| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 42.13 |
| Liaison | Eva Rocke |
| Submission Date | June 30, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Montana
PA-7: Affordability and Access
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.01 / 4.00 |
Madeleine
Jones ASUM Sustainability Coordinator ASUM |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1
Support for Low-Income Students
Yes
None
A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:
Students who qualify for TRIO Student Support Services include those who are first-generation college students and those who qualify under federal financial guidelines as low income. The University also utilizes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students.
None
A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:
The University Financial Aid Office works with faculty and staff to ensure they understand the financial aid options to be able to advise students. Additionally, the Faculty Development Office offers annual workshops for faculty aimed at building awareness of common barriers and challenges faced by students from low-income backgrounds.
A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide and prepare students and families from low-income backgrounds for higher education:
The Financial Aid Office hosts high school aid nights where representatives educate students and their parents about financial aid options. TRiO Student Support Services also provides resources to low-incomes students and their families.
None
A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:
The University offers the Charlotte Yeoman Martin Scholarship for students who are low-income, academically challenged, or who face other obstacles. The University also offers a Montana Education Savings Account that matches savings 3:1 to go toward education. Finally, UM offers PELL grants for low-income students who qualify.
A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:
Many of the recruitment efforts intended to reach low-income students in Montana and surrounding states overlap with our efforts to reach First Nation students and students from rural communities. For instance, UM's recruitment staff spend at least 6 days per year in native communities around the state recruiting students from our tribal communities. We also dedicate recruitment staff and time to rural Montana high schools in the far eastern portion of the state. In both instances, staff make sure prospective students are aware of our 2+2 program wherein students enrolled in tribal colleges can complete the first two years of their bachelor's degree at their home institutions before transferring to UM in Missoula. Similarly, the University of Montana includes a 2 year technical college, Missoula College, which offers the technical programs many of our rural and low-income students are most interested in exploring in their first two years. Often these students will enroll at Missoula College or their home tribal colleges and then complete their 4 year degree at UM.
A brief description of the institution’s other policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
Missoula College, UM's 2 year technical college, offers affordable tuition, evening, and weekend classes that tend to make college more accessible on a limited income and for students who must work full-time and attend classes.
Support for Non-Traditional Students
Yes
A brief description of the institution’s scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:
The University of Montana does not currently have any merit scholarships provided specifically for part-time students (in fact, most scholarships require full-time enrollment), though we do provide students access to a scholarship portal that includes non-UM scholarships available to students enrolled part-time.
A brief description of the institution’s on-site child care facility, partnership with a local facility, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:
UM's student government, ASUM, operates two full-service child care centers on campus to serve students, faculty, and staff. The centers are funded by student fees, tuition, state and federal grants, and the University of Montana. Day care and early childhood education are provided at an affordable price to all UM affiliates.
A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:
To reach prospective non-traditional students who are currently part of the workforce, UM recruitment staff regularly participate in job and employment fairs around the state. Missoula College, UM's two-year technical college, offers extensive evening, online, and weekend classes for students who work full-time or have schedules that don't allow them to attend 8am-5pm classes. UM's student government also offers several programs that tend to serve (even if open to all students) a largely non-traditional student population. The ASUM Legal Services office offers free legal services and counseling to any UM student enrolled in at least 6 academic credits per semester. The ASUM Off-Campus Renter Center provides free counseling and resources to any UM student enrolled in at least 6 academic credits per semester. The Renter Center supports students who live in non-UM owned housing in Missoula with a database of rental housing opportunities, renters' rights workshops, and legal support through ASUM legal services.
Part 2
Yes
The percentage of entering students that are low-income (0-100):
39
The graduation/success rate for low-income students (0-100):
43
On average, the percentage of need that was met for students who were awarded any need-based aid (e.g. as reported to the U.S. Common Data Set initiative, item H2) (0-100):
69.10
The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt or for whom no out-of-pocket tuition is required (i.e. the percentage of graduates who have not taken out interest-bearing loans) (0-100):
49.50
Optional Fields
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.