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Office of Student Financial Aid

Policy and Procedures 2015-2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction and Purpose p. 5

A. Mission and Vision p. 5 B. Organizational Reporting Structure p. 6 C. Areas of Responsibility p. 6 D. Organizational Chart p. 9 E. P&P Development Responsibilities p. 9

II. Financial Aid Calendar p. 11

A. Staff Meetings p. 11 B. Accommodations for Disabilities p. 11

III. Student Records p. 12

A. Confidentiality of Student Records p. 12 B. Records Management and Retention p. 13

IV. Standards Satisfactory Academic Progress p. 14

A. Standard of Progress p. 14 B. General Requirements p. 14 C. Home Schooled Students p. 15 D. Class Completion Requirements p. 15 E. Remedial Course Work Policy p. 16 F. Disbursement p. 16 G. SAP Policy and Requirements p. 17 H. Financial Aid Warning and Disqualification p. 21 I. Appeal Procedures and Review Guidelines p. 22

V. Dependency Overrides (Independent Status Appeals) p. 24

A. Federal Requirements and Situations for Independent Status p. 24 B. Appeal Process p. 25

VI. Special Circumstances p. 27

A. Definition p. 27 B. Situations for Special Circumstances p. 27 C. Review procedures for Special Circumstances Requests at CC p. 28 D. Update of the use of Professional Judgements p. 37

VII. Attendance Verification Procedures p. 39

A. Title IV Programs p. 39 B. Fraud p. 39 C. Student Rights and Responsibilities p. 40 D. Student Loans p. 40

VIII. Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver p. 45

A. Definitions p. 45 B. Application Process p. 45 C. Processing Information p. 46 D. BOGW Manual w/Appendices p. 46

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E. 2015-2016 Income Standards p. 47 IX. Verification Policy p. 48

A. Deadlines p. 48 B. Corrections p. 49 C. Verification Selection p. 49 D. Notification of Verification Requirements p. 49 E. Verification Tracking Groups p. 49

X. Packaging Guidelines p. 51

A. Review of FA Files p. 51 B. Drug Conviction p. 51 C. Student Budgets p. 52 D. Expected Family Contribution p. 53 E. Neediest Students p. 53 F. Packaging Priorities p. 54 G. Overaward Situations p. 56

XI. Professional Judgement p. 57

A. Type of Professional Judgement p. 57 B. Changes in Need Analysis Computation p. 57 C. Changes in Financial Aid Package p. 57 D. Changes in Dependency Status p. 58

XII. Federal Work Study (FWS) – Community Service Jobs p. 59 A. Community Service p. 59 B. Orientation p. 60 C. FWS Supervisors Handbook p. 61

XIII. Refunds & Repayment p. 68

A. General Refund Policy p. 68 B. Return to Title IV p. 68 C. Fee Assessment Policies p. 70 D. Reimbursement Mechanism for Returns from Districts p. 71 E. CCC Refund Policy p. 72 F. Attendance Requirements p. 73 G. Withdrawal Policy p. 74 H. The “FW” Grade p. 75 I. Leave of Absence Policy p. 77 J. Disbursal of Student Aid Funds p. 77 K. Collection and Repayment p. 78 L. Student Services Issues p. 79

XIV. Student Budgets 2015-2016 p. 84

A. Other Possible Budget Items p. 85 XV. Check Disbursement p. 86

A. Returned Checks p. 86 B. Student Holds p. 86

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C. Cancellations p. 86 XVI. Federal Pell Grant Program p. 87

A. Federal Pell Grant Disbursement w/a Valid EFC/Recalculation p. 87 B. Method of Disbursement p. 87

XVII. Miscellaneous Policies p. 88

A. Consortium Agreements p. 88 B. Resolving ISIR Comments p. 88 C. NSLDS Mid-Year Transfer p. 89

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I. Introduction and Purpose The Cypress College Financial Aid Office (“FAO”) is currently located on the first floor of the Cypress College Complex Building. Office hours are: Monday & Thursday 8:00am – 6:00pm Tuesday & Wednesday 8:00am – 7:00pm Friday 8:00am – 5pm Summer hours are: Monday – Thursday 8:00am – 6:00pm Friday Closed Telephone number: (714) 484-7114 Fax number: (714) 229-9707 Web site: http://www.cypresscollege.edu This policy manual is for use relative to the policies and procedures of the Cypress College Financial Aid Office. It is intended to be a statement of appropriate policy and procedure based on the regulatory authority and sound administrative practices. This manual will be reviewed regularly and revised as appropriate to reflect changes in statute, regulations, or institutional practice. It is the responsibility of the Financial Aid Director to review this manual based on the aforementioned variables and revise the sections/subsections as needed. To ensure that financial aid policies are consistent with other practices within Cypress College, the formulation and the necessary revision of policies and procedures will involve a process that includes input from individuals both internal and external to the financial aid office. A. Mission and Vision Statement

MISSION

The Office of Student Financial Aid at Cypress College is primarily responsible for providing assistance for students with documented financial need. Our office will provide understandable consumer information to current and prospective applicants for financial aid while educating our students about the availability of funding for their higher education. We will strive to maintain a professional, respectful, peaceful environment and promote accountability of our students and staff members. To that end, we will utilize technology to promote high standards in the approach to financial aid and ensure timely delivery of student aid accurately. As the needs and demographic of our student population constantly changes, we will work cooperatively with other departments to ensure student success and access for all eligible program participants.

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VISION

The Office of Student Financial Aid at Cypress College will promote awareness of Financial Aid through aggressive, year-round outreach efforts. We will utilize and expand technologies to prepare our students for the transfer experience by providing emphasizing on-line filing, follow-up, and correspondence. Our staff will offer levels of service designed to meet the specific needs of each individual student and strive to exceed the expectations of our students, staff, and community. Our staff will set the bar for excellent organization and administration of financial aid in California Community Colleges by attending cutting-edge year-round training and seminars sponsored by regional, state, and national, organizations. We will remain steadfast in our approach to financial aid by demonstrating patience and understanding with our students—we realize that financial aid, like any other process at the collegiate level, is a learning process. To that end, staff will integrate training techniques to adapt effective communication strategies to our current and prospective students for exceptional service and effective learning.

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Cypress College will be known as CC, the Cypress College Financial Aid Office will be known as FAO and the Financial Aid Director will be indicated as FAA.

B. Organizational Reporting Structure

Dr. Fred Williams, Interim Chancellor, North Orange County Community College District Dr. Robert Simpson, President, Cypress College Dr. Rick Rams, Dean of Student Services, Cypress College Chinh Pham, Director Financial Aid, Cypress College All financial aid staff report directly to the Financial Aid Director C. Areas of Responsibilities (For complete details see NOCCCD Job Description) Director of Financial Aid:

Organizational administrative and budget responsibilities for the department

Adapting program activities, services, and practices to correspond with the changing need of the Student Affairs Division, Enrollment Management Team, the college service area, and the dynamics of the institution.

Develops methods of achieving educational equity access goals and insuring allocation of program resources.

Plans and implements short and long-range goals for the office, including those that support student access and retention goals of the college.

Serves as the authority on federal, state, institutional financial aid programs; including interpretation, implementation, and compliance with regulations, procedures and eligibility requirements.

Develops and implements a plan for the awarding and distribution of funds to eligible students in a timely, accurate and equitable manner.

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Acts as a resource for supervisory, counseling and clerical staff on issues related to regulatory interpretation and clarification.

Implements and manages new technologies to enhance the facilitation of the application and delivery process.

Oversees the publications and communications of the Financial Aid Office, coordinating with the communication plan of associated offices.

Supervises the Financial Aid professional and support staff personnel. Supervisory responsibilities include hiring and training personnel, setting and monitoring goals, preparing written performance evaluations, and assisting staff in developing annual professional development plans.

Prepares reports for federal and state agencies, audits, and/or program reviews. Clerical Assistant II:

Clerical support for the department and Director

Administrative support for the department and Director

Performs related duties as assigned Financial Aid Technician:

Title IV financial aid programs administration

California state financial aid programs administration

Assist with the ISIR and correction transmissions.

Verification and Awarding of files

Responsible for the review and verification of student files including disqualification and probationary determination

Professional judgment – student status; income reduction

Meeting with prospective and current students

Student assistance regarding the financial aid process

Department of Education transmissions; state MIS transmission

System integrity, access, security – software; hardware; procedures

Coordinate the Federal Work Study Program interviews and orientations; intake of student information

Assist with the reconciliation and awarding of Cal Grants program

Intake of applications for the personal loan program

Performs related duties as assigned

Account Technician:

Coordinates accounting activities for an assigned area or department; ensures compliance with accounting principles and standards; makes recommendations to changes in procedures as necessary; reconciles and balances accounts and bank statements for assigned area or department.

Monitors accounting activities of assigned categorically-funded programs; prepares expenditure and progress reports as requested and assists on year end closing process.

Prepares and processes various documents involved in financial transactions, such as invoices, requisitions, journal entries, purchase orders, budget transfers, contract agreements, and bids.

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Prepares, audits, and analyzes invoices for payment; such as requisitions, petty cash vouchers, and mileage and travel expense reports; may process payments for payroll, loans, grants, and reimbursements, and may issue checks as required.

Prepares and maintains a variety of complex financial and accounting records, ledgers and reports; audits accounts as necessary to assure proper internal controls.

Audits financial documents to assure accuracy, completeness; conduct research to resolve discrepancies as necessary.

Coordinates communication and accounting activities with other departments and personnel, governmental agencies, private agencies and vendors.

Provides information to District personnel regarding various records, budgets, accounts and programs; answers questions and resolves problems related to assigned program or accounting function.

Maintains and files a variety of financial and accounting records, forms, listings and files; operates a variety of office equipment and machines such as calculators, computers, copiers, and typewriters.

Trains and provides work direction and guidance to others as directed.

Learns and applies emerging technologies and advances as necessary to perform duties in an efficient, organized, and timely manner.

Performs related duties as assigned. Student Services Technician:

Performs a variety of duties to assist students, instructors and the public; provides technical information and assistance regarding assigned specialized student service; explains guidelines and procedures; resolves complex problems involving applications, forms and records.

Processes of a variety of documents related to a specialized student service; verifies applications, forms and records for accuracy, completeness and compliance with program guidelines; updates records and other pertinent documents as appropriate; requests transcripts, records and other information to determine status of applications and forms; provides information to other educational institutions and agencies as requested.

Facilitates promotion and awareness of assigned specialized student service; coordinates distribution of informational forms and packages for orientations and workshops; maintains appointment calendar for student academic counseling, testing, orientations and various types of workshops.

Monitors student progress to assure program compliance; assists students in a variety of ways according to program needs; organizes student activities.

Maintains a variety of narrative and statistical records and reports related to program activities and effectiveness; provides information as directed; inputs data into computer database; performs clerical duties; answer phones.

Compiles and organizes data for statistical reports and surveys; reconciles data from various sources; prepares basic statistical reports as directed.

Trains and provides work direction and guidance to others as directed

Maintains current knowledge of legal requirements, technological advancements and techniques used in providing student services.

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Learns and applies emerging technologies and advances as necessary to perform duties in an efficient, organized, and timely manner.

Performs related duties as assigned.

The Cypress College Bursars Office is responsible for the distribution of all financial aid checks, notification to the Financial Aid Office of returned financial aid checks, intake of all overpayment funds and deposit to the appropriate account, placement of obligations on student records for non-payment. The Cypress College Personnel Office is responsible for the completion of all required payroll documents for the students who are working within the Federal Work Study Program. The Personnel Office coordinates the payment of these students through the District and County payroll offices. D. Organizational Chart DIRECTOR: Chinh Pham FINANCIAL AID TECHNICIANS: Jackie Ha, Roselle Teneza, Christopher West,

Nishad Marathe, Keith Cobb, Chelsea Truong ACCOUNT TECHNICIAN: Jenny Lee STUDENT SERVICES TECHNICIAN: Jeanne Thompson CLERICAL ASSISTANT II: Colleen Barger E. Policies & Procedures Development Responsibilities The policies and procedures development process at Cypress College is the responsibility of the Financial Aid Director. The Financial Aid Director will utilize all publications from the Department of Education, the State of California, NASFAA, WASFAA, CASFAA, CCCSFAAA and the College to guide implementation and development of policies and procedures. The implementation of policies and procedures is a shared process that includes all members of the Financial Aid Office. The Director is responsible for insuring the implementation of all policies and procedures. The Financial Aid Appeal Committee and the District auditors do have input and recommendations are implemented as needed. Responsible Personnel The Financial Aid Director is responsible for the notification of all changes in policies and procedures to all staff and college offices that are affected. These notifications will be made by email or written memorandum as required.

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Documents 34 CFR 668.16(o) GEN-97-11

The Financial Aid Office maintains all prior documentation in hard copy format located in the office. All staff members have access to this information. The FAA is responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.

The Common Manual, SFA Manuals, CSAC guidance manuals, and this Policy and Procedure Manual are available in binders located in the Directors Office. Methods Electronic methods that are used to monitor statutory and regulatory changes that may affect policies and procedures are: Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) web site subscription service; NASFAA’s list serve; CSAC‘s list serve; California State Chancellor’s Office list serve; state and regional list serves. Publications used to monitor statutory and regulatory changes that may affect policies and procedures are:

Federal Registers – both Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) and Final Rules

The Audit Guide or appropriate OMB circulars

Student Financial Aid Handbooks

The Blue Book

Compilations of federal regulations

Dear Colleague Letters

Policy Bulletins

Regulations and other publications applying to the years for which financial aid records must be retained

The Common Manual published by the National Council for Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP)

Newsletters from professional associations – NASFAA, CASFAA, CCCSFAA

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II. Financial Aid Calendar Fiscal year for financial aid – July 1 to June 30 FISAP and State MIS Reporting – October 1 BFAP reporting – October FAFSA filing ready on January 2 Priority deadline filing for financial aid and Cal Grant – March 2 or 3 & September 2 or 3 The financial aid processing period, which is a 21-month period, begins in January and extends through September following the close of the award year. August 1- ED distributes the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP) to schools By October 1 schools submit the completed FISAP to ED By November 15 ED sends the edited FISAP data to schools By December 1 ED sends appeal procedures to campus-based awards (allocations) to schools By December 15 schools return the FISAP edit report to ED with any changes By February 1 ED sends tentative campus-based award (allocation) levels to schools By February 15 schools submit to ED any appeals of campus-based awards (allocations) By March 1 ED completes the appeal process for campus-based awards (allocations) By April 1 ED sends final campus-based award notifications to schools By September 1 Schools notify ED of any unexpected campus-based funds available for reallocation to other schools By September 30 ED completes reallocation of campus-based funds to schools that request additional funds. A. Staff Meetings All Staff meetings are held monthly. The meetings are also training sessions. B. Accommodations for Disabilities 28 CFR Part 36 CC provides access for all students regardless of disabilities. A complete ADA description is located in the President’s Office. The Financial Aid Office complies with the special needs of students with disabilities and ADA requirements as required.

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III. Student Records A. Confidentiality of Student Records Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 Policy. Cypress College may release student directory information upon request, provided such release is approved by the college president or a designee. Students may request in writing to the college president that directory information not be released. The president or a designee may limit or deny the release of specific categories of directory information based upon a determination of the best interests of the student. Directory information is defined to mean one or more of the following: student’s name, city of residence, date and Place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous public or private school attended. Any currently enrolled or former students shall have access to any and all of their records on file at the college. Such access shall be granted within 15 working days of a written request and shall be subject to procedures established by the Administrative Dean of Admissions and Records for academic records, Dean of Counseling Services for counseling files, Dean of Student Services for other records. Students by written request to the above administrator may challenge the content of their records pursuant to Education Code section 76232. Such challenges will be processed according to procedures establish by those responsible administrators. The Information Practices Act of 1977, California Civil code, Sections 1798, et. seq. guarantee certain rights:

The Right to Privacy Only information about you that is relevant and necessary to carry out the purpose of the college will be collected. This information will be used only in the administration of specific college programs.

The Right to Access You may request access to any records about you that are maintained by the college. The college shall promptly let you or your chosen representative inspect or shall provide you copies of any document or item of information in your case records, within 15 working days of a written request. In a few cases, medical or psychological information will be released only to an appropriate licensed professional chosen by the student.

Protection Against Disclosure All persons who are allowed access to your records are prohibited from disclosing this information to anyone else without your specific, informed, written consent. There are specific instances where information may be released without your informed, written consent, such as in the case of a medical emergency.

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Student Identification Number Students are not required to provide their social security number except to receive financial aid. However, social security numbers are helpful in identifying student records upon transfer to other institutions. All students are assigned a personal identification number to protect electronic access to their records.

The Financial Aid Office at Cypress College will not release specific identifiable student information. All contact with students will be verified with photo identification. All telephone contact will be general information relating to financial aid, not to a specific student. All materials collected with social security numbers and specific student information will be kept in locking filing cabinets. All working documents will be shred. Type of information that may be released by telephone is limited to general information such as documents that may be needed to complete the file and an expected time frame for file completion. Student specific information – GPA, amounts, social security number, enrollment status – will not be given out over the telephone. B. Records Management and Retention 34 CFR 668.24, 674.19(e), 675.19(b), 682.610(b)

and 668.24(d) (3)

All student financial aid records are maintained in the prescribed manner as noted above in paper or electronic format.

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IV. Standards Satisfactory Academic Progress

A. Standards of Progress In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and the California Student Aid Commission, the Financial Aid Office of Cypress College establishes the following Standards of Progress.

