[Oasfaa] Oklahoma's Promise update - survey results, proposed policy changes, information request

[Fair, Bryce]

Attached are a some important items of information related to the new legislative changes for Oklahoma's Promise (second income limit for 2009 freshmen; unique college GPA requirement beginning with 2009 freshmen, etc.).  

[Please note below that we are asking you for some information related to federal satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements to help us analyze the impact of possibly requiring all OKPromise students to meet SAP in a future year.]

*	Attached is a summary of the results of the survey we distributed at the OASFAA conference and through the OASFAA listserve after the conference.  We've also attached a copy of the handout from the conference which includes a description of the legislative changes and the survey in case you want to refresh your memory.  We received 45 responses to the survey-- 26 from public colleges, 9 from private/independent colleges, and 10 from career tech centers.  There was fairly broad consensus on several questions, but less so on some others:
*	82% thought the FAFSA should be used to determine compliance with the new second income limit (and several noted that the State Regents office ought to do the compliance, not the institutions).
*	64% thought that all income (both taxable and nontaxable) should be counted toward the second income limit (as is currently in the statute) rather than only AGI or some other method.
*	57% thought the second income limit should be reviewed annually in college rather than just once as an incoming freshmen.
*	56% said the new college GPA requirement was not something their school could easily monitor.
*	87% said cumulative GPA was more effective and efficient to track compared to the new statutory calculation.
*	82% thought that OKPromise students should be required to meet federal SAP.


*	Also attached is a copy of the agenda item with proposed policy changes that were "posted" at the State Regents meeting on November 29.  The proposed rule changes were not adopted at this meeting.  The "posting" initiates the administrative procedures process which requires time for public comment and allows the State Regents to modify the proposed changes prior to formally adopting them.  The 30-day period for public comment will be in January and the State Regents are expected to act on the proposed changes at their February 7, 2008 meeting.  If the State Regents adopt the policy changes in February, the changes will then be subject to legislative and gubernatorial approval.  If approved by the Legislature and Governor, the changes will likely become effective in June 2008.  The proposed policy changes primarily incorporate the new legislative changes as they are currently written in law.  However, a couple of proposed changes also relate to items in the survey:
*	It is proposed that all students eligible to receive the OKPromise award for the first time in 2009-10 be required to complete the FAFSA (or something equivalent if the student is not eligible to complete the FAFSA).  This would be for the purpose of monitoring the second income limit.
*	It is proposed that beginning in 2010-11, all OKPromise award recipients be required to meet federal SAP requirements.  [This is not mandated by law but appears to be recommended by most financial aid officers.  See the information request below.]  

	You will also notice some new proposed language related to participation of students in a school district that serves students that reside in both Oklahoma and an adjacent state.  This is related to legislation (HB 1762) addressing the Texhoma school district in the panhandle.  The town of Texhoma is literally split by the state border and the local Oklahoma school district serves students that live on the Texas side via a contractual agreement.


*	To help us analyze the potential impact of possibly requiring OKPromise students to meet federal SAP, please provide us the following information if you can:
*	As of the end of the fall 2007 semester, how many of the students that received a fall OKPromise award at your institution are suspended from federal financial aid eligibility due to failure to meet SAP?  What was the total number of students at your institution receiving an OKPromise award for the fall 2007 semester?
*	When (or how often) does your institution conduct compliance for federal SAP? (after each semester?  after fall and spring semesters? annually? etc.)


Please let me know if you have any questions or comments about the survey, the proposed policy changes, or our information request related to SAP. 
We appreciate your input and help very much.
Bryce Fair


 <<10-25-07-OASFAA handout-survey.doc>>  <<10-07-OASFAA-OKProm survey results.xls>>  <<sr_OKPromise APA.doc>> 

Bryce Fair 
Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Scholarships & Grants 
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 
Phone:  (405) 225-9162 
Fax:  (405) 225-9230 
E-mail:  bfair at osrhe.edu 

Mailing Address: 
P.O. Box 108850 
Oklahoma City, OK  73101-8850 

Street Address: 
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200 
Oklahoma City, OK  73104 
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