Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.41
Liaison Tracey Coronado
Submission Date April 1, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Missouri State University
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.79 / 4.00 Doug Neidigh
Sustainability Coordinator
Environmental Management
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Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

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A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:
The Financial Aid packaging policy is a campus-based funding from federal sources awarded to the neediest students and includes supplemental educational opportunity grant (SEOG), Perkins Loan funds, and Federal Work Study funding.

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A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:
There are presentations to departments by the Offices of Student Financial Aid and TRIO.

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A brief description of any programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:
Missouri State has a TRIO Upward Bound program that works with three of the six high schools in Springfield. Website: http://www.missouristate.edu/upwardbound/89897.htm

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A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:
The Missouri State PROMISE Scholarship (http://www.missouristate.edu/financialaid/scholarships/promise.htm) targets those families who have applied for federal financial aid with incomes at or below 15% of the poverty level. Hutchens/SGA Centennial Leaders Scholarship has a higher value if student has a financial need. Hundreds of donor funded scholarships require that a student have financial need as determined by the federal FAFSA application (too many to list individually).

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A brief description of any programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:
The Office of Student Financial Aid presents a series of "Financial Aid Nights" to area high schools designed to help all families through the process of completing the FAFSA.

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A brief description of any targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:
Admissions works with the Kaufman (Kansas City, MO) and the College Bound and Wyman (St. Louis, MO) groups to reach low-income, first generation students. Additionally, with new admissions counselors for diversity outreach and recruitment, more focus is given at the high school and middle school levels in terms of college preparation and college search programs. Two additional programs focused on specific under-represented students also affect a large population of low-income students are the Youth Empowerment Conference (aimed at 9th-12th grade students in the Springfield Public Schools)and the STEP Conference (Student Transition Education Program- aimed at Hispanic 7th-12th grade students through Southwest Missouri). In additional, presentations by TRIO Staff and Adult Student Services are done during Adult Student Services Orientations and when Community College visits occur on campus

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A brief description of other admissions policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
Any student who does not meet admission requirements (GPA/class rank and test score), but does meet core requirements, may start in the summer term on a probationary status (Missouri residents only). Specific programming and support efforts are provided for these students.

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A brief description of other financial aid policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
A portion of TRIO funds are set aside to help students in emergency situations.

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A brief description of other policies and programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students not covered above:
Missouri State has developed a resource book which is a listing of services the Springfield community has in order to help students. This includes help with utilities, how to apply for food stamps, where to go to get help with cleaning supplies, etc.

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Does the institution have policies and programs in place to support non-traditional students?:
Yes

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A brief description of any scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:
The Adult Student Services website has information on scholarships for non-traditional students. Part-time students are eligible to receive many of these scholarships. http://adultstudents.missouristate.edu/scholarships.htm

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A brief description of any onsite child care facilities, partnerships with local facilities, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:
We are served by the University Child Care Center (http://universitychildcarecenter.org/). We also have a child development center on campus.

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A brief description of other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:
We have academic policies and programs as well as support services intended for non-traditional students. We have the following programs which target nontraditional students: MSU 62, which is a special fee waiver program for adults who are 62 years of age or older. Adult Student Welcome Orientation Evening College Plus Program, which is a series of degree programs to adult students who have a clear focus of their educational goals and needs. Evening College Online Programs Off-Campus Programs Non-Credit Programs MOOC’s, which are free, noncredit courses offered online and open to the public. iCourses, which provides students an opportunity for you to take required general education courses without visiting campus. A more comprehensive list can be found by visiting: http://outreach.missouristate.edu/ All student support services at Missouri State are available to nontraditional students. A comprehensive list of services can be found at: http://www.missouristate.edu/campusservices/studentsupport.htm

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Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (accessibility and affordability indicators)?:
Yes

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Indicators that the institution is accessible and affordable to low-income students::
Percentage (0-100)
The percentage of entering students that are low-income 33.50
The graduation/success rate for low-income students 50
The percentage of student financial need met, on average 59
The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt 37

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The percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students:
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The website URL where information about the institution's affordability and access programs is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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