Student Services Department SSLO Assessment Analysis Form
Use the form below to summarize the results of the department meeting in which you discussed the results of your SSLO
assessment.
Department
Financial Aid
Meeting Date
Friday, June 8, 2012
Number of Staff
participating;
% of department
SSLOs measured
10 FA staff participating; 83% of FA portion of the Department.
As the Department of Enrollment Services, both A&R and Financial Aid’s SSLO’s were reviewed in
the same meeting; however, these numbers reflect only the Financial Aid staff represented.
Students who apply for financial aid will be able to complete the application process and meet
deadlines.
Assessment Tool
Data from Colleague (aka Datatel) indicating status of FAFSA applications.
Assessment
Analysis
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 begin the process of sending emails to inform and encourage all
applicants to finish the steps required.
Results:
2008-9
2009-10
2010-11
Students Registered
24,352
22,330
21,233
Applications Received
7,639
9,438
10,691
Financial Aid Applicant + Enrolled
5,890
6,324
7,897
Emails sent about rejected applications*
759
989
1,649
Rejected Applications Resolved
588
621
1,042
Unfinished Rejected Applications
171
368
607
Completed Files
4,167
5,098
4,880
*Email reminders are sent to students with a rejected application until issues are resolved.
Student Needs and Other Issues:
• 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.
• 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.
Complementing the process:
• The US Department of Education continues to make the FAFSA more user- friendly (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.
Next Steps
&
Timeline for
Implementation
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.
Plans
Further automate the
awarding process
Start processing awards in June
Start processing awards in April
Next Steps
June 2012
April 2013
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
Include staff in the development of
July 2012
Outcome” and appropriate
assessment measurements
that are complementary to
the “Student Services
Learning Outcome” to use as
a foundation for more
purposeful staff development
and trainings.
the outcome and assessment tools.
Plan trainings and development
opportunities
August 2012
Implement and assess trainings
Ongoing
Assess the ELO annually
July 2013, etc.