Category Archives: Uncategorized

April 23, 2013 Financial Aid and Scholarships

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Doug Severs, Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships joined us for an information sharing session on Financial Aid and Scholarships. Here are some highlights…
• There are a lot of changes on the pipeline for aid: Perkins Loans may not be re-authorized (up for re-authorization in 2014); Opportunity Grants now have a “blind” deadline in that they advertise a deadline, and then if they have too many applicants, they change what day they “accepted” the applications until in order to change the number of names in the pool; Waited until they knew exactly how much was available before sending award letters.
• Summer Financial Aid: Students can access the necessary form via Online Services; Students will not receive more aid- FA will just split the aid up over 4 terms instead of 3. (NOTE: Pell grants can only span over 3 full-time terms, so students can go half-time for two terms to span the grant over 4 terms if they would prefer.)
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):
– 67% completion rate
– Related to GPA- can calculate at the end of the term OR at the end of the academic year
– Student notified after two terms of un-SAP (first term is considered a warning); once they get notified of an SAP, they will need to appeal to get FA back.
– 2 “Withdraw from the University for the Term” = un-SAP
– Maximum time frame can cause un-SAP as well: Student has attempted 150% (or 270 credits) and still has no degree.
– Military credits pose a special challenge and this can be dealt with on a case by case basis. Have the student talk to FA.
– There are also generally exceptions made for those in an OSU dual degree program

Questions from Advisors:

Q:Does FA notify students when their choice of home school could be detrimental to the amount of funding that they receive?
A:No, but it’s possible that there can be a note added to Online Services.
Q:How does FA differ for post-bacc students? (And graduate students)
A:PB students cannot receive grants, but they have the same access to loans as any other undergraduate. (Grads can access loans but not grants via FA.) If OSU FA official meets with a student and sees that they have technically reached enough credits to graduate, but have not done so, they will be placed into PB status and their aid may be changed accordingly.

Q:What can you tell us about a waiver for the GRE via Financial Aid? What about the MCAT?
A:There are students who are eligible for waivers for the GRE. Contact Patti Brady-Glassman or have students come into the FA office. This is an underutilized service!! No such thing exists (that Doug is aware of) for the MCAT.

Q:What is the difference between a grant and a loan? Subsidized and un-subsidized loan?
A:Loans need to be repaid, whereas a grant does not. Subsidized loans are interest free while the student is still in school. Unsubsidized loans begin accruing interest right away. Loan rates are climbing to 6.8%. Yikes.

Q:What kinds of scholarships are available through FA?
A:FA only awards scholarships to incoming Freshman and transfer students. Upperclassman should look to their departments and/or colleges for scholarship opportunities. NOTE: Unlike some other schools, OSU will not lessen the amount of aid a student receives if they also end up receiving some sort of external funding. (But they may if they end up receiving more internal funding.)
Q:What is a good scholarship website to refer students to?
A:http://oregonstudentaid.gov/
Q:Can non-degree seeking students receive financial aid?
A:No. If you have students who need “just a couple of classes” for pre-requisites, or whatever, encourage them to still register as “degree-seeking” if they are trying to access financial aid.

And a special thank you to Terina McLachlain for delectable pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes and banana cake. So yummy!!

April 11, 2013 Human Services Resource Center

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Clare Cady from the Human Services Resource Center shared information on services available for students. Check out their new website for more information!

Human Services Resource Center

Here is How the HSRC Helps Students

  • Intermediary services between students and agencies that provide rental assistance, utility assistance, food stamps, childcare, food boxes, and health insurance.
  • Workshops, seminars, and opportunities for internships and employment.
  • Connection to community service opportunities.
  • Assistance in maintaining  health insurance through the university.
  • Applications for food stamps.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to stop by our office, located in 230 Snell Hall, call us at (541) 737-3747 or email us at hsrc@oregonstate.edu

 

 

Advising Students with Disabilities

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Tracy Bentley-Towlin, Director of Disability Access Services, joined us on Jan 17th, 2013  for an informative presentation on the services available to students through her office and special considerations for advising students with disabilities. Her handout is attached below.
AdvisingStudents_Disabilities

Here are some important facts to pass along…

  • If you know any staff/faculty that have handicap parking placards and use the handicap spots to park for work, PLEASE encourage them to contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion to get a designated spot for themselves so the handicap spots are more available to disabled students when they need them.
  • There are potentially some funds available for students to get tested for a learning disability. The students should inquire with DAS if they are interested.
  • ANY videos that we make or utilize for students (in class, web sites, workshops, etc.) must be captioned. Gabe Merrill in the Office of Equity and Inclusion may be able to assist captioning any videos we produce.
  • Encourage good students (who will go to EVERY class) with good handwriting to become a notetaker and get PAID for taking the notes in their class (which they should be doing anyway).

