Enrollment Services Program Plan June 2012 Tama Bolton, Director Table of Contents Enrollment Services ................................................................................................................. 3 Department Description…………………………………………………………………………………………3 Goals of Enrollment Services .......................................................................................................... 3 Student Success……………………………………………………………………………………………....………4 Review of Accomplishments ........................................................................................................... 4 Program Directions and Recommendations ............................................................................ 5 Financial Aid ............................................................................................................................... 6 Office Description and Mission…………………………………………………………………....………….6 Student Success ................................................................................................................................... 7 FASO Budget ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Review of Accomplishments ........................................................................................................ 10 Program Directions and Recommendations ......................................................................... 11 Admissions & Records ......................................................................................................... 12 Office Description and Mission ................................................................................................... 12 Student Success ................................................................................................................................ 13 A&R Budget ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Review of Accomplishments ........................................................................................................ 17 Program Directions and Recommendations ......................................................................... 17 Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 18 ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 2 Enrollment Services Office Description In July 2012 Cabrillo initiated a pilot program of Enrollment Services designed to integrate operations of the offices of Admissions & Records (A&R) and Financial Aid & Scholarships (FASO). This plan was approved to become permanent in January 2013. The leadership structure includes a Director of Enrollment Services and assistant directors in each office. (See appendices A and B). Although each office has its unique function there are functions common between the offices, which are strengthened by working as a larger team. Mission and Values In the coming year, the Enrollment Services group will define its mission and values. Goals of the Enrollment Services • • • • • Maximize services to students and streamline processes when possible. Increase the use of technology to enable Staff to be more efficient and effective with general student service and spend more time with students in need of extra attention/instruction/support. Increase Staff members’ knowledge of all aspects of Enrollment Services through collective meetings, joint professional education, and eventual crosstraining within functional areas. Increase Enrollment Services’ potential to meet the Santa Cruz County Commitment goals through the use of technology and personalized service to individual students in need. Ensure consistency in attention to policy and procedures for the Watsonville and Aptos campuses while providing necessary services for the unique students of either campus. Campus Relationships When staff of A&R and Financial Aid work with students and learn of their needs, they are knowledgeable of campus resources and refer students to offices such as the Bookstore, Counseling, EOPS/DSPS, Assessment, the College Bank, Student Employment, Student Affairs, the Veterans Center, Health Services, Learning Communities, Tutoring services, Student Government and Clubs; computer, math, writing and language labs. Since so much of the operations of A&R and Financial Aid are technology based the Information Technology (IT) Department is an integral campus collaboration for the telephone, internet and database systems. We are fortunate to have strong working relations and maintain ongoing communications between departments. The role of the Financial Aid and A&R Technology Specialists are to ensure that the technical aspects of the office operations are handled in-house such as hardware, software, the website, etc. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 3 However, for special projects, system upgrades and higher levels of programming needs, the Technology Specialists each have a point person in IT. Student Success Students benefit from the informed staff now that the two departments are working closely together. In the coming year, the group will determine an appropriate Enrollment Services learning outcome for the students. Enrollment Services Budget During 2012-2013, a portion of the budgets from A&R and FASO will be blended for general operational items such as office supplies and equipment contracts. However, due to the unique nature of each office, separate budgets will be maintained. Review of Accomplishments With the transition of the past year, many lessons have been learned and many opportunities still present themselves. The 2011-2012 year has been one of significant time spent on introspection of both offices, exploring commonalities while also considering options for the future due to the impacts of budget reductions. Enrollment Services Staff Retreat (January 20, 2012)—Staff of both offices were involved in a full day team building retreat where discussions were geared toward evaluating the systems utilized by both offices, identify differences and opportunities for improvement. Stakeholder Input Gathering Session (February 24, 2012)—Staff attended an afternoon meeting to consider campus and departmental goals while also engaging in group discussions about how various tasks and duties might be impacted if there were reductions of positions. Observations were made and suggestions provided about items that could be discontinued, possible electronic solutions, and processes streamlined. Weekly Enrollment Services staff meetings are held to ensure that all are informed of campus and office related items. For the past two semesters the Enrollment Services staff and other closely interrelated Student Service offices have met to update one another on pertinent changes in the respective offices that others need to know. The group determined to continue doing this by mid-term each semester. Trainings are held each month, either as separate offices or Enrollment Services, to provide ongoing professional development and informative sessions to stay abreast of policy and procedure updates. Also, several staff attended computer trainings provided by the Cabrillo Extension in order to improve their computer skills. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 4 Program Directions and Recommendations As a result of the discussions at the retreat and Stakeholder Input Gathering Session many suggestions for change were proposed and are being considered. The following are those of highest priority. Services to Students at the Counter—One common aspect to each office on either campus is providing services to students at a counter. This topic was addressed to determine if any aspects could be combined, streamlined or revised. It was discovered that there is a lack of continuity in levels of service and information provided to students, it is difficult to keep up on ever changing policies/procedures, and there are concerns about inconsistent practices and systems for maintaining privacy for students. Plans: • Improve services to students at the counter— o Improved lighting in the A&R counters; in progress, Maintenance contacted (May 2012). o Ensure consistency in policy, procedure and practice Re-class A&R Assistants and FA Program Specialists as Enrollment Service Specialists and cross-train to assist students with services for both areas. Pilot this model in Watsonville; gather ongoing feedback to determine feasibility for Aptos (July 1, 2012) o Implement a Q&A site on the campus intranet with current policies and procedures for Student Services staff to use to stay abreast. (Spring 2013) • Improve practices for ensuring privacy for students (on the phone and at counter). o Consider options for counter space configuration to better ensure privacy in progress, Maintenance contacted (May 2012). o Encourage students to meet with Advisors in the Advising Room for more confidential topics; ongoing. o Provide training and tools for staff and student assistants about FERPA Update the BP/AR to reflect revised 2012 FERPA regulations (June 2012) Establish a standard policy for both offices in reference to providing information about students on the phone and in person. (June 2012) Train staff and student assistants with tools for implementation; establish timeline for ongoing training. (July 2012; to be done annually) ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 5 Financial Aid Office Description The Cabrillo Financial Aid and Scholarships Office(FASO) operates as a department of the Student Services component under the direction of the Vice President of Student Services with offices on the Aptos and Watsonville campuses. FASO is committed to providing financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, work-study and scholarships to all eligible students in a manner that is in compliance with federal and state regulations as well as district policy. Mission Our mission is to forge a partnership with our students, in order to provide financial assistance to fund their vision of success in their academic and professional goals and for lifelong learning. Values Our commitment is to offer professional, knowledgeable service with dedication, integrity and respect for all people and cultures. Financial Aid goes the extra mile to finance priceless educational opportunities thereby enhancing our community and the world. Goal of the office The goal of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office is to provide services and tools for Cabrillo students who apply for financial aid so that they will successfully complete the application process and meet deadlines. Campus Relationships College components with closely related office functions to FASO with overlapping or inter-component collaborations include: Other Campus Component Counseling Payroll/Business Services College Bank Assessment Faculty Student Employment Student