RMASFAA 2011

CONSORTIUM AGREEMENTA written agreement between two or more eligible institutions

CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTA written agreement between an eligible institution and an ineligible institution

HOME SCHOOL◦ The school where the student is enrolled in a

degree or certificate program

HOST SCHOOL◦ The school where the student is taking part of

his/her program requirements through a consortium/contractual agreement

Program offered in a written arrangement MUST meet the requirements of an eligible program

No limit on the portion of the eligible program that may be provided by eligible schools other than home school

A school could have:◦ One agreement for each student;◦ A separate agreement with each host school; or◦ A blanket agreement with a group of schools

Agreement contents can vary and depends on interests of the schools involved AND the accrediting or state agency standards

Must disclose to prospective & enrolled students programs designed to be offered by another entity:◦ Portion of program not being offered by the

degree/certificate granting school◦ Name & location of other school/organization◦ Method of delivery not being offered by the

degree/certificate granting school◦ Estimated additional costs that student may incur

due to arrangement

Should also clearly indicate...◦ The school that will grant the degree or certificate◦ Student’s tuition/fees, room/board at each school◦ Student’s enrollment status at each school◦ The school responsible for disbursing aid and

monitoring eligibility◦ Procedures for calculating awards, disbursing aid,

monitoring SAP, keeping records as well as R2T4 in the event the student withdraws.

Program offered in a written arrangement MUST meet the requirements of an eligible program

Eligible school is prohibited from entering into a contractual agreement IF ineligible school or organization has had its eligibility to participate in the FSA programs terminated by the Secretary

or Ineligible school has voluntarily withdrawn from

participation in the FSA programs under a termination, show-cause, suspension, or other proceeding initiated by the institution’s state licensing agency, accrediting agency, or by the Secretary

Eligible school is always the home school and is responsible for maintaining all records necessary to document student eligibility and receipt of aid

Limit on portion that can be offered by ineligible school◦ No more than 25% can be provided if both home and

ineligible school are owned or controlled by the same individual, partnership, or corporation

◦ No more than 50% can be provided if both are separately owned or controlled BUT the home school’s accrediting agency or state agency must determine and confirm in writing that the agreement meets its standards for contracting out education services

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To provide access to additional courses at schools in the same geographical area

To allow students to take courses at other schools during the summer

To provide access to additional courses via distance learning

To allow students to do a semester or year at another school domestically

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2 Plus 2 Programs

Study Abroad Programs

Group of school offering an entire degree program via distance learning

Programs jointly offered by 2 or more schools

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A partnership between a 2 year and a 4 year institution to facilitate a student completing the last 2 years of his/her 4 year degree.

◦ These programs are also often referred to as “bridge” or “4 year degree completion” programs.

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Characteristics of the last two years of these programs are frequently: • Tailored to meet the needs of non-traditional

students• Offered via distance learning• Offered in the evening only• Offered on the site of the 2 year school• Offered in various places in the community at

temporary sites• Offered right on site of the student’s workplace

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Unique issues with 2 Plus 2 Programs:◦ Determining where the student is enrolled at any

given time◦ Determining what to do if the student is a regular

student at a two year college and beginning to take some upper level courses at a senior institution

◦ Determining which school is going to provide financial aid

◦ Satisfactory Academic Progress◦ Tracking appropriate enrollment information with

partner school

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Students participating in a study abroad program approved by the home school are eligible for FSA funds, regardless of whether the program is required for the student’s degree or certificate program, as long as...◦ The home school must be located in the United StatesAND◦ Student is an eligible, regular student enrolled in an eligible

program at the home school (aid eligibility should be based off of the higher COA of the Study Abroad Program

AND◦ Eligible school approves the program of study abroad for

academic creditAND◦ Credits earned must be acceptable toward graduation in the

student’s program by the home school

Student is a degree seeking student at eligible school #1 and plans to attend eligible school #2 in the U.S. that has a study abroad program in conjunction with an eligible foreign school or organization

◦ The two eligible schools in the U.S. must have a consortium agreement in place with each other◦ Eligible school #2 must have a consortium or contractual agreement with the foreign school or organization

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CONSORTIUM

CO

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STUDENT RETURNS HOME

Student is a degree seeking student at an eligible school and plans to enroll in a study abroad program with an eligible foreign school or organization

◦ The eligible school must have a consortium or contractual agreement with the foreign school or organization

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STUDENT RETURNS HOME

Eligible school sends faculty and student to a foreign location (could be a school, organization, or just a site)

◦ Foreign location would be considered an additional location and rules in 34 CFR 600.32 (Eligibility of Additional Locations) apply

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International Student Exchange Program◦ http://www.isep.org/

National Student Exchange◦ http://www.nse.org/

College Consortium for International Students◦ http://ccisabroad.org/

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The home school may decline to give credit for host school courses in which a student earns a grade that is not acceptable at the home school even if the host school accepts the grade for its resident students

Grades earned do not have to be included in the GPA calculation, but must be included in calculating the quantitative (PACE) component of SAP, as well as maximum credits for program

Does school wish to enter into a consortium

agreement?

Is the student enrolled as a regular student at both

schools?

