FINANCIAL AID POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

PERALTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

FINANCIAL AID POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

Revised June 2011

TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction ...........................................................................................................5 Statement of Purpose ...........................................................................................5

Policy - A statement that guides present and future decisions and actions. ......5 Procedure - A series of steps followed in a specific order to properly administer a financial aid program. .....................................................................................5 This Manual is intended to ....................................................................................5 Financial Aid Purpose ...........................................................................................6 Peralta Community College District Mission Statement ........................................7 Financial Aid Office Mission Statement.................................................................7 Philosophy ............................................................................................................7 Goals ....................................................................................................................8 Operating Policies.................................................................................................8 Policies & Procedures Development Responsibilities ...........................................9 Responsible Personnel .........................................................................................9 Financial Aid Reference Documents...................................................................10 Administrative Organization of the Financial Aid Office ......................................11 President's Office................................................................................................12 Financial Aid Office .............................................................................................13 Business Office ...................................................................................................14 Admissions and Records Office ..........................................................................15 Counseling Department ......................................................................................15 Campus Organizational Chart.............................................................................15 Financial Aid Department Organizational Chart ..................................................16 Position Descriptions: Financial Aid Office.........................................................17 Financial Aid Supervisor..................................................................................17 Financial Aid Specialist ................................................................................... 19 Financial Aid and Placement Assistant ...........................................................19 Clerical Assistant.............................................................................................20 Student worker ................................................................................................21 Personnel Policies .............................................................................................. 22 Performance Evaluations....................................................................................22 Frequent Contact Information .............................................................................22 Berkeley City College; ..................................................................................... 22 College of Alameda; ........................................................................................22 Laney College; ................................................................................................ 23 Merritt College; ................................................................................................ 23 Office Hours ........................................................................................................23 Calendar of Financial Aid Activities.....................................................................23 Staff Meetings .....................................................................................................25 Appointments with Staff ......................................................................................26 Correspondence .................................................................................................26 Distribution of Forms...........................................................................................26 Telephone ........................................................................................................... 26

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Confidentiality of Records ...................................................................................26 Authorization to Release Information ..................................................................27 Records ..............................................................................................................27 Public Information ...............................................................................................28 Non-Public Information .......................................................................................28 Records Retention ..............................................................................................29

Active Records ................................................................................................ 29 Inactive Records..............................................................................................29 Automated Program Files ...................................................................................29 Student Consumer Information ...........................................................................29 Institutional Eligibility Requirements....................................................................30 General Title IV Student Eligibility Requirements................................................31 Evaluation of New Programs ..............................................................................32 Awarding Process ............................................................................................... 32 Receive Notification of Eligibility .........................................................................33 Awarding Policies................................................................................................34 Processing Student Aid Reports ......................................................................... 36 Student Budgets .................................................................................................36 Direct Costs.....................................................................................................36 Indirect Costs ..................................................................................................36 Verification ..........................................................................................................37 Exclusions ........................................................................................................... 38 Awarding Financial Aid .......................................................................................39 Determination of Total Funds to be Awarded ..................................................39 Outside Resources..........................................................................................40 Award Letter and Acceptance of Awards ............................................................40 Summer Aid ........................................................................................................40 Consortium Agreements .....................................................................................42 Process: .......................................................................................................... 42 Federal Aid Programs in Which Peralta Participates ..........................................42 PELL Grant .....................................................................................................43 Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) ........................................43 Federal Work Study.........................................................................................44 Federal Stafford Loan......................................................................................44 Federal Direct Loan.........................................................................................44 Bureau of Indian Affairs ...................................................................................45 Veteran Benefits..............................................................................................45 State Aid Programs in Which Peralta Participates ..............................................45 Extended Opportunity Programs and Services................................................45 Cal Grant B Entitlement and Competitive Grants ............................................46 Cal Grant C .....................................................................................................46 Chafee Grant...................................................................................................47 Scholarships .......................................................................................................47 Revision of Financial Aid Awards........................................................................47 Revision Initiated by the Financial Aid Office ..................................................47 Revisions Initiated by Request from Student...................................................48

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Over awards .......................................................................................................48 Eliminating an Over Award ..............................................................................49 Causes of an Over Award and/or Overpayment..............................................49 Treatment of an Over Award ...........................................................................49

Professional Judgment Policy .............................................................................49 Refund/Repayment Policy ..................................................................................50 Return of Title IV Funds Policy ...........................................................................51 Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements ..................................................51

Academic Probation ........................................................................................52 Progress Probation..........................................................................................52 Probation Procedures......................................................................................52 Academic and Progress Dismissal ..................................................................52 Dismissal Procedures......................................................................................53 Key Elements for Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid...............53 Unit Completion Requirement * .......................................................................53 Appeals ........................................................................................................... 55 Reinstatement .................................................................................................56 Time Frame Allowed .......................................................................................56 Exception ........................................................................................................ 57 Audits and Program Reviews..............................................................................57 Fraud .................................................................................................................. 57 Policy for Fraud...................................................................................................58 Procedures for Fraud ..........................................................................................58

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Introduction

Federal regulations mandate that institutions have written policies and procedures. In addition to the federal requirement, there are many benefits to having a written document outlining Federal Student Financial Aid policies and procedures.

These benefits include:

Distribution of information to appropriate offices outside the Financial Aid Office for the purpose of informing and fostering an understanding of the complexity and operation of Financial Aid.

As a referral guide to assist in maintaining consistency in the problemsolving process.

As an important component of a comprehensive training program.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this Document is to record policies and procedures surrounding the delivery of financial aid for the Peralta Community College District. If no policy or procedure addresses a given issue, the Financial Aid supervisor is expected to use professional judgment based upon the intent of all financial aid programs and office practices.

For purposes of this Manual, definitions of policy and procedures are as follows:

Policy - A statement that guides present and future decisions and actions. Procedure - A series of steps followed in a specific order to properly administer a financial aid program.

This Manual is intended to

Provide the financial aid staff and interested parties with current policies and procedures that pertain to eligibility assessment for federal, state, and college programs.

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