Financial Aid Handbook A Reference Guide and Summary of Student Consumer Information
The Financial Aid Office Hiram College
FINANCIAL AID OFFICE STAFF The Financial Aid Office staff at Hiram College is committed to serving the students, parents, alumni, and employees in a caring and efficient manner. The Financial Aid Office is located on the main floor of Teachout-Price Hall. The office is accessible for those with disabilities. If assistance is needed, please contact the Financial Aid Office at: Hiram College Financial Aid Office PO Box 67 Hiram, OH 44234 Phone: 330-569-5107 FAX: 330-569-5499 Andrea Caputo Nancy Kotapish
Director
Assistant Director Chris McMullen Financial Aid Specialist Connie Battaglia Financial Aid Specialist
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Weekend College/MAIS Traditional Students Last name A-L Traditional Students Last name M-R Traditional Students Last name S-Z
FINANCIAL AID ON-LINE
Visit our financial aid office web site at www.hiram.edu/finaid From this site you may complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), obtain information on the entire financial aid process, complete necessary steps to securing student loans, search for outside scholarships, and look for a job on campus.
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REGULATIONS AND CONDITIONS OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID GENERAL
The student’s financial aid award is offered to the student for use at Hiram College during the designated academic year in accordance with the Hiram College catalog. These regulations and conditions control the retention and renewal of the award. Failure to abide by these Regulations and Conditions could result in the reduction or cancellation of all or part of the student’s financial aid award. FULL-TIME STATUS REQUIRED Traditional students are awarded aid initially as a full-time student. This means that the student must be registered and attend a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. If the student ceases to be enrolled as a full-time student during any semester, their financial aid may be reduced or eliminated for that semester. Weekend College students are awarded based on projected enrollment for the semester. If the student is not enrolled for the enrollment status for which they are awardd, their financial aid may be reduced or eliminated for that semester. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND FINANCIAL AID RENEWAL Financial Aid is renewed in subsequent years based on maintaining eligibility, including satisfactory academic progress as defined by Hiram College. Students must apply each year in order for their financial aid to be renewed. The amount of financial aid each year will be determined by the financial analysis performed and according to Hiram College loan, work-study, and grant policies. Eligibility for Hiram College Grants and Scholarships is limited to four years (8 semesters). Transfer students and early graduates will have their eligibility decreased accordingly. Aid is offered on an annual basis and is divided into two semesters. Aid is canceled for semesters of non-attendance. COST OF HIRAM COLLEGE BASED ON LIVING IN CAMPUS HOUSING The financial aid award is based on the cost of Hiram College’s Tuition and Fees. Room and Board costs are also considered if the student lives in a Hiram College Residence Hall and participate in one of the Hiram College meal plans. Financial aid will be awarded based on housing preference indicated on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If a housing choice is not listed on the FAFSA, the student will not be awarded aid until the FAFSA is corrected. Housing status will be verified after the start of each semester and aid will be adjusted if necessary. Generally, financial aid will be less if the student lives off campus. HIRAM COLLEGE STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS Financial aid may be used to cover expenses in an approved Study Abroad Program if the student is enrolled for the term in which they participate in the program. Necessary extra costs associated with these programs can be met through loan funds, depending on fund availability and your eligibility. Only Study Abroad Programs identified by the International Studies Office and approved by the Financial Aid Office may participate in financial aid programs. 3
DEADLINES There are deadlines associated with a student’s financial aid award. It is the responsibility of the student to meet all deadlines. Failure to do so could result in the loss of some or all of the financial aid award. Students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must have it filed/received by the federal processor before June 1 prior to the start of the fall semester. Late applications will result in the following loss of Hiram Grant if the student is eligible: $1,000 for FAFSA received June 1-30 $2,000 for FAFSA received July1-31 $3,000 for FAFSA received August 1-31 Total loss of Hiram Grant eligibility for FAFSA received on or after September 1 Beginning July 1, 1997, the U. S. Department of Education requires that loan proceeds delivered to the College using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) must be disbursed to the student’s account within 3 business days. If the funds are not disbursed within 3 business days, the loan funds must be returned to the lender and the loan cancelled. Students who fail to respond to requests for information (such as verification documents, entrance interviews, or signatures) could delay the crediting of the loan to their account. If a loan is cancelled, the student is required to reapply for the student loan unless the Financial Aid Office is able to approve a reissuance. COMPLETED APPLICATION AND VERIFICATION Students must submit all appropriate completed documents, including but not limited to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Master Promissory Note for Federal Stafford Loans and/or Perkins Loans. Student may also be asked to supply documentation verifying the information which was used to determine their award. Financial aid will not be official nor will it be credited to the student’s account until all requested documentation is supplied. AWARD REPLACEMENTS OR ADJUSTMENTS IN THE EVENT OF OTHER AWARDS A portion of the financial aid award may be replaced or adjusted if other sources of funds become available either from outside sources or within the College. If a student receives grant or scholarship assistance from outside the college, the award must fit within the cost of attendance and financial need as determined by Hiram College in accordance with federal regulations. If other funds from within the College become available, they may replace financial aid awards initially offered. CAMPUS JOBS If the financial aid award includes a Federal Work Study Job (FWS), it is the student’s responsibility to find a job and work the number of hours required to earn the amount offered. Job information is located on Student Job Central via the Student Portal. A job fair is held at the beginning of each academic year to assist students in locating a job. The Federal Work Study Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office can also assist students. Students may elect to have a portion or all of their wages credited to their student account through payroll deduction by completing 4
the appropriate paperwork with the payroll department located on the second floor or Teachout-Price before beginning employment. OTHER GENERAL AWARDING POLICIES Hiram College Grant-The Hiram College Grant is awarded to traditional students based on need and the packaging policy put forth by the institution each year. Federal Stafford Loan-The Federal Stafford Loan is included in financial aid awards during each academic year the student is eligible up to the maximum annual amount per grade level per federal regulations. Currently, those limits are as follows: Dependent Student $5,500 $6,500 $7,500 $7,500 n/a
Grade Level Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate student
Independent Student $9,500 $10,500 $12,500 $12,500 $20,500
Federal Work Study (FWS)-First year traditional students are awardd with a $1600 annual FWS award. Upperclass students are awarded $1850 annually. A student may earn more than their initial award if they have financial need to allow the increase and funds are available. Federal Perkins Loan-To be eligible for a Federal Perkins Loan, the student must meet the general requirements for federal student aid and have a calculated expected family contribution of $6000 or less according to the federal formula. Students must also have accessed their full Stafford Loan eligibility prior to receiving a Federal Perkins Loan. DEFAULT OR OVERPAYMENT STATUS Any student identified in default on an educational loan or who owes an overpayment of Title IV financial aid funds is immediately ineligible for all financial aid at Hiram College. If aid has been disbursed during an enrollment period and the student is identified as in default during that enrollment period, all financial aid processing will stop and no further disbursements will be made. Processing will resume at the point that the default or overpayment has been satisfied. THE NOTICE OF AWARD LETTER The Award Letter (when signed and properly completed by the student) is used to authorize the Federal Stafford Loan amount, the disbursement of loan funds utilizing Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), certify that information used to calculate award is true and accurate, authorize Hiram College to apply excess Title IV aid to other charges on the student’s account (such as field trip fees, study abroad fees, health center charges, library fines, parking fines, etc.) The Notice of Award also acts as the initiation of the loan process in concert with the Loan Entrance Counseling and Federal Stafford Master Promissory Note. 5
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL CERTIFICATION FORMS Hiram College will investigate misleading or conflicting information provided on the Certificate of Finance completed by international students and their sponsor(s). This form is distributed by Hiram College and must be accurate.
CONFLICTING INFORMATION POLICY
The Financial Aid Office has authority, and is required to resolve any conflicting information in the student’s financial aid file or other related educational records prior to determining or disbursing financial aid funds. In most cases, additional documents will be requested from the student (or student’s family/guardian). Failure of the student (or student’s family/guardian) to resolve the conflicting information with documentation acceptable to the Financial Aid Office will eliminate financial aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Office utilizes automated tracking which produces letters that are sent to the student (or student’s family/guardians) on a regular basis requesting required documentation (such as tax returns, verification worksheets, etc.)
SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH COMPANIES AND FINANCIAL AID CONSULTANTS
One of the goals of the Hiram College Financial Aid Office is to advise students and their families seeking financial assistance for postsecondary education. Hiram College provides free services to students on financial aid availability, application, and programs. A financial aid administrator can offer expertise on eligibility and availability of state, federal, and institutional programs. Assistance in the proper and accurate completion of the necessary forms students use to apply for the various aid programs available is also provided. Hiram College encourages all interested students and their families to first inquire about financial aid programs, eligibility, and application procedures through the Financial Aid Office. The Hiram College Financial Aid Office strives to provide advice to students free of cost, accurately and in a timely manner. Hiram College acknowledges the growing number of businesses offering financial aid planning and financial aid application assistance. However, given the diversity of services provided by these entities, Hiram College is not in a position to address the legitimacy, reputation, or effectiveness of these companies. Ultimately, the responsibility for determining the benefit to be derived from these services must be determined by the student and the parent.
VERIFICATION POLICY Each year the U.S. Department of Education selects approximately one-third of all financial aid applicants at Hiram College for a process called "Verification." The Financial Aid Office is required to check the accuracy of information submitted on the financial aid applications (FAFSA) with the information contained in official 6
documentation such as federal income tax returns, Social Security statements, statements regarding untaxed income and other necessary documents. In addition, to those students selected by the U.S. Department of Education, the Hiram College Financial Aid Office reserves the right to select additional students for the process of verification at its discretion. This discretionary selection may be generated randomly or due to concerns that data may not be accurate or complete. The following policies and procedures for verifying information contained in a student aid application are implemented in accordance with federal regulations: 34 CFR 668.53 General Provisions, Federal Register 10/31/89 Vol. 54, No. 209, p.45997 "Policies and Procedures," and the 2005-06 Verification Guide for Title IV Financial Aid Programs amended with 1995-96 error tolerance levels. DEADLINES - THE TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH A STUDENT SHALL PROVIDE DOCUMENTS Returning students selected for verification must submit documentation for the process of verification in order for official financial aid eligibility to be determined and to receive a financial aid award letter. When a returning student is selected for verification, written notification will be sent to the student identifying the documents required for the verification process. This notification will be sent to the student by the Financial Aid Office no later than two weeks from the time the Financial Aid Office receives official notification that the student was selected. The returning student must then submit all necessary documents to the Financial Aid Office within two weeks. New students (including transfer students) financial aid eligibility will be determined regardless of whether or not the verification process is complete. Once verification is complete, financial aid eligibility will be reevaluated and adjusted if necessary. Verification documentation must be submitted no later than 60 days prior to the planned term of enrollment. Submitting the required documents by the due dates mentioned, facilitates the college's ability to verify all information in a timely manner, ensure that financial aid awards and reconciliation of funds are accurate, and that financial aid is posted to the student’s account in a timely manner. Failure to submit the required documentation will delay or eliminate the disbursement of federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds. Additionally, students who are obtaining financial assistance through the Federal Family Educational Loan Program, who fail to submit documentation for verification in a timely manner, could cause the cancellation of loan assistance. Families who file federal tax filing extensions may delay the determination of financial aid eligibility. This could affect the availability of funding for the student. If a parent or student files federal tax returns after the initial federal deadline, they must forward a copy of the federal request for extension form to the Hiram College Financial Aid Office. Families who file federal tax extensions are responsible for payment of all Hiram College charges by the due date each semester until verification is complete. Hiram College will not disburse any financial aid for any student until the verification documents are submitted and the verification process 7
is complete. In addition, estimated financial aid funds will not be tentatively subtracted from the student’s account until verification is complete. LOSS OF AID ELIGIBILITY No financial aid will be disbursed to a student’s account if the student is selected for verification and the verification process is not complete. If financial aid has already been disbursed and the student is subsequently selected for verification, further disbursements are stopped until which time the process is complete. If a student completely withdraws from enrollment at Hiram College or the period of enrollment (i.e. semester) ends before the verification process is complete, the student loses any calculated aid eligibility as of the date of withdrawal or end of period of enrollment whichever comes first, and any disbursed aid is returned to it’s source. CONFLICTING INFORMATION POLICY FOR VERIFICATION The Hiram College Financial Aid Office exercises its right to seek additional information whenever there is conflicting information in a student file. Conflicting information must be resolved before financial aid funds may be fully processed and/or disbursed. Failure to reach resolution within the enrollment period (which requires written documentation for the student’s financial aid file) eliminates aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Office will notify the student in writing if there is a need for further documentation to satisfy verification requirements. This notification will occur within two weeks of the initial review of submitted documentation by the Financial Aid Office. The student and/or parent(s) must respond within two weeks of the date of the notification. For information on the consequences of failing to provide the additional requested documentation, please refer to the Verification Policy section entitled "Loss of Aid Eligibility." CORRECTION OF INFORMATION The College will submit the verified corrections to the U.S. Department of Education federal processor electronically. This will ensure that corrections are made known to all parties and that the need analysis will be updated accurately and according to federal standards. Additionally, the student is required to update any subsequent or related applications such as state grant information, private scholarship forms, and other related institutional applications. The Hiram College Financial Aid Office will report any suspected fraud or falsified information (on the part of the student, the parent, preparer of financial aid applications, or related parties) to the U.S. Department of Education and all other related parties for immediate action. This information may be forwarded to federal authorities other than the U.S. Department of Education for investigation. AWARD CHANGE NOTIFICATION - THE METHOD BY WHICH HIRAM COLLEGE NOTIFIES A STUDENT The Hiram College Financial Aid Office will notify a student of the results of verification if, as a result of verification, the student's expected family contribution 8
changes and results in a change in the student's financial aid. The student will be notified in writing (via a revised award letter) no later than 30 days after the verification is complete
MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. What financial aid is available based on athletics? A. Like all students, athletes are awarded financial aid based on their calculated financial need or academic accomplishments. It is important to note that the NCAA Division III rules do not allow financial aid to be awarded based on the student’s athletic participation or accomplishments. No exceptions to these requirements are allowed. According to financial aid policy, an athlete’s financial aid award must be consistent with the institutions general policy for all students and special consideration is never given to a student because he or she is an athlete. Q. Will my financial aid change from year to year? A. There are some specific ways financial aid awards change in future years. As the student increases grade level they will be expected to borrow more. Colleges and universities nationwide utilize higher lending levels for students as they continue their education, approach graduation, and increase their earning potential. Eligible students may borrow up to the maximum Federal Stafford Loan amounts as follows: Dependent Student $5,500 $6,500 $7,500 $7,500 n/a
Grade Level Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate student
Independent Student $9,500 $10,500 $12,500 $12,500 $20,500
In addition, need-based grant aid, such as the Hiram College Grant, federal grants and state grants may change if other changes occur. These funds may be affected by changes in family income, assets, the number of family members, the number of family members in college, the availability of funding, the student’s housing status, and the availability of other sources of financial aid such as outside scholarships or changed state grant awards. Hiram College students are eligible for Hiram Grant and scholarship assistance for a maximum of four academic years (eight semesters). Students attending Hiram beyond four years are not eligible for Hiram Grant or scholarship assistance. Because need-based aid eligibility is determined each year, Hiram College makes no guarantees regarding future needbased aid eligibility. Students who have been awarded Hiram Merit-Based Scholarships will receive those scholarships each year (for four years) for the same amount as long as they maintain academic progress. 9
Q. When can I be eligible for financial aid as an independent student? A. The U.S. Department of Education defines “independent” differently than the Internal Revenue Service. To be identified as “independent,” the student must meet one or more of the criteria in “Step Three” of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Examples include - Be 24 years of age or older - Be a graduate student - Be an orphan or ward of the court - Be married - Be a veteran In all other cases the student is considered a dependent student and parental information will be needed to apply for financial aid. This is true even if the student is self-supporting. It should also be noted that independent students do not always receive more financial aid. Students often indicate that stepparents are unwilling to assist them with college expenses. However, federal guidelines and Hiram College policy require the use of the financial information of any parent or step-parent in the student’s household. Unwillingness of a stepparent to complete financial aid forms or the verification process will stop the process to determine the student’s financial aid eligibility. Q. How do I qualify for a student loan? A. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and receive the award letter from Hiram College. The actual loan process begins when the signed award letter is returned to Hiram College. In addition, the Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) and an Entrance Interview must also be completed at www.hiram.edu/finaid/LoanInformation.html the first time that a student borrows. The MPN is a multi-year note, meaning that for subsequent Federal Stafford Loans, the signed award letter will be all that is needed to begin the loan process. Q. When will loan funds be applied to my student account? A. Loan funds will be applied to a new student’s account no earlier than 30 days after classes begin. For returning students, per federal regulations loan funds are applied no earlier that 10 days prior to the start of the enrollment period Q. How do I find a Work-Study job? A. Current job listings are posted on the Student Portal under the heading of Student Job Central. This website is a valuable resource available 24 hours a day for the entire academic year. Students should also attend the Job Fair, which is held at the beginning of the Fall Semester. This fair will assist students in meeting potential on and off-campus employers. Additionally, students may want to visit various on-campus departments to seek employment. Students should seek 10