Site: (HEA sec. 484(c), 34 CFR 668.16(e), 34 CFR 668.32(f), 34 CFR 668.34)

Federal Student Aid Handbook, Vol 1, Student Eligibility

These standards apply to all students who apply for and receive financial aid from the following programs:

Cal-Grants B and C

Cal-Dream Act

Full-time Success Grant

Federal Work-Study (FWS)

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Students who are in default on a student loan or who owe a repayment to a Title IV program, from any institution, are not eligible for federal financial aid. If a student owes a repayment to a Title IV program, the debt must be cleared before any federal financial aid will be issued. In the case of a student loan, financial aid may be reinstated once the student makes satisfactory repayment arrangements with the holder of the loan. Effective Fall 2000 semester and subsequent semesters thereafter, CC will apply the return of Title IV Funds Policy outlined in Public Law 105-244. (See CCs return of Title IV Funds Policy.) Students who withdraw from all classes before completing 60% of the semester will be required to return the unearned portion of federal financial aid they received. B. General Requirements Students receiving financial aid must be enrolled in a course of study leading to an A.A. degree, a certificate, or that will count for credit toward a 4-year degree upon transfer to a 4-year college or university. High School Diploma or the Equivalent HEA Sec. 484 (a) (1), (b) (3), (4); 34 CFR 668.32(a) (1)

Federal regulations require financial aid recipients to either have graduated from high school or have completed a recognized equivalent – GED, Home Schooling, or a foreign secondary diploma that has been evaluated as equivalent within NOCCCD. It is important to note that a California Certificate of Proficiency is equivalent to a HS diploma.

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Educational Plan It is the student's responsibility to enroll in courses toward his or her educational goal. Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with a college counselor to have an Educational Plan prepared. Financial aid may be denied for inappropriate classes. NOTE: The Counseling Department recommends that students take all assessment tests before making an appointment. C. Home-schooled Students

Per the 2015-2016 FSA Handbook, the Department of Education considers a homeschooled student to be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance if the state in which the college is located does not consider him truant once he has completed homeschooling. For instance, if your state requires children to attend school until age 17, you may admit as a regular student a child who completes her secondary homeschooling curriculum at age 16 if your state would not consider her truant and would not require her to go to high school or continue homeschooling until age 17. D. Class Completion Requirements Prior to disbursement, an enrollment verification check will be performed to determine the enrollment status of the student. Adjustments will be made to the student's award accordingly:

A) Federal Pell Grants and Cal Grant B's will be adjusted up or down in accordance with the enrollment status of the student until the Financial Aid Freeze Date. Financial Aid Freeze Date The Financial Aid Freeze Date is determined once a semester; on the main census date for the term. On this date, enrolled units are frozen for any financial aid student, defined as a student with a FAFSA on file for that term. If a student did not have a FAFSA at Cypress College by the freeze date, then their freeze date would occur the night after the FAFSA is received. This change also allows late start students to not be tied to the earlier freeze date, which might have been before they applied to the college or completed their FAFSA. Thus the student’s freeze date is either the main census date, or the date their FAFSA is received, whichever is later.

B) Students who have applied for Federal Direct Loans and who have dropped below six units before the loan is disbursed are no longer eligible for the loan.

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E. Remedial Course Work Policy A maximum of 30 units of remedial/basic skills coursework taken at Cypress College may be excluded from the 90 unit maximum time frame. The discount is performed upon submission of a financial aid petition. There is no maximum number of discounted units for ESL. Only remedial/basic skills or ESL courses that were completed successfully with a “C” or better are eligible to be discounted. Examples of remedial/basic skills courses that qualify at Cypress College include Math10, 15, 20 and any English course below English 100. F. Disbursement Disbursements will now occur weekly, beginning the first Friday of the semester. Disbursements for grants will occur in at least two disbursements each semester (50% at the start of the semester, and 50% after the mid-point of the semester). Awards will be calculated up and down up to the Financial Aid Freeze Date. Thus, students will see their award adjusted based on actual units enrolled, and may owe money back if a reduction in units occurs. In some instances, a student will not receive a second disbursement. For example: A student is disbursed their first 50% disbursement at full time enrollment. Later, the student’s enrollment drops to half time. When it is time for the second disbursement, nothing is paid to the student because they have already received 100% of their award in their first payment. Any aid paid where the student fails to begin attendance in the course(s) (i.e. A no-show) will owe a repayment of 100% of monies received. Recently, the NOCCCD passed BP 4225, which limits the number of attempts a student can register for a single course as three attempts. However, Federal regulations limit FSA funds to one additional attempt after a grade of D or better has been obtained. Therefore, students will be paid for two attempts maximum of a particular course, for which they previously earned a passing grade. Note: This does not affect the BOG Fee Waiver.

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Priority Deadline Priority first disbursement is for Pell Grant only. In order to be considered for the first payment (the first Friday of classes), students must have a completed file with our office by June 30. It is the student’s responsibility to track their file in myGateway in case any missing supporting documentation is required. Any changes to the application or file may result in a delay in the awarding process, which would delay disbursement. Every attempt will be made to accommodate students who submit paperwork after the priority deadline for the first disbursement. However, due to the volume of files received and the processing time involved, only files completed before June 30 can be guaranteed for the first disbursement, based on units enrolled. Due to timing with posting of prior term grades, the student may in some cases receive disbursement before SAP can be calculated. In that event, if the student is later deemed disqualified, they will be billed for the full amount of funds received. Higher One Cypress College has partnered with Higher One to provide services for Financial Aid disbursements. A North Orange Card will be sent to the mailing address that was registered with CC. The student will then use the card number or personal code to activate their account and select a refund preference. Students may select Direct Deposit to an existing Bank Account or have the disbursement sent into an FDIC insured account offered by Higher One. The Higher One Account is linked to the North Orange Card which is also a Debit MasterCard. G. Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and Requirements Site: 34 CFR 668.2; Sec 428(b) (1) (A), 34 CFR 668.32(a) (2); HEA Sec. 484 (c), 34 CFR 668.16(e), 34 CFR 668.32(f), 34 CFR 668.34

Federal regulations require that all financial aid recipients make satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing. Academic progress is reviewed at the end of each semester.

In accordance with Federal regulations, financial aid recipients are required to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements as established by Cypress College (CC). SAP is defined as the student’s completion of those standards established for measuring a student’s academic progress. This policy applies to students receiving assistance from those financial aid programs administered by the CC Financial Aid Office and is separate from the College’s academic progress policies. Federal regulations state that SAP standards must include a review of all periods of enrollment for which the student did and did not receive financial aid. Student Academic Progress is reviewed at the end of each semester when grade reports become available.

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FOR PURPOSES OF FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY A STUDENT’S ENROLLMENT STATUS IS CONSIDERED:

Full-time – when enrolled in 12 or more units per semester

Three-quarter time – when enrolled in 9.00-11.99 units per semester

Half-time – when enrolled in 6.00-8.99 units per semester

Less than half-time - when enrolled in less than six (6) units per semester

NOTE: Students must be enrolled in at least 6 units to maintain eligibility for most financial aid programs, but may still be eligible for a Pell Grant if enrolled in less than six units. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID* A STUDENT MUST BE ENROLLED IN AN ELIGIBLE PROGRAM OF STUDY THAT LEADS TO A CERTIFICATE, AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OR IS TRANSFERABLE TOWARDS A BACHELOR’S DEGREE. *(Including Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Cal Grants, Federal Work Study (FWS), and Direct Loans.)

General Requirements

Students receiving Federal financial aid must be enrolled in an eligible program. An eligible program is defined as:

Certificate, OR

An Associate Degree (AA), OR

A two-year academic transfer program that is acceptable for full credit toward a Baccalaureate Degree.

THE FOLLOWING TWO STANDARDS MUST BE MET FOR CYPRESS COLLEGE STUDENTS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

Standard 1: Grade Point Average Requirement

Students must maintain a 2.0 minimum grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted. If the student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, the student will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester. If the student does not achieve a 2.0 or higher GPA during their warning semester, they will be disqualified from further financial assistance and will be given the option to submit a financial aid petition to request reinstatement prior to reaching the maximum timeframe at Cypress College (i.e. 90 units attempted if you are pursuing an A.A.; varies if for certificates). Students who transfer to Cypress College with below a 2.0 GPA from all previous institution(s) attended may be placed on financial aid warning or disqualification based on a review of their entire postsecondary record. The expectation is that all students will meet the minimum standards required by Federal law.

Standard 2: Pace of Progression and Maximum Time Frame for Financial Aid Eligibility

A. Pace of Progression Requirement Students must complete at least 67% of the units attempted each semester and overall to maintain eligibility (this is referred to as “Pace of Progression” below). The “Pace of Progression” is based on all classes that appear on permanent records from all previous institutions attended. Additionally, students are not eligible to receive Federal financial aid at Cypress College when more than 90 units are attempted during the entire academic career (this is referred to as “Maximum Timeframe” below).

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Some certificate programs may be completed in less time than that required for the AA and transfer.

Attempted Semester Units Include (whether or not paid for by financial aid):

Earned (successful) Grades: A, B, C, D, and CR

Incomplete Grades: I, IP

Non-passing Grades: W, F, NC

B. Maximum Time Frame:

Students who have attempted 90 units or more (all postsecondary institutions attended, regardless of timeframe) will be disqualified from aid. Federal law requires that students requesting financial aid be able to complete their primary educational goal within 150% of their program length or six semesters full-time. We calculate the maximum time frame for AA degrees and Certificates as follows:

60 units required for an AA degree x 150% = 90 units allowed

Certificate programs vary (# units required for program) x 150% = Maximum units allowed

All coursework as recorded on your transcripts from all institutions attended are used to calculate your maximum time frame. A student who has exceeded the maximum time frame and/or cannot mathematically complete their program within this time frame will be placed on Financial Aid Disqualification status and will be provided instructions on how to petition. Students who have previously received BA/BS, MA/MS, or professional degrees (for student loans only) will also be disqualified and provided the option to submit a petition.

C. Why Does Your Academic Success Matter for Financial Aid Purposes?

Effective July 1, 2013, Federal law limits the total maximum time frame for undergraduates pursuing a BA/BS degree to receive Federal Student Aid to 12 full-time semesters regardless of past and current semesters of attendance and academic progress.

At Cypress College, students are expected to complete their primary educational goal within the equivalent of 6 full-time semesters to avoid Financial Aid Disqualification. Cypress College financial aid strictly enforces our satisfactory academic progress policy to comply with Federal law and create the conditions for our graduates to have the ability to receive financial aid when they transfer and enter higher cost colleges and universities. Please note the conditions below as they address many of the areas that impact student success for financial aid applicants and recipients at Cypress College: 1. Change of Major/Educational Objective: Students may be permitted to change their educational objective once at Cypress College before the 90-units attempted maximum is reached. However, no change of major is permitted after the student has exceeded the 90-units attempted maximum. 2. Repeated Classes: Students taking repeated classes will not be paid for those units unless the repeated class is part of an approved curriculum required for their program. Any repeated classes will count toward the maximum time frame.

Total # of units completed (All institutions attended)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =

Total # of units attempted (All institutions attended) Q: Why do students in 12 units need to maintain a 75% pace of progression each semester? A: Students in 12 units must complete 9 units because if they only complete 8 units, their “pace of progression” would be .66 or 66%.

The standard is always .67 or 67% higher at Cypress College each semester and overall if you wish to stay eligible for financial aid.

Must be greater than 0.67 or 67% each

semester AND

cumulative to meet the pace of progression

requirement *no rounding

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3. Remedial/Basic Skills Coursework: A maximum of 30 units of remedial/basic skills coursework (including ESL) taken from Cypress College may excluded from the 90 unit maximum time frame upon submission of a financial aid petition. Only remedial/basic skills or ESL courses that were completed successfully with a “C” or better are eligible to be discounted. Examples of courses that qualify at Cypress College include Math 10, 15, 20 and any English course below English 100. 4. Credit, No Credit (CR/NC) and In-Progress (IP) grades count as attempted units in the maximum time frame. The grades do not affect the cumulative GPA. 5. Enrollment in Physical Education (PE) classes only will not be funded by financial aid. Avoid taking PE152 (2-units) unless recommended by an academic counselor. 6. Academic Renewal is not recognized for financial aid purposes. Financial aid always counts your units attempted and completed regardless of whether or not you have been granted academic renewal. Even when a more favorable grade is subsequently received, both attempts would be counted as part of your maximum time frame for financial aid purposes. 7. Declare a Major: Students must declare a specific major area of study. Please refer to the College Catalog and your academic counselor for information about the various majors and programs of study at Cypress College.

A. Financial Aid Status and Appeal Students who do not meet the SAP Standards listed above will be subject to disqualification from receiving further federal financial aid. Please note that Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver program (BOGW) does not use the same academic progress standards as federal financial aid programs. As of March 2013, the State of California is reviewing the BOGW academic requirements. Changes to BOGW minimum standards will be announced via myGateway when published by the State of California.

“Good” Status: Cypress College reviews your academic progress (units attempted, units completed, and GPA) each semester. All students are notified of their financial aid status in myGateway within two weeks of the time that grades post for the semester. At Cypress College, students in “good” financial aid standing have met the 2.0 GPA and 67% “Pace of Progression” requirements described above and do not have 90 units attempted in their academic career (all institutions attended, regardless of when your academic career began past and present).

Warning Status: Students who fail to meet the SAP standards for progress (see Standards 1 and 2 above) will be placed on one semester (maximum) of Financial Aid Warning. Students placed on Financial Aid Warning receive one semester of financial aid, including the BOGW, with the requirement that they improve their academic performance to meet the minimum SAP standards. Additionally, students on Financial Aid Warning receive specific guidance and reminders from the Financial Aid Office via myGateway reminding them of the importance of academic success to retaining their financial aid eligibility. Students on Financial Aid Warning status may also be at-risk of being placed on Academic Probation and/or Dismissal from Cypress College. Students should always check myGateway prior to the start of each semester so they can be advised of their status and expectations for progress to maintain their eligibility for financial aid and continued enrollment.

Disqualification Status—Grade Point Average and/or “Pace of Progression”: After one semester of Financial Aid Warning, students who fail to meet the SAP standards for progress during their Warning semester (see Standards 1 and 2 above) will be placed on Financial Aid Disqualification. Students placed on Financial Aid Disqualification do not receive their federal financial aid (Pell Grants, Loans, SEOG Grants, Federal Work Study) for the semester they are disqualified for. However, students on Financial Aid Disqualification may continue to receive the Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver (BOGW). Appeal Process Prior to Reaching the Maximum Timeframe: A student placed on Financial Aid Disqualification has the right to submit a financial aid petition prior to reaching the maximum timeframe by the deadlines advertised by the Financial Aid Office. Within two weeks from the time that final grades

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post for the current semester, all students are notified via myGateway of their financial aid status. Additionally, students on Financial Aid Disqualification are provided information on how to submit a petition. Changing Federal Laws shortening timeframe allowed for aid requires that the Cypress College Financial Aid Office enforce rigorous standards of progress and limits for petitions. Your academic success is expected. E. Financial Aid Strategies for Satisfactory Academic Progress

1. You should meet with an academic counselor and develop an educational plan and adhere to it. The Counseling Center is located on the 2nd Floor of the Student Center.

2. Do not take excessive non-degree applicable units (i.e. excessive PE courses, non-major courses). The excessive accumulation of units may negatively impact your eligibility when you transfer to higher cost colleges and universities.

3. Utilize campus resources (Writing Center, Math Learning Center, Learning Resource Center) to help you succeed in English, Math and other remedial courses. Attempting more than 30 units of remedial or non-degree applicable units can have a negative long-term impact on your overall financial aid eligibility if your goal is to receive a Bachelor’s degree.

4. If you are “waiting” for admission to one of Cypress College’s competitive programs (i.e. Health Sciences programs), do not register for classes for financial aid purposes only. The units you attempt count against your long term 90-unit maximum (120-unit maximum at most 4-year institutions). You may actually jeopardize your eligibility once you are admitted to your program if you take excessive pre-requisite courses or non-major related courses.

5. Be advised! The Cypress College Financial Aid Office strongly encourages all students to visit the financial aid websites of their target transfer institutions to review their policies on satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes. Many CSU and UC institutions do not allow petitions for maximum time frame and excessive units. Therefore, academic success at Cypress College is essential for maintaining your eligibility at higher cost transfer institutions you may plan on attending.

H. Financial Aid Warning and Disqualification Cypress College Financial Aid Office carefully reviews student Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in accord with our policy. All students must sign and submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Agreement form each year before aid is disbursed. Cypress College will offer ONE semester of Financial Aid Warning before students are disqualified from aid unless they have exceeded the maximum time frame for aid or enter Cypress College with grades/GPA below our standards. Financial Aid Warning Students who fail to complete SAP standards (indicated in your policy statement) will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. This is a warning to students and will not affect their financial aid. If, while on Financial Aid Warning, students fail to meet the SAP standards for the second time they will be Disqualified. When disqualified, all aid will be cancelled. Students can exercise their right to submit a petition form and state the reasons why they did not meet SAP standards. The petition form is to be submitted to the financial aid office for review. If approved, the student’s financial aid will be reinstated and specific conditions for academic progress will be assigned. Students who choose not to petition or who are denied will need to meet SAP standards without financial aid support to reestablish eligibility for financial aid at Cypress College. Please note that the standards for academic progress do not apply to the Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver program.

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I. Appeal Procedures and Review Guidelines

Regaining Eligibility Students who are disqualified from receiving aid can regain their eligibility by meeting the SAP standards. To regain eligibility, students must complete the required 67% of the attempted units and raise their cumulative GPA to at least 2.0. The student will be placed on Warning status the following semester if this standard is met. Disqualified students who submit petitions that are approved are subject to meeting specific unit completion and GPA conditions as specified in their approval letter. Petitions Students may not meet SAP for the following reasons:

150% timeframe has been exceeded (90 units attempted AA/AS, 60 units attempted Certificate).

