Program Review Proposal for New Initiatives 2
Program Review — Proposal for New Initiatives 2
Discipline: Financial Aid Office
Division or Area to Which You Report: Student Services
Name of Person Completing this Form: Kathryn Linzmeyer
Date: 4/18/11
Audience: Deans/Unit Administrators, PRBC, Foundation, Grants Committee, College Budget Committee
Purpose: A “New Initiative” is a new project or expansion of a current project that supports college goals. The project will require the support of additional and/or outside funding. The information you provide will facilitate and focus the research and development process for finding outside funding.
Instructions: Please fill in the following information.
Educational Master Plan and/or Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Addressed:
Goal A: Awareness & Access – Build awareness of Chabot’s academic excellence, and ensure access to education for all who seek it.A4 – Find multiple ways to deliver instruction and services for all.
a. Increase online student self-services
Goal B: Student Success – Provide high-quality programs and services so all students can reach their educational and career goals.
B3 – Support programs and initiatives that increased the success for all students in our diverse community.
e. Develop alternative delivery methods of financial aid services
Goal D: Vision, Leadership & Innovation – be an educational leader by continuously supporting and improving learning in our diverse institution.
D5 – provide safe, security and up-to-date facilities and technology
c. Implement technology initiatives and
d. improve electronic communication systems to disseminate important information quickly
Project Description:
The following projects have been in our strategic plans (See 2009-11 Program Review) for finding efficiency and effectiveness through technology in helping to manageour workload, due to increased volume of applicants and multiple and continual changes in state/federal regulations. (LPCis also affected as Systems Coordinator provides initial setup and testing for all system upgrades and technology enhancements for both campuses.)
1. Self Service enhancements
a. to move more student activity online, rather than inline
2. Automated awarding of simple files
a. Create process w/in Banner to review for common errors or red flags, then award eligible files without manual intervention
3. BDMS document management
Due to limitations on college and district resources, this planned project is being put on hold, contingent upon appropriate staffing resources. Our objectives to meet goal D5 are drastically curtailed due to the loss of the Financial Aid Systems Coordinator, however we leave them in Program Review as they remain our goals. We firmly believe that investment of staffing to implement this project will provide long term structural improvements for the college/district financial aid programs.
Project Objective:
· To increase the use of technology and automation for accurate and timely financial aid awards to eligible students· To reduce the amount of manual review and labor with automation of repetitious actions
· To work smarter, not harder
· To get students “out of line” to go online
Expected Project Outcome:
Final version would see students able to complete bulk of financial aid verification process online, using web-based product to submit required documentation to be analyzed and confirmed with combination of Banner/system and staff. Approximately 30% of students would not have to submit anything other than confirmation questions online, to be automatically awarded without necessity of physically coming into the office. This process would free up hours of staff time each week, to be used with students who require more assistance and manual review, and close the ongoing digital divide still prevalent at the College.Activity Plan to Accomplish the Objective:
ACTIVITY NO. / ACTIVITY (simple description) / PERSON(S)RESPONSIBLE / TIMELINE (OR TARGET COMPLETION DATE)
All objectives contingent upon reinstated Systems Coordinator; project as originally designed would extend in phases from Fall 2011 – Spring 2013
01 / Implement Student Self Service module for non-verified files. / Systems Coordinator
02 / Implementation of BDMS document imaging, phase I
- Students submit documentation which is scanned by staff into document imaging system after process for paperless storage / Systems Coordinator
03 / Implementation of BDMS document imaging, phase II
- Staffing would refer to scanned product to complete verification process, rather than utilizing paper documents / Systems Coordinator
04 / Implementation of BDMS document imaging, phase III
- Student complete fillable PDF verification forms which would be submitted directly into BDMS system, eliminating the manual scanning step
- Verification of some electronically submitted data matched w/ existing data in system / Systems Coordinator
05 / Implementation of BDMS document imaging, phase IV
- Web based completed verification matched with application data for more automated verification process
- Automatic awarding for files with no discrepancies / Systems Coordinator
Estimated Resource Requirements:
NO. / BUDGET CATEGORY AND ACCOUNT NUMBER / DESCRIPTION / COST
01 / Personnel (salary and benefits classified personnel).* / Financial Aid Systems Coordinator
(This is not a new position, but reinstatement of essential position that currently exists in the organizational chart.) / $59260 salary
$25000 estimated benefits
Supplies / 0
Other / 0
Total / $84260 estimated
Proposed personnel workload may be covered by:
New Hires Reinstatement Hire: Classified staff # of positions 1
Reassigning existing employee(s) to the project; employee(s)' current workload will be:
Covered by overload or part-time employee(s)
Covered by hiring temporary replacement(s)
Other, explain
At the end of the project period, the proposed project will:
Be completed (onetime only effort)
Require additional funding to continue and/or institutionalize the project (obtained by/from):
Will the proposed project require facility modifications, additional space, or program relocation?