employment that would benefit them. For example, finding a job related to intended major will provide students with some practical experience while earning money to pay for school. Q. What if I do not earn the amount of work-study offered in my financial aid award? A. It is the student’s responsibility to secure and work enough hours to earn the amount of work study offered. The student is paid by check for the actual hours worked every two weeks. The student can choose to have all or part of his or her earnings credited to their account in the Payroll Office. We strongly encourage students to apply 100% of their pay to the student account through payroll deduction. A payroll deduction form is available in the Payroll Office for those students who would like to utilize payroll deduction. Q. What happens to the financial aid award if I move off campus? A. The student’s financial aid may be reduced to reflect the lower bill from the College. Almost any major change in circumstances could affect the financial aid award. Examples of changes that could affect the aid award, in addition to moving off campus, include: participating in a Study Abroad Program, failing to attend the three-week component of each semester, withdrawing completely from the College, dropping below full-time, half-time enrollment, failing to make satisfactory academic progress, etc. Q. What special circumstances may affect my financial aid award? A. Sometimes financial aid can increase during the academic year because of special (unusual) circumstances. Examples of this include parental unemployment, death, or serious illness in the family. In all cases, the student should complete the Special Circumstance Form available at www.hiram.edu/finaid/financialaiddocuments.html or call to schedule an appointment with their financial aid counselor. Q. If I receive a scholarship from an outside source, how will those funds affect my financial aid award? A. According to federal regulations, all sources of financial aid must fit within the financial aid award. If the addition of the scholarship creates the student to be overawarded, the financial aid award is adjusted by reducing loan and or/work study first. If eliminating all of these sources does not correct the over-award, then institutional aid may need to be reduced. Q. When should I apply for financial aid for next year? A. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be completed anytime after January 1 of the year that the student is applying for aid. Students should apply as soon after that as possible provided they have the information necessary to complete the form, but no later than June1st. Delays in applying could limit the amount of aid the student is eligible for. For more efficient processing of the FAFSA, 11
students are encouraged to apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov . If additional help is needed, feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office.
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAMS The Student Employment Program is intended to provide students with an opportunity to work as a way to help cover their educational expenses while at Hiram. Student wages are paid through the Federal Work Study Program (FWS) or by Hiram College through the Non-Federal Work Study Program. There are some fundamental differences between these two programs. Federal Work Study funds are paid, in part, by the federal government. As a result, students receiving these funds must demonstrate financial need according to government standards. Students who apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are automatically evaluated to determine eligibility for the Federal Work-Study Program. If the student is eligible, FWS funds are included in the student’s financial aid award letter. The Award Letter identifies a student’s eligibility for FWS funds and will state the total dollar amount a student may earn under this program for the academic year. The FWS award in the award letter exists simply to identify one additional way to help pay for educational expenses. No student may receive FWS funds without a valid Federal Work Study award from the Financial Aid Office. Eligibility is determined each year by filing the FAFSA. Hiram College reserves the right to monitor the number of hours a student works. Excessive numbers of work hours per week are cause for concern and College action. Students should not exceed 20 hours of work per week while school is in session. Additionally, the student should not exceed 40 hours of work per week during vacations and break periods. While most work study positions are on campus, Hiram College has a number of positions off campus in nonprofit agencies, which are part of the Federal Community Services Work Study Program. These community service positions provide students with the opportunity to earn money to help pay for their education while performing a vital service in the community. Students who are employed in community service positions must meet the same criteria as on campus Federal Work Study employees and are paid through the College on the same pay schedule. Students employed in a work study community service position must have their own means of transportation . Transportation is not provided by Hiram College or the community service agencies. Hiram College also employs students outside of the Federal Work Study Program. For example, some students may wish to work on campus but are not eligible for Federal Work Study funds. In this case, the student may wish to seek a Non-Federal Work Study Job. These jobs are not considered part of the financial aid program.
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WORK AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT A student’s campus job can be a valuable opportunity to enhance their career development. Many of the general skills students develop in campus jobs will enhance future employment opportunities. Communication skills, organizational abilities, research experience, and one’s ability to work with others, are important assets students can take with them to future employers. There also exists the possibility, given the diversity of student jobs on campus that students may be able to work in a situation related to their educational and career goals. Securing a campus job that compliments these goals while not hindering the student academically is very important and valuable. The job search process for student positions is similar in some ways to the typical search for full-time employment. The student employment process can provide students a chance to learn and apply effective job search techniques. Work experience on campus can also be an important addition to the student’s resume. Promotions and significant increases in responsibility can be substantial evidence of the high and valued quality of work to future employers. The fact that students are able to earn a percentage of their expenses while in college, and that they are able to work part-time while attending school, can also suggest a high level of energy and personal organization. HOW TO LOCATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Finding a job on campus may require patience and persistence. To find a job, the following plan of action is suggested: 1. Attend the annual job fair at the beginning of each school year. This job fair is an excellent way to meet many prospective employers in a short amount of time. 2. Search for jobs by contacting individual departments. Student should try to find a job that is related to their career goals and/or major. 3. STUDENT JOB CENTRAL, an interactive website, offers 24 hour internet access to jobs for Hiram College students at http://sjc.hiram.edu 4. If transportation is available, contact local businesses (in Garrettsville, Burton, Mantua, Aurora or Ravenna for example). 5. Contact the Federal Work-Study Coordinator in the Student Financial Aid Office. 6. The Dining Service, Physical Plant, Athletic Department and Library at Hiram College employ a large portion of student workers and are in need of filling positions on a regular basis. Most offices and facilities on campus hire student workers, so there are many possibilities for students seeking employment. WORK DURING SCHOOL BREAKS Some students choose to remain on campus during breaks (holidays, spring break, and summer vacation) and prefer to work while they are at Hiram. Although employment is limited, administrative and support service areas remain open and may provide some special work opportunities.
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NOTE: If a student does not plan on being enrolled at Hiram College after any break, they are not permitted to be paid Federal Work Study funds for work during the break. Also, for students working during a vacation or break (or for those enrolled less than full-time) additional federal taxes are deducted from your paycheck (See ‘Getting Paid and Income Taxes’ for more information). SUMMER FEDERAL-WORK STUDY AWARDS Eligibility for Summer Federal Work Study awards is determined by financial need. Students interested in working on campus over the summer should contact the Federal Work Study Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office. Limitations exist on Summer Federal Work Study which includes the following: 1. Eligibility for a Summer Federal Work-Study Award must be determined by the Financial Aid Office (award letters are issued). 2. The student must be enrolling for a term subsequent to the summer term. 3. The student must not be a graduate (having received their degree). 4. The Summer Federal Work Study award may affect eligibility for financial aid funding during the subsequent academic year. The Federal Government requires that a portion of the earnings from the Summer be reported as a resource to help pay for the educational expenses during the approaching academic year. 5. Other general criteria also apply (such as satisfactory academic progress, citizenship, non-default status, etc.) GETTING PAID AND INCOME TAXES Students working on campus receive a paycheck every other week. A schedule of pay dates will be available at the start of each semester from the Payroll Office. The I-9 Form (employment eligibility verification form) is required to demonstrate to the federal government that you are eligible for employment. You must complete this form and provide original copies of supporting identification information. These must be reviewed by the Payroll Clerk in the Business Office to certify your eligible status. As a student employee of Hiram College you will have the following taxes withheld from your paycheck: 1. Federal Income Tax - a percentage of your gross pay will be withheld depending upon how you complete the W-4 form. If you meet certain conditions, you must be eligible to claim full exemption from federal withholding tax. 2. State of Ohio Income Tax - If you wish to claim an exemption from Ohio State Income Tax, you must have permanent residency in one of the following states which adjoin Ohio: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia. If you live in one of the above listed states and need to file this reciprocal withholding form, please contact the Payroll Specialist in the Payroll Office. 3. Hiram Village Income Tax - 2% of your gross earning will be deducted from your paycheck for Hiram Village. This tax is not refundable.