Below a 2.0 GPA

Less than a 67% Pace of Progression

BA/BS Degree completed. Not eligible for grants, loans only with approved educational plan. Petitions are required if the following conditions exist:

Disqualified student has extenuating circumstances (beyond the student’s control) that prevented him/her from meeting SAP standards (documentation substantiating statements must be submitted) prior to reaching 90 units attempted.

Change in major or program of study or coursework for transfer to a 4-year college or university prior to 90 units attempted. (Note: Only students completing a program at Cypress College, and completing transfer requirements in order to transfer to a 4-year institution will be considered for reinstatement. A student coming to Cypress College from a university, taking classes, and then returning to a university would not be eligible for Title IV funds at Cypress College).

Student has reached 90 attempted units, but a portion of the unit total is comprised of remedial coursework which would reduce the 90 unit attempted total.

Student has reached 90 units and has a change in major program. NOTE: Although the conditions above do not “require” a Student Educational Plan, students are encouraged to see a counselor and develop a Student Educational Plan within their first year at Cypress College. Extenuating Circumstances Extenuating circumstances must ALWAYS be documented or the petition will not be accepted. Extenuating circumstances are considered to be (but not limited to):

Serious illness, injury or medical condition requiring doctor’s care.

Death of an immediate family member or

Extenuating circumstances that were beyond the student’s control. A thorough and clearly written explanation, indicating the extenuating circumstance that prevented the student from meeting SAP, must be submitted along with the supporting documents. Each appeal will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office and approved or denied based upon the provisions set forth in our Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

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Repeat Policy Federal regulations also limit Federal Student Aid funds to one additional attempt after a grade of “D” or better has been obtained. Therefore, students will be paid up to two attempts, maximum, for a particular course for which they previously earned a passing grade. The new policy states that a “W” would not count as an attempt but it will count towards students Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Award Limitations Effective July 1, 2012, the Federal Government lowered the lifetime eligibility for Pell Grants. The regulation will be effective to all students regardless of attendance past and present. The Department of Education will notify students on their Student Aid Report (SAR) whether or not they exceed the new 12 full time semesters of lifetime Pell grant eligibility. Once the Department of Education determines a student is ineligible due to the new regulation, students will not be able to appeal. This new regulation is not part of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy (SAP) and it only affects the Federal Pell Grant.

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V. Dependency Overrides (Independent Status Appeals) The Financial Aid Office at CC complies with the following guidelines regarding the issue of dependency overrides. These guidelines are incorporated in this manual. The following procedures are in place for students requesting a dependency override:

1. Student will call CC financial aid office, and schedule an appointment with the appropriate Financial Aid Technician.

2. The Financial Aid Technician will assist the student with the completion of the form if necessary

3. The completed form will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Director or a committee for a decision.

In most cases, the Financial Aid Director is the final authority with regard to dependency overrides. Dependency Override Process Change as of December 2015 The following procedures were implemented in December 2015 for students requesting a dependency override:

4. Student will call CC financial aid office, and schedule an appointment with the Financial Aid Technician that has been assigned to the student. If no Financial Aid Technician has been assigned to the student, the student will speak with the technician responsible for overseeing the front counter for the day.

5. The Financial Aid Technician will assist the student in determining whether a Dependency Override is warranted. If a dependency override is warranted, the technician will give the student a Dependency Override Petition and will assist the student with the completion of the form, if necessary.

6. Once the student has submitted the Dependency Override Petition, the technician who was assisting the student will present the Dependency Override to a committee for review.

7. The completed form will be reviewed by a committee headed by the Financial Aid Director.

8. The committee may either choose to approve or deny the petition. If the committee is unable to make a decision, they may request the student to provide additional information to support their claim.

In most cases, the Financial Aid Director is the final authority with regard to dependency overrides. A. Federal Requirements and Situations for Independent Status Cypress College follows a strict Interpretation of the Federal Requirements for independent student status.

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The U.S. Congress, in passing the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, agreed upon a definition of an independent student, and those requirements are defined in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Specifically, Section 480(d) of the Higher Education Act, as amended, defines an independent student as someone who fits into one or more of six specific categories. Under these categories a student is independent if he or she:

(1) Is 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year; (2) Is an orphan or ward of the court until the individual reached the age of 18; (3) Is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States; (4) Is a graduate or professional student; (5) Is a married individual; or (6) Has a legal dependent other than a spouse. (7) A student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a documented

determination of independence by reason of other unusual circumstances. In unusual circumstances, Congress has recognized that there are situations that warrant the professional judgment of the financial aid administrator based on additional documentation. Therefore, an appeal process has been developed to allow the student’s case to be reviewed in depth.

B. Appeal Process Circumstances in which a student should submit an appeal? By submitting an Appeal for Independent Status to the Cypress College Financial Aid Office, students are asking the Financial Aid Office to relieve their parents of their responsibility of providing their financial information and contributing to the student’s college expenses. Only unusual circumstances will make it reasonable for the Financial Aid Office to approve such an appeal. Students must demonstrate that they are completely incapable of communicating with their parents. Students should keep the following in mind before they can appeal for independent status:

A student’s decision to move out of his or her parent’s home, in and of it self does not make the student independent for financial aid purposes.

A parent’s decision to request that the student move out of the parent’s home in and of itself does not make the student independent for financial aid purposes.

A parent’s unwillingness to provide parental data on the student’s financial aid forms is not a valid reason to grant independent status.

A student’s unwillingness to seek financial assistance from his or her parents is not a valid reason to grant independent status.

A student’s ability to pay his or her own educational expenses is not a valid reason to grant independent status.

What type of situations typically warrants an approval for independent status?

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Severe circumstances (usually documented) within your family that prevent you from obtaining parental financial information. Examples

An abusive home situation detrimental to your physical and/or mental well-being.

Death of a parent after filing the FAFSA and contacting the surviving parent would create a situation detrimental to your well-being.

Other extenuating circumstances that prevent contact with your parents in order to obtain parental information for FAFSA filing.

In each of the cases above, documentation from a third party such as a social service agency, court, minister, or counselor can document these circumstances. As such, the Cypress College Financial Aid Office will request documentation to verify your appeal. How a student requests an appeal Complete, sign, and return the Independent Student Status Appeal form to the Financial Aid Office. Be sure to follow the instructions as indicated. Appeals that are incomplete or lacking sufficient documentation will be denied. Forms are available in the Financial Aid Office. 2-4 weeks is the typical review time for an appeal.

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VI. Special Circumstances A. Definition Re-evaluation refers to the process of reviewing your financial aid application when you and/or your parents or spouse experience a change in income or expenses that was not reported on your 2015-2016 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal Application. When you apply for financial aid, income and asset information is used to determine how much can be contributed toward your educational expenses. Re-evaluation is appropriate when changes in income or assets are significant enough to result in increased aid eligibility. B. Situations for Special Circumstances What Adjustments Can Be Allowed?

Student Loss of Employment Student Illness Student Decrease in Salary Student other change in employment status

Spouse Loss of Employment Spouse Illness Spouse Decrease in Salary Spouse other change in employment Status

Other: How do I request a Special Circumstances Re-evaluation?

1. Complete a 2015-2016 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal Application.

2. Complete a Special Circumstances Request Form. The form is available in our

office. The form allows you to write a statement to explain your request. 3. Submit the form along with supporting documents to the Cypress College

Financial Aid Office. How long will the review take? Your request for Special Circumstances cannot be processed until your FAFSA has been completed and verified. Please allow up to eight weeks for processing the special circumstances request after your original application has been processed and all the required documentation for the Special Circumstances Request has been received. Please note that financial aid staff can only consider special circumstances when documentation is provided that will pass review by federal auditors. 2015-2016 Special Circumstances Requests must be submitted to our office no earlier than June 30, 2016 for consideration. Will I get more aid? If your Special Circumstances Request results in increased eligibility for aid and if funds are available, you may receive additional assistance. If your Special Circumstances Request results in increased eligibility, you may be asked to provide documentation (W-2 forms, 1099s, income tax returns, etc.) at the end of the calendar

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year to verify the accuracy of your income projections or projected expenses. If changes need to be made and these changes result in reduced eligibility, you may have to repay aid. If you have any further questions regarding the Special Circumstances Request policy and procedures, you are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office at your earliest convenience. What help is available? The Financial Aid Office has the authority to exercise discretion and recognize both the financial and adverse home conditions described above. Only the Financial Aid Office can make changes; government agencies like the United States Department of Education or various state agencies cannot authorize changes in the FAFSA data. The degree to which this discretion is exercised varies from school to school. The actual amount and type of extra financial aid a student might receive cannot be known until the student goes through the process. Each student is considered on a case-by-case basis. Each college to which a student applies has its own internal policies and procedures for professional judgment. A student may be treated differently by different colleges because discretion is appropriately local and designed to fit a wide range of programs and options. C. Review Procedures for Special Circumstances Requests at CC

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE?

If a Pell eligible applicant has already had verification changes transmitted to the Department of Education (DOE).

SIMPLE NEEDS?

Check income/filing status to see if simple analysis was used. In these cases, changes in assets will have no effect.

NEED-BASED ELIGIBILITY?

Unless you plan on doing a budget adjustment, check to see if student is already at full need-based eligibility.

AMENDED TAX RETURN?

If a student/parent submits an amended tax return, they must also submit the original tax return since not all fields are on the amended return.

BUDGET CATEGORIES EXCEEDED?

When reviewing budget adjustment requests, consider whether or not the student’s costs have exceeded the amount allocated in that category of the budget.

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CASE BY CASE

Each request should be treated individually. While the manual provides some guidelines for some common types of adjustments, the Director or Specialist should use professional judgment and review files on a case by case basis.

CATEGORY 1 ADJUSTMENTS: Loss of Income • Drop in Base Year Income: Taxable Income

Loss of income due to job termination/change, reduction in hours worked, alimony reduction, retirement, natural disaster or uncontrollable event.

1. Collect documentation specific to the type of income loss: (for example) a) Documents from financial institution b) Letter from employer (termination, resignation, change in hours etc.) c) Tax returns * d) Letter from the institution that forced foreclosure e) DD214 for termination of military service f) W-2s

g) Documentation of unemployment benefits (Note: this income is added into AGI but is not included in income earned from work)

*In some cases, you may want to request a tax return and W-2s for the current tax year before making an adjustment, in order to be able to make an accurate determination as to how much the person's income or AGI has changed from the base year.

Sample scenarios of when to request current year income tax return and W-2s:

a) A parent/spouse/student earns income from commissions and has just lost a big account. It is still early in the year and you believe there is a reasonably good chance that the person might be able to pick up other accounts before year's end. b) A parent/spouse was terminated from their job after June 30, 2015 (26 weeks will be at or after the end of the tax year)

Note: If you request the current year tax return (and receive it), you must compare it to the following year’s FAFSA to be sure there is no conflicting information.

2. Adjust Parent/Student/Spouse Income and AGI using projected tax year income. (Use gross income based on 52 weeks in a year)

Note: parent/spouse adjustments should be made only if the parent/spouse has been unemployed for at least 26 weeks (unless the parent/spouse does not intend to seek employment and/or unless the 2015 tax year has ended and/or unless the parent/spouse secures another job before 26 weeks is over)

a) If dependent student plans to work and doesn’t give a projected income, assume s/he will work both during the academic year and during the summer

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and calculate income based on the assumption of $10.00 per hour and 15 hours per week. b) For all independent students use minimum earnings for calendar year as $7,500.

Note: If the student submitted a Special Circumstances Request (due to loss of income) for 2015-116 (and it was approved), the student must provide documentation of actual earnings in 2015.

Examples of appropriate documentation would include pay stubs for the entire time period or a letter on official letterhead from the employer that specifies earnings for that time period.

3. Compute Federal tax paid based on new AGI (State tax recalculates automatically) using the following formula:

(New AGI ÷ Old AGI) x Old Tax = New Tax Note: if this calculation results in a higher figure than is already reported, leave the tax as is.

4. If parent/student/spouse has a loss of income due to leaving the clergy or military and they have lost their housing benefit (W-2, Box 12, Category Q), you may remove this as untaxed income if they request it. • Drop in Base Year Income: Untaxed Income

Loss of income resulting from loss or reduction of social security benefits, child support received, dividends and interest as a result of a stock market crash, untaxed retirement or disability benefits, welfare benefits, Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), untaxed unemployment compensation, and/or veterans benefits.

1. Adjust untaxed income using tax year untaxed income that has been lost due to the condition. 2. Collect documentation specific to the type of loss: (for example) a) Court papers b) Letter from appropriate agency • Divorce/Separation after Filing FAFSA Dependent Students 1. Collect appropriate documentation: (for example)

a) Court documentation of assets, or statement from supporting parent regarding income and assets

b) Divorce decree c) May request proof of separate households for separation 2. Adjust income, AGI, tax paid, and family size. Use W-2 for tax year income of parent supporting the student (be sure to ask about alimony, child support, etc.). 3. If assets were owned jointly by the parents, include only that portion which now

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belongs to the parent supporting the student. 4. Change parent’s marital status from “M” to “D.” Independent Students 1. Collect appropriate documentation: (for example)

a) Court documentation of assets, or statement from student regarding income and assets

b) Divorce decree c) May request proof of separate households for separation 2. Adjust income, AGI, tax paid, and family size. Use W-2 for tax year income of student. 3. If assets were owned jointly, include only that portion which now belongs to the student.

4. Do not change student’s marital status since updating marital status of students is not allowed.

• Widowed After Filing FAFSA Dependent Students 1. Collect appropriate documentation: (for example)

a) Death certificate b) Obituary

c) Funeral program d) Records of life insurance received during the tax year 2. Adjust income, AGI, tax paid, and family size. Use W-2 for tax year income of widowed parent. Assume that all other income on the tax return (dividends, interest, etc) goes to the surviving spouse unless the surviving spouse reports and documents otherwise (e.g. copy of will showing that all investments were passed on to someone other than the surviving spouse). Be sure to request documentation of insurance payments, social security benefits, etc. 3. Change parent’s marital status from “M” to “W” Independent Students 1. Collect appropriate documentation: (for example)

a) Death certificate b) Obituary

c) Funeral program d) Records of life insurance received during the tax year 2. Adjust income, AGI, tax paid, and family size. Use W-2 for tax year income of student. Assume that all other income on the tax return (dividends, interest, etc) goes to the student unless they report and document otherwise (e.g. copy of will showing that all investments were passed on to someone other than the student). Be sure to request documentation of insurance payments, social security benefits, etc.

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3. Do not change student’s marital status since updating marital status of students is not allowed.

• Roth IRA Exclusion 1. Collect appropriate documentation a) 2014 Federal tax return b) IRS Form 8606 - Nondeductible IRAs (ok to accept original Form 8606 from 1998) 2. Adjust AGI and tax paid

a) Review Federal tax return - taxable portion of Roth should be listed on line 15b (1040) or 11b (1040A). b) Subtract line 15 b from line 33 (1040) or line 11b from line 19 (1040A). This will give you the new AGI.

3. Adjust Untaxed Income a) The total amount of the Roth will be listed on line 15a (1040) or 11a (1040A).

Note: This number will be the same as line 15b or 11b ONLY if they chose to convert the whole amount at one time. If they chose this option, the whole amount is taxable.

b) To get the untaxed amount, subtract line 15a from 15b (1040) or 11a from 11b (1040A). Subtract this from the total untaxed income and enter this new number for untaxed income.

CATEGORY 2 ADJUSTMENTS: Increase in Mandatory or Non-discretionary Expenses • Non-Discretionary Payments

Court ordered child support, current year parents' student loan payments (PLUS, Stafford, Direct Loan, Perkins, SLS, Income Contingent), spouse's student loan payments (Stafford, Direct Loan, Perkins, SLS), student's loan payments (Stafford, Direct Loan, Perkins, SLS), payments through a credit management agency, and/or deductibles on insurance coverage for loss by natural disaster or other uncontrollable event.

1. Collect appropriate documentation: a) proof of regular payments for expense b) letter from credit management agency c) court documents d) letter from insurance agency stating loss, cause, and deductible amount e) copy of payment schedules for loans 2. For parents, adjust AGI by amount of non-discretionary payments that will be made during the calendar year. For student, adjust AGI for payments made during the academic year.

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• Medical/Dental Expenses/Increased Insurance Premiums Include any expenses incurred by student, other family member (for dependent students), or student's spouse or dependent (for independent students) for medical expenses not covered by insurance. Surgery/major medical expenses of a family member may cause medical insurance premiums to substantially increase. Look at amount of monthly payments. Do not adjust for cosmetic treatments unless injury related. It is ok to adjust independent students’ budgets for the cost of insurance premiums. Dependent Students: 1. Collect appropriate documentation. (for example) a) insurance bill b) letter from insurance company c) copies of canceled checks d) statement from doctor/hospital e) letter of medical necessity from doctor (in instances of orthodontics, etc.)

