1516 program review FAO, draft 2014-11-17
Chabot College
Student Services
Program Review Report
2015 -2016
Year Two of
Program Review Cycle
Financial Aid Office
Submitted on 10/24/2014
Contact: Kathryn Linzmeyer
Director of Financial Aid
1516 program review FAO, draft 2014-11-17
Table of Contents
Year 2
Section A: What Progress Have We Made?
Section B: What Changes Do We Suggest?
Required Appendices:
A: Budget History
B1: Course Learning Outcomes Assessment Schedule
B2: “Closing the Loop” Assessment Reflections .................................... N/A
C: Program Learning Outcomes
D: A Few Questions
E: New Initiatives
F1: New Faculty Requests ..................................................................... N/A
F2: Classified Staffing Requests
F3: FTEF Requests ................................................................................... N/A
F4: Academic Learning Support Requests ............................................... N/A
F5: Supplies and Services Requests
F6: Conference/Travel Requests
F7: Technology and Other Equipment Requests
F8: Facilities
1516 program review FAO, draft 2014-11-17
Recap From Year One
Who We Are & Where We Have Been –
The Chabot Financial Aid Office (FAO) supports the college mission and strategic plan of assisting
students to reach their educational goal within a reasonable time by providing financial aid information
and support. We recognize that financial aid is vital to student access and retention, and a critical
component to ensure and facilitate student learning and success. That recognition has only been
strengthened each year. Our mission continues to be focused on service to students and stewardship of
funds, working with departments and divisions on campus to coordinate and provide services and
information to our students.
FAO staff provides advisement on financial and academic eligibility, determines potential and actual
eligibility, and awards and disburses financial aid funds to eligible students according to multiple layers
of federal, state and institutional mandates, regulations, policies and best practices. Application of
professional judgment is used when extenuating or unusual circumstances warrant a change to the
federal methodology or to make exceptions for a student’s failure to maintain satisfactory academic
progress. We have been compliant with complex administrative requirements for fund management,
including recalculation, student repayments and reconciliation, which are typical and frequent audit
findings elsewhere. When adequately staffed, we had no audit findings.
Federal programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG),
Federal Work Study (FWS), and Federal Student Loan programs. State programs include the California
Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver (BOG) program, Cal Grants B & C, Chafee Grant (for Foster Youth), and
state scholarship programs, such as Osher. 2013-14 saw the introduction of the CA Dream Act program
for undocumented students, and expansion of the BOG Fee Waiver program to AB540 students. As
required by Federal regulation, we must take into account and incorporate all educational funds a
student may receive from the institution or external third parties when determining a student’s financial
aid awards, including TRIO, EOPS, CalWorks, AmeriCorps, scholarships, etc.
The Financial Aid Office is comprised of the Director; the FA Systems Coordinator (an advanced
technical position that applies knowledge of financial aid regulations to implement, maintain, and
improve financial aid computer systems and processes); Student Services Specialist III (who handles
adjustments/abatements to awards and disbursements for changes to enrollment and eligibility, Return
to Title IV and Unofficial Withdrawals, and reconciliation of the multiple funds); six Student Services
Specialist II staff [who share front counter, processing, awarding, and correction of student files, student
advisement, review of Special Circumstances and Petitions for Reinstatement, as well as each
coordinates at least one of the funding programs (FWS, student loans, Cal Grant, posting of
scholarships/3rd party payments, Chafee, Dream Act, and required mass email communication)]; one
Student Services Specialist I [who works a greater number of hours at our front counter service and
phones, monitors the Board of Governor’s (BOG) Fee Waiver A&B applications, and provides support to
the staff and office]. A part time Administrative Assistant position is in process, to relieve the Director
and staff of many clerical and support tasks that would free them to concentrate on the responsibilities
they were hired and trained to do. We endeavor to hire staff that reflect our students, with particular
thoughtfulness in hiring bilingual staff to work with Chabot’s 35% Latino population.
The vital position of FA Outreach Liaison was created in 2004 and laid off in 2011; those duties
(assistance in community, especially local high schools, and on campus with applications, information,
regular website updates, mandated email and electronic communication) have largely been unfulfilled,
and the impact is addressed further in this document.
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YEAR TWO
A. What Progress Have We Made?
Our goals for Year One were simple. We would maintain basic services, and rebuild our office staffing
and training. Our focus was to maintain compliant and student centered services, specifically meeting
the required program and regulatory changes from both State and Federal sources. Our specific goal
and measurable outcome was to have more students complete their financial aid application correctly,
providing proper follow up in a timely manner, and reducing our processing time from 7-12 weeks to an
ideal 2-4 week period during most parts of the academic year. We planned to install a large lobby
monitor in Bldg 700 for more instant communication with our students.