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4. Social Security and Medicare Tax-7.65% will be deducted at any time you are not enrolled as a full time student such as during the summer. No student may begin work or will be paid until all documents are complete. The student’s name must appear on all payroll documents (I-9, W-4, IT-4 state and time cards) the same as it appears on the student’s social security card. YOUR EMPLOYMENT RESPONSIBILTIES As an employee of Hiram College, you are expected to fulfill the following responsibilities of employment: 1. Complete required employment forms before you begin to work (W-4, IT-4, I-9 Forms). 2. Report to work regularly and punctually. 3. Fill out timecards accurately, completely, and on time. NOTE: Incomplete time-cards will be returned to the supervisor which will delay payment of wages. 4. Perform duties efficiently and effectively. 5. Understand and comply with College regulations. 6. Respect the rights and property of the employer and fellow employees and to treat all co-workers with courtesy and consideration. 7. Notify your employer when you are not able to work or will be late. 8. Understand and comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. A breach of confidentiality is grounds for immediate termination of employment. 9. Ensure that your student educational expenses are paid regardless of how much you earn and/or how you utilize your wages. TIME CARDS Blank time cards may be picked up in the Payroll Office. On the last working day of each pay period, the hours worked during that period are totaled by the student and entered on the time card. Each time card must be complete with the student’s name, student’s Banner ID, the department name, index, account number, and the pay dates in order to be processed. The time card is then signed by the student and the student’s supervisor. Community service time cards (green) require all the above information plus an activity number. Please check with your supervisor if you have concerns regarding time cards, pay rates or indexes. Completed time cards are to be turned in to the Payroll Office by 2:00pm on alternate Mondays. Pay period schedules and time card deadlines will be given to the students upon completion of the required forms. YOUR EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS As an employee of the College, you also have certain employment rights: 1. Equal opportunity in employment without regard to sex, race, creed, national or ethnic origin, or handicap. Hiram College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, national or ethnic origin, or handicap in
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admission of students, or their participation in College educational programs, activities, financial aid, or employment. Hiram College is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity. 2. Your right to work in an atmosphere consistent with Hiram’s values, including the parameters of the College’s policy on Sexual Harassment and related processes. 3. Fair and advance written notice of inadequate performance before termination of employment. 4. Recourse in employment discipline procedures. 5. Reasonable and adequate instruction and the necessary working conditions for performance of duties. FRAUD/FALSIFYING INFORMATION It is illegal to falsify any information on a student’s Federal Work Study time card. This includes falsifying a time document, estimating hours worked, forging a signature, or claiming hours that were not worked. Time card information is monitored and audited by Hiram College, independent auditors, and the U.S. Department of Education. The Hiram College Financial Aid Office will report any suspected fraud or falsified information (on the part of the student, the parent, preparer of financial aid applications, or related parties) to the U.S. Department of Education and all other related parties for immediate action. This information may be forwarded to federal authorities other than the U.S. Department of Education for investigation.
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS REQUIREMENTS The federal government requires the measurement of student academic progress for the purpose of determining a student’s financial aid eligibility for all sources of financial aid, including merit-based scholarships. The following requirements are to be used in conjunction with and are in addition to the Academic Review Board (ARB) policies of Hiram College. In order to continue to receive federal, state and institutional financial aid, each student must maintain certain cumulative grade point (qualitative) and earned credit hour (quantitative) requirements within an approved degree or teacher certification program. Below is an explanation of these requirements: Qualitative requirements: The student must, at the end of the second academic year (4 semesters) or once reaching junior status, have at least a cumulative grade point average of “C” (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) which is a standard consistent with graduation requirements. Failure to maintain this standard will result in the loss of all financial aid eligibility. Students identified as juniors or seniors by the Hiram College Registrar must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher to receive any financial aid. Quantitative requirement/maximum time frame to complete a degree program: The maximum time frame to complete a degree program at Hiram College 16
equals 150% of the published length of the educational program (for a full-time student) which is no greater than 6 years. The maximum time frame of 6 years is divided into equal increments of academic years for the purpose of periodically measuring satisfactory academic progress. Quantitative Requirements/pace of progress toward degree completion: The student must maintain a minimum pace of progress toward the completion of the academic degree to maintain financial aid eligibility. To demonstrate progress toward completion, students are required to complete a percentage of credit hours attempted each year. Progress is measured at the end of each semester. Official enrollment status, for financial aid purposes, is measured at the end of the drop/add period during each semester. Students must cumulatively earn 67% of the credits that they attempt. Students with less than 67% attempted/earned ratio will be placed on probation for 1 semester, and will become ineligible for aid after two consecutive semesters. Monitoring of academic progress: The satisfactory academic progress levels in reference to cumulative grade point average and credit hour progress are reviewed after grades are finalized annually (or by the semester for those students on probation) to determine if the student is eligible to receive financial aid for subsequent enrollment periods. Although Hiram College will send a notification to the student, the student is fully responsible for monitoring their own academic progress as it relates to financial aid eligibility. The student should review their academic progress each semester and compare it to the standards set forth in this Satisfactory Academic Progress policy to determine if they are meeting (or failing to meet) the established criteria for satisfactory academic progress. Academic Progress and the Academic Review Board (ARB): Decisions made by the ARB to place a student on academic warning or probation have no bearing on the academic progress required to maintain financial aid eligibility. Eligibility for financial aid is determined independently from any other academic standing based on the criteria outlined in this policy. Readmission to Hiram College, after a suspension action of the ARB board, does not reinstate financial aid eligibility. (See Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility - below) Transfer students: Transfer students are considered differently in relation to financial aid academic progress monitoring. Recipients are awarded aid as first-year students without regard to probation status at the prior post-secondary institution (an exception to this policy exists in the PHEAA State Grant Program). The Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements would then be used to measure their continued status. Transfer credits must be evaluated and a grade level established before any educational loans are processed. The progress standards of the appropriate grade level, including quantitative requirements, after the credit evaluation is officially complete, would then apply for continued aid eligibility in subsequent enrollment periods. Coursework/Enrollment: 17
A. Incomplete courses cannot be calculated into financial aid satisfactory progress requirements until they are complete. This is because no Grade Point Average is yet part of the student’s overall cumulative grade point average and the semester hours are not yet earned. A student identified as making insufficient progress because of an incomplete course will remain so until the course is completed or the equivalent in progress is documented. B. Dismissal/Withdrawal-please refer to the “Academic Procedures” section of the Hiram College catalog to identify when an individual course dismissal/withdrawal is factored into a student’s grades. A student’s official grades, as identified by the Registrar, are used for financial aid satisfactory progress requirement measurements. C. Non-credit remedial coursework is not currently available at Hiram. D. Repeated courses for which a full-time student receives credit more than once may be counted only once for the 24 credit hour minimum required by The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency State Grant (PHEAA). In all other cases, repeated courses will be counted toward the student’s enrollment status when awarding aid and measuring quantitative satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes. E. Credits earned under consortium agreements are integrated into the student’s records upon completion of the course. NOTE: All courses must be approved by the Hiram College Registrar. Student notification: Students will be sent notices if the appropriate cumulative grade point averages or hours earned has not been satisfied for financial aid purposes. As a courtesy, students may receive an early warning notice. This notification will be in addition to any notification sent by the ARB. Right to Appeal: Students who become ineligible for financial aid have the right to appeal the decision if unusual circumstance contributed to their inability to make academic progress (i.e. illness, death of a relative, etc. during the semester in which the student did not make academic progress). The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form is available online at www.hiram.edu/finaid/financialaiddocuments.html under the “General Documents” section and should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office with the supporting documentation. Reinstatement of financial aid eligibility: Financial aid eligibility may be reinstated when the student has reestablished satisfactory academic standing. Satisfactory academic standing can only occur if the student has corrected the identified deficiency (i.e. low cumulative grade point average or low credit hours earned). Readmission to Hiram College by the ARB does not reinstate student financial aid eligibility. Credit hour deficiencies can be corrected by the student attending additional coursework. For example, the student could earn credits toward the degree program through summer school or a local community college. This course work must be approved by the Hiram College Registrar as appropriate to the degree program of the student. Cumulative grade point average deficiencies can only be corrected through attendance at Hiram College (at the student’s cost) as grade point averages from other institutions cannot be integrated with a Hiram 18
College cumulative grade point average. The student is required to request a reevaluation of satisfactory academic progress when it is believed the deficiencies have been corrected. After the student has requested a reevaluation, the Financial Aid Office will reevaluate academic progress and notify the student, in writing, of the outcome. Reinstatement of aid eligibility is not retroactive. Reinstatement of aid eligibility will only affect future enrollment periods.
