Lois DouglassFinancial Aid Counselor, UNC-Chapel Hill
Julie Rice MalletteAssoc. Vice Provost & Dir. OSFA NC State
Emily Bliss, DirectorOSFA UNCW
The Carolina CovenantWhat is It?
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Announced in 2003, but first entering class in 2004-05.
• A promise for students to graduate debt-free who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
• Meet 100% of need with grants, scholarships, work-study, no loans.
• Receive a laptop grant.• Summer Orientation fees and housing
on campus for student and one parent.
The Carolina CovenantPoverty Guidelines
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Family SizeFederal PovertyGuidelines 150%
Federal Poverty Guidelines 200%
1 $16,245 $21,660 2 21,855 29,1403 27,465 36,6204 33,075 44,1005 38,685 51,5806 44,295 59,0607 49,905 66,5408 55,515 74,0209 61,125 81,500
10 66,735 88,980
Fall 200
4
Fall 2005
Fall 2006
Fall 200
7
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
Number of New Covenant Scholars
224 350 417 398 410 533
Average High School GPA 4.21 4.25 4.19 4.26 4.30 4.13Average SAT Scores 120
91223 119
81202
1206
1230
State of Origin: North Carolina
87% 89% 84% 87% 84% 86%
North Carolina Counties Represented
68 74 72 77 74 80
GenderFemale 69% 63% 61% 63% 60% 61%Male 31% 37% 39% 37% 40% 39%
Students of Color 63% 60% 63% 61% 61% 62%First Generation 55% 52% 57% 53% 55% 55%
[*] The income threshold for consideration for the Carolina Covenant was initially established at 150% of federal poverty guidelines. Starting in fall 2005, it was increased to encompass students with parents’ adjusted gross income up to 200% of the federal poverty standard.
Characteristics of Covenant Scholars*
Characteristics of Covenant Scholars, cont.
Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Average Parental Income
First Year Scholars $18,428$22,967$22,484$23,972 $22,913$26,026All Covenant Scholars $23,086$24,551$25,856$26,716 $27,744
Average Expected Family ContributionFirst Year Scholars $ 769 $ 1,221$ 1,060$ 951$ 910$ 681All Covenant Scholars $ 1,415$ 1,508$ 1,469$ 1,505$ 1,079
Percentage of Award by Type of Assistance (All Covenant Scholars)Grant 91.2% 88.8% 86.7% 87.2% 86.9% 93.1%Loan 3.2 5.41 7.2 7.1 8.3 5.0Work Study 5.6 5.9 6.1 5.6 4.7 1.9
Percentage of Award by Source of Assistance (All Covenant Scholars)Federal 40.5% 36.0% 35.1% 35.6% 35.5% 30.4%State 13.4 18.9 17.8 18.9 21.0 28.6Institutional/Other 46.1 45.1 47.1 45.5 43.5 41.0
Fall 2009 data as of December 1, 2009, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
The Carolina CovenantMore than Financial Aid
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Summer Orientation for students and parents
• Faculty Mentoring Program • Peer Mentoring Program• Programming for students through
Learning Center, Career Services, Memorial Hall, Medical School, Student Advisory Board
• Academic counseling – monitoring grades, and intrusive contracts for summer restoration of grades
The Carolina CovenantOther Access Initiatives and websites
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Covenant Website: http://www.unc.edu/carolinacovenant/
• Access Initiatives Clearinghouse: http://studentaid.unc.edu/pdf/misc/CollegeAccessInitiatives.pdf
• Poverty Guidelines: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/09poverty.shtml
• Development Office support – major fund raising campaigns for support programs.
NC State’s Pack PromiseApproved by the Board of Trustees in April 2006
Communication Plan
www.ncsu.edu/packpromise
NC State’s Pack PromiseMeets 100% of need for up to 9
semesters for students from families with incomes at or below 150% of poverty level.
Parents must not have significant assets (less than $100K)
Not a debt-free commitmentProvides mentoring and academic
support in addition to funding
NC State’s Pack Promise Numbers of New Students Funded Per Year: 2006-07 – 315 2007-08 – 319 2008-09 – 332 2009-10 – 285 Cumulative Total Pack Promise Scholars Per Year 2006-07 – 315 2007-08 – 576 2008-09 – 833 2009-10 – 1058 (enrolled for fall 2009 as of 8/31/09)
91% NC Resident (compared to 89% of all FR) 9% Non-Resident (compared to 11% of all FR)
53% Male (compared to 53% of all FR) 47% Female (compared to 47% of all FR)
Ethnic Diversity of Pack Promise Scholars Enrolled Ethnic Group Number (based on fall 09 ethnic
enrollment data) Caucasian 494 2.8% Native American 15 12.4% African American 328 16.7% Asian 112 9.5% Hispanic 68 10.1% Unknown/Multi 41 4.3%
Greensboro GuaranteeImplemented for first time in 2010-
2011Individual academic success plan to be
developed for studentsFull time academic advisor assigned to cohort
Will keep them on track to graduate in 4 years
Will meet with students 3 to 4 times per semester
Greensboro GuaranteeServices to be offered
TutoringMentoring from within the Greensboro University and the surrounding community
Workshops on study skills, time management, money management, etc.
UNCW’s SOAR200% of Poverty2.5 GPAVerificationOpportunities for Non-Financial Aid
ProgramsGraduated Increments of Grant
FundingDesired Outcomes
UNCW’s SOARTried to run as a financial aid
program onlyAwarded too late in the yearWere not able to keep loans as low as
we would have likedNot as many students in the 200%
range as we had expectedHad difficulty tracking due to time
UNCW’s SOARRevamped Program
Still at 200% povertyWill contact upon admission for freshmenBase amount will be $3000Students can receive more if they participate
in different programsJob ShadowingGPA 3.0Leadership activitiesWork or volunteer
UNCW’s SOARRevamped
Succeeded in getting buy-in from other officesTutoring LabCounseling CenterCenter for LeadershipAdvising (freshmen seminar)Dean of StudentsDiversity Office
UNCW’s SOARRevamped
Financial Aid willAward FundsTrack academic success of studentsTrack involvement of studentsMeet with students at least once a yearSurvey students to see what works and what
doesn’tTry to get more funding
Working with funds you have
Identify an amount of current funding and direct it to a single cohort
Ask for funding from your budget office, then ask again, and then again. Do not stop until they give you some to keep you from asking
Ask your Advancement Office for helpDo not give up. Sometimes this takes
years.