Unfortunately, we did not achieve all of our goals. We provided increased staff training, and specifically
provided excellent training to our technical staff and district programmers (which also benefits LPC).
We were compliant with the myriad of federal/state program and regulatory changes, and we provided
basic required services to our students. Successful completion of our audit demonstrates that we met
that focus. We installed a 70” TV screen at the front of the lines where students queue up for Financial
Aid and Admissions & Records, using 100% financial aid categorical funding. This will help us to meet
our challenge to communicate more quickly with our students as things change seasonally, weekly,
daily, minute to minute, and to reduce the time waiting in line unnecessarily. While students are in line,
however, they are a captive audience, and we have the opportunity to share information with them
regarding critical dates, deadlines, reminders, disbursements/refund issues, etc., as well as to remind
students that much of what they have traditionally stood in line for can be accomplished online
themselves. This will free financial aid staff to spend more time with those students who cannot have
their needs met online, and who do need our attention.
However, we did not meet our specific goals to increase the number of students completing their
applications early and correctly, or providing follow up documents in a timely manner. As we were
unable to hire additional staffing as requested and sorely needed, we further were unable to reduce our
processing time, which directly and negatively impacts students. It is the end of October, and we are
still reviewing documents received at the end of August. This is unacceptable, but a reality with our
staffing levels. Five years ago, the Financial Aid Office had made great strides in managing the
increasing number of applicants with a strong, well-trained and cohesive team working together to
provide timely and accurate services to the campus and community. We were overwhelmed then. Now,
we have the same or more applicants, new required programs and increased regulations, one less staff
member, and we are stretched beyond our limits and often unable to meet our goals of timeliness and
accuracy. Mistakes are made more frequently, and we struggle to provide adequate and timely
advisement to students.



Changes in regulations continue to impact us and make our jobs more challenging and demanding
o Federal regulations have shifted workload to the local, school level with the same or greater
number of applicants
These same changes often result in more limited, or curtailed, student eligibility, which has
increased the need for student advisement.
We are doing everything we can to support our students who faced increased financial difficulties
during an historic economic recession, and who still struggle to recover from it
Important trends that impact our unit, and will continue to do so over the next years include same or
increased number of student applicants/served*, and increased regulations.
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•
The volume of student applicants has grown over the past several years, evening out more recently
o
o
o
o
o
1011
1112
1213
1314
1415
15,539 unduplicated*, 28,921 duplicated** applicants
16,372 unduplicated, 28,358 duplicated applicants
18,207 unduplicated, 32,422 duplicated applicants
17,004 unduplicated, 28,799 duplicated applicants
14,345 unduplicated, 24,342 duplicated applicants
(YTD 10/20/2014 – 8 months remaining, through 06/30/15)
*unduplicated = original or last ISIR/application per student
**duplicated = all ISIR/applications, including corrections made by staff
Regardless of how many classes students are offered, they will apply for financial aid, and federal
regulations require that we respond to them with a determination of eligibility. We have set deadlines
each semester (to submit documents, loan applications, academic appeals, etc) to assist students in
taking care of financial aid business before or earlier in the semester, to be best prepared for success,
and to manage our workload. Deadlines are posted directly on the documents themselves, and two
years after implementing this procedure, we have found that the deadlines help both students and staff.
As demonstrated in prior Program Review documents, we had high aspirations for improving technology
to provide information to students and improve the flow of verification between students and the
office. We had initiated regular use of email on campus to communicate with our students beginning
Summer 2010. One goal was to reduce the need for students to personally interact with office for
routine tasks (picking up documents, checking status of file, awards, or disbursements, or verifying selfcertified requirements), which would free processing staff the time to meet with students for
advisement, problem resolution, and managing the details, awarding and reporting of the many state
and federal programs we administer. We now must address the institutional need to require student
use of this college email system, as required by most other academic institutions. Then we must
market and educate students to fully take advantage of its benefits and great potential.
In April 2013, we hired a FA Systems Coordinator, a position which unfortunately is vacant once again.
However, during the short period it was filled, we saw how truly great a need the position is to the
office, campus and the district. The individual experienced the installation of two major, very lengthy
Banner upgrades, including regulations for new 150% limit for subsidized loans and extensive changes to
enrollment reporting requirements, and the implementation of two new aid years, with multiple
regulatory changes. She also helped complete the online BOG Fee Waiver application which had ground
to a halt in Spring 2011. We then transitioned to the Open CCCApply BOG Fee Waiver, a free product
offered by the State Chancellor’s Office, which will result in license savings, and save manual entry of
information by office staff. We estimated the need of nine months to a year just to reach a point of
normalcy and clean up after two years vacancy before we would once again be able to consider
implementing planned initiatives. The Systems Coordinator position allows us to maintain compliance
with ongoing systems issues, multiple federal and state regulatory changes, and to implement the
necessary technology to efficiently manage increased processing and awarding of federal and state
financial aid. This investment by Chabot College benefits students across the district, as it cannot help
but aid LPC processes as well, and lessens potential financial liability to the college and district.
