Going the Distance
Financial Aid for On-line and
Distance Learning
Thomas J. Dalton,
Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management
Excelsior College
Excelsior College History
 1971 – The Regents External Degree Program is
established by the Board of Regents of The University of
the State of New York
 1977 – The Regents External Degree Program earns
accreditation by the Commission on Higher Education of
the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
 1984 – Regents External Degree Program changes its
name to Regents College Degrees.
 1998 – The College separates from the Board of
Regents, becoming an independent College with its own
charter and Board of Trustees
 2001 – New name “Excelsior College” is adopted
Excelsior College Today
 Assessor of Credits
 No Residency Requirement (except for
capstone course)
 Assessment of prior learning
 Credits by Examination
 Credits by On-line Courses
The Higher Education
Reconciliation Act (HERA)
 On February 8, 2006, online students got
a boost in their ability to pay for distance
education.
 HERA struck down the 50-percent rule, a
1992 statute denying online students
equal access to certain types of federal
loans.
50 Percent Rule
 Before the change, the regulation -- known
as the 50-percent rule -- made the Title IV
student-aid program off limits to any
institution that enrolled more than half of
its students at a distance or offered more
than half of its courses at a distance.
 The rule was enacted to halt the spread of
diploma mills of the 1980s.
50 Percent Rule
 Students at Colleges providing more than
50 percent of their courses online couldn't
qualify for Title IV, HEA financial
assistance.
Demonstration Program
 Eventually, several major online
institutions received special exemptions
from the 50-percent rule when Congress
enacted the Distance Education
Demonstration Program.
 In 2006, following sharp growth in onlineeducation programs, Congress revoked
the rule altogether.
Fear with Rescinding the 50% Rule
 Some observers predicted that the rule
change would create a swarm of institutions
vying to become eligible for Title IV
programs.
 Others warned of a new age of diploma mills
 In the 3 years since the rule was lifted, little
has happened.
 Only a handful of schools have become
eligible including:
 Excelsior College
 American Public University
DOE – Program Review
 If the institution offers programs via distance
education, include the following:
 a list of all programs that are offered at physical campus
locations
 a list of all programs that includes courses that are offered via
distance education, regardless of the percentage (e.g. online)
 Please provide whatever materials explain the faculty role in
regards to interaction with students in distance education
courses (e.g. faculty contract, handbook, job description, and
policy, training materials)
 any instructions or materials provided to students for
participation in online courses
DOE – Program Review
 If the institution offers correspondence
courses, include the following:
 The percentage of correspondence courses offered in
the latest complete award year
 A list of all courses offered in the latest complete
award year, identifying those courses that are
correspondence
EC Student’s Connection to
Financial Aid
How EC Monitors Interaction with
Students
 Instructors
 Course Assistance
 Excessive Absenteeism Policy
Excessive Absenteeism Policy
 “Attendance and participation in course
activities are essential to student success
at Excelsior College”
 “A student is expected to be in contact
with the instructor at the beginning of the
course and to remain an active participant
until its completion”
 “Attendance will be monitored on a weekly
basis”
Excessive Absenteeism Policy
 The minimum expectation of a student is
to demonstrate some activity in his or her
course at least once a week. Activity is
defined as one of the following:
 Posting on a discussion board,
 Taking an assessment (Exam)
 Submission of an assignment
Excessive Absenteeism Policy
 If a student fails to actively participate in a
course for three consecutive weeks, at any
point in a term, the student is considered
excessively absent
 The student will be administratively
withdrawn (AW) after three consecutive
weeks of nonparticipation
 If an AW occurs in all course work a R2T4
is calculated
Academic Calendar 2010-11
Period of Enrollment
July 8 Week
July 15 Week
Sept 8 Week
Sept 15 Week
Nov 8 Week
Nov 15 Week
Jan 8 Week
Jan 15 Week
March 8 Week
March 15 Week
May 8 Week
May 15 Week
POE Start Date
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
Monday, January 03, 2011
Monday, January 03, 2011
Monday, March 07, 2011
Monday, March 07, 2011
Monday, May 02, 2011
Monday, May 02, 2011
Other Challenges with Online
Distance Learning
 SAP
 Two Pell Grants in One Year
 Consortium Agreements
 Campus Safety and Security
Total Federal Aid
12000000
10000000
8000000
6000000
4000000
2000000
0
Total Federal Aid
Questions???