1. Decrease parent AGI (*) for expenses parents paid for during the tax year

OR 3. Adjust student AGI for expenses that the student paid for during the academic year. Independent Students: 1. . Collect appropriate documentation. (for example) a) insurance bill b) letter from insurance company c) copies of canceled checks d) statement from doctor/hospital e) letter of medical necessity from doctor (in instances of orthodontics, etc.) 2. Decrease student AGI (*) for family member expenses they paid for during the tax year (see dates above),

OR

3. Adjust student AGI for student expenses paid for during the academic year (see dates above). (*) When adjusting AGI due to medical expenses, only adjust up to 7.5% of AGI. Since taxpayers can itemize their medical expenses on the 1040 and can deduct medical expenses paid that total more than 7.5% of their AGI, we will only allow Special Circumstances consideration for medical expenses up to 7.5% of their AGI. • Parent/Grandparent in Nursing Home Student's parent or grandparent (dependent students only) resides in a nursing home facility which the student/parent must support. We will only adjust for expenses paid by the student or parent (not covered by insurance or Medicare).

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1. Collect appropriate documentation. (for example)

a) bills and/or receipts or documentation from facility regarding length of stay and cost of care provided

b) statement from supporting family members concerning the situation 2. For tax year documented expenses, subtract amount from parent/student AGI and adjust tax paid. • Funeral Expenses Include any funeral expenses incurred by student, spouse, or parent not covered by insurance. Dependent Students:

1. Collect appropriate documentation. (for example) a) funeral home bill/receipts, burial plot bill/receipts, church donation receipt, etc.

b) statement from insurance company regarding benefits paid. 2. Adjust AGI or Cash/Savings for expenses paid for during the tax year. Independent Students:

1. Collect appropriate documentation. (for example) a) funeral home bill/receipts, burial plot bill/receipts, church donation receipt, etc.

b) statement from insurance company regarding benefits paid. 2. Adjust student AGI, or Cash/Savings for expenses paid for during the academic year. • Travel Expenses 1. Collect receipts to document payment.

2. Adjust Transportation budget only for gasoline, oil, parking, reasonable repairs, and toll expenses. Do not adjust for mileage.

3. Use the following amounts as a guideline when adjusting for transportation costs:

approximately 45% of the transportation budget is allocated for gas and general maintenance, and approximately 55% of the budget is allocated for trips home, car repairs, etc. Adjust transportation budget for expenses that exceed these figures.

4. When adjusting for car repair bills, adjust only for mechanical repairs. Do not

adjust for body work (unless documented that it was necessary for the operation of the vehicle) or other cosmetic types of repairs (paint, dent removal, etc). Be sure to ask for insurance information since some of the repairs may be covered by insurance (especially in case of accident). Be sure to check to see who paid the bill. If parents or spouse paid, do not adjust student’s budget. An exception to this would be a case where the student can prove that the bill was paid out of a

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joint account. • Private School Expenses No adjustments may be made for private or parochial tuition. • Disability/Special Education Expenses

Include any un-reimbursed expenses incurred by student, other family member (for dependent students), or student's spouse or dependent (for independent students) for mental/physical disability. Be sure to check to see if rehabilitation benefits are covering expenses.

Collect appropriate documentation (for example) a) bills from institution/school or other source that directly relates to special needs b) statement from official stating circumstances and verifying the necessary amount c) letter from doctor/professional with knowledge of situation (must include actual “medical” diagnosis)

d) copies of educational expense bills e) statement from institution official with estimate or actual costs, and a statement of the nature of the student's special needs

f) copies of canceled checks Dependent Students:

Adjust AGI for expenses paid for during the tax year.

Independent Students:

Adjust student AGI for expenses paid for during the academic year. • Additional Required Educational Expenses This includes any education related expense that occurs during the academic year, while student is enrolled in 12+ credits, Continuing Education or special needs, fees or supplies. 1. Collect appropriate documentation. (for example) a) bills, receipts, canceled checks b) letter from advisor/instructor if supplies, etc. are required for degree

program 2. Adjust to reflect documented costs/expenses. • Computer Purchase 1. Budgets can be adjusted for up to $900 (hardware and software). 2. We will only adjust after the student has purchased the computer. The student must submit copies of paid receipts and/or canceled checks. We will adjust for purchases made between individuals. However, the student must provide a bill of sale

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and proof of payment (i.e. canceled check). 3. Adjustments for the academic year (Fall and Spring) will be made between July 1, 2015 and April 15, 2016. Adjustments for Summer will be made between May 1, 2016 and July 15, 2016. • Student Moving Expenses

One-time-only adjustment for non-residents moving in-state to pursue education at CC, or residents moving to the Orange County area. Keep in mind that moving expenses are sometimes reimbursed by the employer and reported as AGI on the 1040.

1. Collect appropriate documentation (for example) a) receipts for moving van rental b) receipts for gas for moving van 2. Possible Adjustments

a) The portion of a reimbursement that is documented as moving expenses and not deducted on 1040 tax return may be excluded from AGI.

b) Do not make adjustments to AGI for moving expenses that are deducted on line 26 of their 1040 tax return.

c) Use professional judgment for non-job related moving expenses.

4. Adjust for non-reimbursed expenses. • Childcare Expenses For consideration of expenses related to children with special needs, see medical or special education expenses sections. Independent Students:

These expenses should be considered in the Child Care Grant and Budget Adjustment Application process.

Dependent Students: Adjustments are not made for child care costs for parents of dependent students. OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: Loss of Assets Due to Natural Disaster or Other Non-Discretionary Reason • Drop in Base Year Assets Reductions to other real estate/investment, business or investment farm net worth,

ONLY resulting from unusual circumstances such as natural disaster or other uncontrollable, non-discretionary events that resulted in loss of assets.

1. If asset was sold, request new cash/savings value to look at change in cash

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position resulting from sale. Find out where money was spent or reinvested. Adjust assets accordingly.

2. If asset was refinanced or borrowed against, request documentation to look at change in asset value and debt and adjust accordingly.

3. If forced to liquidate asset to pay off creditors due to bankruptcy or other reason, request letter from bank/creditor regarding cash value and amount paid to creditors. Adjust assets accordingly.

4. If loss occurred due to natural disaster, request statement from insurance company.

5. Collect appropriate documentation: (for example)

a) Statement from broker, realtor, county assessor or recent statement reflecting net worth

b) Statement of debt on bank note or letter from creditor reflecting amount paid c) Statement from insurance company stating what they paid, and receipts from insured showing what they paid d) Notice of filing bankruptcy e) Statement from attorney, accountant or other professional f) Bankruptcy Discharge notice. D. Update on the use of “Professional Judgment”

May 8, 2009

SUBJECT : Update on the use of “Professional Judgment” by Financial Aid Administrators

SUMMARY: This letter provides information to financial aid administrators regarding their

ability to exercise, if properly documented, professional judgment when determining the eligibility of a student for federal student aid. It also informs aid administrators about letters that will be provided to all recipients of unemployment insurance benefits by state unemployment agencies that can be used by a financial aid administrator to document special circumstances of students during these challenging economic times.

Dear Financial Aid Administrator: On April 2, 2009, we posted to our Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site a Dear Colleague Letter (GEN-09-04) reminding you of your authority as a financial aid administrator, pursuant to section 479A of the Higher Education Act, to make adjustments, on the basis of adequate documentation and on a case-by-case basis, to address circumstances not reflected in a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We know that you may already have been using documentation from state unemployment offices as part of your professional judgment determinations. However, I am writing to provide additional guidance and tell you about a step that each state’s unemployment agency, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor, is taking that will

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help you assist individuals and families struggling in these difficult economic times. Many recently unemployed individuals do not know that they may now be eligible for Federal Pell Grants and other need-based student aid. Most do not know of your ability to adjust financial aid eligibility based on their special circumstances. Because of the severity of the economic recession, the U.S. Department of Labor has been working with the states so that each state will send a letter to all recipients of unemployment insurance benefits to encourage them to consider enrolling in postsecondary education and applying for financial aid. During this period of economic hardship, you may use the letter from the state unemployment agency, or other evidence that a student is receiving unemployment benefits, to document that the income earned from work of that student is zero for the purposes of adjusting data items for the student on the student’s federal financial aid application. For purposes of implementing this letter only, unemployment benefits can also be considered zero as the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Labor and the Office of Management and Budget, has determined that the maximum unemployment benefits available would not have a material impact on the Expected Family Contribution of an independent student. If there are other members of the student’s family for whom you may have evidence of their receiving unemployment benefits, we encourage you to examine the totality of the family’s economic situation and make any appropriate adjustments. Unemployed individuals will be able to present letters for 90 days from the date of issuance of those letters to an aid administrator for consideration under this guidance. (The letter should not be accepted if you know that an applicant already has obtained other employment.) Other verification of current receipt of unemployment benefits is an acceptable substitute for the state unemployment agency letter. We know that many financial aid administrators have been reluctant to use professional judgment because the Department has used the percentage of students for whom a professional judgment determination has been made as part of its risk-based model to select institutions for program reviews. For the 2008-09 and 2009-10 award years, the Department will make appropriate adjustments to its risk-based model. We will continue to monitor and enforce requirements for appropriate use of professional judgment, but recognize that appropriate use of professional judgment by a school is likely to increase in the current economic environment. As long as you retain in your student records a valid letter, as described above, or other evidence of current receipt of unemployment insurance benefits from a state unemployment office, we will consider that to be adequate documentation for the adjustment to the student-recipient’s income. In addition, the Departments of Education and Labor have established a Web site to assist those who are recently unemployed. That site is http://www.opportunity.gov. If you have questions regarding the information provided in this letter, please contact Carney McCullough by phone at (202) 502-7639 or by e-mail at carney.mccullough@ed.gov. Thank you in advance for your cooperation as together we provide opportunities to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to participate in our country’s outstanding postsecondary education system. Sincerely, Arne Duncan

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VII. Attendance Verification Procedures

A. Title IV Programs Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Loans, Federal Work-Study (FWS)

Disbursement: Checks cannot be ordered for students who are not enrolled for a given semester. Enrollment will be verified through Banner. B. Fraud

Students Any student, who attempts to obtain financial aid by fraud, will be forwarded to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. The FAA will suspend financial aid payments and recommend to the Dean of Students that the student be suspended from all North Orange County Community College District institutions. In addition, the FAA will forward the student’s information and file to the Office of Inspector General, Long Beach branch. The following circumstances are indicative of possible fraud when the FAA can find no other legitimate reason for a discrepancy: False claims of independent student status False claims of citizenship Use of a false identity Forgery of signatures or certifications False statements of income The FAA will report such instances to the Administrative Dean of Student Services, local law enforcement agencies, the Office of Inspector General, to the California Student Aid Commission and/or the federal government. Restitution of any financial aid received fraudulently will be required. The FAA will maintain all correspondence and records of such incidents.

Employees Employees, who attempt to obtain financial aid by fraud, will be forwarded to the Dean of Student Services for immediate disciplinary action. The FAA will suspend financial aid payments and recommend to the Dean of Student Services that the employee be suspended from all North Orange County Community College District institutions and permanently removed from the Financial Aid Office. The FAA will report such instances local law enforcement agencies, the Office of Inspector General, to the California Student Aid Commission and/or the federal government. Restitution of any financial aid received fraudulently will be required.

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The FAA and District Audit Services will perform an audit. The FAA will notify the appropriate personnel to suspend the employee’s access to all computer systems, files, and physical access to the building. All required reports will be filed with the appropriate authorities as needed. C. Student Rights and Responsibilities Students should refer to the Cypress College Catalog and the current schedule of classes for specific information on: Student Responsibility Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act Drug Free College Statement (see Standards of Student Conduct and Discipline) Other policies and procedures published by the CC FAO include:

CC Financial Aid Programs Verification Policy for 2015-2016 CC Financial Aid Programs Packaging Guidelines for 2015-2016 CC Financial Aid Programs Return of Title IV Funds Policy CC Financial Aid Programs Consortium Agreements

D. Student Loans

Federal Direct Loan Program Cypress College participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) and will certify loans under FDLP. It is the philosophy of the Cypress College Financial Aid Office that loans should be taken out as the last alternative for financing a student's education. It is also recognized that in many cases, a student loan may be the only viable alternative for meeting educational expenses.

FDLP Packaging Policy Students must come in to the Financial Aid Office to initiate the Federal Direct Loan (Student Loan) borrowing process. First-year students who have unmet need after all other financial aid has been awarded, may borrow a subsidized loan up to the amount of their unmet need or $3,500, whichever is less. Second-year students may borrow a subsidized loan up to the amount of their unmet need or $4,500, whichever is less. Third-year & Fourth-year students may borrow a subsidized loan up to the amount of their unmet need or $5,500, whichever is less. CC identifies a first-year student as one who has completed less than thirty units toward his or her educational program. A second-year student is one who has completed 30 or more units toward their educational program.

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Dependent students may borrow an unsubsidized loan up to the total amount of their remaining unmet need plus Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or $2,000 whichever is less. Independent students may borrow an unsubsidized loan up to the total amount of their remaining unmet need plus Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or $6,000 whichever is less. CC identifies a dependent student as one who was determined to be dependent according to their FAFSA information and an independent student as one who was determined to be independent according to their FAFSA information. Loan amounts must be prorated for students with only one semester remaining to complete the requirements of the educational program. Prorating also applies to a student who has a one semester extension of financial aid eligibility approved. Dependent students who cannot borrow the annual maximum from the subsidized loan due to a high Expected Family Contribution (EFC) may borrow the difference as an unsubsidized loan. This also applies to dependent students who have no calculated financial need due to a high EFC. Such students will need to submit a Direct Loan Request form to have their eligibility for unsubsidized loans established.

Application Procedure and Disbursements All student loan borrowers must complete a loan entrance counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN) on-line at www.studentloans.gov, and are required to attend a Loan Information Session. Loan Information Sessions are scheduled throughout the semester and will cover those topics specified by federal regulation including borrower rights and responsibilities, repayment options, and consolidation issues. FDLP loans will be disbursed thirty days after the Financial Aid Freeze Date (Census Date) for all borrowers. If a student is receiving a Fall-only or Spring-only loan, the disbursement will come as two 50% disbursements. The second disbursement occur 4 weeks after the first. Loans will be canceled for any borrowers who have not completed entrance counseling or a MPN by the last day of the semester in which the loan was requested.

Attendance Verification The FAO will complete enrollment verification during the processing of the Direct Loan Request Form which will occur after the Financial Aid Freeze Date. If a student is not enrolled, he or she is not considered to be making satisfactory academic progress and a loan will not be disbursed until satisfactory academic progress is achieved. If a student is not enrolled at CC at the time of disbursement, the loan will be cancelled.

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Withdrawal During the Loan Period A student who is receiving a FDLP Loan for both the Fall and Spring semesters, and temporarily ceases to be enrolled in at least six units during the Fall semester, may still receive the second disbursement of the loan proceeds. In order to receive the second disbursement, the student must continue to be making satisfactory progress and enroll in at least six units for the Spring semester. Failure to meet these conditions will result in the cancellation of the second loan disbursement. If a student is receiving a Fall-only or Spring-only loan and ceases to be enrolled in at least six units prior to receiving the second disbursement, the second disbursement will be cancelled. Exit Counseling Exit counseling must be completed online at online at www.studentloans.gov. This requirement must be completed if a student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment.

Default Management In the 2015/2016 academic year, Cypress College attained the assistance of ECMC, Educational Credit Management Corporation, to create a new approach in achieving our Default Prevention Goals. Cypress College and ECMC are committed together to help students avoid default. In attaining this goal, ECMC provides a real time database; LoanTracker, which updates and tracks borrower data, loan status and default prevention activity for three cohort periods. ECMC also monitors telephone, letter and email campaigns. ECMC continually maintains an intensive skip-tracing effort to locate students and any updated information regarding new addresses, phone numbers or reference contacts. The Cypress College Financial Aid Office Default Management Technician focuses on the current three cohort groups regarding students who are 30 days delinquent or less. Telephone calls are made to these students on a monthly basis; and all telephone calls are posted within the ECMC LoanTracker system, either if the student is contacted or not by the Technician. Additionally, the Technician corresponds with ECMC regarding any other information on 280 days delinquent students. Any new information on the 280 days delinquent students is emailed by the Technician to the ECMC contact and reports new data within the LoanTracker system. Cypress College is also investigating the implementation of Grace Period counseling with ECMC. Additionally, Cypress College and ECMC focuses on Financial Literacy in utilizing ECMC’s iGrad; which consists of Modules or an integrated multimedia system in providing students with money management tools combined with highly trained financial counselors.

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Financial Literacy is also implemented in our Loan Information Sessions in which students are encouraged to limit their borrowing of student loans. A handout showing the projected loan payments after completion their college education is also provided to students. The handout uses various principal loan amounts to give student several examples. Recommended lifetime loan amounts at Cypress College are as follows:

Dependent students: $12,750

Independent students: $19,000 Exception: Health Science Majors Students admitted to a Cypress College competitive Health Science program may be eligible for additional loans. Petitions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and require proof of acceptance into the program. Programs that may be considered high-unit Health Science majors include:

Nursing

Dental Hygiene

Psychiatric Technology

Health Information Technology

Mortuary Science

Radiologic Technology

Ultrasound/Medical Sonography Closed School Discharge For students who have previously borrowed from an educational loan program on or after January 1, 1986, the holder of the loan is authorized, under certain conditions, to discharge the total loan liability. This includes refunding any amounts that have already paid on the loan if you were unable to complete the program in which you were enrolled due to the closure of the institution.

Previous Defaults Students who have previously borrowed from an educational loan program and have defaulted on such a loan will be eligible to borrow a FDLP Loan at CC once they have paid the previous loan in full, have consolidated a previously defaulted loan into a FDLP Loan, or have made satisfactory repayment arrangements. Satisfactory repayment arrangements are defined as having made six consecutive monthly payments. A student who has repaid a previously defaulted loan in full, made satisfactory repayment arrangements, or otherwise resolved the default regains eligibility for financial assistance. The student must provide documentation that proves the default has been resolved through one of the previously mentioned methods. For Pell Grant, the student is eligible during the semester in which the default is resolved.