With all the adversity, I continue to be most proud of the current staff in the Financial Aid Office. They
have taken on much more than they should have had to, just to maintain basic services. We have put
aside services that we know are valuable to students, and taken on new duties, to ensure that we
remain compliant and timely in providing the most critical of tasks. They endure harsh criticism by
students for circumstances well beyond their control and they support each other. Many work overtime,
spending countless hours investigating problems with technology and regulations, and are a truly
amazing team.
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B. What Changes Do We Suggest?
Staffing & Technology
The reinvestment of staff resources and maximizing the potential of technology for efficiency and
developing innovations remain our top priorities to improve the services we provide to our students and
campus/district. Adequate staffing and stronger use of technology to reduce the repetitive tasks
required in applying, processing and awarding of financial aid, would allow staff to devote more of their
valuable time to student advisement, communication and determination of eligibility.
There is an inadequate ratio of staff to student applicants. This is exponentially increased not just by the
number of students themselves, but the increased processing and correction requirements that come
with each student. One of our greatest challenges with regards to staffing trends has been a steady
volume of applicants but also increasing responsibilities due to new state and federal programs,
mandates and regulations, without a corresponding increase in staff to handle the workload. New
programs and regulations include:







CA Dream Act, providing BOG and Cal Grant to eligible undocumented AB540 students
Customized verification (currently six potential groups)
Federal Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) tracking, advisement and monitoring
PELL Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) tracking, advisement and monitoring
150% Subsidized Loan Limits
Default Prevention activities
Increased requirements for corrections: examples include corrections required for any discrepancy greater
than $25; if student failed to answer high school graduation status correctly; requiring additional verification if
a student/family had what could be considered insufficient income to live. All of these result in huge increase
in workload due to required follow up and corrections
o
o
Former tolerance had been $300 or greater; now reduced to $25 or greater;
Too many students not completing their HS graduation information correctly, which prevents disbursement of aid
until corrected.
Each time regulations change, and thus student eligibility, it requires a greater demand for student
advisement, as students do not understand why they may no longer be eligible, or the “rules” have
changed. As the cycles of registration and financial aid processing do not always coincide, we will always
have more students applying for aid and completing the process than will actually be able to attend
classes, especially when classes are limited. We still have an obligation to act upon the applications and
documentation provided as students attempt to receive financial aid, and communicate to the students
and college community along the way.
We simply spent more time on each file in 2013-14 than we did in 2010-11. We have barely sufficient
staffing to provide adequate (not excellent) advisement and services to potential and actual applicants.
If we cannot provide timely and strong advisement services to students, they will either not enroll, stop
attending, or they will be unsuccessful, lose eligibility and discontinue enrollment entirely.
1011
1112
1213
1314
# Staff / #students
10 : 15,539
7.5*: 16,372
9 : 18,207
8.5*: 17,004
(* vacancy half year)
Staff / Students
= 1:1,554
= 1:2,183
= 1:2,023
= 1:2,000
The increased workload due to multiple changes to federal and state financial aid programs, subsequent
additional advising requirements, and inability to implement technology initiatives, has resulted in
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increased errors, duplicative or unnecessary work, and potential fiscal liability. The loss of the Financial
Aid Outreach Liaison results in severely restricted communication with students and advisement (web,
email, phone, application assistance, etc.). The fact is, with current staffing working full time, and often
overtime, as of 10/24/14 we are reviewing and processing documents received six-seven weeks ago (the
last week of August 2014). That is simply unacceptable.
The FAO recognizes the value of early advisement and intervention in the financial aid application
process, to reduce complications and work at the back end of the process. Financial aid education and
information on campus and in the community has necessarily been minimal with the loss of the
Financial Aid Outreach Liaison, at a time when there is more critical information to share regarding
changing program criteria, etc. Additional processing staff is required to provide student advisement,
file review, and more rapid response on student eligibility, along with a senior, advanced position to
serve as lead processor due to increasing complexity of programs and regulations and unique student
situations. We are including 1 FTE Outreach & Communications, 2 FTE Student Services Specialist II, 1
FTE Student Services Specialist I, and 1 FTE Student Services Specialist III positions in our Request for
Classified Staffing.
We need to create a strategic workforce plan to keep up with changing needs, staff retention, and
turnover. Such a plan will help us be prepared for the inevitable turnover of trained, valued staff due to
retirement or movement of staff out of the office, but also hinges on the campus valuing the very
technical and broad financial aid skills and knowledge required of financial aid staff to support
reclassifications when appropriate for retention and to meet changing needs.
