perceptions of the financial aid office through the eyes of students of c o l o r

What Would Students of Color See When They View the Financial Aid

Office?

Would They See This?

Would They See This?

Would They See This?

Would They See This?

Would They See This?

RMASFAA

RMASFAAState Population (2010 Census) Ranked

Colorado 5,029,196 22

Kansas 2,853,118 33

Utah 2,763,885 34

Nebraska 1,852,994 38

Montana 989,415 44

South Dakota 814,180 46

North Dakota 672,591 48

Wyoming 563,626 50

RMASFAA by Race and EthnicityState Population African-

AmericanAsian-American

Hispanic-American

Native-American

Colorado 5,029,196 201,737 145,651 1,038,687 56,010

Kansas 2,853,118 167,864 70,000 300,042 28,150

Utah 2,763,885 29,287 79,839 358,340 32,927

Nebraska 1,852,994 82,885 33,572 167,405 18,427

Montana 989,415 4,027 6,921 28,565 62,555

South Dakota

814,180 10,207 8,004 22,119 71,817

North Dakota

672,591 7,960 7,229 13,467 36,591

Wyoming 563,626 4,748 4,853 50,231 13,336

Asian-American includes Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander

Students of Color

Term used, primarily in the United States, to describe all people who are not white. The term is meant to be inclusive among non-white groups, emphasizing common experiences of racism.

Introduced as a preferable replacement to both non-white and minority, which are also inclusive, because it frames the subject positively; non-white defines people in terms of what they are not (white), and minority frequently carries a subordinate connotation.

Reasons why Communities of Color Exist

• Historical Reasons• Economic Reasons• Sociological Reasons

Historical Reasons

• Discriminatory Laws• Segregation

Discriminatory Laws

African-Americans1. Slavery (3.5 million by 1860)2. Jim Crow Laws3. De-segregations Laws

Discriminatory Laws

Native Americans1. Wars and massacres2. Forced Displacement, Forced Education3. Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

Discriminatory Laws

Asian-Americans1. Chinese Exclusion Act of 18822. Internment camps for Japanese Americans

during WW II

Discriminatory Laws

Hispanic-Americans1. Mexican Deportation programs

(e.g. Operation Wetback, 1954)2. Reed-Johnson Act of 19243. Immigration Act of 19654. Recent Immigration Laws

Economic Reasons

• Poverty levels• Income gap levels

2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines

Persons in Family 48 Contiguous States 1 $10,870 2 $14,710

3 $18,530 4 $22,350

5 $26,170

U.S. Poverty Rate in General

• 46.2 Million• Highest rate in 52 years• 1 in 7 Americans

• Based on 2010 U.S. Census Data

Poverty Rate by Race and Ethnicity

• White (9.4%)• African-American (25.1%)• Hispanic (21.9%)• Asian-American (10.5%)• Native-American (25.9%)

Based on 2010 Census Figures

Federal Pell Grant Recipients by Race and Ethnicity

Among 1999-2000 college graduates, percentage with selected characteristics by Pell Grant status: 2001

A Profile of Successful Pell Grant Recipients by National Center for Education Statistics, Published July, 2009

Income Gap

• Income gap has grown to widest level in 25 years.

• 1984 (black/white income gap ratio was 12:1)• Today (black/white income gap ratio is 20:1)• Today (Hispanic/white income gap ratio is

18:1)

Source: Pew Social & Demographic Trends, July, 2011

Median Income by Race and Ethnicity

• All households……………………. $49,400• White, not Hispanic………………$54,600• Black…………………………………….$32,100• Hispanic (any race)..……………..$37,800• Asian…………………………………….$64,300• Native-American…………………..$33,600

Based on 2010 Census Figures

Sociological Reasons

• Survival • Identity formation theories

The major issues we face now are survival—how to live in a modern world. Part of this is how to remain Indian, how to assimilate without ceasing to be Indian. I think some important strides have been made. Indians remain Indian, and against pretty good odds. They remain Indian and in some situations, by a thread.

Their languages are being lost at a tremendous rate, poverty is rampant, as is alcoholism. But still there are Indians, and the traditional world is intact.

•N. Scott Momaday, “Confronting Columbus again,” in P. Nabokov (Ed.), Native American testimony: A Chronicle of Indian-White relations from prophecy to the present, 1492-1992 (New York: Viking, 1991), p. 438)

Perceptions

• A cognitive process based on various personal experiences that formulate values, morals, ethics which influence their decisions and perceptions.

• Each individual will have their own unique perceptions due to the unique way they have been brought up.

One can only show how one came to hold whatever opinion one does hold. One can only give one’s audience the chance of drawing their own conclusions as they observe the limitations, the prejudices, the idiosyncrasies of the speaker.

Virginia Woolf, “A Room of One’s Own.”

Perceptions

• Created by historical reasons• Created by economic reasons• Created by sociological reasons

Perceptions based on Impersonal Contacts

• Webpage• Facebook• Publications

Perceptions based on Personal Contacts

• Physical Environment• Staff

Perceptions based on Financial Aid Policies and Procedures

• Meeting Eligibility Criteria• Completing the FAFSA• Completing Verification• Maintaining Eligibility Criteria

Conclusions/Thoughts