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A student with a previously defaulted student loan, who has had the loan repaid by involuntary means (i.e. income tax refund withheld), has not demonstrated a willingness to repay the debt. Thus, CC may refuse to process a FDLP Loan for such a student on a case-by-case basis. The student will be notified in writing of this decision. Loan Rehabilitation To rehabilitate a defaulted student loan, you must agree in writing to: make nine monthly payments; make each payment within 20 days of the due date; and make all nine payments during a period of 10 consecutive months. If you successfully rehabilitate your defaulted loan, you will again be subject to the terms and conditions and qualify for the benefits and privileges of your original promissory note and the default will be removed from your credit history. You can rehabilitate a defaulted student loan only once.

Student Loan Ombudsman If you dispute the terms of your student loan in writing and the holder of your loan is unable to resolve the dispute, you may seek the assistance of the Department of Education's Student Loan Ombudsman. The Student Loan Ombudsman will review and attempt to informally resolve your dispute and may be reached at 1-877-557-2575.

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VIII. Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver The Board of Governors Fee Waiver Program (BOGW) was established in California to waive the enrollment fee and health fee for eligible students. There are four methods to determine eligibility. Separate legislation requires districts to waive health fees for students who qualify for the BOGW. A. Definitions BOGW A or Public Assistance Any student whose family receives AFDC, General Relief or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is eligible to have his/her fees waived under method A. In addition students, who are eligible for a Veteran's Dependent Fee Waiver, as determined by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, are identified as eligible under method A. Supporting documentation is needed to verify BOGW A eligibility. BOGW B or the Income Grid A student whose combined taxed and untaxed income is below the income ceiling for their household size are eligible for a BOGW B. The income grid is contained in California statute and can only be changed through legislative action. No supporting documentation will be required for students applying under method B. BOGW C or Need Analysis To qualify for BOGW C a student must have at least one dollar of documented need as determined by Congressional Methodology. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to calculate the documented need. At CC, the data from the FAFSA will be drawn down through the United States Department of Education and loaded into the Banner database where a need analysis will be performed. Any student record that shows at least $1,104 of financial need will have a BOGW C posted to the student database with a dollar value for enrolled units times the current enrollment fee. An entry will also be posted to waive the health fee. BOGW F or Special Classifications To qualify for BOGW F, a student must be an eligible dependent of a service-connected disabled or deceased veteran. Supporting documentation is needed to verify BOGW F eligibility. B. Application Process BOGW A or B Students may use the BOGW application that is available in the myGateway or on the FAO web site. Once the student completes the form, a financial aid technician will

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review the application. If the student is receiving public assistance, documentation will be collected and kept on file. Dependent students must also have parent’s signature. When eligibility is determined, there is an automatic process that runs nightly to pick up all students who applied and qualified that day. BOGW C The student will complete and submit the FAFSA. BOGW F or Special Classifications To qualify for BOGW-F, a student must obtain a “College Fee Waiver Authorization (Plan B) Dependents of Service-Connected Disabled or Deceased Veterans” Letter from their local Veterans Service Office. Students do not need to apply for the Fee Waiver online, they only need to submit the letter to our FAO once per academic year. Once the letter is received, a Financial Aid Technician will manually process and award in Banner and save the letter on file. C. Processing Information All BOGW’s are posted in myGateway for the academic year including summer. (Summer is defined as the term before the award year.) If a student has paid his/her enrollment fees and subsequently applies for financial aid and is awarded the BOGW, the enrollment fee will be refunded. All supporting documents for the BOGW A and F will be maintained in the FAO for a minimum of three years from the end of the summer session as the trailer of the award year. B. BOGW Manual w/Appendices: Visit http://extranet.cccco.edu/Divisions/StudentServices/FinancialAid/BOGFeeWaiverProgram.aspx

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C. 2015-16 BOGW Income Standards:

Board of Governors Fee Waiver Program BOGW B 2015-2016 Income Standards

Family Size

2014 Income

1 $17,505

2 $23,595 3 $29,685

4 $35,775

5 $41,865

6 $47,955

7 $54,045 8 $60,135

Each Additional Family Member

$6,090

* These standards are based upon the federal poverty guidelines, as published each year by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Under Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, the student or student’s family must have a total income in the prior year (in this case, 2014) that is equal to or less than 150% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines based on family size. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published the 2014 Poverty Guidelines in January 2014 (additional information will be posted after the guidelines are published). These income standards are for the 2015-2016 academic year and are to be used to determine BOGFW-B eligibility EFFECTIVE July 1, 2015.

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IX. Verification Policy Verification is the process by which the FAO compares the information on the financial aid application with source documents provided by the student to verify the accuracy of the information. These policies are to be used in conjunction with the Department of Education verification guidelines. Cypress College will verify the information on the Student Aid Report (SAR) or ISIR for all students who complete the application process for federal financial aid and who are selected for verification by the Department of Education. In addition, CC may select files for verification to resolve conflicting information. At Cypress College, financial aid will not be awarded to those selected for verification until all documents required are submitted and the verification has been completed. If a student withdraws from all classes before verification is completed, the student must provide the necessary documents for verification within 60 days of the withdrawal date in order to receive a post withdrawal disbursement. A. Deadlines The following deadlines, regulated by the U.S. Department of Education, will be followed at CC and can be located in the Department of Education Verification Guide.

Electronic or paper FAFSA (original or renewal): received by CPS no later than June 30th.

Paper signature page must be received no later than September 17th.

SAR/ISIR corrections and duplicate requests received by CPS no later than September 17th.

Valid SAR/ISIR received at institution no later than the earlier date of: the student’s last date of enrollment for the current award year or September 26th.

Verification documents received at institution no later than the earlier date of: 120 days after the student’s last date of enrollment for the current award year or September 26th.

Final submission of payment information to Department of Education no later than September 30th.

Students who fail to turn in all documents required to complete verification by the appropriate deadline, will be ineligible for financial aid for current award year. These are federal deadlines, CC reserves the right to cut off applications earlier based on workload.

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B. Corrections If discrepancies are found between the documents submitted for verification and the information on the SAR or ISIR, the following procedures will be used for making the corrections:

SAR – corrections to income or asset figures, household size, and dependency must be made through CPS Online. This will produce an electronic student aid report with an updated EFC. Students will receive an acknowledgement from the Central Processor.

Award changes – If corrections to the SAR due to verification result in a change in the student’s award, the student’s information will be updated on their myGateway portal.

C. Verification Selection The federal processor uses a risk model to identify FAFSA data elements that are prone to error, which appear inconsistent. Only those FAFSA data elements flagged by the federal processor will be subjected to verification. The FAO at CC will perform additional verifications on all students who have conflicting data in the file documents. D. Notification of Verification Requirements Students will be notified of the documents that must be submitted to the FAO in order to complete verification by a tracking letter sent via email. The tracking letter will inform the student of outstanding requirements and how to access them through the myGateway portal. Tracking letters may also contain important policies, procedures, and information. Tracking letters are generated weekly. Students may also be contacted by Financial Aid Staff for individual notification of verification requirements by telephone; in-person at the Financial Aid Office, or by email. Telephone, in-person, and email notification will be conducted as requested and needed by the student. D. Verification Tracking Groups The US Department of Education uses a targeted verification system. When a student is selected for verification, they will be placed into one of the following Verification Groups: V1—Standard Verification Group Students who are tax filers must verify the following:

Adjusted gross income

U.S. income tax paid

Untaxed portions of IRA distributions

Untaxed portions of pensions

IRA deductions and payments

Tax-exempt interest income

Education credits

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Household size

Number in college

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits

Child support paid Students who are not tax filers must verify the following:

Income earned from work

Household size

Number in college

SNAP benefits

Child support paid V2—Reserved for future use by the Department V3—Child Support Paid Verification Group Students must verify child support paid by them or their spouse, their parents, or both. V4—Custom Verification Group Students must verify high school completion status and identity/statement of educational purpose in addition to receipt of SNAP benefits and payment of child support. V5—Aggregate Verification Group Students must verify high school completion status and identity/statement of educational purpose in addition to the items in the Standard Verification Group. V6—Household Resources Group Students must verify the items in the V1—Standard Verification Group and certain other untaxed income such as:

Payments to tax-deferred pension and retirement savings plans

Child support received

Housing, food, and other living allowances paid to members of the military, clergy, and others

Veterans’ non-education benefits

Other untaxed income

Money received or paid on the applicant’s behalf

Resources or benefits not appearing on the FAFSA (example: in-kind support from a relative or a government agency)

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X. Packaging Guidelines A. Review of Financial Aid Files In reviewing files for financial aid, the following is a list of items each specialist is responsible for checking before approving students for awards. Residency status Satisfactory Progress

1. Student meets minimum enrollment status criteria from 2015-2016 OK to award

2. Student meets minimum enrollment status contract as a full-time student, but were paid as either a half-time or ¾ time student for the entire year, then OK to award if student met the criteria for a less than full-time student.

3. New students – never received financial aid 4. Students who has 72 units or higher, you may subtract any remedial

coursework (up to a maximum of 30 units) if after units are subtracted, student is still 72 units or higher, then deny and send denial letter.

5. Grade Interpretations Grades of A, B, C, D, F or CR, NC will be considered coursework completed toward satisfactory academic progress standard for the award year. Grades of I, IP, or W, will not be considered coursework completed towards the satisfactory academic progress standard for the award year.

6. Payment Grades of I, IP, or W will not be counted towards units completed for payment of financial aid beginning with the 2008-09 award year. If the FAO has paid a student for courses in which he/she received an I, IP, F, D or W then the FAO will pay for the repeat of these courses if the grade in these courses needs to be a “C” or higher in order to stay in a program or to transfer.

7. For students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress standards, place a HOLD on Banner. Note on the comment screen (RHACOMM) the reason for the denial.

8. If the student passes all checks, proceed with awarding. B. Drug Conviction

Effective July 1, 2000 DRUG CONVICTION IV, HEA program funds if the student has been convicted of an offense involving the possession or sale of illegal drugs for the period described below: Possession If a student has been convicted-

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1. Only one time for possession of illegal drugs, the student is ineligible to receive Title IV, HEA program funds for one year after the date of conviction;

2. Two times for possession of illegal drugs, the student is ineligible to receive Title IV, HEA program funds for two years after the date of the second conviction; or

3. Three or more times for possession of illegal drugs, the student is ineligible to receive Title IV, HEA program funds for an indefinite period after the date of the third conviction.

Sale If a student has been convicted- 1. Only one time for sale of illegal drugs, the student is ineligible to receive Title IV,

HEA program funds for two years after the date of conviction; or 2. Two or more times for sale of illegal drugs, the student is ineligible to receive Title

IV, HEA program funds for an indefinite period after the date of the second conviction.

Rehabilitation If a student successfully completes a drug rehabilitation program after the student's most recent drug conviction, the student regains eligibility on the date the student successfully completes the program. A drug rehabilitation program is one which- (1) Includes at least two unannounced drug tests; and (2) (i) Has received or is qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly under a

Federal, State, or local government program; (ii) Is administered or recognized by a Federal, State, or local government agency or court; (iii) Has received or is qualified to receive payment directly or indirectly from a Federally- or State-licensed insurance company; or (iv) Is administered or recognized by a Federally- or State-licensed hospital, health clinic or medical doctor.

If you need more information regarding your eligibility for Federal Financial Aid, as it relates to this new law, please contact the SFAO in SSC-106. C. Student Budgets Students who apply for financial aid as living at home and who then move away from home during the school year will have their budgets adjusted provided the student notifies the FAO of the change in status prior to October 1 of the award year and the change in status occurs prior to October 1 of the award year. The student must see a Financial Aid Technician in order to have the change made. Until October 1, 2015, a first-priority student will have campus-based aid added to his or her financial aid package provided funds are available. Students who apply for financial aid as at home and then move away from home, must bring in certification of this move. The specialist will review the certification.

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It is the expectation and judgment of the FAO at CC that no one has the responsibility of supporting the student except for the student's parent(s). Thus, a student who is living with relatives will be treated as an away from home student, will be given an away from home budget, and will be packaged accordingly. 9-month budgets (4-1/2 month budgets for student who are attending one semester) will be given to all students. If a student has a child under the age of 12, or any dependent that requires care while the student is in school, dependent care expenses may be added to the student's budget on a case-by-case basis. The student may inform the FAO of the amount of dependent care to be paid by completing the Child Care (Dependent Care) Expense Form and return it to the Financial Aid Office. A financial aid specialist will add that amount to the student's budget, by calculating the nine month amount. 12-month budgets A student who chooses to attend summer school may be given a 12-month budget and awarded aid (other than Summer FWS) but only in the case where the student is both attending at least half-time, and where there is extreme financial need. Professional Judgment must be used by the specialist. REMINDER: It is permissible, using professional judgment, to change the student's budget to more accurately reflect the actual expenses of the student. It is permissible, for example, to add dependent care or additional expenses for a disabled student, to a student's budget. It would also be permissible to remove the food & housing portion of the budget for a student who is not paying those expenses. D. Expected Family Contributions The expected family contribution used in awarding financial aid at Cypress College will be that calculated by the central processor (CPS). REMINDER: It is permissible, under professional judgment, to change the student's contribution to more accurately reflect the financial strength of the student (and the student's parents). Such an adjustment may be used to either increase or decrease the student's contribution. One way to do this is to use the student's (and/or parents') projected year or projected school year income. This may be done if the projected income is less than or more than the base year income. E. Neediest Students Title IV regulations require that FSEOG be awarded to the students with exceptional need, as determined by lowest family contribution. At CC, students with exceptional needs are those with a calculated EFC of zero and the largest amount of need. A ranking of first-priority applicants will be completed to identify the students who will receive these awards first; followed by a waiting list of second priority students, ordered by date FAFSA submitted and file completed at CC.

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NOTE: It is not permissible to use professional judgment to award FSEOG to a student whose need amount is larger than the cut-off amount in the ranking process. The financial aid specialist may, however, use professional judgment to change the family contribution to more accurately reflect the financial strength of the family after the appropriate Special Circumstances Request has been submitted and documented appropriately.. F. Packaging Priorities For all students:

1 ) Federal Pell Grant 2) Cal Grant, National Service Awards (Americorp) and CC Scholarships,

EOP/S Grant, Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver 3) Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant 4) Cal Works Work-study 5) Federal Work Study 6) FDLP Subsidized Loan 7) FDLP Unsubsidized Loan

Board Governors Fee Waiver Programs (BOGW) To qualify for the BOGW, a student must be a resident of California. If Admissions and Records determine that the student must pay out-of-state tuition, that student is not eligible for the BOGW. There are three methods to determine eligibility:

If the student receives TANF, SSI/SSP, or GR/GA; the student is eligible for a BOGW-A.

If the student is eligible for a BOGW-B if the student's (or the student's parents') income is less than the appropriate maximum from the current table.

If the student either has remaining need, as determined by the Central Processor, or is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, the student is eligible for a BOGW-C.

Enrollment fees are considered to be part of the student's budget and the waiver is treated as a financial aid award. Students who are eligible for the BOGW award will no longer have their health fee waived. Students must pay their own health fee. Cal Grant If a student received a Cal Grant during the previous award year it is best to assume that the student will be a Cal Grant recipient for the current year. Initially, Cal Grants that are assumed for the current year for packaging purposes, will be posted to Banner (both the type of Cal Grant and the dollar amount). The California Student Aid Commission determines the maximum Cal Grant award amounts.

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Cypress College Scholarships Cypress College scholarships awarded to a financial aid student will show as an outside resource and will appear both on the packaging and the FA summary screen of Banner. If the outside scholarship is awarded after the student has already been packaged, the following order of funds is reduced to cover the over-award: Federal Stafford Federal Work Study Federal SEOG BIA Grant Title IV regulations require that if a student receives a BIA grant, the amount of the grant must be used to reduce the student’s loan first, FWS second and FSEOG last. Discretion may be used to alter the above sequence if the student requests it or if it is in the best interest of the student. CC applies BIA as an outside resource and shows on the packaging and FA summary screens of Banner. State Grants and Scholarships As other state grants and scholarships are received for individual students throughout the academic year, the awards will be added to the student's award package. If any over-award exists, adjustments will be made which are in the best interest of the student, within the extent of the regulations. EOPS The selection of EOPS recipients will be the responsibility of the EOPS Office. The income criteria for EOPS are the same income criteria for BOGW methods A and B (but not method C). Loans Any student, who has already encumbered $12,750 debt in student loans, will need to petition the Financial Aid Director for an exception. The Financial Aid Director, in consultation with the Specialist(s) will review the situation. CC reserves the right to refuse to certify a loan for a student, if professional judgment is used and a decision is made that the loan would not be in the student's best interest. The student will be notified in writing of the committee's decision. To receive FSEOG, students must meet the “students with exceptional need” criteria, as defined above, and be eligible for Federal PELL grant.

FSEOG award amounts Legislated maximum: $ 2,000 per school year minimum: $ 100 per school year CC award $ 500 per school year but not limited to.