We must improve our technology to combat the increased workload, and achieve more efficiency,
specifically those technology initiatives that will help our office to work “smarter not harder”. If we are
able to achieve some of the technology enhancements we have identified, staff would be able to spend
more time providing the advisement that students need, and less time performing the current manual
review, awarding and communication required by federal and state financial aid programs/entities.
For example, in 2010, we determined our next focus was the expansion of student self-service options in
order to successfully complete their financial aid application and verification processes electronically,
automate the awarding process, and reduce the need for manual intervention and lengthy student lines.
A further step will be to implement the BDMS document management software. These will be huge and
intensive projects, but ones that could make a huge impact for both students and staff. With the layoff
of the Financial Aid Systems Coordinator position (Spring 2011), we were unable to pursue either of
these options. While the position was filled in Spring 2013, there was insufficient time to pursue, as
required Banner upgrades were unnecessarily lengthy, taking much of Spring and Summer 2014, and
delaying progress on any new initiatives. We plan to review these options again, once we bring new
staff up to speed, and we have the time to investigate further.
Additionally, in Spring 2011, the Financial Aid Outreach Liaison had regular web, email and written
communication with students and the campus at each step along the process of application, verification,
awarding and disbursement to help answer general questions and help students move along the
complicated path of the annual financial aid cycle. We had established three campaigns throughout the
year (fall, winter, spring) to provide information and application assistance at the front end of the
financial aid process, and were seeing significant improvements in timely and accurate applications.
She met regularly throughout the year with classes, campus cohorts, and high schools to provide
financial aid workshops and orientations. This dedicated proactive “outreach” assisted in reducing
students standing in line or calling with questions because we had begun to push that focused, strategic
information to them more regularly and effectively. She had developed relationships with various
groups on campus to combine our efforts with theirs to assist students on campus with financial aid
information and assistance, including but not limited to SSCC, Puente, Daraja, CalWorks, DSRC, EOPS,
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and Athletics. The dedicated investment up front resulted in smoother verification and awarding
processes later, for both students and staff.
In Spring of 2011, the FA Outreach Liaison position was laid off. We had to put aside the plans we had
developed, and concentrated instead on maintaining minimum services to provide financial aid awards
and disbursements to our students, in compliance with increasing federal and state regulations and
program changes. Creating a Financial Aid Outreach & Communications position is a priority for our
office, and should be for the campus, as a key and strategic position to address front end advisement.
We must re-evaluate our service delivery as we continue to face extraordinarily difficult challenges given
our current staffing levels and ever increasing workload, in order to be able to get funds to our students
in a timely manner, and to remain compliant with federal and state regulations. We continue to identify
policies and practices to streamline, improve or eliminate, and make changes when possible. We strive
to simplify our procedures and eliminate ‘red tape’ as much as possible while still ensuring compliance.
We will continue to invest resources when possible into the training of Financial Aid staff, and
appropriate ITS technical staff and programmers that support us, to ensure they have the best, most
updated training and information available to them. Consideration of an increased level of campus
financial support will enable us to continue to meet these challenges. We are prepared to share in the
cost of additional staff with categorical, administrative allowances, and funds earned by the Financial
Aid Office whenever possible. However, categorical funding cannot bear the load of adequate staffing.
Providing quality, timely financial aid services and programs to Chabot students must become a priority
for the Chabot campus.
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Appendix A: Budget History and Impact
Audience: Budget Committee, PRBC, and Administrators
Category
Classified Staffing (# of positions)
Supplies & Services
Technology/Equipment
Other
TOTAL
2014-15
Budget
Requested
5
0
0
0
5
2014-15
Budget
Received
0
0
0
0
0
2015-16
Budget
Requested
5
0
0
0
5
2015-16
Budget
Received
0
0
0
0
0
How has your investment of the budget monies you did receive improved student learning? When you
requested the funding, you provided a rationale. In this section, assess if the anticipated positive impacts you
projected have, in fact, been realized.
n/a – The FAO did not receive any requested positions or funding from last year’s program review. No positions
or new funds have been received in last four years from general division/district allocated funding.
1.
In August 2014, we were approved on a campus level to hire a 0.75 FTE Administrative Assistant II, utilizing
available categorical/general funds to fill that pressing need, which appears to be pending in HR. We are
anxious to advertise the position as soon as possible.
What has been the impact of not receiving some of your requested funding? How has student learning been
impacted, or safety compromised, or enrollment or retention negatively impacted?
“Chabot College serves a diverse population of 13,500 students in five major ethnic groups. Between 50 and 90
percent of each ethnic group are first generation college students. With the majority of each ethnic group also
starting community college at the Basic Skills level in both English and Math, our students need substantial
1
guidance and support to navigate through college to successful degree and transfer outcomes.”
2.