Affairs Cabrillo Foundation Collaborations with FASO Student matters such as Education Plans, Maximum time limitations, clarification of regulations and procedures. Staff & student payroll; office budget; processing and reconciliation of award, categorical and scholarships funds. Processing of student aid; refunds to students via HigherOne Matters pertaining to Ability to Benefit Tracking student attendance, student progress reports Coordination of efforts for Work Study program Emergency loans for students; disruptive student issues Routing of funds, awarding and processing Scholarships ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 6 Other campus offices the FASO interacts with in the course of their work include: Fast Track to Work, EOPS, Health Services, Campus Sheriff, the Veterans Center, International Student Coordinator, Honors Program, Athletic Programs, and Outreach. Student Success Financial Aid and Scholarship Office’s Student Learning Outcome: Students who apply for financial aid will be able to complete the application process and meet deadlines. Assessment of SSLO When a student fills out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) they have the option to list up to ten colleges or universities that they are interested in attending. Therefore, a college will have applications submitted for those considering attending and those whose actually enroll. An incomplete application is rejected but the college has the option of following through with the applicant to inform them of the steps required for completion. In the 2008-2009 school-year , FASO made the commitment to send emails to inform and encourage all applicants to finish the steps required. Statistics gathered The statistics utilized for assessment include the number of applications received, those who enrolled at Cabrillo and applications completed. Also included are the numbers of rejected applications, emails sent to those applicants and the number of those completed. Results Students Registered Applications Received Financial Aid Applicant + Enrolled Emails sent about rejected applications* Rejected Applications Resolved Unfinished Rejected Applications Completed Files 2008-9 24,352 7,639 5,890 759 588 171 4,167 2009-10 22,330 9,438 989 621 368 5,098 2010-11 21,233 10,691 7,897 1,649 1,042 607 4,880 *Email reminders are sent to students with a rejected application until issues are resolved. Outstanding areas based on the results • The US Department of Education continues to make the FAFSA more userfriendly (i.e. smart functionality, IRS tax data retrieval tool to import income tax data into the application) which makes it easier for students to fill out the application and provides more accurate data thus ensuring more successful submission of completed applications. In many instances, this has eliminated the need for students to submit more documentation to the college, which speeds up the award time. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 7 • • Students who wanted to be considered for financial aid but whose application was incomplete, were able to complete the process and be awarded the aid for which they were eligible. As part of the yearly award process, the FASO incorporates an ongoing evaluation of services when making plans for the next years’ procedure manual, training manuals for student assistants, electronic forms, instructions to students, website and publication information in the Process Committee. This Committee consists of representatives of the office from each campus (Watsonville & Aptos) and a staff member from each job classification for the office (Assistant Manager, Technology Specialist, Financial Aid Advisor and Financial Aid Program Specialist). Throughout the year committee members are conscious of finding ways to improve their interaction with students by email, on the phone, at the counter and FAFSA workshops and seek feedback from other staff in order to make revisions to improve services and clarify directions. Student needs revealed or areas requiring attention • In keeping with the improvements to the FAFSA, the FASO sees an opportunity to also improve its automated awarding process. • In 2011-2012 there were numerous new regulations passed impacting, and in some cases limiting, aid available to students changing many aspects of the financial aid process. Although this adds more information for those new to financial aid, returning students are now faced with new realities making the process more complicated than before. • It is important that staff are confident using the tools available to them to assist student and fully aware of the policies which they are required to enforce and inform students about. Staff development opportunities could be strengthened to ensure that the office's Student Learning Outcome remains part of the focus of trainings. Areas to improve in order to promote student learning and services Plans Next Steps Timeline and any Costs 1. Implement an earlier and more automated award process. Determine award packages earlier. Past award periods began in late July, early August. Start processing awards in June June 2012 Start processing awards in April April 2013 ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 8 Plans Further automate the awarding process Next Steps Timeline and any Costs Work with a Datatel consultant to review current setup to ensure that the system