DAS Webpage:
http://ds.oregonstate.edu/home/

Disability Access Services Office:
A200 Kerr Administration Building
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-4098
Disability.Services@oregonstate.edu
FAX: 541-737-7354

The question of what are and are not appropriate notes for MyDegrees has come up in multiple venues, this one included. There will most likely be an Advisor Coffee Talk Professional Development session on Advising Best Practices for Notes, paper and electronic.

 

2013 Summer Session Advisors’ Luncheon

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The Summer Session Advisors’ Luncheon is scheduled for March 21st.  We plan to have presenters speaking and answering questions about a range of issues pertaining to Summer Session.  If you or your colleagues have suggestions for specific topics of concern, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  We want this to be a valuable experience and networking opportunity, as well as a thank you, to our many campus partners who help make Summer Session successful every year.

Please contact::
Claire Cross
Director of Summer Session
Extended Campus
4943 The Valley Library
Corvallis, OR 97331-4504
Claire.Cross@oregonstate.edu

 

Next Coffee Talk scheduled for January 17th, 2013

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Please join us on January 17th from 2:00-3:00 pm  for some conversation around disability access and other topics of interest to advisors. Tracy Bentley-Townlin, Associate Dean of Student Life, will be available to give some updates from DAS and answer any question you might have.

Check out the topics for the rest of Winter Term under the menu link for the 2012-2013 Coffee Talk Schedule above.

OSU offers a world of opportunities

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On November 13, 2012, Lillian Read and Nick Fleury from the International Degree and Education Abroad Program (IDEA), shared information about their respective programs. Lillian is an Education Abroad Advisor and Nick is the Head Advisor for students seeking an International Degree. Both speakers provided us with very useful information about a program that literally provides students with a world of opportunities.

Here are some key details that I took from Lillian and Nick’s presentation:

• Housed in Heckart Lodge, the IDEA office recruits, enrolls, and supports prospective and current International Degree (ID) and Education Abroad students.

• There are four advisors, each specializing in a different global region, that help students choose a program of study, as well as specific courses to complete their program, utilizing MyDegrees as a starting point.

• Students are sponsored by one of three programs, those being exchanges, third-party organizations, or internships. These programs have different criteria and expectations, so IDEA advisors will help students determine which are available to them and will best facilitate their education goals.

• Credits earned during study abroad are counted toward the OSU residency requirement and that IDEA advisors make appropriate transcript articulations, not the Registrar. That being said, participating students should always return with course syllabi to assist the process.

• Before meeting with an IDEA advisor, students must participate in a First Steps Meeting at Heckart Lodge. These meetings are led by student ambassadors that have gone through the study abroad process and are held Monday through Friday at 12 PM and 4 PM.

• These opportunities are available for Ecampus students, but can be bit more challenging to coordinate.

• One term abroad is the equivalent of one year of language study.

• Students interested in participating in IDEA must have amassed 32 credits and have Sophomore standing.

Submitted by:
Banks Blair
Academic Advisor
Natural Resources Program
College of Forestry

Immigration 101 Workshop

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Workshop: Immigration 101 (two sessions)
Date/Time: Friday (Nov 16) 11-Noon & 2pm to 3pm.
Location:  ILLC Room
Hechart Lodge (2nd floor conference room)
Presenters: Cynthia Cox and Ismail Warsame
Description:

This session will be an introduction to the general immigration regulations, to which OSU students need to adhere.  We will begin with the students’ journeys prior to their arrival in the United States while introducing the different types of documents they gain/utilize throughout their study in the United States.  This is designed for general audience who do not necessary have a background in immigration regulations. The format will feature a combination of role playing and a visual presentation of key documents.