-
According to campus institutional research, over half (59%) of our F13 students are considered “low or very
low” income. 69% of students enrolled 6-11.5 units work (25% work between 21-34 hours per week, and
34% work 35 or more hours per week), 21% of our FT students work 21-34 hours, and 7% work 35+ hours
per week. We know that if many students could obtain and receive financial aid to assist with their
educational expenses, they would be able to reduce their work hours, focus on school, and be more
successful in their classes.
-
In Fall 2013, approximately 77% of African American, 62% of Asian, and 62% of Latino students applied for
financial aid. In that same term, approximately 59% African American, 48% Asian and 40% of Latino
students were awarded aid.
Chabot serves a low income, first generation, ethnically diverse, and educationally underserved population. We
must be able to provide financial aid services that meet their needs.
The Spring 2011 layoff of the Financial Aid Outreach Liaison has significantly impacted our ability to serve the
increased number of financial aid applicants, the campus, and our local community. We are unable to
adequately communicate the rapidly changing federal and state regulations in a timely manner, nor provide the
guidance and assistance necessary at the front end of the application process. We are unable to dedicate the
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http://www.chabotcollege.edu/IR/StudentCharacteristics/ChabotFacts-DiversityFirstGenAssessF13.pdf
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time needed to provide targeted messages to students. For example, with the number of vocational programs
Chabot offers, we could provide a far greater number of Cal Grant C awards than we do, with the dedicated time
needed to work with that student population.
The accuracy and timeliness of day to day financial aid services is severely impacted by the current staffing
levels. The number of applicants and considerable changes to federal and state regulations has increased the
workload of both processing and student advisement significantly. We are in need of additional staff to provide
both services to students and required processing adequately and in a timelier manner. Imagine the positive
impact on FYE, Daraja/Puente, DSRC, EOPS, Striving Black Brothers, athletes, and so many confused new
students on campus should we have the capacity to provide faster and complete financial aid services.
The increased responsibilities related to administration and reporting of financial aid programs have increasingly
made it impossible to manage without some dedicated clerical support with budget, timesheets, leave requests,
calendaring, meeting minutes, etc. We are awaiting district approval of a 0.75 FTE Administrative Assistant
position, for which we found categorical funding.
*Required Maintenance of Effort (MOE) to receive our state BFAP funds is $553,965. If we fail to meet the MOE,
there is a domino effect of lost funds, beginning with potential loss of up to $62,319 in 2% earned from BOG
program. (LPC lost theirs in 2011-12, and only regained the funding after committing to use in the Financial Aid
Office for future.) Further effect would be direct dollar for dollar loss of actual BFAP dollars, which would further
reduce financial aid staff, decimating the program.
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Appendix B1: Student Learning Outcomes and/or Service Area Outcomes
Assessment Reporting Schedule. Note: If your service area does not offer courses, skip the sections
related to courses (B2, B3, and/or other sections related to courses) and instead complete the Service Area
Outcome section below.
Service Area Outcomes:
Audience:
Purpose:
Instructions:
SLO/SAO
SLO #1:
Students will be able to apply
for financial aid
independently, online and on
time. This includes students
taking personal responsibility
for financial aid eligibility and
process, making informed
decisions and taking
appropriate action when
needed during the financial
aid application process.
SAO #1:
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.
How
Measured
Evaluate
numbers of
students
applying by
3/2 each
year.
Results/Discussion
HS freshmen and returning
students are increasingly
more apt to complete their
FAFSA application by 3/2
each year. Those who miss
that deadline often apply
before the end of the spring
semester.
Far fewer, however, follow
up with our office in a timely
manner to provide the
necessary paperwork to
complete their file and allow
us to determine their
eligibility. 7/1 is priority
deadline for first fall
disbursement.
Review of
office data
Review of awarded students
over past several years
shows that we have been
consistent with awarding
financial aid to students in a
fair and equitable manner.
10
Documentation (Where
can assessments be found?
Provide link if possible)
We pull data from Banner
and manually determine
how many students apply
by 3/2 each year.
It is much more difficult to
determine the number of
students who follow up
and respond to us in a
timely manner.
Using the number of
students disbursed on the
first Fall disbursement,
1213 –
1314 –
1415 –
(Please see Sections A & B
for complications to simple
annual comparison)
Appendix E: Proposal for New Initiatives (Complete for each new initiative)
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 our Strategic Plan. 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 both internal and external funding.
How does your initiative address the college's Strategic Plan goal, or significantly improve student learning?
Our focus for the upcoming academic year will be to continue our efforts to maintain compliant and student centered services, specifically in meeting the
required program and regulatory changes from both State and Federal sources. We do not require additional outside funding other than for staffing
requests, seen in Appendix F2. However, the staffing requests are vital to turning things around.
What is your specific goal and measurable outcome?
