With So Many Regulations, Can Financial Aid Ever Think Outside the Box? Dr. Virginia Iannone AVP Academic Support Services Barbara Miller Director of Financial Aid Stevenson University Stevenson, Maryland

Session Overview O Who we are O What were our student needs and why did we need to join forces O The Model O Comprehensive assessment O Individualized support planning O Fidelity monitoring O Challenges O Implementation considerations

Stevenson University: THEN O 1947 – Villa Julie founded by Sisters of Notre Dame – specializing in medical-secretarial training O 1954 – Official approval as 2-year college O 1967 – separated from Catholic Church O 1972 – becomes co-ed O 1984 – becomes 4-year college O 2004 – on campus residences O 2008 – name changed to Stevenson University

Stevenson University: NOW O Total enrollment: 4,212 O Male/female: 34%/66% O Pursuing a bachelor’s degree: 90% (10% accelerated) O Pursuing a master’s degree: 10% O Minorities: 37% O Maryland residents: 85% O Full-time students living on campus: 56% O 25 athletic teams + marching band O 92% of graduates received jobs or went on to further their education within 6 months of graduation

Need for a New Model O New regulations from the Department of Education O Institutional discussions among our Strategic Enrollment Management team O Extensive overlap between students who failed SAP and other targeted cohorts These led to the Office of Financial Aid approaching the Office of Academic Support Services to form a strategic collaboration to support these students.

Obstacles to Academic Success O Academic Under-preparedness O Competing Responsibilities O Wellness, Personal, and Family Issues O Time Management O Procrastination O Full Social Life O Financial Difficulties

How Do You Know? Ask Assess

Four-Part Assessment O Interview O Review of transcript, degree audit, and other relevant information O Technology Assessment O Obstacles to Academic Success O Adapted from Brigham Young University O Index of Learning Styles O Felder & Silverman, North Carolina State University

Technology Assessment O On average students reported at least moderate proficiency on most items O Average scores below a 3.0 (on a 5-point scale) O Using the SU Portal (2.57) O Using the Outlook Calendar (2.77) O Accessing SmartThinking (2.82) O Submitting Through the SU Careline (2.4)

Most Commonly Reported Obstacles n=110

Index of Learning Styles O 44-items, A or B (forced choice) O Sample Questions O I understand something better after I O Try it out O Think it through O When I see a diagram or sketch in class I am most likely to remember O The picture O What the professor said about it

Index of Learning Styles O Measures Learning Preferences on 4 Dimensions O Active-Reflective O Sensing-Intuitive O Visual-Verbal O Sequential-Global O Students tend to show preferences toward O Active, Sensing, Visual, and Sequential

Upon Completion of the Assessment What do we know?

Now What? O Generating a personalized Academic Support Plan (ASP) O Specific to the student as a person (holistic) O Specific to the current semester O Finite number of focus areas (standardized) O Unlimited strategies to support the student

Considerations in Creating the Plan O Specific to the needs of the student O Flexible and changes if the needs of the student change O Comprehensive O Includes realistic goal setting that occurs the first week of the semester (after the student has been to each class at least once) O Includes immediate Action Steps O Shared with significant individuals who will help support the student

Focus Areas for the ASP O Academic Major O Basic Academic Skills O Content Tutoring O Financial Strain O Motivation/Procrastination O Note Taking O Online Courses O Study Skills/Effectiveness O Test-Taking Strategies O Time Management

Implementation and Follow-Up O Implementation is the responsibility of the STUDENT O Follow-Up and compliance is monitored by the Office of Academic Support Services O Ongoing communication with the student O Mid-term grade check O Modification of the plan as needed

Challenges O Limitations in time and personnel resources O Difficulties providing consistent follow-up of non- compliant students O Students who did not honor the appeal deadline did not have time to undergo the entire process as designed O Need to establish a clear role for faculty advisors

Modifications for Implementation in Fall 2013 O More efficient assessment process O Training of additional staff in all phases of the process O Adhere to published deadlines O Increased collaboration between OASS and FAO O FAO will be more involved in the monitoring and tracking of students O Addition of intrusive advising for those not involved in intensive intervention

Lively Discussion! And Thank You!