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FSEOG will be automatically packaged as $500 per year for all students who meet the eligibility criteria. Federal Work Study Awards Federal Work Study awards will be made on the basis of the 36-week school year in accordance with the FWS Chart. FWS maximum amount is $6,000 for the academic year. This amount may be increased due to summer work study, or based on professional judgment by the specialist. All FWS students are paid according to the "Nonclassified Short-Term Hourly Employee Rate Schedule" that has been established by District. G. Overaward Situations If the student has federal aid other than Federal Pell Grant, reduce the federal aid (other than Federal Pell) until the over award is eliminated. If the student has only a Stafford Loan to reduce and the loan has already been processed and a scholarship is added, the loan does not have to be recalculated. Put a note in the file indicating that the award was added after the loan was processed and enter the amount of the over award. In reviewing over awards at the end of an award year, after the amount of FWS actually earned has been posted, if the over award is less than $300, simply input that amount. If the student has some combination of Federal Pell Grant, and/or scholarship; simply enter the amount of the over award to offset the over award. If the student is over awarded, has a Cal Grant, and has no federal financial aid (other than Federal Pell) that may be reduced, first meet with the student to determine if the student has an unusual situation that warrants an addition to the budget. If not, the Cal Grant will be reduced to stay within the budget. If the student is over awarded, has EOPS, and has no federal financial aid (other than Pell) that may be reduced, notify the EOPS Office.

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XI. Professional Judgment A. Types of Professional Judgements Unusual circumstances of the student may cause the financial aid specialist to make exceptions to the above guidelines. There are two types of professional judgment used in the CC financial aid office: TYPE A: Use the Professional Judgment of Financial Aid Classified Staff. Note the

changes made and the rationale for the change on the comments screen of Banner and with documentation in the file.

TYPE B: Use the Professional Judgment from the Financial Aid Appeal Committee

(Includes Financial Aid Classified Staff, and Financial Aid Director). This too will be noted in the comments section of Banner and in the file.

The following are examples of changes that may be made using professional judgment and the method that is to be used for each one. B. Changes in the Need Analysis Computation

Use projected year income—Type A.

Use projected school year income--Type A.

Reduce the family contribution--Type B.

Increase the family contribution--Type B.

Change to a 12 month budget and award summer work-study--Type A.

Change to a 12 month budget for some other reason--Type B.

Add expenses for disabled (documentation is required)--Type A.

Change the budget from at home to away from home for a student who moves away from home—Type A.

Change the budget from at home to away from home for a student who is still living at home--Type B.

Change the budget from away from home to at home for a student who moves back home--Type A.

Change the budget from away from home to at home for a student who is still living away from home—Type B.

C. Changes in the Financial Aid Package

Award a FDLP --Type A.

Award campus-based aid to a student who is a late applicant--Type B.

Award summer work-study to a student who was not on work-study in the previous award--Type B.

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D. Changes in Dependency Status A special form is to be used to facilitate the change from dependent to independent status. As the form is submitted by the student, the student will be directed to the Financial Aid Director. The Technician or Specialists will make sure the information on the form is clear and assist the student in clarifying any essential items. The decision to change the student from dependent to independent status will be made by the Financial Aid Director. In extreme cases, a committee decision will be made after presenting evidence for a consensus decision. Some reasons that a student may be changed from dependent to independent status at CC are detailed in the Dependency Override section of this manual.

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XII. Federal Work Study (FWS) – Community Service Jobs

The CC FAO is administering funds from the Federal Work Study Program. The following factors are considered:

Institutional award policy

Indication from the student of an interest in FWS

Availability of funds General provisions for FWS student recipients:

Students will receive no more than 20 hours per week of work-study for the regular academic year.

Summer awards will be made for the summer preceding the academic year for returning students enrolled in summer session at least half-time (6 units).

Students must be enrolled at least half time to receive funds.

Students who have non FWS jobs may also be awarded FWS.

Students whose total FWS earnings reach $1 over their need will not be permitted to continue employment on FWS funds.

Students must be in a good academic standing while employed under the program.

Students must not exceed the 90 unit maximum rule. The work study awards will be packaged as part of a student's financial aid award. A. Community Service In accordance with the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, the following describes current on campus jobs that meet the community service definition. The following areas have FWS jobs that constitute at least 7% of CC’s FWS allocation: Tutoring Services or Family Literacy Activities Many individuals have not mastered the basic skills necessary for employment in higher education. The Tutorial Center provides tutoring to those seeking aid in the areas of reading, writing, math, and coping skills. Career Planning / Counseling Division The CC Career Center maintains Occupational Outlook Handbooks, Guides for Occupational Exploration, Vocational Biographies, and a computerized career planning system. Our center is opened to students and people of the community who are not students. Re-entry/CALWorks Office CC welcomes women who wish to resume an interrupted education. The Re-entry/ CALWorks Center encourages them to take advantage of counseling, testing, classes and programs to explore special interests, earn a certificate or work toward a degree. The center assists women of all ages to develop their skills, capabilities, and confidence. A single parent program, and specialized counseling are offered. With the exception of classes, all services and groups are open to the community.

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Financial Aid Office The FAO offers assistance to students and the community regarding financial aid programs. Staff members and student assistants assist individuals seeking help in understanding the availability of student aid, in completing the forms, and in determining eligibility for various loan deferments. B. Orientation All students who are using FWS funds must complete an orientation process with the FWS coordinator, to complete the new hire orientation, and submit all required paperwork to human resources prior to beginning their assignments. The Financial Aid Specialist will complete all of the necessary personnel documents. A Supervisor’s Guide to FWS will be given to each FWS supervisor.

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CYPRESS COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

FEDERAL WORK-STUDY

SUPERVISOR’S HANDBOOK

The purpose of this handbook is to provide some basic guidelines that we hope will be useful in managing and working effectively with Federal Work-Study students. Our goal is to serve you with the most efficient method possible. Your compliance with these guidelines will assist us in achieving this goal. If we do not answer all your questions in this handbook, please feel free to contact the financial aid office.

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1. INTRODUCTION: THE FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM

The Federal Work-Study Program is funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Education. Under the program, grants are provided to institutions to create job openings for eligible students. Up to eighty percent of the student’s wages may be paid from the institution’s FWS allocation and the remaining twenty percent is paid by the institution. The program is administered on the CC campus by the Financial Aid Office in accordance with federal regulations and North Orange County Community College District Guidelines. The Federal Work-Study Program stimulates and promotes part-time employment for students in financial need of employment to pursue their college education. A student must be eligible as defined in Section 2 below in order to participate in FWS employment.

2. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND DETERMINATION OF NEED Under Federal regulations, a student may be selected for employment under the Federal Work-Study Program only if he/she meets all of the following requirements.

a. Enrolled in a minimum of 6 units. b. A U.S. citizen, or in the U.S. for other than a temporary purpose with the

intention of becoming a permanent resident.

c. Capable, in the opinion of the institution, of maintaining a good academic standing while employed under the program.

d. In need of earnings from such employment in order to pursue a course of

study at the institution.

In determining a student’s financial need, the Financial Aid Office utilizes the FAFSA form submitted by the student. The budget includes tuition (if out-of-state), fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation and personal expenses. The student’s resources are then subtracted from his/her total budget. The resulting figure is the total amount of aid for which the student is eligible.

3. NOTIFICATION OF STUDENTS

Once students submit a FAFSA; students can submit a Work Study application to be placed on the Work Study Wait List. Students are called for interviews with either the Work Study Coordinator or Supervisor from another department on campus.

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4. THE HIRING PROCESS

Students are NOT to be out on campus soliciting jobs on their own. If you wish to hire a Work Study Student; contact the Work Study Coordinator, your name and department will be put on a wait list. You have the right to test any student referred to you for verification of skills necessary to perform the required duties. Agreement by both employer and employee is necessary to fill the position. The Work Study Coordinator will complete all hiring paperwork (TEA: Temporary Employment Agreement). To allow enough time for processing, the start date you list on the TEA should be NO LESS than TEN days after the submission of the TEA to the Work Study Coordinator.

5. RATE OF PAY, ALLOCATION, HOURS All Federal Work-Study students are paid at a rate consistent with current student assistant wages established by the District and based upon the level of the skills required for each position. Rate increases are determined by the increasingly advanced skills required to perform the job (upon approval by the Financial Aid Office), not by the length of time the student has been employed. A student’s Work-Study Allocation is for one year beginning July 1st for returning students, the first day of the fall semester for new students, and ending May 30th for all students. Returning or continuing students MUST be rehired each year and may not continue working after May 30th until they have been awarded or rehired. Payment to those students allowed to work without being awarded or rehired will be the sole responsibility of the supervisor’s department.

6. RATE OF PAY, ALLOCATION, HOURS (cont.) Students may not work more than eight (8) hours per day or twenty (20) hours per week while classes are in session. Depending on available funds, students may be allowed to work up to twenty (20) hours per week during vacation breaks but only upon notice and approval by the Financial Aid Office. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD STUDENTS WORK DURING SCHEDULED CALSSROOM HOURS – even if their class was canceled for the day. We suggest that you request and keep a copy of the student’s class schedule on file for reference. The FWS award your student receives is expected to last the entire academic year. To insure the award will not be depleted before this time, it is your responsibility to average the hours he/she may work each week based on his/her individual award amount and hourly rate. When you compute this average you

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will first need to determine the number of workweeks available to the student. The maximum possible weeks a student can work (if enrolled in both Fall and Spring semesters) is 43 weeks and includes Winter Break, Spring Break, and up until June 15th in the summer. The formula for computing the student’s weekly average is as follows:

Step 1: Award Amount / Hourly Rate = # of Hours Possible

Step 2: # of Hours Possible / # of Workweeks = Average # of Hours Student May Work Each Week* Hours per week may not exceed 20.

The supervisor is responsible for keeping a record of all students’ hours and the balance of the award. Do not permit a student to earn more than the amount of their Work-Study award as reported to you by the Financial Aid Office on the student’s referral form under the “Assignment” section. The department shall be responsible for payment of 100% of the salary of any student who works in excess of his/her Work-Study award. The department may hire your FWS student under your own budget once his/her award is exhausted.. If questions arise, the student and/or supervisor should verify award balances in the Financial Aid Office. Monthly Balance Reports are sent to supervisors by the Work Study Coordinator.

7. TIMECARDS Timecards are to be submitted by the supervisor to the Financial Aid Office NO LATER THAN the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on the weekend of a holiday, timecards are due the day prior to this time. Please observe the following guidelines to avoid confusion and possible payroll delays:

a. Timecards are to be completed neatly in blue or black ink or may be entered electronically on the computer using the timesheet template.

b. Indicate the actual hours the student works each day and the total hours

for each day.

c. Hours worked may not exceed eight (8) hours in any one day and 20 hours per week.

d. A minimum of one-half hour for break or lunch is required if a student works

SIX OR MORE hours in any one day and this break must be indicated on the timecard.

e. Indicate approval of evening and weekend hours worked by notation in the

“REMARKS” section of the timecard.

f. Certify the hours reported are accurate and are not scheduled classroom hours.

g. Legibly sign the timecard and initial the total number of hours.

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h. Have the student sign the timecard. He/She may sign it earlier in the

month if it’s more convenient.

i. Deliver the timecard(s) personally to the Financial Aid Office or send them through the mail.

j. Timecards received after the due date will be held until the following month

and the student will not receive his/her pay until the following payday.

k. (see Sample Form B).

8. CHANGE IN AWARDS

Occasionally, a student’s award may either be increased or decreased because of changes in his/her budget, resources, other financial aid awarded, if the student has been terminated, leaves the position, or cannot work additional hours. When this occurs, a student’s financial aid file must be corrected and an adjustment made in his award. The supervisor will be noticed of any changes in the student’s FWS award, by the Work Study Coordinator.

9. TERMINATION

Students may be terminated if:

a. Their enrollment drops below six (6) units. b. They are repeatedly late for work.

c. They do not complete assigned tasks in a satisfactory manner.

d. They complete the project assignment and there is no further work.

e. They fail to make arrangements with you prior to absences.

f. Dishonesty

If your student falls into b, c, e, or f listed above, you should:

a. Make an evaluation report of his/her work listing the problem(s) and expected resolutions.

b. Discuss this evaluation with the student and place him/her on probation

for one week.

Terminate him/her if problem(s) is not corrected by the end of the probationary period.

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FEDERAL WORK STUDY AT CYPRESS COLLEGE

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!

WHAT IS FEDERAL WORK STUDY?

The Federal Work Study Program is a program dedicated to students who demonstrate financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal Work Study provides temporary jobs on campus, allowing students to earn wages to help pay for educational expenses. Most positions enable students to develop practical work experience. Cypress College generally tries to place students in a department related to their course of study.

However, Federal Work Study funds are limited and not guaranteed to all students. We award these funds on a first come first served basis. The award depends on several factors including (1) when the student completes the FAFSA, (2) the level of need, and (3) funding available. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as early as possible for consideration—priority consideration to those who complete the FAFSA by March 2). There about approximately 100 Federal Work Study positions on campus—apply early, positions fill up fast!

IF I QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL WORK STUDY, WHAT HAPPENS?

Once awarded Federal Work Study, the student is allotted an amount that they can work up to during the academic year. Students employed in a work study position must complete new temporary employee paperwork. This paperwork is completed with the Work Study Coordinator at the Financial Aid Office. Additionally, students will need to turn in a time sheet signed by their supervisor for each payroll period. Students will be paid for work performed on the 15th of each month. Students are paid at an hourly rate. Pay periods are: the 16th of the month to the 15th of the next month.

The Cypress College Federal Work Study program offers on-campus employment only. Students can work up to a maximum of 20 hours a week and need to be enrolled in at least half-time status (6 units) while in the program. The hours allowed to work weekly depends on their total allotted amount. A work schedule agreement is made between the student and the supervisor. One of the benefits to the program is that the student can work around their class schedule. However, they are not allowed to work during class time, even if the class has been canceled for that particular day. The supervisor and student need to keep collective records of the student’s gross earnings. Once a student has reached their maximum gross earnings they will be terminated from the program. However, students who are returning the next academic year have first priority to return to their Work Study position. Since the program is based on financial need, students may continue in the program if they continue to demonstrate need in subsequent years of attendance.

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EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!

FOLLOW THE STEPS LISTED BELOW TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID AND DETERMINE YOUR WORK STUDY ELIGIBILITY TODAY:

1. Apply for Federal Financial Assistance by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Make sure you indicate Cypress College as the school of attendance. The CC code is: 001193.

2. Applying early is very important to be considered for work-study, due lack of funding. We recommend you file your FAFSA by March 2 for Federal Work Study consideration.

3. Follow up with the Cypress College Financial Aid Office and submit the requirements to complete your file.

4. Once a Work Study position becomes available, students will be called for an interview which will be set up with the supervisor for a particular department.

5. After the interview, the Department Supervisor will inform the Financial Aid Federal Work Study Program Coordinator if the student is selected for the position.

6. The student will then be referred to the Work Study Coordinator to complete the new hiring paperwork.

7. Referral documents will need to be signed by student and the Department Dean in order for the student to begin work.

8. Timesheets can be accessed through myGateway under the HR files.

Continued employment will depend on funds available, your performance on the job, and satisfactory academic progress, as defined by Financial Aid standards for academic progress. For further questions regarding the Work-Study Program, please contact the Financial Aid Office 714-484-7114.

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XIII. Refunds and Repayments A. General Refund Policy Based on HEA 668.22(b), the following is the policy established by Cypress College. It is important to note that CC does not refund tuition and fees since the tuition being charged and fees are minimal. Payments made by the student or the student’s parents toward institutional charges are not included in the refund policy. Institutional charges are used to calculate R2T4. The family contribution is considered “used” for educational expenses before financial aid is expended and therefore a refund must go to aid programs before being refunded to the students. When a financial aid recipient withdraws during the semester and there is a refund due from fees, the refund must be returned to the financial aid program using the following formula and attribution policy. However, if the student owes any debts to the college, the refund is first applied toward the outstanding debt. Attribution Policy: Title IV SEOG Pell B. Return of Title IV Funds In accordance with Public Law 105-244 students who receive federal financial assistance and withdraw from all of their classes before completing more than 60% of the semester will be required to return any unearned federal funds. The amount of the return will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. FWS earnings are excluded from the calculation. CC uses the aggregate matching method for FSEOG, so only the federal portion of FSEOG will be included in the calculation. Since CC is not required to take attendance, a student's withdrawal date for the return of Title IV calculation will be:

the date the student provides notification, orally or in writing, to the Admissions Office that he or she intends to withdraw, or

the official withdrawal date established in Banner. The Financial Aid Accounting Technician will perform R2T4 calculation every two weeks and will notify district of any return funds due from the institution while simultaneously notifying the student of any funds he/she may owe or offer the student any unearned funds that were not disbursed. This process will occur within a thirty day period. The percentage of Title IV aid earned will be calculated by counting the number of days from the beginning of the semester to the withdrawal date and dividing that number by the number of calendar days in the semester. Once that percentage is determined it will

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be multiplied against the total amount of Title IV aid that was disbursed and that which could have been disbursed. To determine if a student was eligible to receive Title IV funds even though none were disbursed, the cash management rules of §668.164 (g) (2) will be applied. To be an eligible student, CC must have: * received either a valid SAR or ISIR having an official calculated EFC and the file is

completed before the student withdraws; * FWS funds are excluded. * Institutional charges are enrollment fees, health fees, material fees; out of state fees

Once the amount of earned Title IV Aid is determined, the sum will be subtracted from the total of Title IV aid that was disbursed. If the student received more than the earned amount, the unearned portion will be returned by the college and by the student in accordance with the method prescribed in regulation. The institutional charges for the semester will be multiplied by the percentage of Title IV aid unearned and compared to the amount of Title IV aid to be returned. The college will return the smaller amount in the following priority: 1. Unsubsidized Direct Loan 2. Subsidized Direct Loan 3. Pell Grant 4. FSEOG The amount the college returns will be subtracted from the total sum that must be returned and the balance will be due from the student. The student will be responsible to return unearned funds in the same priority listed above. However, students who have loans will return funds in accordance with the terms of the promissory note and grant funds to be returned will be multiplied by 50%. The student will have 45 days from the date he or she receives notice from the college to repay the unearned Title IV aid in full. After 45 days, the CC Financial Aid Office Account Clerk will report the student and amount to the Department of Education. Grant overpayments will be reported to NSLDS marked with the appropriate flag corresponding to the action taken by the student. This reporting will take place within 45 days after the student fails to respond. When the determination is made that the student did not receive all of the earned Title IV aid and the withdrawal date has been determined, the FAO will send the student a letter offering the undisbursed financial aid. The student will be instructed to respond to the letter within 14 calendar days indicating whether or not the student wants the funds. If the student requests that the earned Title IV aid be disbursed, a check will be ordered and mailed to the student within 90 days of the college's determination that the student withdrew. The following information is provided by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office

and is included for reference in the CC Financial Aid Office Policy and Procedures Manual.

