Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison Ryan Buchholdt
Submission Date Aug. 12, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Alaska Anchorage
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Paula Williams
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:

The Upward Bound program (UB) serves students in 9-12th grades in East, West and Bartlett High Schools in the Anchorage School District. UB prepares students to successfully complete high school & enroll in post-secondary education. The program emphasizes academic preparation in science, math, language, culture and literature by providing academic advising, career exploration, study skills tutoring, college planning, college tours, cultural enrichment experiences and more. The program also emphasizes academic preparation in science, math, language and literature.

UB students attend a six-week, highly challenging academic summer program on the UAA campus. Students who have graduated from high school and intend to enroll in college in the Fall may participate in a Summer Bridging component where they enroll and earn credit in college courses designed to aid their transition to college.

UB is part of the federally funded TRiO program, an educational opportunity program whose purpose is to help first generation potential college students, low-income and disabled students enter a program of post-secondary education.

Upward Bound is a fully funded TRiO Program of the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $250,000.00 annually. Sec 402F Higher Education Act of 1965 SEC.402F.20 U.S.C. 107a-16
The Alaska legislature created the Alaska Education Grant Program (AEG) to provide need-based financial assistance to eligible Alaska students attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions in Alaska.

Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, the grant is funded through the Alaska Higher Education Investment Fund, a new source of long-term funding for AEG and Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) awards established in 2012 by the Alaska legislature.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.To get an FSEOG, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) so your college can determine how much financial need you have. Students who will receive Federal Pell Grants and have the most financial need will receive FSEOGs first. The FSEOG does not need to be repaid.


A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:

no specific training


A brief description of any programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

megan tompkins 980-5067


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

1. Seawolf Opportunity Scholarship (SOS): The purpose of the Seawolf Opportunities Scholarship is to provide financial assistance for tuition and other education expenses, including housing, licensed childcare, and a book/supply stipend, to degree-seeking students at the University of Alaska Anchorage or any of UAA's Community campuses. The goal of this fund is to provide scholarship assistance to associate and baccalaureate degree students for up to four consecutive years. Applicants must be first-generation and low income as determined by their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). UAA awards a minimum of twenty of these scholarships per year.

2. UA Completion Grant- This grant assists financially needy students striving to finish their degrees on time. Approximately $600,000 awarded per year.


A brief description of any programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:

megan tompkins mltompkins@uaa.alaska.edu 650 students


A brief description of any targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

early as elementary, 25-30 students from asd. tuition waiver support around 18,000.

http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/researchsumm/UA_RS12.pdf


A brief description of other admissions policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income 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:

The University of Alaska System has a new program in place aimed at enticing Lower 48 students with family ties in Alaska to head north.

“Come Home to Alaska” waives the nonresident surcharge for students with parents or grandparents currently living in the state. This means a substantial savings to an out-of-state student—over $13,000 for 30 undergraduate credits a year.


A brief description of other policies and programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students not covered above:

The University offers a wide variety of scholarships, many based on need.

http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/scholarships/index.cfm


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

A brief description of any scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:

Uaonline offers to every student the opportunity to fill out an application for a scholarship and grants made available by the University.


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:

Tanaina is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, incorporated in 1979. Tanaina is legally independent of the University of Alaska Anchorage but is housed on the UAA campus and has a particular mission to serve the young children (18 months-5 years) of UAA students, faculty, and staff. The children of other members of the Anchorage community are also welcome as enrollment allows. A summer program for school-age children is open to children of post-kindergarten 5 years old through 10 years old.


A brief description of other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:

Federal Pell Grants, UaOnline Scholarships, Teach Grant, Tuition Waiver


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

Indicators that the institution is accessible and affordable to low-income students::
Percentage (0-100)
The percentage of entering students that are low-income 39.41
The graduation/success rate for low-income students 13.64
The percentage of student financial need met, on average 80
The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt 51.53

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:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.