is functioning at full capacity; and obtain necessary training on automation methods. June 2012; $4,000 Implement necessary changes; train staff. July 2012 2. Improve forms, instructions and documents for students. Provide details of all new regulations for students so they will be aware of them and understand how they are impacted during their time at Cabrillo and beyond since the regulations are nationwide for all levels. Post details about the new regulations in publications and on the website. Spring 2012 When available from the Dept. of ED, inform and teach students to use the new tool to monitor their status toward their lifetime Pell limit. As soon as possible 3. Strengthen support services to ensure student learning Create an “Employee Learning Outcome” and appropriate assessment measurements that are complementary to the “Student Learning Outcome” to use as a foundation for more purposeful staff development and trainings. Include staff in the development of the outcome and assessment tools. July 2012 Plan trainings and development opportunities August 2012 Implement and assess trainings Ongoing Assess the ELO annually July 2013, etc. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 9 FASO Budget General Fund Budget for 2011-2012: Categorical Fund Budget for 2011-2012: Total Operation Budget: $578,359 $391,933 $970,292 Review of Accomplishments • • • • • • • • • • • • • Better trained student assistants Cross training of specific programs has provided helpful backup FASO is enjoying more campus visibility and being involved in campus conversations Long lines were once a year around feature, now only certain points in a semester Office communications and planning have improved with use of shared calendars, scheduling and messaging tools Outreach materials and presentation are better structured Procedural manuals are greatly improved Processes have been streamlined and we continue to seek ways to further streamline Several efforts are in place to ensure a student’s privacy during communication in the office setting Significantly reduced paper use, great strides towards a paperless office operation Staff has a better overall knowledge of the workings of the office Technology resources available for students—computers in the lobby, scanner for students, messages sent using Facebook and Twitter Working closer with A&R has improved understanding of shared responsibilities and awareness of overlapping policies and procedures ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 10 Program Directions and Recommendations To ensure that all aspects of the FASO operations are in compliance with federal regulations we will be utilizing assessment tools available to help schools with compliance and improvement activities. Developed in collaboration with the Deptartmentof Education and financial aid professionals, the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Assessments contain links to applicable laws and regulations and a guide to thorough review. The following assessments will be conducted in the 2012-2013 school year and every other year thereafter or when new regulations are released. • • • • • • Creating policies and procedural manuals Automation Consumer Information Default prevention and management Fiscal Management Institutional Eligibility • • • • • • Return of Title IV Funds Student Eligibility Satisfactory Academic Progress Verification Federal Work Study FSEOG Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 11 Admissions & Records Office Description The A&R office oversees the registration process and maintains academic records for current and former students in accordance with the provisions of federal and state regulations and professional standards. Graduation petitions and eligibility reviews are conducted as per deadlines outlined in the academic calendar. A&R is also a point of contact to answer questions or provide information for faculty, counselors, staff and administrators. Mission A&R is dedicated to providing an open door to student success. Through ongoing training, and with the assistance from technology, we strive to deliver timely and exceptional service, with friendliness and sensitivity, to our diverse community. Values We are committed to imparting a high level of respect for others and creating and maintaining records with accuracy and confidentiality. Goal of the office It is the goal of the Admissions & Records Office to provide assistance and information for students to utilize WebAdvisor to enroll in courses and track academic progress. Campus Relationships College components with closely related office functions for A&R with overlapping or inter-component collaborations include: Other Campus Component Counseling Payroll/Business Services College Bank Assessment Faculty Student Employment Student Affairs Articulation Collaborations with A&R Daily interactions regarding student situations, clarification of policies and procedures for either area; transfer; prerequisites; mutual use of student transcripts. Staff & student payroll; office budget; Apportionment Reporting; Student fees; refunds to students via HigherOne Matriculation and placement score matters; coordination of Running Start event Providing assistance with registration, grade posting and census rosters, addressing student issues. Arrangements for A&R Student Assistants Parking permits, disruptive student