More students completing applications correctly and providing proper follow up in a timely manner, and reducing our processing time from 7-12 weeks to
2-4 weeks during most parts of the academic year.
What is your action plan to achieve your goal?
Activity (brief description)
Hire additional staffing in various positions in office – Potential
funding sources to combine with college funding:
Request full use of BFAP 2% funding each year.
Apply for funding from Student Equity plan to assist with hiring
of SSS2 and Outreach positions.
Apply for funding for future T5 or other initiative grants
Work on a more structured staffing plan, retention and turnover
plan
Target
Required Budget (Split out personnel, supplies, other categories)
Completion Date
Ongoing to
SSS1 (31) - $41,848 salary + $15,000 benefits
6/2015
SSS2 (34) - $45,107 salary + $15,800 benefits
SSS2 (34) - $45,107 salary + $15,800 benefits
SSS3 (37) - $48,594 salary + $17,000 benefits
Outreach Communications (37) - $48,594 salary + $17,000 benefits
6/2015
n/a
How will you manage the personnel needs?
New Hires:
Faculty # of positions
Classified staff # of positions 5
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):college
Will the proposed project require facility modifications, additional space, or program relocation?
11
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: Student Equity funding, fully assume campus allocated BFAP 2% funding
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Appendix F2: Classified Staffing Request(s) including Student Assistants [Acct. Category 2000]
Audience: Administrators, PRBC
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). Remember, student assistants are not to replace Classified Professional staff.
Instructions: Please justify the need for your request. Discuss anticipated improvements in student learning and contribution to the Strategic Plan goal, safety, mandates, and
accreditation issues. 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.
1. Number of positions requested: _5_
PLEASE LIST IN
RANK ORDER
STAFFING REQUESTS (2000) CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONALS
Position
Financial Aid Outreach & Communications
Specialist (formerly FA Outreach Liaison)
(1 FTE, Range 34)
Revision of former FAO position and
Counseling outreach position
Reports to Director
Two (2) Student Services Specialist II
(2 FTE, Range 34)
Not new position
Reports to Director
Classified Professional Staff (2000)
Description
Key and strategic position to addressing front end FA
advisement , information, & application assistance to
campus and community; primary source of communication
(print, web, electronic, social media, emails in and out of
office). This position is needed to dedicate time to targeted
messages and communication to campus cohorts to best aid
them and our office with necessary financial aid information
Basic required communication emails for missing
documents, awards and SAP are being performed by
one SSS2, which reduces the time she is able to put into
file review.
Website it nominally updated by Director
Minimal outreach workshops coordinated by Director,
and campus outreach shared by staff, reducing the time
they are able to put into file review
Assist with student advisement, processing and awarding of
aid, share in responsibilities for funding programs /
regulations (Cal Grant, Loans, Chafee, BOG, FWS, Dream
Act, Default Prevention activities, UEH, LEU, 150% loan
limits, etc)
Currently shared by staff, with inappropriately high
staff to student ratio workload plus program
responsibilities
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Program/Unit
Division/Area
Financial Aid
Student Services
Financial Aid
Student Services
Student Services Specialist I
(1 FTE, Range 31)
Not new position
Reports to Director
Dedicated to front counter, phone assistance and file
preparation
Currently shared by SSS1 and student assistants
Financial Aid
Student Services
Student Services Specialist III
(1 FTE, Range 37)
Adaption of current position
Reports to Director
Create new or reclassify position to serve as lead processor
to research, resolve and respond to more complex student
and policy issues.
Currently the Director is point person for more complex
cases; with reclass or new position, these would be
initiated by SSS3, who will confer with Director on more
“as needed” basis, and student files would not be
delayed due to Director’s workload
Financial Aid
Student Services
PLEASE LIST IN
RANK ORDER
STAFFING REQUESTS (2000) STUDENT ASSISTANTS
Position
N/A
Student Assistants (2000)
Description
We hire student assistants using FWS and BFAP funds
Program/Unit
Division/Area
2. Rationale for your proposal.
The Financial Aid Office asks for very little other funding or resources other than staffing support from the general fund. We have been very self-supporting,
with the use of categorical funding and administrative allowances, which are generated through the work of the staff, to augment the current College funding.
However, adequate staffing in Financial Aid is an institutional responsibility, and we continue to request that the campus recognize the need to provide funding
to hire and retain qualified, skilled classified professionals. We are in desperate need of additional staffing to provide necessary and mandated services to our
students that we cannot adequately provide now.
All staffing requests directly relate to our overall program goals of improving student success by providing students with advisement and aid to complete their
program of study. Our current staffing model with prior, new and increasing responsibilities and regulations has resulted in direct loss of student contact,
drastically increased response time to student inquiries and file review/awarding, and loss of integrity/accuracy. Staff are already spread too thin, and current
demands make them rush when they need to be accurate. Without direct support to the Director and office, we will never be able to get beyond putting out
fires and reacting, rather than strategically planning and being out in front of required new programs, regulations and best practices. Our students are not
being served as they should, and we need to provide them with appropriate services. We need adequate staffing to do so.
