation authorities
Why important for our students? • Some comments from committee members as to why they are willing to volunteer their time to further financial literacy in our students…
WellU Financial Plan $ Calculate $ Act
How it Happened • TRiO/Student Support Services (SSS) required services of financial and economic literacy. • FREE 1 Credit Course (FIN 1777) in collaboration with the School of Business and Technology. • “Water Cooler” conversation between TRiO/Student Support Services (SSS) and Career Services. • Bringing Together the Silos
Recommendations • Establish goals and mission early. • Be aware of motives from other departments, organizations, etc. • Get the right people on board. • Secure money to help with activities and programming.
Money Revolution Interns • Partnered with Thrivent Financial • Provide training • Provide resources Interns work as Peer on Peer tabling presentations activities
Financial Literacy Course Free 1 credit online course offered to SSS TRiO Students 3/19/12-5/10/12
SSS Grant Financial Literacy Goals • Personal and family budget planning • Understanding credit building principles to meet long-term and short-term goals, credit scores • Cost planning for secondary education (spending, saving, personal budgeting) • Cost of attendance (public vs. private, tuition vs. fees, personal costs) • Scholarship, grant and loan education (searches, applications, federal vs. private) • Assistance in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Design of the Course • Fully Online using Blackboard as the platform. Textbook is also online • 20 student maximum • Team taught by two Student Affairs staff - disclaimer that we are not financial experts! • 8 week course- free to SSS students if below 12 credits or above 18 credits
Course Learning Outcomes • Understand Microsoft Excel Basics • Apply budgeting concepts to personal spending • Analyze personal spending trends • Review basic financial terms through class WIKI • Research and investigate Personal Credit Score • Evaluate personal credit card information • Apply SMART Goal Setting techniques to personal finances • Understand the cost of attending college and explore ways to assist with these costs • Obtain resources to assist with financial decisions
Course Evaluation Activities • Completed pre and post test • Two journal reflection assignments • Needs vs. Wants worksheet • Track and submit spending for a two week period • Complete an estimated personal budget • Definition of terms, class WIKI and quiz • MNCIS Activity • Icebreaker and final discussion
Sample Assignment -WIKI Terms • Asset • Bankruptcy • Kelly blue book value • Net worth • Liability • 401 K • Term Life Insurance • Whole life insurance • Credit Score • Compound interest
Questions? Thank You!
Resources The Geography of Financial Literacy - http://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WR893.html Jumpstart Coalition - http://www.jumpstart.org/assets/files/standard_book-ALL.pdf Kansas State U - http://www.k-state.edu/pfc/http://www.cashcourse.org/ksu Univ of North Texas - http://moneymanagement.unt.edu/ Rand - http://www.rand.org/labor/centers/financial-literacy/partners.html Know Before You Owe - http://www.consumerfinance.gov/ Chronicle - http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/institution/#id=174899 Thrivent - Ryan M Anderson, Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, Marketing Dvlpmnt 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415-1665 Direct: 612-844-7203 Cell: 952-221-4645 Email: ryan.m.anderson@thrivent.com Cash Course - http://www.cashcourse.org/home/ Financial Literacy and Education Commission - http://www.mymoney.gov/ OCC Newsletters - http://www.occ.gov/topics/community-affairs/resource-directories/financial-literacy/financial-literacy-update.html