issues, student hearings, Course articulation ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 12 Allied Health Programs Evaluators provide a service of evaluation of transcripts for program applicants. Other campus offices A&R interacts with in the course of their work: EOPS, DSPS, Fast Track to Work, Transfer Center, Health Services, Campus Sheriff, the Veterans Center, International Student Coordinator, Honors Program, Athletic Programs, and Outreach. Student Success A&R Student Learning Outcome: Students will utilize services provided by WebAdvisor to enroll in courses and track academic progress. Although there was a time when a student depended solely upon the staff of the office Admissions & Records to perform enrollment tasks for them technology has provided an opportunity for Cabrillo students to be substantially more self-sufficient. In some instances, the technology available to our students is not at the level they expect based upon their personal interactions with technology in other aspects of their lives and yet we also work with students completely unfamiliar with technology who require assistance learning to navigate electronic forms and systems. Knowing this, we continually strive to develop methods in order to provide the support necessary to accommodate the full spectrum of students as we teach our students what they need in order to meet the requirements of this aspect of being a student. WebAdvisor is the name of the portal through which students register for or drop courses, review their grades, update their contact information, and pay their fees. Assessment of SSLO Assessment of the SSLO included utilizing the statistics from information system (Datatel) which indicates the of percentage of students who enrolled in courses by using WebAdvisor; questions submitted by students through the interactive web question and answer feature; and ongoing feedback from internet users of the Cabrillo website. Statistics gathered The statistics below show the percentage of registrations performed by the student utilizing WebAdvisor. Up until the spring of 2010, students had the option of registering using a telephone registration system called Hawk Talk or online with WebAdvisor in addition to the option of A&R staff doing their registration for them. So, at this point the only enrollments that aren't input through the web by the students are exceptions. For instance: noncredit labs and in-service class registrations are added by staff; issues like schedule conflicts, petition for repeat exceptions, late add petitions, etc. must be added by staff; and occasionally staff elect to enroll a student instead of guiding them through the registration process. These statistics are on enrollments. There are multiple enrollments per student. It is likely that nearly all students registered in at least one class through the web. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 13 Results % using Web Advisor 8% 14% 17% Term 2004 Fall 2005 Winter 2005 Spring 2005 Summer 18% 2005 Fall 2006 Winter 2006 Spring 2006 Summer Notes Term New version of WebAdvisor 2008 Summer 2008 Fall 2009 Winter % using Web Advisor 43% 48% 54% 2009 Spring 54% 27% 27% 26% 30% 2009 Summer 2009 Fall 2010 Winter 2010 Spring 58% 58% 63% 51% 2006 Fall 35% 2010 Summer 74% 2007 Winter 2007 Spring 2007 Summer 2007 Fall 2008 Winter 2008 Spring 2008 Summer 41% 39% 37% 36% 25% 43% 43% 2010 Fall 2011 Winter 2011 Spring 2011 Summer 2011 Fall 2012 Winter 2012 Spring 82% 78% 87% 87% 90% 98% 94% Notes Hawk Talk discontinued Feedback from internet users—Campus policies, procedures, and registration information is available in print in the Schedule of Classes and Catalog or electronically on the Cabrillo website. There are two interactive tools on the website which students may use to ask questions or provide feedback and are tools for A&R to gauge areas of strength or weakness in order to revise the website. The Cabrillo Q&A page is a custom site, which provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions and an opportunity for students to submit additional questions. An A&R representative answers the questions which are added to the database of questions. Available reports provide details on usage, most popular questions, most recent questions and unanswered questions. The following information is on usage of the Q&A site for A&R, Counseling and Financial Aid combined as of May 2012 since implementation in October 2011. Q&A Usage Stats Description Visits Total Response Views Question Searches Response Views From Searches Questions Submitted Value 4182 4080 599 177 160 Web users also have the option of commenting on the format of the website in general ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 14 or specific pages. On each webpage is an option to leave feedback on whether or not the page was helpful. Users are asked the primary reason for their visit, may select a series of options summarizing their experience and are invited to leave comments or suggestions. Outstanding areas based on the results • The role of A&R staff has changed from doing things for students to teaching them to navigate the systems available on the campus website and in WebAdvisor. In order to do this, staff can provide assistance to students on the phone as students use computers off campus, or in the office lobby walking them through internet pages. • The website is an effective