ACCOUNT POLICIES AND FINANCIAL AID Include allowable charges and covering non-allowable charges with excess aid Financial aid is designed to assist the student in paying for educationally related costs. It is the policy of the Financial Aid Office to return all financial aid to the original source if it is not needed for this specific purpose. The College will adhere to all current government regulations in identifying aid that must be returned. Additionally, the Financial Aid Office is required to report to the government any students who are misusing financial aid funds. Title IV government funds (such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, and Federal Family Educational Loan Program funds) must be used for the enrollment period for which they were originally designated or certified. These funds cannot be carried as a credit balance between academic years. Additionally, credit balances created by the late disbursement of education loans will be returned to the lender to reduce the overall loan debt according to existing regulations. When financial aid (including loans) has been utilized to care for educational expenses on a student’s account, a credit balance on that account cannot be transferred to the account of a spouse, sibling, friend, or any other family member. Account payments should be directed to the Student Account Office and not the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office does not accept, process, or store any cash or check funds. If funds in the form of cash or check are received by mail in the Financial Aid Office, those funds are delivered to the Student Account Office before the end of the business day. The Financial Aid Office provides debt management advising throughout the year. For an appointment, contact the Financial Aid Office. Generally, a financial aid award for an academic year will be divided in half and disbursed once during each semester of enrollment. Government aid will be credited to a student’s account immediately after all required documents are received and all eligibility requirements are verified by the Financial Aid Office (but no sooner than 10 days prior to the enrollment period). Until that time financial aid funds identified as federal are to be considered estimates in anticipation of the arrival of official federal funds. Federal Stafford Loans for first-time, first-year students are not
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credited to the student’s account until at least 30 days after the beginning of the enrollment period as mandated by federal regulation.
APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS POLICY If a student/parent wish to appeal a decision made by the Financial Aid Office, the following procedure should be followed to ensure resolution of the matter. Contacting other offices (or unrelated offices/personnel) than those listed below may actually hinder a timely resolution of the appeal. The student/parent should contact the Director of Financial Aid. It may be necessary for the student/parent to submit, in writing, a detailed account of the dispute with all necessary facts, dates, and documentation. If the Director of Financial Aid is unable to resolve the dispute to the satisfaction of the parent/student, the documentation will be presented to the Vice-President for Admissions & Financial Aid. The decision of the Vice-President for Admissions & Financial Aid is final. NOTE: If the dispute involves an allegation of financial aid inequity based on athletic standing or non-participation in athletics and the matter is not able to be resolved by Hiram College, then documentation of the dispute will be forwarded to the Commissioners of the North Central Athletic Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Contact information for both organizations is as follows: North Central Athletic Conference 440-871-8100 and National Collegiate Athletic Association 913-339-1906. If any complaint or dispute relates to a student loan, students may contact the National Loan Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 or at http://www.ombudsman.ed.gov
Please Note: The parent/student maintains their right to enter a statement into their official educational record that presents the student/parent opinion of the disputed decision/information. (See The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act for more information). Additional information on appeals can be found in the Student Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Right to Appeal and the Hiram College Refund Policy. All documentation relating to the complaint or appeal will be maintained in the student file as an educational record protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The record will be maintained until the student file is purged (which is usually five years after graduation or the last date of attendance).
DRUG-RELATED CONVICTIONS AND STUDENT INELIGIBILITY Regulation effective July 1, 2000: Students who have been convicted under federal or state law for possession or sale of a controlled substance will be suspended from Title IV [financial aid] eligibility, regardless of when the conviction occurred. 20
If a student is convicted of an offense involving the possession of an illegal substance, the ineligibility period is: First Offense = 1 year Second Offense = 2 years Third Offense = Indefinite If the student is convicted of an offense involving the sale of an illegal substance, the ineligibility period is: First Offense = 2 years Second Offense = Indefinite A student may regain eligibility by successfully completing a drug rehabilitation program that complies with criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education. An eligible drug rehabilitation program: -includes two unannounced drug tests and -receives or is qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly under a federal, state or local government program which must: 1. be administered or recognized by a federal, state, or local government agency or court; 2. be qualified to receive or currently receiving payment directly or indirectly from a state-licensed insurance company; or court 3. be administered or recognized by a state-licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor. The period of ineligibility begins as of the date of the conviction. A conviction is defined as a conviction that is on a student’s record at the time the student’s eligibility is being determined. A conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record is not relevant. An illegal drug is a controlled substance as defined by section 102(6) of the Controlled Substances Act [21 U.S.C. 801(6)] and does not include alcohol or tobacco. Students may obtain additional information on eligibility by contacting the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243 or go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
EQUITY IN ATHLETICS DISCLOSURE ACT Although Hiram College does not award athletically-related financial aid according to NCAA Division III requirements, the institution is required to remain in compliance with the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act signed into law on December 1, 1995. Beginning July 1, 1996, Hiram College annually collects the following information as part of the Student Right-To-Know requirements. This information will be maintained on file in the Financial Aid Office and is available for review by any current or prospective student (or parent), or employee of Hiram College during regular business hours: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Student participation rates in athletic activities. Summary of Financial Support for Athletic activities. Student athletic participation identified by gender distribution. Total full-time graduates identified by gender. 21
5. The number of students on each team as of the first team practice session. 6. The total athletic operational expenses. 7. The salaries of all coaches broken down by team and identified by gender distribution. 8. The aggregate salaries of all coaches identified by gender distribution. 9. The ratio of all financial aid funds athletes received identified by gender distribution. 10. The total funds spent to recruit athletes identified by gender distribution. 11. The revenue from all athletic teams identified by gender distribution.
FINANCIAL AID POLICY AND ATHLETES Like all students, athletes are awarded financial aid based on their calculated financial need or academic accomplishments. NCAA Division III and NCAC regulations do not allow financial aid to be awarded based on the student’s athletic participation or athletic accomplishments. [Bylaw 15.4/NCAA 2004-05 Division III Manual pp.109-110]. CALCULATING AID ELIGIBILITY The financial aid awards (total amount from all types of aid) offered to studentathletes in Division III must be similar in type and design to the awards offered to students who are not athletes. A consistent financial aid award has the following characteristics: - follows the financial aid policies set for all students, both student-athletes and other students - athletic ability is not considered in developing the financial aid award Other factors can be considered in addition to need, such as the student’s academic ability, minority status, and interest in activities other than athletics. The procedures used to develop the awards for student-athletes are the same as those used to develop the awards for students who are not athletes. The financial aid award for any one student-athlete does not stand out from the pattern for all other students who receive financial aid. [Bylaw 15.4.1, NCAA p.109]. Adjustments to the composition of the financial aid award for a potential student-athlete may be made after the initial packaging for the student-athlete has been completed, provided adjustments fit within the packaging guidelines for all of the institution’s prospective students and there is no athletics-department involvement in the process. [Bylaw 15.4.8, NCAA p.109] ROLE OF COACHES AND ATHLETICS STAFF The financial aid award must be developed independently from the athletics staff. Members of the athletics department staff may not help develop the financial aid award, are not allowed to modify it, may not be members of any of the financial aid committees, and may not review the financial assistance [the] institution plans to award to any student-athletes. [Bylaw 15.4.6, NCAA p.109.] According to Financial Aid Office procedure, no Financial Aid Office employee, or student employee of the Financial Aid Office, will discuss any financial aid award with a member of the Athletic Department until after it has been delivered to the 22
student/prospective student. After the award letter has been delivered to the student, the Financial Aid Office may assist the Athletic Department Staff with descriptive information only. All other interactions between the Financial Aid Office and the Athletic Department Staff will be referred to the Office of Admission Athletic Department Liaison. Hiram College will not tolerate attempted violations of this policy. Any attempted violations of this policy should be immediately reported to: Director of Financial Aid at 330-569-5107; the NCAC at 440-871-8100 and the NCAA at 913-339-1906. For questions regarding this policy anyone should feel free to contact the Director of Financial Aid, NCAC, or NCAA.