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C. Fee Assessment Policies

Background:

The new return rules require colleges to send back a portion of fee revenue. In many cases, no fee revenue was actually received and therefore, there is no revenue to return. Most of the students subject to these rules (but not all) have their fees waived through the Board of Governors Fee Waiver Program (BOGFW). Some districts have expressed an interest in challenging the federal rules. Why not just tell the federal government that no fees were received so none should be returned? The federal answer is not simple, but it is firm and based in law. Waivers are a form of student aid. All forms of financial aid received by a student cover the federally regulated “Cost of Attendance” which includes the cost of tuition and fees. If federal funds are received they are fungible, that is, they may be directed at any portion of the Cost of Attendance (including tuition and fees) to facilitate the ease of administration. If a student withdraws, federal policy first requires repayment to federal programs regardless of the source of aid that actually paid the fees or waived the fees as long as fees were actually assessed. So, why not say the fees were never assessed? First, it is not true in all cases. Non-resident students are assessed fees and tuition and are subject to these rules. Additionally there are students who pay their own fees and do not receive a reimbursement even though they qualify for a waiver. There are students subject to these rules who are not eligible for need-based funds, as well. Second, if the fees are not assessed, they may not be included in the Cost of Attendance. This will make the lowest income students subject to another set of federal rules called “Pell tuition sensitivity”. In essence, if fees fall below a certain level, grant awards must be reduced. An analysis is attached (see Table 1 at the end of the report) that demonstrates that the most seriously disadvantaged students would lose at least $14 million dollars systemwide. If the Pell grant maximum were to be increased by $400, students might lose $28 million! The institutional cost of the returns to the federal student aid programs is not known. The best estimate would indicate a systemwide cost of approximately $500,000. Findings: 1. Fee assessment policies affect the most seriously disadvantaged students

through a complicated relationship with the Federal Pell Grant program. 2. While the Education Code does not specifically state that fees are assessed for

all students, it does say that each student must be “charged” a fee and that the fees may be “waived” for those who qualify. Further, the act of “waiving” fees must be based on an individual analysis of a student’s financial eligibility. There is nothing in the Education Code, therefore, that contradicts the assertion that fees are assessed for all students.

3. Unless or until the Pell tuition sensitivity rules are repealed, it is to the benefit of low income students for the Community Colleges to agree that fees are assessed for all students.

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4. Fee decreases in the last two years have not been proven to promote access. It is clear, however, that needy students have their fees waived and fee decreases benefit only higher income students. Additionally the lower fees have resulted in decreased funds available for student aid administration and may also jeopardize full funding of student Pell Grants in the years to come.

Recommendation: It is in the best interest of the most disadvantaged students for districts to find the necessary funding to make these “return” payments. D. Reimbursement Mechanism for Returns from Districts Background: Districts may have to return as much as $500,000 (or more) to the federal student aid programs. (There are very limited data upon which to estimate cost.) Districts only receive 2% of fee revenue---either through the 2% they are allowed to keep from funds received or through the 2% paid to them through the year. Under the old “Refund and Repayment” rules, the cost of returns was minimal and was absorbed by the district budget. Some colleges made no refunds to federal programs. The new rules will create significantly greater obligations with no source of revenue for payment. It is the lack of revenue to meet these obligations that drives some districts to challenge the fee assessment policies. One college analyzed its fall ’98 population to estimate the effect of the new rules. Under the old rules, the college returned $1700 to the federal programs. If the new rules had been in place, the college might have owed as much $15,000 to the federal programs. This is no longer a relatively minor sum. Where will the colleges find revenue to meet these obligations? In response to the situation the Student Services Division has prepared a BCP to reimburse districts for 98% of the returns made to the federal programs. The reimbursement would be added to the 2% BFAP “fee equalization” money received at the end of each year. The amount of reimbursement for the first year is unknown, so a $500,000 cap was included in the BCP to meet the State’s need for fiscal certainty. If the total returns exceed $500,000, district reimbursements will be reduced proportionately in the first year under the proposed BCP. Findings: 1. The cost of the new returns will be higher than the old “Refund and Repayment”

rules. 2. The districts have no source of revenue to meet these obligations. 3. Unless districts have a source of revenue, some will challenge the fee

assessment policies and refuse to make returns, thus jeopardizing the grant amounts of the most disadvantaged students.

4. The BCP proposed by the Chancellor's Office would provide an appropriate source of revenue.

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Recommendation: The Board of Governors should actively support the “Return to Title IV” BCP. E. CCC Refund Policy Background: Generally, the current refund policy requires a college to return 100% of fees actually paid if the student withdraws within the first two weeks of instruction. Due to the new “Return to Title IV” rules, there will be instances where the college owes funds to student aid programs on the behalf of a student who is scheduled to receive a refund. It is true that most students who receive federal student aid will also receive a fee waiver so no refund will be due, but the following types of cases will present situations where the college would want to capture any refund due to a student:

Out-of-state students do not receive fee waivers but do receive Title IV student aid. Given the significant amounts involved in out-of-state tuition, the college might owe a significant sum to federal programs and would definitely want to capture any refund coming to the student.

A portion of students eligible for fee waivers pay their own fees and later receive a reimbursement. These students might be caught in a Title IV return situation in the first two weeks of a term.

The “Return to Title IV” rules also apply to non-need based student aid such as unsubsidized student loans. These students do not receive fee waivers and may withdraw in the first two weeks after receiving student aid.

In cases as described above, the college may find itself in a situation where the full fees or tuition have to be returned to the student and yet a portion of that money also has to be sent to federal student aid programs. A revision to Title 5 is necessary to correct the problem. Findings: 1. The current Title 5 refund policy of the Community Colleges does not provide

for a mechanism for colleges to retain and redirect funds that might be due to federal programs.

2. The amount of money involved in a refund situation could be significant (particularly in non-resident tuition cases) and warrants a change in Title 5.

Recommendation: (Title 5) Add a subsection (f) to Section 58508 of Title 5, to be effective in 2000-2001 and following years, that ensures refunds due to students shall first be used to make necessary federal returns.

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F. Attendance Requirements Background: The new rules specify one set of actions for colleges “that are required to take attendance” and another set for those who are not required to do so. The narrative accompanying the proposed regulations specifies that “required” refers to a requirement imposed by an outside agency such as the state or systemwide governing board, and also clarifies that “census-type” attendance is not the same as daily attendance and does not meet the definition of “required”. The colleges need a clear statement for policy development and for audit records answering the question, “Are the California Community Colleges required to take attendance”. Through consultation with those who coordinate attendance functions, the following statement has been drafted for distribution.

Section 668.22 the Federal Student Assistance General Provisions regulations, distinguishes between colleges required to take attendance and those who are not required to do so. The California Community Colleges are NOT required to take attendance within the meaning of these regulations, except in rare cases. The California Code of Regulations and the California Community College Chancellor's Office require each district, as a matter of budget policy, to do "attendance accounting" which establishes the student workload numbers for the purposes of the districts' state funding. In most instances, this is a count of students on a particular census date. This is not the same as a daily "roll" which confirms a student's continued daily attendance in a particular class. In the California Community Colleges, daily roll is called "actual attendance" or "positive attendance" and is required in only a few instances. Actual or positive attendance is required for non-credit courses, (which is irrelevant to student financial aid, as only credit coursework is eligible.) Additionally, actual or positive attendance is required for irregularly scheduled credit classes and for some vocational programs (particularly among some police and fire programs.) The primary attendance accounting method is on the census basis. The reference to "attendance" in federal regulation is in the context of a daily roll for the purposes of confirming the student's persistence through a specific date in order to accurately determine the amount of student aid that must be returned to the federal programs. These regulations make specific reference to the daily nature of the subsequent calculations. Within this context, the California Community Colleges are not required to take attendance, except in the cases noted above.

Findings:

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1. It is important that the college have a specific answer to the question, “Are the California Community Colleges required to take attendance?”

2. The answer is no, except in rare cases where certain programs function on a “positive attendance” basis.

Recommendation: The Student Services Division shall communicate with the financial aid offices regarding the attendance requirements in the California Community Colleges and shall keep those office apprised of any relevant changes in attendance policies. G. Withdrawal Policy Background: The new rules assume that colleges have knowledge of the date of a student’s official withdrawal. All calculations are based upon that date. In many cases the community colleges do not know the exact date. Sometimes a student leaves well before census and the notation is not official until census date. At other times a student’s withdrawal is back dated. Some campuses do not allow faculty to enter withdrawals for students who disappear from their classes after census. Policies have grown to meet the academic and record-keeping needs of the colleges, without regard to federal regulations. Aid administrators have made requests but there has been only minor progress in a few districts. As these new rules are now being reviewed at the campuses, aid administrators are realizing the price is sufficiently great to demand attention to the withdrawal policies and procedures in the colleges. Specifically, the colleges need withdrawal policies that are available in writing to each student, that specify the office(s) where a withdrawal may be initiated, that officially record the date the student began the withdrawal process, and provide for detailed withdrawal audit tracks throughout the entire term in a system that is electronically available to the financial aid office. Note: This section relates only to official withdrawals. The activity associated with unofficial withdrawals is discussed in the next section on the “FW” grade. Findings: 1. The current withdrawal systems in the Community colleges do not typically meet

the requirements of the new return rules. 2. Significant sums of institutional and student repayments will be based upon the

exact withdrawal date. 3. Each college is appropriately unique in its systems and publications but certain

standards can be met by all colleges. 4. The price of the new rules warrants campus attention to the official withdrawal

policies. 5. Some students simply leave without officially withdrawing. Colleges cannot be

responsible to record official withdrawals for students who do not meet their own responsibilities.

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Recommendation: The districts and colleges should review their official withdrawal policies in regard to the new federal return rules and should provide for:

A written notification available to all students regarding withdrawal policies which designates the office(s) at which a student may begin the process.

College records that specifically contain the date the student began the withdrawal process and the date of actual withdrawal (if the dates differ).

Records that record a student’s actual withdrawal at any point in the term regardless of the academic limits on withdrawal activity.

Colleges shall attempt to provide this information beginning in the 2000-2001 year and will include financial aid personnel in the future development of new systems that might affect withdrawal policies and record keeping. H. The "FW" Grade Background: In the fall of 1998 the Educational Policy Committee of the Academic Senate brought a Title 5 amendment to the Board of Governors that would permit districts to use an "FW" grading symbol to designate that a student received a failing grade because s/he ceased to participate in a course without officially withdrawing. During the comment period on this regulatory amendment, the student financial aid community raised concerns about the relationship of this new grading symbol to the new federal "return" rules regarding students who unofficially withdraw. The academic community, recognizing the potential for serious fiscal consequences for both the colleges and the students, agreed to delay final action until the new "return" regulations were issued and the consequences better understood. The "FW" grade has been the subject of two consultations. The regional representatives of the state financial aid directors have discussed the issue as well as this task force. The financial aid findings and opinions described below come mainly from financial aid discussions as presented to the task force rather than conclusions reached by the task force during its deliberations. Academic issues were raised when the task force engaged in a side discussion of the purported academic benefits of the "FW" grade. There were concerns raised that will be noted and forwarded to the Academic Senate by their representative on the task force. Findings: 1. It is clear the implementation of the "FW" grade will affect the college response to

the new "return" rules. The statute and the regulations cite specific consequences

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for students who "unofficially withdraw" and the "FW" grade obviously identifies those students.

2. For those students who receive federal grant or loan, and unofficially withdraw, and are identified through the "FW" grade, there will be a price to pay. The college will be required to return 50% of the fees assessed for the term. If the student received grant, the student will have to return 25% of the grant minus any amount already paid by the college. If the same student had received "F" grades instead, there might not be a price for the college or student. Some financial aid directors oppose the "FW" grade due to this cost for the college and the student.

3. The "return" rules apply only to students who completely withdraw. A student who completes any coursework for the term would not be subject to these rules, regardless of the number of other courses where a grade of "FW" was assigned.

4. The current practices of the financial aid offices vary widely in this area. The current rules (vastly different but still relevant to the subject of coursework completion versus withdrawal) are interpreted and implemented across a spectrum. Some offices presume all "F"s are completed coursework and provide evidence of the student's completion of the term. Other colleges investigate a student with all "F"s to ascertain the actual last date of attendance. Some colleges investigate only if there is an indication of unofficial withdrawal. Some colleges have no policy in the area and the "F"s become completed coursework by default. The new rules (that specifically address the unofficial withdrawal) are focusing attention on the need for policy clarification.

5. State auditors and federal program reviewers enforce the federal regulations. Some auditors are now refusing to accept a policy that asserts a grade report with all "F"s (or some "F"s and some "W"s) proves that the student completed some coursework. These auditors are forcing institutions to research each case and prove, through evidence of academically related activity, that the student actually completed at least one course. In the absence of such proof, liabilities are being assessed. Other auditors still accept the claim of the colleges that an "F" is evidence of course completion.

6. It is administratively costly to research the academic attendance record of an individual student. Many financial aid directors indicate their support of the "FW" grade because they would use it to establish a clear policy on course completion. This would save them significant workload and protect them from costly audit and program review reconstructions of student records. The existence of the "FW" grade provides an appropriate audit trail and an easily identifiable indication of those student records requiring more attention.

Recommendation: The following comments are forwarded from the financial aid administrators to the Consultation Council and the Board of Governors in response to the request for comments on the proposed “FW” grading policy: While recognizing the increased cost to both the student and the college that might occur as a result of the "FW" grade, the financial aid directors also recognize the new symbol could be a beneficial administrative tool. The financial aid administrators recommend the "FW" grade policy be considered an academic issue without objection from them.

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I. Leave of Absence Policy Background: The new rules provide for exemptions from return for students who are granted leaves of absence as opposed to withdrawals. There has been considerable interest within the aid community in reviewing leave policies as a method to reduce the financial burden on schools and students. Findings: 1. The regulations tightly define the type and length of leave that would meet the

requirements, including a provision that the student must be allowed to complete all coursework from the term without paying additional fees.

2. The leave of absence requirements in the new regulations are probably too restrictive and out of sync with current academic policies to be of great value in reducing the burden of these new rules.

3. Individual colleges may decide to conform their leave of absence policies to meet these requirements but there is no compelling reason to work on this effort at a systemwide level.

Recommendation: None.

J. Disbursal of Student Aid Funds Background: Individual colleges may determine their own disbursal policies within a federal framework. There is a wide array of disbursal patterns. Some colleges disburse all funds due to a student as soon as possible. Others break the payments into two disbursals. Some do monthly payments and others have a combination depending upon the type of student or program. Colleges are given the option of “late disbursement” when a term is completed and the student did not receive funds for which s/he was eligible. Only a portion of community colleges conduct late disbursement. In response to the new return rules, several colleges have indicated an interest in delaying payments until late into the term so no returns or repayments would be due for students who withdraw. Some have even suggested holding all payments until the 60% point in the term. The new rules, however, clearly require colleges to pay students all funds that have been “earned” and make late disbursement mandatory in these cases, not optional. This means, for example:

A student completes all requirements for a $1500 Pell Grant and enrolls in 12 units of coursework. The college policy delays disbursal of grant funds until the 15th calendar day of the term. The student withdraws on the 10th day of the term. The term is 105 days in length. The student completed 9.5% of the term. The student has earned 9.5% of the grant or $142.50. The college must notify the student, in writing, of the available grant payment, even though the student is no

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longer enrolled, and make payment to the student if requested. (The actual requirements are more detailed. This is an oversimplification for illustration purposes.)

Findings: 1. The disbursal policy of each college is a significant issue of student service and

should be developed in consultation with the campus administration. 2. There are factors that argue for disbursing all funds in one payment at the

beginning of the term including ease of administration, fewer transactions under the new RFMS system and recognition of the student as an adult who can manage his or her own funds. There are factors that argue for keeping a portion of the disbursal until later in the term including the encouragement of retention and the difficulty faced by a student who tries to manage on one payment that has to last for 3 or 4 months.

3. Delayed disbursal can have a negative effect on student retention and success. 4. Delayed disbursal may be contributing to an increase in student use of credit

cards. 5. The new rules require payment of all earned funds to all students. Delayed

disbursal will only complicate the process and will not save funds for the student or the district.

Recommendation:

Delayed disbursement of student aid funds is not recommended as a response to the new return rules. It will not reduce the financial burden of the new return rules on students or colleges, in fact it may increase the administrative burden. Delayed disbursal can have a negative affect on student retention and success. Chief Student Service Officers should review student aid disbursal policies. K. Collection and Repayment Background: When a student withdraws and must repay student aid, there are two possible scenarios.

One, the student may owe loan funds, in which case the student makes the repayment within the existing terms and conditions of the loan promissory note. No special activity is required on the part of the college and the student’s subsequent student aid eligibility is not affected.