No Yes, explain:
Will the proposed project involve subcontractors, collaborative partners, or cooperative agreements?
No Yes, explain:
Do you know of any grant funding sources that would meet the needs of the proposed project?
No Yes, list potential funding sources:
Unit Plan: Classified Staffing Request(s) including Student Assistants [Acct. Category 2000] 3
Unit: Financial Aid Office
Division or Area to Which You Report: Student Services
Author(s) of this Unit Plan: Kathryn Linzmeyer
Date: 4/18/11
Audience: Administrative Staff
Purpose: Providing explanation and justification for new and replacement positions for full-time and part-time regular (permanent) classified professional positions (New, augmented and replacement positions) AND student assistants (tutors, learning assistants, lab assistants, supplemental instruction, etc.).
Instructions: Please justify the need for your request. Be sure to include reference to Goals/Objectives from Part II, and Strategic Planning Priorities. Please cite any evidence or data to support your request. If this position is categorically funded, include and designate the funding source of new categorically-funded position where continuation is contingent upon available funding.
Justifications should include rationale for requesting the position. Rationale should include specific reference to, where necessary and appropriate. [Reminder, student assistants are not to replace Classified Professional staff.] Please list staffing request(s) on your Resource Request spreadsheet.
1 2011-04-18
· Data from student learning and service area outcomes
· Connection to program review
· Relationship to institutional priorities
· Impact on enrollment and revenue
· Safety
· Mandates
· Workload distribution (impact on other’s work)
1 2011-04-18
3a – Financial Aid Systems Coordinator
1. Rationale for your proposal. Please include the rationale from your program review and unit plan. Rationale should include things such as student learning and service area data and outcomes, difficulty in serving students, health and safety concerns and/or any other information that speaks to the criteria listed previously.
On 3/8/2011, the position of Financial Aid Systems Coordinator was slated for elimination from the organizational chart of the office and college through lay off. This position is essential to the delivery of accurate, compliant and timely financial aid to students at the college/district. Per the Classified Contract, a lay off may be due to lack of work, or lack of funds. The elimination cannot be attributed to lack of work, therefore if lack of funds can be addressed, this integral position could be reinstated. The Financial Aid Office requests the reinstatement of the Financial Aid Systems Coordinator position as first and most urgent priority.Over the past several years, our workload has risen dramatically (see CLPCCD Board Presentation 2/1/2011), as more students apply for financial aid, more regulations are imposed, and more demands placed upon our office. The only way that we have been able, year after year, to overcome these increases and changes and demands has been the strategic planning by the Director of Financial Aid, and the implementation of the Financial Aid Systems Coordinator, of improved technology and efficiency.
· The Financial Aid Systems Coordinator is an advanced technical position that applies knowledge of federal, state and institutional financial aid regulations and policies to implement, maintain, and improve computer systems and processes within the financial aid operation.
· This position knows Banner Financial Aid intimately, including the nuances that ensure staff is able to provide accurate and timely services to our students. It is known by ITS as the “super user”, as the primary user of the system. As Financial Aid Director determines policies and procedures, the Systems Coordinator position translates federal and state financial aid regulations into Banner.
· From Job Description: Position identifies system or procedural problems and initiates appropriate response; heavy problem solving and multi-tasking, analyzing situations accurately and adopting an effective course of action; lead for complex problem resolution; know and use resources to troubleshoot and resolve.
Data from SLO and SAO
As detailed in our Program Review Summary, data supports the success of our 2009 SLO, “students would be able to apply for financial aid independently, online and on time”, and our SAO that we will provide “a financial aid award process that is fair, equitable, and meets the needs of qualified students needing assistance while ensuring compliance with federal, state and institutional requirements.” (Program Review 3/15/2009)
The Financial Aid Outreach Liaison and Student Services Specialist I/II staff work exceptionally well in achieving the SLO. Along with the Student Services Specialist I/II/III staff, the FA Systems Coordinator is crucial to meeting both SLO and SAO objectives, in the role of ensuring accuracy of systems to award and disburse aid effectively and in timely manner, developing electronic communications, and pursuing technology enhancements to meet our office goal of “working smarter, not harder”.
Connection to Program Review and Relationship to Institutional Priorities
Two of the greatest challenges the Chabot Financial Aid Office faces are the steady increase of applicants, and increasing responsibilities due to new state and federal programs, mandates and regulations. Our unit plan and program review have always reflected our ongoing and aggressive commitment to meeting these challenges, through the improvements of our technology and systems, and reduction of manual and repetitive activities to maximize the available time and work of the advising staff.