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, or be so treated on the basis of sex under most educational programs or activities receiving federal assistance. (VA 27-76-1)
FACILITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Hiram College adheres to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide requested services for disabled students as specified by the requirements contained in the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) policy guidelines. The Financial Aid Office encourages disabled students or parents to contact the office at (330) 569-5107 P.O. Box 67, Hiram OH 44234, if special arrangements or accommodations are needed in regard to financial aid advising. The Financial Aid Office will make every effort to respond to these requests as specified in the ADA Guidelines.
HIRAM TERM PLAN FINANCIAL AID POLICY Under the Hiram Term Plan, the semester is defined as a 15 week semester consisting of two non-standard terms. The student’s enrollment status is determined by adding the number of semester hours of the two non-standard terms. If a student fails to attend the three-week non-standard term, their enrollment status will be reevaluated. Upon reevaluation, if it is found that the number of semester hours that the student attended is different than the number of semester hours for which the student originally registered, financial aid eligibility will be recalculated. Funds identified as ineligible as a result of the calculations will be immediately returned to their source/s. For some students, this will create a ‘balance due’ on their student account.
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FINANCIAL AID OVERAWARD POLICY DEFINITION OF AN OVERAWARD An overaward occurs when a student receives Title IV federal financial aid funds (i.e. Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan) and any other financial aid that exceeds the student's financial need (budget minus Expected Family Contribution as calculated by the federal government). An overaward may also occur if inaccurate or incomplete information is submitted by the student to the government or if the student’s financial aid exceeds the total cost of attendance. CORRECTION OF AN OVERAWARD An overaward is corrected by the reduction or refund of financial aid monies consistent with government regulations and the institution's written Refund Policy. IDENTIFICATION OF AN OVERAWARD Calculations made by the Financial Aid Office, computer audit of financial aid records, and Federal Work-Study Payroll reports usually indicate overaward or possible over award situations. Overawards that occur late in the enrollment period and overawards that occur due to inaccurate or incomplete information submitted by the student and/or parent cannot always be detected before the end of the enrollment period. Hiram College, to eliminate an overaward, will reduce self-help financial aid whenever possible. Self-help financial aid includes federal students loans (Perkins, Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford), institutional and private education loans, federal parents loans (PLUS) and/or Federal Work Study.
OUTSIDE AID POLICY Students are required to notify the Financial Aid Office regarding any privately funded sources of financial aid. This could include, for example, a local scholarship or donation from an employer or high school. Additionally, the student should provide a photocopy of the award notification or information. The Financial Aid Office will then enter this aid amount on its official records for the purpose of determining its impact on the student’s overall financial aid award award. Monitoring of all aid sources for packaging purposes is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Education. If an adjustment is necessary, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student in writing.
THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 (FERPA) Hiram College, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, will maintain all student records in accordance with the provisions of the act as amended. The financial aid records of the student maintained at the institution will be made available only to official members of the college staff who have a 24
legitimate professional right to the material. For purposes of this policy, Hiram College has used the following definition of terms: 1. Student: Any person who attends or has attended Hiram College. 2. Education records: Any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, electronic or other medium) maintained by Hiram College or an agent of Hiram College which is directly related to a student, except: a. A personal record kept by a staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and is not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record. b. An employment record of an individual whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual's employment. c. Records maintained by the Hiram College Campus Police if the record is maintained solely for law enforcement purposes, is revealed only to law enforcement agencies of the same jurisdiction, and the campus police do not have access to education records maintained by Hiram College. Students do have access to other security records if such records are being utilized in a campus disciplinary procedure. d. Record maintained by Health Services if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing the treatment. e. Alumni records which contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at Hiram College and which do not relate to the person as a student. 3. Hiram College: Hiram College, Hiram Weekend College and Hiram Life Long Learning Program. 4. Attendance: Completion of the registration process. ANNUAL NOTIFICATION Hiram College is required by section 99.7 of the FERPA regulations to provide students with annual notification of their FERPA rights which includes the method(s) it will use to inform students. Students will be notified of their FERPA rights annually by publication in the college catalog, the Financial Aid Handbook, and the Student Handbook. PROCEDURE TO INSPECT EDUCATION RECORDS Students may inspect and review their education records upon request to the appropriate record custodian. Students should submit to the record custodian or an appropriate college staff person a written request which identifies, as precisely as possible, the record or records he or she wishes to inspect. The record custodian or an appropriate college staff person will make the needed arrangements for access as promptly as possible and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Access must be given in 45 days or less from the receipt of the request. When a record contains information about more than one student, the student may inspect and review only records which relate to him or her.
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To release financial aid information or other related records to an unauthorized third party, students must complete an information release form available in the Financial Aid Office. RIGHT OF HIRAM COLLEGE TO REFUSE ACCESS Hiram College reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records: 1. The financial statement of the student's parents (including parental tax returns). 2 . Letters and statements of recommendation for which the student has waived his or her right of access, or which were placed in the student's file before January 1, 1975. 3. Records connected with an application to attend Hiram College if that application was denied. 4. Those records which are excluded from the FERPA definition of education records. REFUSAL TO PROVIDE COPIES With an understanding that it cannot deny students access to their records, Hiram College is required to describe the circumstances in which it may deny students a copy of their education records. Hiram College reserves the right to deny official transcripts or copies of records not required to be made available by the FERPA in any of the following situations: 1. The student has an unpaid financial obligation to Hiram College. 2. There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student. FEES FOR COPIES OF RECORDS There are currently no fees for financial aid records. Hiram College may not charge for search and retrieval of the records; however, it may charge for copying time and postage. TYPES AND LOCATIONS OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID RECORDS Financial Records Business Office, Teachout-Price Financial Aid Records Financial Aid Office, Teachout-Price Federal Perkins Loan Records Business Office, Teachout-Price Academic Records Registrar, Teachout-Price DISCLOSURE OF EDUCATION RECORDS Hiram College will disclose information from a student's education records only with the written consent of the student, except: 1. To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records. Hiram College is required to specify the criteria for school officials and for legitimate educational interests: A. A school official is: 1. A person employed by Hiram College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, security, or support staff position. 2. A person elected/appointed to the Board of Trustees. 26
3. A person employed by or under contract to Hiram College to perform a special task, such as an attorney, auditor, or insurance carrier. B. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official is: 1. Performing a task that is in his or her position description or by contract agreement. 2. Performing a task related to the student's education. 3. Performing a task that is related to the discipline of a student. 4. Providing a service or benefit relating to the student or student's family, such as health care, counseling/advising, job placement, or financial aid. 2. To officials of another school, upon request, in which the student seeks or intends to enroll. FERPA requires Hiram College to make a reasonable attempt to notify the student of the transfer of information. 3. To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs. 4. In connection with a student's request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine eligibility, amount or conditions of financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid (such as the release of an alternative loan application for cosigner signature). NOTE: A financial aid consultant does not have access rights to any educational records without specific written permission of the student, student's spouse (if applicable) and if dependent according to the U.S.D.E. definition, the student's parent(s) and/or stepparent(s). The College may request additional information from the consultant prior to release of information for the purpose of ensuring that the information released will be properly managed and protected for privacy. 5. If required by a state law requiring disclosure that was adopted before November 19, 1974. 6. To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of Hiram College. 7. To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions. 8. To parents of an eligible student who claimed the student as a dependent for income tax purposes. 9. To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena - including an Administrative Subpoena authority now granted to the U.S. Department of Education in HEA 490A. 10.To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency. 11. Although students are allowed to receive copies of a properly completed federal aid application or resulting ISIR (or Federal Student Aid Report) which often contains parental financial information, students may not obtain a photocopy of a parent’s federal tax form unless separate permission is granted and kept on record in the student’s financial aid file. RECORD OF REQUESTS FOR DISCLOSURE Hiram College will maintain a record of all requests, other than Hiram College officials, for disclosure of information from a student's education records, the party to whom it may be re-disclosed, and the legitimate interest the party had in 27
