Mission
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is devoted to providing students the information and support our student body needs to pursue their educational goals. We provide access, aid, and advisory services to the UA Little Rock campus community to further student recruitment, enrollment, and retention. We strive to do what is best for our students.
Summary Narrative
1) Enhance recruitment and retention efforts to increase enrollment
- Starting with spring 2020 entering students we now auto-match students to the most lucrative merit scholarship based on their admission application.
- Workshops for high school parents and students, informational sessions, hands-on sessions as they complete applications for federal and state aid
- Supported Admissions and Recruitment events, including Discover Day, Experience Days & Transfermation.
2) Strengthen student-friendly operations and customer service
- Continued to streamline processes to lessen reliance on paper forms and sped up processing time.
- Reinstituted hard copy letters for incoming students. All incoming freshmen received a letter with all financial aid award information. This mailer also included a robust amount of general financial aid information for students and parents.
3) Improve diversity and inclusion efforts to provide a safe and inclusive environment for students
Provided support for students of all backgrounds and implemented a new need based scholarship program for students entering school with the most financial need that will begin fall ‘20.
4) Align financial and human resources to operate more effectively and efficiently
- Implemented a new training program to ensure recruitment staff is trained on institutional scholarship program and provided recruiters access to verify students scholarship eligibility.
- Hired additional customer service staff to improve and expedite communication with students and staff.
5) Promote student development, engagement, and leadership
- Continued to support and grow the Federal Work Study program to help students gain valuable work experience.
- Continued a positive relationship with the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps.
6) Other
- During the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020 the Office of FInancial Aid and Scholarships processed aid for over 5,000 students and totalling over $50 million. The scholarship team also awarded over $7 million in Institutional Scholarships.
- We have also moved away from requiring students to apply for merit based scholarships. Starting with the spring ’20 entering students we now auto-match students to the most lucrative merit scholarship based on their admission application.
- Financial Aid also led the way in processing CARES Act emergency aid after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of June over $2 million have been paid to student who have been negatively affected by COVID-19.
At A Glance
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Assessment 1
Goal
Improve collaborations between Financial Aid and Admissions
Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)
Student Learning CAS- Knowledge Acquisition / construction / integration and application
Activity or experience being assessed
We wanted to look at the alignment of financial aid & scholarships and Admissions to begin to build a process to train and improve the Recruiters knowledge of institutional scholarships & other aid programs. Improved staff knowledge will lead to improved recruitment.
Assessment artifacts
A retreat with Admissions and Financial Aid that would include pre and post retreat surveys to determine the learning gains of staff.
Time period assessment was done
Would have occurred Spring 2020.
Results
Due to COVID-19 we were unable to complete the retreat with Financial Aid and Admissions
Continuous improvement process
Although the assessment was not completed we have implemented a training program for Admissions and Recruitment over our scholarship portfolio and other pertinent financial aid processes. We will continue to expand these training to other portions of the division.
WHEN: Throughout 2021
Assessment 2
Goal
Ensure students understand financial aid and the cost of attendance
Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)
Student Learning- CAS- Practical Competence
Activity or experience being assessed
text
Assessment artifacts
Pre- and post-test
Time period assessment was done
Would have occured Spring 2020.
Results
Due to COVID-19 we were unable to complete the assessment.
Continuous improvement process
Despite the assessment not being completed the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships has implemented new strategies to inform and educate students on their aid. Continued upgrades to the website, planned implementation of a new chatbot and more frequent communication is aimed at educating students on their aid and what else may be available.
WHEN: Throughout AY21
Assessment 3
Goal
Improve customer service & communication between financial aid office and students
Type of assessment (learning outcome or operational)
Student Learning CAS- Knowledge Acquisition / construction / integration and application
Activity or experience being assessed
Students’ interactions with the Office of Financial Aid
Assessment artifacts
Focus group report from the Assessment Partners Program
Time period assessment was done
Would have occurred Spring 2020
Results
The focus group was canceled since the APP student leaders were not trained to do remote focus groups. This will be rescheduled for AY21.
Priorities for Next Year
- Overhaul Financial Aid and Scholarship webpage
- Improve social media presence
- Conduct focus group of students who use Financial Aid to determine their needs
- Establish new customer service model where each Financial Aid Adviser would be in charge of a specific group of students based on student last name