The Systems Coordinator position is critical to our strategic plan and program review in meeting the college Strategic Plan Goals A4 (finding multiple ways to deliver services), B3e (developing alternative delivery methods), and D5c-d (implementing technology initiatives and improving electronic communication systems). See below for more detail.
Impact on Enrollment and Revenue
Enrollment
Without this fundamental position, our ability to successfully serve our students and provide them with appropriate financial aid will be severely impacted, which would absolutely have an effect on our students, enrollment and retention. It will take our office much longer, with more errors, to award and disburse aid to our students; we will have more students without books to start each semester, which will necessarily impact their success and retention.
Revenue
The College earns state and federal administrative allowances that serve both the college and the district, based on the number of students we disburse aid to. In 2009-10 we earned a total of $476,584 for administration of financial aid.
Pell Administrative Allowance (district claims) $ 20,405
Campus Based (FWS/SEOG) $ 18,573
BFAP 2% (district claims = allocation model) $ 53,882
BFAP (legislated administrative allowance) $383,724
On 3/18/11, the California Legislature approved additional funds for financial aid administration in its main budget bill, acknowledging the imperative need of financial aid services in light of the state and federal economy, enrollment fee increases, and to assist colleges in managing the increased workload generated. In the event that our services to students decline and fewer students are awarded and disbursed aid, these revenues for the college will likewise decline.
Chabot must maintain its Maintenance of Effort (MOE) as determined by the state, in order to continue to receive both the 2% and augmented BFAP allowances. With the layoff of the Financial Aid Outreach Liaison, and movement of one division funded staff member into the BFAP funding, we still met the required MOE. In the event one division funded staff retires (SERP), we would be $20,000 under the required MOE, which would be manageable.
The additional elimination of the Systems Coordinator position will bring us $116,746 below the required MOE, which will then result in losing approximately 1.5 additional classified staff positions funded by BFAP. In the event we lose a Student Services Specialist II position to retirement, the value of the Systems Coordinator would be greater to the students, Chabot and Las Positas Financial Aid Offices, colleges and district than a replacement advisor.
Mandates and Workload Distribution
Everything we do to provide state and federal financial aid to our students requires accurate information sent to and received from federal, state, third party and district sources. It requires assurance that our system accurately reflects federal, state and institutional mandates and policies.
Both daily processes and long term strategic goals require this position be maintained. The position was created in 1999 in response to the federal movement from paper to 100% electronic delivery of financial aid to schools and students, and the required processes generated. The job description was updated in 2007 to more accurately reflect the technical requirements and analytic nature of the position. It is critical to our office and the campus, as it manages electronic data exchange (sending and receiving of all electronic data transmissions) to the State and Federal funding agencies, manages the extremely complex financial aid module of Banner (with approximately four upgrades per year), develops and implements technology enhancements to provide better services to our students, and is the lead in our office for system and financial aid problem resolution. Of the classified positions in the office, it has the greatest impact on maintaining compliance and avoiding costly liabilities associated with incorrect awarding and disbursement of federal and state financial aid.
The Department of Education Federal Student Aid (FSA) regulations require that a school be able to use the FSA electronic processes in order to be considered “administratively capable” of participating in the FSA programs. (Volume 2, Chapter 10 of Federal Student Aid Handbook) The exchange of information with the Department of Education, the annual regulatory changes, and the complexity of Banner’s Financial Aid module requires a dedicated individual to manage and monitor the multiple processes necessary to administer financial aid.
Due to the nature of the work, required experience and knowledge of financial aid and Banner, and the level of detail and volume of work required to perform this position, it cannot be filled with temporary or part-time staffing for more than a short period. The Student Services Specialist III can assist the Director with some core duties, along with problem resolution; however, this is not sustainable beyond a few months. Further, we will make no progress on the implementation of technology improvements which would provide long term structural improvements to processes and procedures to handle the increased workload, fluctuation of enrollment, federal, state and institutional priorities, and federal regulatory changes. These goals, as outlined in Program Review Summary and in the Proposal for New Initiatives, are to enable much greater student self-service, integration between CLASS Web / the Zone and Banner, reducing need for students to submit all paperwork in person, and therefore “getting students out of line to go online”. It has been our objective to work smarter, not harder, in all things.
Loss of any staff at this point will have a direct and detrimental effect on the ability of our students to obtain financial aid in a timely and accurate manner. However, the loss of the Financial Aid Systems Coordinator will severely impact all aspects of programs and services.
Consideration for this request should include a significant increase in student applications, follow up and student contact, new state and federal funding programs and requirements, and increased volume of electronic processes to handle the above.
3b – Student Services Specialist II