Is the student enrolled as a regular student at the home

school?

Are both schools Title IV eligible?

Will the home school give academic credit on the same basis as if it provided the coursework itself?

School not required to enter into consortium

Consortium agreement not required, but cannot

combine enrollment without one

Cannot execute consortium agreement

Cannot execute consortium agreement (contractual agreement

is necessary) Cannot execute consortium agreement

Update policies and procedures and execute consortium agreement

Consortium Agreements Among Eligible Institutions, NASFAA Spring Training, 2003

Slide 17

Be sure your consortium/contractual guidelines are clearly defined in your policy and procedure manual◦ Treat students consistently◦ Do you process campus-based aid for all students or a

certain population and explain why each group should be treated differently

Distance learners onlyNot all courses are offered online

Satellite campusNot all courses are offered onsite

Undergraduates onlyGraduate/Professional/Law students onlyStudy Abroad

A student may only receive Title IV assistance for courses that are required as part of that student’s certificate or degree program◦ Exception: Study Abroad –

Eligible school must approve the program of study abroad for academic credit

Student must be eligible regular student enrolled in an eligible program at the home school

Eligible school must approve the program of study abroad for academic credit

Credits earned must be acceptable toward graduation in the student’s program by the home school

Under a consortium agreement (not a contractual agreement), either school can process a student’s aid provided the student has normal access to all sources of Title IV aid, including campus-based funds

A consortium/contractual agreement between schools should clearly indicate (1) what the reporting expectations are and (2) within what timeframe those reporting expectations are to be met

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Student Requests Consortium

EvaluateRequest (only certain programs are

approved)

Inst. A as

Home

Inst. A as Host

Notify Student

Provide COA and proof of

enrollment to home school

Mark consortium enrollment hours

Automated weekly process monitors enrollment for drops,

updates, etc.

Student confirms first day of attendance at

host school

Manual process monitors transcript

receipt, credit, grade & hours

DENY

APPROVE

Total of external/internal hours is manually posted. Copy of CA taken to Registration Office/Perkins Loan Office

for Clearinghouse reporting

Notify Host School of student’s request

Gather forms and add documents to tracking

Send CA to Host school for signature

Release Aid

Receive signed CA from Host school

Notify Home school of changes

Slide 21

Example of ‘Institution A’ Process

Student Requests Consortium

EvaluateRequest

Inst. B as

Home

Inst. B as Host

Notify Student

Provide COA and proof of

enrollment to home school

Post consortium enrollment hours

on consortium tracking pageAutomated weekly process

monitors enrollment for drops, updates consortium

tracking page, creates report

Post consortium enrollment hours on

consortium tracking page

Automated weekly process monitors

transfer credit and updates course grade, hours, creates report

DENY

APPROVE

Capability to run manual report to create a summary

report for a term and a clearinghouse report

Total of external hours is manually posted to

remote hours on Financial Aid Term for disbursement. These

hours will be evaluated for Clearinghouse

reporting

Create/send/receive signed agreement from host school

Slide 33

Example of ‘Institution B’ Process

To request a Consortium, student must submit the following:1.KU Consortium Agreement Request form (this slide)2.KU Advisor Certification form (next slide), completed and signed by academic advisor3.A copy of the course description(s) from the Host School

• The advisor certification form must list the external course subject and number exactly as it will appear on the external school transcript

• If a KU equivalency does not exist in the system at the time of the contract, it must be created by the time the transcript is eventually received

• The contract must have the correct number of units taken for the external course

• Host school must include dates of enrollment, credit hours enrolled, and the full cost of attendance• Host school agrees to assume responsibility for:

• providing documentation of student’s enrollment at the host school and COA• providing student with consumer information• notifying us in a timely manner if the student changes enrollment

US Department of Education, Regulatory Update 2011, Written Arrangements to Provide Educational Programs, Participant’s Guide, 1-40 - 43

CONSORTIUM/CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS & TWO PLUS TWO PROGRAMS◦ Cheryl Leibovitz, U.S. Department of Education, NASFAA

Conference, 2000 NASFAA, CONSORTIUM AGREEMENTS

◦ Spring Training, 2003 2010-2011 FEDERAL STUDENT AID HANDBOOK

◦ Written Agreements between Schools, Volume 2, Chapter 7, 2-22 to 2-24

THE BLUE BOOK◦ Written Agreements between Schools, Chapter 6, 1-79 to 1-83, October

2005 CONSORTIUM AGREEMENTS, NASFAA CONFERENCE 2011

◦ Stephanie CovingtonStephanie Covington◦ Connie CorcoranConnie Corcoran

10. if you don't say 'koala bear & quote...they're marsupials’

9. when you're back home and forget what is the correct side of the road to drive on

8. when your passport has more stamps in it than your parents

7. you now qualify for the expert traveler lane at the airport

6. when you dream in a different language

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5. when you actually plan not to graduate on time, just so you can study abroad one more semester

4. when you start checking flight prices regularly just to see where you should plan your next trip

3. when you start to think your parents now have a wicked accent

2. when you've stopped shaving your legs

1. when anything and everything can remind you of an occurrence abroad (and your friends are tired of hearing about it!)

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