information tool for students. The Q&A site is especially helpful since the offices of A&R, Financial Aid and Counseling also are providing answers. Student needs revealed or areas requiring attention • Currently there are practices which cause a delay in a student’s registration that and could be improved by providing registration related information directly on WebAdvisor. • There is potential to increase the percentage of registrations completed by students on WebAdvisor. • In order for our students to learn to be successful, staff need to be fully prepared and knowledgeable about processes and policies with a focus on student learning in order to provide a maximum level of service. Areas to improve in order to promote student learning and services Plan Next Steps Timeline and any costs 1. Increase information available to students in WebAdvisor to further encourage self sufficiency and prevent delays in registration. The assigned time and date that a student is permitted to register will be available on WebAdvisor. Students with holds on their accounts will see details of the hold and information on who to contact to resolve the hold. Meet with IT to determine level of assistance needed to make this happen and submit the required Charter (service request) These two items are on the IT priority list. We are patiently awaiting for them to rise to resolution. Complete the A&R required tasks as assigned by IT ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 15 2. Increase the percentage of registrations completed in WebAdvisor and reduce the number of registrations done by exception. Expand WebAdvisor orientation sessions to offer to all students, not only at annual Running Start event Coordinate with Counseling to facilitate sessions Create assessment measures to assess effectiveness Conduct the sessions Phase 1—online applications Fall 2012; No funds but staff time; Fall 2012 Phase 2—online registration Fall 2013; No funds but staff time; Explore the possibilities of creating options for automated wait list and late add registrations. Consultation with Cabrillo IT and possibly Datatel Fall 2014; Costs to be determined based on local ability. Computer monitors at A&R service window for staff to show students how to navigate website for simple scenarios. Revisit configuration of counter space/setup. Purchase monitor and hardware for dual monitor. Pilot in Watsonville; Summer 2012; $1,500. Provide outreach opportunities for in-service classes to teach participants how to apply and register online. Spring 2013 Fall 2012; No funds but staff time; 3. Strengthen support services to ensure student learning Create an “Employee Learning Outcome” and appropriate assessment measurements that are complementary to the “Student Learning Outcome” to use as a foundation for more purposeful staff development and trainings. Include staff in the development of the outcome and assessment tools. July 2012 Plan staff trainings and development opportunities with both ELO and SSLO as focus August 2012 Implement and assess trainings Ongoing Assess the ELO annually July 2013, etc. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 16 A&R Budget General Fund Budget for 2011-2012: $867,398 Review of Accomplishments • • • • • Implementation of technology solutions since last Program Review o WebAdvisor providing faculty the ability to submit grades online and students to register and track their progress. o Online Add Codes for permission to add classes online without standing in line. o Implementation of the ability to drop courses, student and faculty. o Online enrollment and degree verifications Concensus from the Staff: “When there’s a storm, we always pull together” (WebAdvisor crashes; Running Start, etc.) Strong campus knowledge base and history amongst staff. Response time to inquiries and processing has greatly improved Commendable attention to State regulations and flexibility in responding to and implementing ongoing revisions. Program Directions and Recommendations • • • • • Utilizing professional resources, conduct self assessment of various aspects of A&R operations— o Records and Transcript Guide 2011 (AACRAO); currently in process with a goal for completion by the end of 2012. o Records Retention Guide (AACRAO); to be completed by Spring 2013. o A&R Self Audit (AACRAO); to be completed by Fall 2013. Implement a similar method of evaluating services, processes and forms similar to the FASO’s Process Committee. o Will begin July 2012 Pursue opportunities to educate faculty and staff from other offices about pertinent A&R information. o Conduct a Flex workshop each semester; plans in place for Fall 2012. Explore opportunities to maximize use of the phone system and create solutions to maintain and improve the management of the level of daily telephone traffic. o Work with IT to plan details; phase one to be implemented by July 2012 Implementation of technology solutions o Online transcript requests by June 2012 o Online transcripts by December 2012 o Document imaging in place and functioning by June 2013 o Revised CCCApply online application by June 2013 ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 17 Appendix A: Organization Chart; Current arrangement ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 18 Appendix B: Organization Chart; Phase 2 is the plan for revision in 2012-2013. ENROLLMENT SERVICES PROGRAM PLAN 19