Two, the student may owe grant funds, in which case the student must make payment to the grant program or the student will not be eligible for any additional student aid at any college in the nation.

The procedures for student repayment of grant are specified in older rules regarding the Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs. Generally the college may do one of the following:

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Require immediate full repayment from the student and send the payment to the appropriate program. If the student fails to make repayment the college may turn the student over to the federal government for collection and report the student to the NSLDS system as owing a repayment on a grant, thus putting a hold on the student’s eligibility at any college in the nation.

Make the payment for the student to the grant program and then consider the amount as a debt to the college. The student’s eligibility is not on hold, nor may the college turn the student over to the federal government for collection. The college may use the Chancellor's Office Tax Offset Program (COTOP) to assist in collection if the student fails to repay the college.

Work with the student to establish “satisfactory payment arrangements” and allow the student a reasonable time in which to pay the debt without losing eligibility for student aid. The college retains the right to turn the student over to the federal government for collection if the student fails to comply with the agreed upon arrangements and then the student’s eligibility goes on hold.

Findings: 1. The manner in which a college chooses to implement collection and repayment

will significantly affect a student’s future access to education. 2. The simplest and least expensive method of collection and repayment is to

require immediate full repayment and turn a student over for collection to USDE if the repayment is not made.

3. Few Community colleges will choose to repay on behalf of students and thus keep the debt local, but the colleges may do this if they so choose.

4. The establishment of satisfactory repayment arrangements is more burdensome to the college but provides a valuable service to students.

Recommendation:

Students who owe repayments on grants will lose their eligibility for student aid at any college in the nation until the debt is repaid. The colleges can prevent this loss of eligibility through the establishment of a reasonable schedule of repayments but this type of collection activity is more burdensome. The colleges are urged to make such arrangements for students who have to withdraw for compelling reasons and who demonstrate the necessary self responsibility to make regular payments to the college. November 1999 NOTE: After this report was written the USDE decided to allow students to agree to a “reasonable repayment schedule” with the USDE. This will permit students to be immediately turned over to the USDE but will still give them the ability to make payments without a national hold being placed on their records. L. Student Service Issues Background:

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It is obvious to anyone who studies these new rules that significant issues of student service will arise in the implementation of the laws. All discussions include questions of retention, student information, loss of aid eligibility and major concerns about the significant sums to be repaid by students. Findings:

1. Both the regulations and common sense dictate that the students be fully

informed of the rules and the consequences of withdrawal. 2. Retention is a critical factor in reducing the burden of these new rules. A student

who remains in at least one class until at least the 60% point in the term owes no repayment.

3. Faculty, administration, staff and students all have an appropriate role in the implementation of these rules. This is not just a financial aid office concern.

Recommendations: The Student Service Division should prepare a sample handout to be shared with the colleges to accompany the disbursal of student aid funds to warn students of repayment obligations. Colleges should include bold and strong warnings in all college publications so students know the consequences of withdrawal. The new rules for repayment should not be buried in the fine print. To improve retention and to meet the more immediate concerns of the price of these new rules, faculty should be given contact information for all students (not just FA recipients, of course) and should communicate with those who miss several classes. To improve retention and to meet the more immediate concerns of the price of these new rules, work study supervisors should communicate with students who miss work assignments. Counselors (regular counseling staff as well as categorical program counselors) should be apprised on the new rules and work with students to improve retention. Financial aid policies should support retention by ensuring students (to the extent possible) receive sufficient funding in time to purchase books and materials and be prepared for class.

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M. College Scholarship All Remaining refund(s) will be returned to the student. Direct Loans Recipients will have their refund returned to the lending institution. A letter of explanation must be sent with the check and a copy of the letter must be sent to the student. If a student has only received the first disbursement of their Stafford Loan and withdraws during the spring semester, a refund may be given to the student since it is assumed that the first disbursement only paid for the first half of the year. When dealing with aid other than Direct Loans, the refund to a program cannot exceed the amount of aid received from that program. With Direct Loans, the refund to the lending institution may exceed the loan amount for one semester as long as the refund doesn’t exceed the disbursed loan amount for the year. Refunds when not Withdrawing When a student withdraws units and a reduced fee results, the amount is based on adjusted units. If the student did not receive a BOGW, the refund is returned to the student. If the student paid out-of-state fees, the refund may usually be given to the student as long as the student is still enrolled at least half time and the total aid for the semester does not exceed need. A new need with the lower actual cost of fees must be computed. Any amount that exceeds need should be returned to the aid programs using the attribution policy above. If the student were awarded a Pell Grant to cover out-of-state fees, and drops below six units, the monies would be refunded to the Pell Grant program first. A student who withdraws for medical reasons ill usually not be expected to repay any funds unless the student had no expectation of attending when refunds were received. If a student withdraws a second time for the same compelling reason, repayment will usually be expected. Students may appeal decisions to the Appeal Committee. Under the Heroes Act those who are called to active duty and required to serve our country (Operation Iraqi Freedom, etc.) DO NOT have to repay any funds as long as the student submits their ‘call to active duty’ paperwork demonstrating the need to withdrawal. If a student withdraws for other than compelling reasons and has received any amount of aid for that semester, the full units originally expected for that semester for academic progress are still expected. Students must resume a pattern of academic progress before future aid can be awarded. The student may appeal any judgment decision to

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deny aid to the Financial Aid Director, Vice-President of Student Services, or College President. Any repayment totaling $100 or less will be waived except for repayment resulting from omitted or false information. When a student is not entitled to the aid, the full amount will be collected. When a student owes a repayment, a letter of explanation and request for payment is written to the student from the FAO. Pro-rated Refunds The prorated refunds requirements apply to all institutions participating in Title IV programs. The requirements apply only to financial aid recipients enrolled for the first time and who completely withdraw from all of their classes during the first 60 percent of the enrollment period. Students who have not “received” Title IV funds would not be subject to this requirement. The refund does not go to the student, but is repaid by the institution to the Title IV programs. If the State of California paid the student’s enrollment fee (BOGW), the student is new to GWC, completely withdraws before 60% of the semester has past, and has received funds from a Title IV program, GWC will refund money to one of the Title IV programs. According to California Educational Code, students who withdraw during the first two weeks of the semesters or 10% of the class are entitled to a 100% refund of tuition and enrollment fees paid. Since federal regulations dictate that the student receive the largest refund available, these students will receive the 100% refund. The pro-rata formula applies to new students, who are defined as students attending GWC for the first time. If a refund calculation is necessary, the college will collect the allowed administrative fee, equal to 5% of the tuition and fees assessed the student, not to exceed $100.00. The calculated refund will be credited to the Title IV programs in the following priority: Outstanding balances on Federal Unsubsidized Student Loans Outstanding balances on Federal Subsidized Student Loans Federal Pell Grant Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (As specified by federal regulation, refunds are never made to the Federal Work Study Program.) Repayments are returned to the appropriate Title IV programs in the following priority: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants Federal Pell Grants Cal Grants Repayments will be made to the appropriate program within 30 days of receipt of the payment from the student.

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A student who owes a repayment to any Title IV program is ineligible for further Title IV assistance until the full repayment has been made.

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XIV. Student Budgets (2015-2016 Cost of Attendance)

CALIFORNIA STUDENT AID COMMISSION 2015-16 Student Expense Budgets

ALLOWANCE

WITH PARENTS

ON CAMPUS HOUSING

OFF CAMPUS HOUSING

TUITION AND FEES1

ACTUAL INSTITUTIONAL CHARGES

BOOKS AND SUPPLIES2

$1,764 PER ACADEMIC YEAR

FOOD3 Per Month: Per Year:

$ 530 / MO $ 4,770 / YR

$1,330 / MO $11,970 / YR HOUSING5

Per Month: Per Year:

TRANSPORTATION6 Per Month: Per Year:

$ 125 / MO

$ 1,125 / YR

$ 141 / MO

$ 1,269 / YR

PERSONAL / MISC7 Per Month: Per Year:

$ 351 / MO

$ 3,159 / YR

$ 322 / MO

$ 2,898 / YR

CHILD / DEPENDENT CARE

REASONABLE EXPENSES WITH ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED BY THE STUDENT,

DEPENDING UPON AGE AND NUMBER OF CHILDREN

LOAN FEES FOR STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS, ACTUAL OR AVERAGE LOAN ORIGINATION AND INSURANCE FEES

TOTAL, Excluding Allowances based on actual institutional charges Per Month: Per Year:

$ 1,202 / MO $ 10,818 / YR

$ 1,989 / MO $ 17,901 / YR

1 Includes all mandatory fees. 2 The breakdown for this category is as follows: books ($900), educational supplies ($234), course material fees ($126), and computer-related expenses ($378), excluding the costs associated with the purchase of a personal computer. 3 Includes food, snacks, meals on campus, household supplies. 4 If contract is for less than nine months, adjustments may be made at the rate of $386/month or fraction thereof. 5 Includes dorm charges, rent, and utilities. 6 Includes travel to and from parent's residence and transportation costs to and from classes and work. (e.g., bus fare, gasoline, tolls, parking.) 7 Includes clothing, laundry and dry-cleaning, personal care, gifts, recreation, medical etc. NOTE: The expense budgets shown on this table are based upon average expenses reported by students at the University of California, California State University, and California independent institutions, California Community Colleges in the 2006-2007 Student Expenses and Resources Survey (SEARS), adjusted for two years of inflation. Private career college data are from the 2003-04 SEARS, adjusted for five years of inflation.

*Enrollment fee is $46 per unit. **Student Health Service fee is $17 per semester ***Non-Resident Tuition fee is $209 per unit plus enrollment and health fees ****Tuition is based on the average of 14 units per semester, $17 Health Fee, $12 Student Service Charge/semester.

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Your costs may be adjusted up to $900 for the purchase of a computer. Students must complete the Computer Budget Adjustment Worksheet.

NOTE: A computer allowance was added to the 9-month budget this year as permissible by federal regulations. The cost for a new PC or Mac, with printer, modem, software, etc. can be as low as $1,500 and my easily run up to $2250. The budget allowance amount is $900 per year.

A. Other Possible Budget Items Child Care Expenses Actual Costs Added to the Standard Budget on a Case by

Case Basis Costs for room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal needs are taken straight from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office Nine-Month Student Expense Budget for 2015-2016. To calculate the average non-resident tuition, the same 14 unit per semester average is multiplied by the per unit non-resident fee and then doubled for a full 9-month budget. The 11-month budget takes the amounts from the 9-month room and board, transportation and personal categories, divides each by 9 months and then multiplies the result by 11 months. Both per unit enrollment fees and non-resident tuition are calculated for the summer on a seven-unit average (1/2 of the regular semester average). This amount is then added to the 9-month budget. In addition, the enrollment fee also includes an additional $12 summer health fee. To arrive at the 11-month books and supplies budget, the 9-month book and supply budget is divided by two for the one semester budget and the result is divided by two for a half time amount, since the summer average is ½ of units for either semester. That amount is then added to the 9 month book and supply budget.

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XV. Check Disbursement Cypress College has partnered with Higher One to provide services for Financial Aid disbursements through the North Orange Card. The card will be sent to the mailing address that was registered with Cypress. The student will then activate the card to avoid delays for receiving payment. A direct deposit of the student’s Financial Aid disbursement money will be made into an FDIC insured account offered by Higher One. It is linked to the North Orange Card which is also a Debit MasterCard. Each year a distribution schedule is created by the FAO and distributed. The FAO generates a disbursement report to District Accounting Office. This report verifies the number of units the student is enrolled in and prints the appropriate amount. First disbursements is run at the beginning the first week of school. All disbursements are distributed from the District Accounting Office. They run disbursements every week.

A. Returned Checks All checks that are returned in the mail will be retained by the District Accounting Office. To receive a replacement check, the student must correct his or her address in the Admissions Office or the online via MyGateway. The student has the option of picking up the check from the Bursar’s Office or having the check resent to the corrected mailing address. B. Student Holds If a student owes a FA overpayment, FAO will place a hold on the student account. C. Check Cancellations If the FAO staff wishes to cancel a particular check, he or she must inform the student and notify the FA Accounting Tech. with the reason for the cancellation. A hold will be placed directly at the student account. If a student wishes to decline a particular check, Declining Your Pell Grant form must be completed. If a student reports that his or her financial aid check never arrived in the mail or has been lost, the student completes the request for a stop payment and/or replacement check request. The request is sent to the District Accounting Office who will authorize a manual check.

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XVI. Federal Pell Grant Program A. Federal Pell Grant Disbursement with a Valid EFC/Recalculation

CC has two disbursements per semester.

Disbursements will only be made on the basis of an official EFC received from the Central Processor.

Estimated EFC’s may not be used as the basis for a first disbursement.

The aid administrator will not recalculate an official family contribution once errors in the application data are resolved for the purpose of making a first disbursement.

Based on special circumstances defined by the FAA, disbursements will be made with an official EFC from the Central Processor.

B. Method of Disbursement

The portion of a Federal Pell Grant payment credited to an out-of-state student’s registration account may not exceed the amount the student is required to pay for tuition and fees.

Portions of Federal Pell Grant payments that exceed the amount credited to an out-of-state student’s account for tuition and fees will be refunded by Records to the student by check. All Federal Pell Grant payments (except out-of-state students) at CC are paid directly to the student as there is no tuition charged and enrollment fees are taken care of through the Board Of Governors Fee Waiver – BOGW. Exception – out-of-state students who are Pell eligible may have their Pell Grant applied to their tuition and fees. This must be a signed agreement between the student, the FAO and the Administrative Dean for Admissions and Records [non-resident Pell agreement form].

Students will be informed of the amount of their awards and how those amounts will be paid as detailed in the CC myGateway.

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XVII. Miscellaneous Policies A. Consortium Agreements Cypress College does not have Consortium Agreements with any other institutions as a primary institution. We have “Blank Consortium Agreements” with our sister college, Fullerton College. Students attending both Cypress and Fullerton do not have to submit a Consortium Agreement. B. Resolving ISIR Comments (Student Aid Report) The Cypress College Financial Aid Office use the following criteria for resolution (in conjunction with the guidance stated in NASFAA’s Training guides on resolving ISIR comments): 1. Immigration and Naturalization Services were unable to verify status as eligible

non-citizens. We will photocopy the student’s most current immigration document and complete the DHS form G-845S. The completed form and the photocopy will be mailed to the DHS. The requirement to send form G-845S to DHS is waived if secondary confirmation was received in the previous year and the documents sent to DHS with the G845S have not expired. There must be no conflicting information.

2. Selective Service was unable to certify compliance with registration

requirements. Self-certification is acceptable for female students and male students born before January 1, 1960. Male students will be instructed to contact the Selective Service Agency for confirmation of registration or a letter from Selective Service describing the individual student’s status (www.sss.gov link available on the GWC FAO website). Any ambiguous or unfavorable responses will be forwarded to the FAA or designee who has the authority to determine if the student willfully avoided registration with Selective Service. If the FAA determines that the student willfully avoided registration with Selective Service, no Title IV aid will be awarded. No aid will be awarded until a response is received from Selective Service and/or a decision is made. Once this decision has been made it will carry forward to all academic years.

3. Records indicate that default exits.

Student will be instructed to contact the agency listed on the SAR to resolve the default. It will be the responsibility of the student to secure documentation-proving resolution of the default and to provide a copy of the documentation to the FAO. Acceptable documentation may include a letter from the current or last holder of the loan, a promissory note marked “paid in full”, or any written material clearly indicating the borrower has made at least six consecutive monthly

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payments on the loan. No Title IV aid will be awarded to the student until the default issue is resolved.

* (See CC Standards of Progress for more information on students with defaulted loans.)

4. Name mismatch with NSLDS indicates that the social security number listed on

the SAR matches a record in the National Student Loan Data System, but the name does not match.

We will access NSLDS and review the data to determine how to resolve the mismatch. Only the provider of the data to NSLDS can change the data, therefore, CC FAO will work through that entity.

5. Social security number mismatch indicated will need resolution. No Title IV aid will be awarded until this situation is resolved.

6. No match on SSN – the social security number reported on the SAR is not a valid

number. If the student is correcting the number, no further resolution is needed. If the student insists that the number is accurate, he or she must get written documentation from the Social Security Administration verifying the number. The student must complete a new FAFSA with his/her correct social security number.

7. SSN and name match, no DOB match – The birthrate reported on the SAR does

not match the Social Security Administration’s records. The student will need to provide an explanation; note the explanation on the SAR or in the student file documentation.

8. SSN match; no name match – The name reported on the SAR does not match

the Social Security Administration’s records. The student must provide an explanation; document this explanation on the SAR and in the student file. If name mis-match is due to a nickname being used (i.e., Bob instead of Robert) no further action is required. If name mis-match is due to marital status or citizenship status the student must complete the name change with the Social Security Administration and provide the FAO with documentation of the name change.

The student will have until the last day of the semester for which aid is requested to resolve the issue prompting the comment on the SAR. C. NSLDS Mid-Year Transfer Monitoring by Batch Transfer Inform file The following conditions must be on Award Year Profile/Academic sheet:

1. Fill in the valid Enrollment Dt 2. Mid-Year Transfer = yes 3. Monitor Status= Waiting to Send Inform.

Generating Batch Inform Files:

1. Login to the Student Module. 2. From the Student menu select Batch Transfer Inform. 3. Click Selection Set or enter specific students by SSN

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4. Pick a Selection Set= NSLDS Batch Submission 5. Pick a school name from the dropdown list of Institutions 6. Click Export File to navigate the M:\NSLDS; enter the file name then Save the

file in this directory 7. Click Start to create the file 8. Submit the file using Edconnect.