Academic Advisors and Financial Aid Officers at Guttman: a “Learning Community” Approach

to Supporting Students

Vera Senese, Director of Financial Aid and Student Financial Support

Danielle Insalaco-Egan, Director of Student Support and Academic Achievement

Today’s Goals

• Understand the Guttman model of integrated and high-touch student services

• See the strengths and challenges within that model

• Learn how cross-training has improved interoffice relations and enhanced student support

Guttman’s “Recent” History

• Opened fall 2012 – 289 students

• Midtown campus

• Graduation rate etc.

The Advising Continuum: A Holistic Experience

Summer Bridge

FYE

Program of Study

Student Success Advocate

Career Strategist

THE HUB Students are at the center of the Guttman community and the Hub is the center for student services typically

associated with the offices of Admissions, Bursar, Financial Aid and Registrar.

THE HUB Director of Financial Aid

•Assoc. Dir. of Financial Aid •Financial Aid Specialist •Enrollment Coordinator •Financial Aid Advisor

•Administrative Coordinator

Director of Admissions •Senior Admissions Advisor •Admissions Advisor •Admissions Advisor

Bursar Manager

Registrar •Registrar Specialist •Enrollment Registrar Specialist •Registrar Coordinator

Financial Aid Staff

Director of Financial Aid

Associate Director of

Financial Aid

Financial Aid Specialist

Enrollment Coordinator

Financial Aid Advisor

Administrative Coordinator

First Year Experience • Required attendance • Introduce students to college and educational

model Bridge Program

• Mandatory Level of Engagement Full-Time First Year

• House/Cohort Structure Learning Communities

• Interdisciplinary focus • Experiential, Community-Based Learning

Required First Year Curriculum

• Student Success Advocates – LaBSS • Peer Mentors

Combined Academic and Student Support

• Guttman Learning Outcomes • ePortfolio Student Learning

Advising Caseloads in the First Year

First-Year Fall 2014 Spring 2016

Houses 5 7 80-110 Students per House

3 Cohorts per House All Cohorts Developmental Math except Two

House SSA AM/PM

1 Victoria Romero AM

2 Alicia Brizzi PM

3 Eddy Dure AM

4 Amallia Orman PM

5 Patricia Payano AM

House 6 for 2015-16 House 7 when CUNY Start students enter FYE courses Spring 2016

Programs of Study and Advisors

Career Strategist Major 1129 1139 1149

Total Students in

Major Lauren BUSAD-AA 5 33 65 103

AD HUMSV-AA 7 42 66 115

Janine IT-AAS 10 21 40 71

Allison/Janine LAS-AA 14 66 179 259

Lauren URBST-AA 14 18 32

Grand Total 36 176 368 580

The “New” Advising Team Structure

• Director of Student Support and Academic Achievement

• Associate Director of Student Support and Academic Achievement

• Academic Student Support Counselors

– Student Success Advocates

– Career Strategists

Challenges: The First Two Years

Challenges: The First Two Years

• Establishing Federal and State Financial Aid Eligibility for the College

• Growing Pains • Lack of Clarity • Staffing • Communication • Student Advocacy

Working Together: Advising and Financial Aid

Learn advising and financial aid basics

Exchange perspectives

Strengthen existing collaboration

Enhance communication and mutual understanding

Brainstorm creative solutions to recurring issues

Advising Scenarios

Strategist Student Calendar: May 2015 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

4 5 Information Technology Major Orientation & Celebration Room 508 | 11:30am Resume Rush! Room 410 | 11:30am-1pm

6

7 Lehman College & Mercy College @ GCC (Instant Decision for Lehman) Atrium | 1pm-3pm

8 Last day to withdraw from a class with a W

11 12 Pace University @ GCC (Instant Decision) Atrium | 11:15am- 1pm Urban Studies Major Orientation & Celebration Room 504 | 11:30 am Liberal Arts Major Orientation & Celebration Room 410 | 11:30 am Resume Rush! Room 503 | 11:30am-1pm

13

14 Marymount Manhattan College @ GCC (Instant Decision) Atrium | 11:15am- 1pm Liberal Arts Major Orientation & Celebration Room 410 | 1:15pm Resume Rush! Room 508 | 11:30am-1pm

15

18 19 Fall Registration Check-In Atrium | 10:30am-2pm

20 Liberal Arts Major Orientation & Celebration Room 401 | 6:30pm

21 Fall Registration Check-In Atrium | 12:30-3:30pm

22

25 26 Liberal Arts Major Orientation & Celebration Room 401 | 6:30pm Professionalism Workshop Room 401 | 11:30am

27 28 Success in a Senior College: Step One Room 409 | 1:15 pm

Time to register for Fall classes! Calendar subject to change. Check TVs for updates.

Training Session – Financial Aid Topics • Introduction to Financial Aid Staff • What is Financial Aid? And Types of Financial Aid • The application Process: What Applications are needed? • Eligibility: How is Eligibility for Financial Aid Determined? • The Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) • Review/Finalizing Aid What Can Hold Up Processing of Aid? • Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Federal AND State

– NC Grades for SAP & Progress and Pursuit

• Financial Aid Units vs. Degree Units – CUNYFirst Navigation to View FA Load

• FA Certification Date vs. College Census Date • Referrals to HUB

Did You Know? • Definition • Types of aid What Is Financial Aid?

• How to apply for financial aid – steps needed Apps

• How is eligibility determined? Eligibility

• The Estimated Family Contribution • What holds up processing aid? Getting Aid

• Federal AND State • NC Grades for SAP & Progress and Pursuit SAP

• Financial Aid certification • College Census Dates & Deadlines

Partner Activity

Summer Bridge

FYE

Program of Study

Think of some challenging scenarios that could benefit from inter-department collaboration. 1) Pick one scenario. Locate where the student is within the

Guttman experience…

2) Describe working with the student.

Share goals, challenges, and what works…

A) from a financial

aid/registrar perspective…

B) from an advising

perspective…

3) Discuss:

shared perspective vs. unique perspectives

potential for collaboration

vs. unique roles to play

How to best… communicate,

support the student, & support each other