requesting or obtaining the information. The record will be kept on file in the student’s financial aid file until the file is lawfully purged (usually five years after graduation or the last date of attendance). The record may be reviewed by the parents or eligible student. DIRECTORY INFORMATION Hiram College designates the following items as Directory Information: student name, name of spouse, address, telephone number with extension, date and place of birth, major of study, participation in officially recognized activities or sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most recent previous school attended, dorm and room number, and photograph. Additionally, directory information may be provided to donors of endowed/funded scholarships that the student receives. Hiram College may disclose any of these items without prior written consent, unless the appropriate record custodian is notified in writing by the first Monday in September of each academic year. SALE OF INFORMATION Hiram College does not sell student directory information to outside entities. Information contained in the student’s educational records is protected by The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Outside companies requesting such information are prohibited from obtaining this information, in any form, as it is protected for privacy. Hiram College does not allow the marketing of credit cards on campus. Vendor literature will be removed from College property. Vendors will be prohibited from setting up booths or similar marketing efforts on College property. CORRECTION OF EDUCATION RECORDS Hiram College must include in its policy a procedure for the correction of records. Students have the right to ask to have records corrected that they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights. Following are the procedures for the correction of records: 1. A student must ask the appropriate official of Hiram College to amend a record. In doing so, the student should identify the part of the record that they want changed and specify in writing why they believe it is inaccurate, misleading, or a violation of privacy rights. 2. Hiram College may comply with the request or it may decide not to comply. If it decides not to comply, Hiram College will notify the student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing to challenge the information believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student's privacy rights. 3. Upon request, Hiram College will arrange for a hearing, and notify the student, reasonably in advance, of the date, place, and time of the hearing 4. The hearing will be conducted by a hearing officer who is a disinterested party; however, the hearing officer may be an official of the institution. The student shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues raised in the original request to amend the student's 28
records. The student may be assisted by one or more individuals, including an attorney. 5. Hiram College will prepare a written decision based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for the decision. 6. If Hiram College decides that the challenged information is not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student's right of privacy, it will notify the student that they have a right to place in the record a statement (of 200 words or less) commenting on the challenged information and/or a statement setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the decision. 7. The statement will be maintained as part of the student's education records as long as the contested portion is maintained. If Hiram College discloses the contested portion of the record, it must also disclose the statement. 8. If Hiram College decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student's right of privacy, it will amend the record and notify the student, in writing, that the record has been amended. RECORDS MANAGEMENT The Financial Aid Office purges all records five years after students that graduated or ceased attendance at Hiram College. Exceptions to this policy include: transfer of records to the Hiram College Collections Office for students who have borrowed Federal Perkins, Hiram Kennedy Loan, or Hiram Trustee Loan funds; records involved in an on-going audit; records specifically cited in an audit (retained for eight years); and records involved in litigation. Before records are removed from the office they are shredded.
WITHDRAWAL PROCESS In accordance with federal regulations, Hiram College is providing this statement regarding refund policy and calculations. For information on tuition, fees, room and board refund policy, please see the website for the Student Accounts Office at www.hiram.edu/studentaccounts. To properly initiate the withdrawal process, each student, upon deciding to withdraw from Hiram College, must do so by contacting the Office of the Dean of Students. Weekend College students begin the withdrawal process by informing the Weekend College Office. Subsequently, notification of the student’s withdrawal including effective date will be forwarded to both the Student Account and Financial Aid Offices. Official calculations of retained charges and allowed refunds will be solely performed by the Student Account and Financial Aid Offices. All calculations will be performed in a fair and equitable manner consistent with federal regulatory requirements. Students who are dismissed are not exempt from the calculations described herein. If a student does not complete the official withdrawal process, then the last recorded date of class attendance will be designated as the date of withdrawal. If no record of class attendance can be established, then the student will be considered a “no 29
show” and all funds will be returned to the appropriate sources. In any case, an official withdrawal date will be documented on a withdrawal form to eliminate any overpayment liability. Hiram College utilizes refund calculations within the requirements established by the U.S. Department of Education. The percentage of financial aid that is due to the student (“earned financial aid”) is equal to the period of enrollment that the student completed as of the student’s date of withdrawal from Hiram College, if this date occurs on or before completion of 60% of the period of enrollment. If the student’s withdrawal date occurs after the completion of 60% of the period of enrollment, the aid due to the student (“earned financial aid”) is calculated at 100%. For example: Sally enrolls at Hiram College for the Fall 2006 semester. She decides to withdraw completely from Hiram College on October 5, 2006. The total federally defined calendar days during Fall 2006 equal 112. Sally withdrew on day 43 of 112. (43 divided by 112 = 38.4) Therefore, she is able to keep 38.4% of her total federal financial aid to help pay the charges that she will have for Fall 2006. The remaining 61.6% of her financial aid must be returned to the appropriate source (government, lender, etc.) in the order listed below entitled “Refund Order of Distribution.” Financial aid which must be refunded to the federal and state programs will be processed to reduce the student loan obligation whenever possible. Specific refund dates as listed above will be updated annually. Refunds of financial aid from the federal and state programs are governed by their respective regulations. Hiram College complies with all federal regulations mandating specific refund calculations and procedures. This includes requirements related to Institutional Refund, Federal Refund, and new federal requirements under section 668.22 of the Code of Federal Regulations now referred to as the Federal Calculation. Copies of federal and state controlling documents are available in the Financial Aid Office. When a refund amount has been calculated that represents funds that must be returned to their source, and the student received any Title IV or other financial aid funds, then a portion of the refund must be returned to the various financial aid programs from which the funds were expended (not to exceed 100% of original value). Refunded financial aid and payments are returned in the distribution order as mandated by the U.S. Department of Education (see “Refund Order of Distribution”). Refunds calculated based on the above refund policies will be applied to the student’s account, and financial aid funds returned to fund sources (as designated), no later than 30 days from the date of withdrawal. As an allowed exception to the 30 day requirement, funds will be returned to lenders within 60 days from the date of withdrawal. In some cases, the refund calculation will leave a balance on the student’s account. The student is responsible to pay this balance. An exception to the above policies is required if the student would receive a larger refund under state or regional accrediting agency standards. Currently, the State of Ohio and the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities have no refund requirements that are more beneficial to the student. 30
REFUND ORDER OF DISTRIBUTION: (“unearned” student financial aid) 1. The Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan Program 2. The Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan Program 3. The Federal Perkins Loan Program 4. The Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (FPLUS) Loan Program 5. The Federal Pell Grant Program 6. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program 7. Other Title IV Programs 8. Other Federal Sources of Financial Aid 9. State Sources of Financial Aid 10. Private Sources of Financial Aid 11. Institutional Sources of Financial Aid 12. The Student REPAYMENT CALCULATION POLICY A calculation to determine if repayment of financial aid by the student is necessary if the institution has made a cash payment to the student for non-institutional costs (such as room and board, books, transportation, personal and miscellaneous allowances) and the student’s withdrawal has necessitated a return of some of the funds disbursed in cash. REPAYMENT ORDER OF DISTRIBUTION: 1. The Federal Perkins Loan Program 2. The Federal Pell Grant 3. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant 4. Other Title IV Financial Aid Programs 5. Other Federal Sources of Financial Aid 6. State Sources of Financial Aid 7. Private Sources of Financial Aid 8. Institutional Sources of Financial Aid Federal Family Educational Loan funds are excluded from the above repayment distribution as the student is already obligated to repay these funds to the lender. Financial aid that is disbursed as designated for a subsequent semester (such as a portion of the single disbursement of an annual Federal PLUS Loan amount) must be returned to its source. To obtain copies of sample or blank worksheets used in refund and repayment calculations, please contact the Financial Aid Office. REFUND POLICY APPEALS PROCESS Appeals to this policy may be submitted as follows: 1. Notify, in writing, the Assistant Director of Student Financial Aid regarding your appeal request. All written appeals must include detailed information pertaining to the reason for the appeal request including a detailed account of extenuating circumstances. Written requests must be signed and dated. 2. The Assistant Director will notify the Financial Aid Office and Business Office of the appeal request. 3. A decision regarding the appeal request will be determined in coordination with the Director of Student Financial Aid and the Controller. 31