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3. Statements about the alignment with the strategic plan and program review are required. Indicate here any information from advisory
committees or outside accreditation reviews that is pertinent to the proposal.
These requested positions align directly with the 2012-15 Strategic Plan Goal to “increase the number of students that achieve their educational goal within a
reasonable time by clarifying pathways and providing more information and support”. The requested positions will absolutely help the FAO to bring
information and services more directly to the students, in concert with other services and efforts on campus. The suggested “message of the month” is an
example of what our requested Outreach/Communications position would perform in collaboration w/ overall marketing and messaging initiatives on campus.
Volume 2, Chapter 3, Page 2-36 of the 2014-15 Federal Student Aid Handbook expressly addresses the administrative staffing requirements for the Financial
Aid Office. As office structures and responsibilities vary from campus to campus across the country, there is no defined staff:student ratio given by the FSA
Handbook. (The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators does provide some staffing models and recommendations.) However, FSA
requires the following:
To manage a school’s aid programs effectively, the aid administrator must be supported by an adequate number of professional and clerical personnel. The
number of staff that is adequate depends on the number of students aided, the number and types of programs in which the school participates, the number
of applicants evaluated and processed, the amount of funds administered, and the type of financial aid delivery system the school uses. What may be
adequate at one school may be insufficient at another. The Department will determine on a case-by-case basis whether a school has an adequate number
of qualified persons, based on program reviews, audits, and information provided on the school’s application for approval to participate in the FSA
programs.
Schools must provide adequate financial aid counseling to all enrolled and prospective students and their families. In addition, schools must also provide
entrance and exit counseling for student borrowers in the Perkins and Direct Loan programs.
We do not want a Federal Financial Aid audit or program review finding to tell us that we are not adequately staffed.
Please consider an alternate example of FAO staffing. Modesto Jr. College had 26,969 financial aid applicants and 8,687 Pell recipients in 2013-14. They do not
offer student loans, but do have a scholarship program. They have 17 total staff, including the Director, and their turnaround on student paperwork is less
than two weeks throughout most of the year. Ratio of processing staff to students is 1:1926. They are open to students from 8am – 430pm Monday – Friday.
one administrative assistant,
three equivalent to our Student Services Specialist I (SSS1)
eight equivalent to our Student Services Specialist II (SSS2)
one equivalent to our SSS2, dedicated to Dream Act students
one equivalent to our SSS3 (accounting/R2T4)
one equivalent to our SSS3, dedicated to academic appeals and PJ
one equivalent to our SSS2, dedicated to scholarships.
Chabot, with nine staff plus the director, had 17,000 applicants and 3,873 Pell recipients. We provided over $21 million in grants, loans, BOG, EOPS and
scholarships to 11,342 students. Our processing staff to student ratio is 1:2833. We are at 6-9 weeks processing time from May through October, and again in
January-February, from the time students turn in verification documents until the time we can tell students their eligibility and disburse appropriate funds. We
have severely restricted front counter hours due to processing demands and workload. Just think of how many more Chabot students we could provide with
financial aid if we had the resources to do so (IR data indicates 25% of African American, 37% of Asian and Latino, and 58% of White students do not even apply
for financial aid.) Which school is providing better financial aid services to students?
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Appendix F5: Supplies & Services Requests [Acct. Category 4000 and 5000]
Audience: Administrators, Budget Committee, PRBC
Supplies Requests [Acct. Category 4000]
Instructions:
1. There should be a separate line item for supplies needed and an amount.
For items purchased in bulk, list the unit cost and provide the total in the "Amount" column.
2. Make sure you include the cost of tax and shipping for items purchased.
Priority 1: Are critical requests required to sustain a program (if not acquired, program may be in peril) or to meet mandated requirements of local,
state or federal regulations or those regulations of a accrediting body for a program.
Priority 2: Are needed requests that will enhance a program but are not so critical as to jeopardize the life of a program if not
received in the requested academic year.
Priority 3: Are requests that are enhancements, non-critical resource requests that would be nice to have and would bring additional benefit to the program.
2014-15
2015-16
Request
needed totals in all areas Request
Requested
Received
Description
Amount
Supplies and services are
paid for out of the BFAP and
administrative allowance
funding we earn. No division
/ district funding has been
requested in the past eleven
years.
0
0
Vendor
0
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Division/Unit
Priority #1
Priority #2
Priority #3
Contracts and Services Requests [Acct. Category 5000]
Instructions:
1.
There should be a separate line item for each contract or service.
2.
Travel costs should be broken out and then totaled (e.g., airfare, mileage, hotel, etc.)