4. If the student or parent disputes the decision of the Director and Controller, the Vice-President for Business and Finance will decide the issue. A decision by the Vice-President is final. POLICY ON UNOFFICIAL COMPLETE WITHDRAWALS OF STUDENT Information obtained (i.e. informal conversations, etc.) indicating that a student may have left the College by ceasing class attendance and/or ceasing residence on the campus is reported to the Dean of Students Office for action. If it is determined that the student has left the College by ceasing class attendance and/or ceasing residence on the campus, the Dean of Students will determine the last date of classroom attendance or other academically related activity and initiate the official withdrawal paperwork to properly notify the College of the situation and initiate student account charge adjustments and financial aid refunds (if appropriate). POLICY ON “HIRAM COLLEGE LEAVE OF ABSENCE” and “FEDERALLY DEFINED LEAVE OF ABSENCE” The “Hiram College Leave of Absence” policy as stated in the Hiram College Catalog is designed to allow students to “stop out” for one or more semesters and yet not be removed from mailings and information needed for their return to Hiram College. The student is required to apply for readmission to re-enter enrollment at Hiram College for a subsequent standard period of enrollment. Because the Hiram College definition of Leave of Absence includes only study that ceases at the end of a standard enrollment period or study that resumes at the beginning of a standard enrollment period it is not guided by the Federally defined Leave of Absence (FLOA) policy requirements. Therefore, there are no financial aid implications under the “Hiram College Leave of Absence” policy as the student ceases enrollment at the end of a standard period of enrollment. The student is not eligible for financial aid at Hiram College during this time. In some cases, however, the student may attend another college or university during their “Hiram College Leave of Absence” and may be eligible for limited federal, state, or non-Hiram College financial aid funds. This process is administered through a Consortium Agreement Form administered only by the Financial Aid Office. The Consortium Agreement is a contract between the home school (Hiram College) and the host school (the school where the student is temporarily studying). The Consortium Agreement ensures that only one entity is processing financial aid for the student, the student is attending approved course(s) certified by the Hiram College Registrar at a federally approved institution. Hiram College and the host school are under no obligation to process a Consortium Agreement. The “Federally Defined Leave of Absence” includes unusual circumstances which require ceasing classroom attendance during a standard period of enrollment (as identified by the declaration of a specific start date in writing). The unusual circumstances may include jury duty, military activity, serious health condition (of student), care of a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition, childbirth and adoption child or fostering of a child. Under this definition, the student would not be considered withdrawn if only one leave is granted in 12 Months, the leave does not exceed 180 days (consecutive days are not required), and the leave involves no additional charges. One additional 30-day extension is allowed. 32
Multiple leaves, under the federal definition, can occur for military reasons or circumstances covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). If the student fails to return to Hiram College, the original last date of attendance or academicallyrelated activity is used for the calculation of the financial aid refund/repayment. Hiram College does not grant “Federally Defined Leaves of Absence” for Financial Aid purposes except by individually documented and highly unusual circumstances which cannot be fully resolved by the strategies listed below. Additionally, written approval must be given by the Director of Student Financial Aid, the Registrar, the Controller, the Dean of Students and all faculty involved in the student’s coursework for the period of enrollment involved. Instead of utilizing a “Federally Defined Leave of Absence,” the College assists students by: - making tutoring available - allowing students to work with faculty to finish incomplete coursework - allowing an official appeal of the Financial Aid Refund calculation based on unusual circumstances -allowing students to “stop-out” for one or more semester - allowing students to drop courses with a “W” rather than an “F” - allowing an official appeal of the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements based on unusual circumstances - allowing students to submit a Special Considerations Form (even during the period of enrollment) to reconsider the calculation of need-based financial aid eligibility The “Federally Defined Leave of Absence” policy listed above is for financial aid purposes only and does not address College policy for employees. ATTENDANCE POLICY Hiram College does not utilize classroom attendance exclusively to assist in the calculation of the “Last Date of Attendance.” Although attendance is often used when a determination must be made, other academic activity (such as attendance at a field trip or study-abroad program or a completed quiz, test or exam, etc.) may be used to determine the last instance of academic activity. Hiram College will not determine the last date of attendance (or academic activity) based upon residence on campus (or any other known housing) or use of the College’s dining facilities (meal or board plan). If there is a dispute regarding the “Last Date of Attendance”, the final determination will be made by the Academic Dean. Hiram College employees are prohibited from adjusting this date for any reason (such as “back-dating” the date for financial benefit of the student, calculation of financial aid or financial aid refund, or participation in athletic or other extra-curricular events). RESCINDING NOTIFICATION OF WITHDRAWAL To rescind a notification of withdrawal, or a determined “last date of attendance” or “academic activity” due to an unofficial withdrawal, the student must contact the Dean of Students and declare their intent to finish the period of enrollment. The Dean of Students will issue a notification to the College stating that the withdrawal 33
was rescinded. If the student withdraws before finishing that period of enrollment, the withdrawal date will be the student’s last date of academically related activity.
VOTER REGISTRATION Hiram College annually distributes and continually makes available Voter Registration Forms. This availability exceeds the minimum requirements set forth in HEA 487(a)(23) that requires institutions to make voter registration forms widely available during certain years as defined in Section 301(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and at least 120 days prior to the state’s voter registration deadline. Students who need additional Voter Registration Forms may obtain them by contacting the Financial Aid Office at 330-569-5107. Forms for every state from which Hiram has any student enrolled are available and continually replenished by the Financial Aid Office.
LISTING OF INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE DISCLOSED UNDER THE STUDENT RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT (as amended October 1, 1998, from the Federal Student Aid Handbook)
General and financial aid information on: Need-based and non-need-based financial aid available to students (includes federal, state, local, institutional, etc). Applying for financial aid Distribution of financial aid among student by the College Disbursement of financial aid Terms and conditions of any employment Terms of, schedules for, and necessity of loan repayment and required loan exit counseling Criteria for measuring satisfactory academic progress, ramifications of failure to meet standards, and reinstatement of aid Information on the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse Information on financial aid for study abroad programs General Information about the school: Names of school associations and governmental bodies that accredit, approve, or license Hiram College Special facilities and services available to Disabled students Cost of attending Hiram College Refund and withdrawal policies Degree programs, training, and other activities
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The availability of a GED program (not applicable as Hiram does not offer such a program) Facilities, laboratories associated with academic programs List of faculty and other instructional personnel Contact information for financial or general questions Job placement rate data (Not applicable as Hiram makes no job placement marketing claims) Campus security information on: Information related to preventing Violence Against Women on Campus (see the Campus Crime Report) Campus crime report distribution Timely warning and listing of crime occurrences by category Campus security contact and authority information Procedures for reporting crimes Types and frequency of training programs for students/employees in crime prevention Monitoring and recording policies of crimes with (for example) local police agencies Policies regarding the possession, use, and sale of alcoholic beverages, drugs, etc. Description of drug and alcohol-based educational programs Information on the sexual assault prevention program The Campus Security Report is reevaluated annually by the Student Life Office and submitted (annually) to the U.S. Department of Education. Student Right-To-Know Act: Program completion and transfer-out rates Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act Athletically-related financial aid information (not applicable as Hiram does not offer athletically-related financial aid) Loan counseling Drug and alcohol abuse prevention information and materials Other consumer information is located in the publications and web sites listed under “Locating Other Student Consumer Information” in this Financial Aid Handbook. If any additional information is needed, please contact the Student Financial Aid at 330-569-5107.
LOCATING OTHER FREE STUDENT CONSUMER INFORMATION
Many publications on campus provide necessary consumer information for student use as required by the federal government. The following is a list of those publications: Financial Aid Handbook The U.S. Department of Education Student Guide 35
The Hiram Weekend College Catalog The Hiram College Catalog The Hiram Weekend College Brochure The Hiram College Financing Options Brochure The Hiram College Partnership Brochure Community Service Employment Brochure and Introductory Materials Hiram College Student Handbook Hiram College Handbook of Policies and Procedures The Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act Report The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act The Hiram College Application for Freshman (or Transfer) Admission The Hiram College Viewbook The Financial Aid Award Letter Hiram College Schedule/Bill Campus Employment Pamphlet Faculty and Staff Employee Handbooks The Hiram College website at www.hiram.edu
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