Priority 1: Are critical requests required to sustain a program (if not acquired, program may be in peril) or to meet mandated requirements of local,
state or federal regulations or those regulations of a accrediting body for a program.
Priority 2: Are needed requests that w ill enhance a program but are not so critical as to jeopardize the life of a program if not received in the requested
academic year.
Priority 3: Are requests that are enhancem ents, non-critical resource requests that would be nice to have and would bring additional benefit to the
program.
augm entations only
Description
Supplies and services are paid for
out of the BFAP and administrative
allowance funding we earn. No
division / district funding has been
requested in the past 11 years.
Amount
0
Vendor
Division/Unit
17
Priority #1
Priority #2
Priority #3
Appendix F6: Conference and Travel Requests [ Acct. Category 5000]
Audience: Staff Development Committee, Administrators, Budget Committee, PRBC
Purpose: To request funding for conference attendance, and to guide the Budget and Staff Development Committees in allocation of funds.
Instructions: Please list specific conferences/training programs, including specific information on the name of the conference and location. Note
that the Staff Development Committee currently has no budget, so this data is primarily intended to identify areas of need that could perhaps be
fulfilled on campus, and to establish a historical record of need. Your rationale should discuss student learning goals and/or connection to the
Strategic Plan goal.
Description
Amount
The Financial Aid Office must
participate in training
throughout the year to keep
abreast of ever-changing
federal and state programs and
regulations, and Banner
updates. Conference and
training expenses are paid for
out of the BFAP and
administrative allowance
funding we earn. No division /
district funding has been
requested in the past 12 years.
0
Vendor
Priority Priority Priority
Division/Dept
#1
#2
#3
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Notes
Appendix F7: Technology and Other Equipment Requests [Acct. Category 6000]
Audience: Budget Committee, Technology Committee, Administrators
Purpose: To be read and responded to by Budget Committee and to inform priorities of the Technology Committee.
Instructions: Please fill in the following as needed to justify your requests .If you're requesting classroom technology, see
http://www.chabotcollege.edu/audiovisual/Chabot%20College%20Standard.pdf for the brands/model numbers that are our current standards. If requesting multiple pieces of
equipment, please rank order those requests. Include shipping cost and taxes in your request.
Instructions:
1. For each piece of equipment, there should be a separate line item for each piece and an amount. Please note: Equipment requests are for
equipment whose unit cost exceeds $200. Items which are less expensive should be requested as supplies. Software licenses should also be requested as supplies.
For bulk items, list the unit cost and provide the total in the "Amount" column.
2. Make sure you include the cost of tax and shipping for items purchased.
Priority 1: Are critical requests required to sustain a program (if not acquired, program may be in peril) or to meet mandated requirements of local,
state or federal regulations or those regulations of a accrediting body for a program.
Priority 2: Are needed requests that w ill enhance a program but are not so critical as to jeopardize the life of a program if not received in the
requested academic year.
Priority 3: Are requests that are enhancem ents, non-critical resource requests that would be nice to have and would bring additional benefit to the
program.
Description
Amount
Replacement armless, ergonomic task
stools for Front Counter staffing
Keyboard trays – this option had been
determined unnecessary when we first
moved into Bldg 700; however after
4.5 years, it has become a health issue
for staff working at their desks for 8
hours per day.
2 x $~750
Vendor
KI
Division/Unit
Chabot Financial Aid Office
10 x $450
KI
Chabot Financial Aid Office
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Priority #1
x
Priority #2
x
Priority #3
Appendix F8: Facilities Requests
Audience: Facilities Committee, Administrators
Purpose: To be read and responded to by Facilities Committee.
Background: Following the completion of the 2012 Chabot College Facility Master Plan, the Facilities Committee (FC) has begun the task of re-prioritizing Measure B Bond
budgets to better align with current needs. The FC has identified approximately $18M in budgets to be used to meet capital improvement needs on the Chabot College campus.
Discussion in the FC includes holding some funds for a year or two to be used as match if and when the State again funds capital projects, and to fund smaller projects that will
directly assist our strategic goal. The FC has determined that although some of the college's greatest needs involving new facilities cannot be met with this limited amount of
funding, there are many smaller pressing needs that could be addressed. The kinds of projects that can be legally funded with bond dollars include the "repairing, constructing,
acquiring, equipping of classrooms, labs, sites and facilities." Do NOT use this form for equipment or supply requests.
Instructions: Please fill in the following as needed to justify your requests .If requesting more than one facilities project, please rank order your requests.
Brief Title of Request (Project Name): n/a
Building/Location:
Description of the facility project. Please be as specific as possible.
What educational programs or institutional purposes does this equipment support?
Briefly describe how your request relates specifically to meeting the Strategic Plan Goal and to enhancing student learning?
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