Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 63.29
Liaison Geory Kurtzhals
Submission Date Oct. 13, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Notre Dame
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 4.00 Mike Seamon
Vice President
Campus Safety & University Operatis
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have policies and programs 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:

Notre Dame is committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of a student through our need-based aid program. Nearly half of the undergraduates receive at least one source of need-based aid (scholarship, grant, loan, and/or work). Approximately 75 percent of all undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid.

All students who complete the financial aid process are automatically considered for all University scholarship programs. The University is committed to offering financial aid designed to meet the financial need of all undergraduate applicants for financial aid. The level of University assistance is based on both demonstrated financial need and academic performance and thus varies from student to student.

Renewal of University scholarship assistance is based upon an annual review of a student's demonstrated financial need and academic performance at the University.

A self-help component, including student loan(s) and campus employment, typically serves as the foundation of a financial aid award prior to scholarship consideration.

University scholarship assistance and the self-help component are reviewed annually based on demonstrated financial need (including the student's receipt of additional student aid from other sources), academic performance, and annual increases in the cost of a Notre Dame education.

Students not receiving need-based scholarship assistance as incoming students may be considered in subsequent years based upon demonstrated financial need meeting the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress required for financial aid recipients and the availability of University scholarship resources.

Students from low-income backgrounds also are eligible for federal Pell Grants, Supplemental Education Opportunity (SEO) Grants, and Federal Work-Study.


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

In addition to regular campus-wide events to raise awareness of issues of social justice, the University has several offices to help support faculty and staff. The Office of Institutional Equity provides training to faculty and staff to assist them in serving students with special needs and those from low-income backgrounds. The Center for Social Concerns also provides opportunities for faculty to participate in service and community-based learning as well as financial support for research, scholarship, teaching, and workshops on social justice issues.
The University has three spring workshops: pedagogy, relationships, and curriculum for marginalized and special population students. These will be repeated in the fall 2017.
For students with disabilities, faculty are provided with information at the beginning of the school year along with resources on how to best serve the students.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide and prepare students and families from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

The Office of Student Enrichment (OSE) was founded in 2016 and exists to ensure all students have the opportunity to flourish at Notre Dame.
Born from the heart of the University's mission to care for the whole person, the Office of Student Enrichment is designed to:
Help students acclimate and adjust to a collegiate environment
Provide access to activities that make the Notre Dame experience special
Enable every student to reach their full potential
By offering personal support, social enrichment, and growth opportunities for high-achieving and under-resourced students, the Office of Student Enrichment hopes to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for each student to reach their full potential. Programs address students' academic, social, and professional development needs, and address topics like peer mentoring, financial literacy tools and training, career discernment and resources, helping student navigate Notre Dame and college life, and networking at Notre Dame and beyond.
1. The Writing Center at the University of Notre Dame is dedicated to helping students become better writers. Writing Center tutors accomplish this goal by listening attentively in writing conferences, reading papers carefully, and asking questions that can help writers better express ideas or construct arguments. Tutors work with writers during all stages of the writing process—from understanding an assignment, to developing a thesis, to organizing the paper, to revising the first draft, to editing the final product.

2. The First Year of Studies’ Learning Resource Center (LRC) offers several types of help for students' more difficult classes. All sessions are free of charge and meet for two hours in the evenings once or twice a week. The assistance offered by the LRC is supplemental and not meant to replace students' own efforts, classroom instruction, meetings with professors, or any other assistance offered by the instructor or department.

3. Collaborative Learning organizes small groups of 4-6 students enrolled in the same course and section to work together on assignments in mathematics, chemistry, or physics. Upper class undergraduates who have excelled the course facilitate problem-solving and help when students can’t find a successful approach to a problem.

4. Tutoring is available to students for any class. Students work one-on-one with an upper class student who has a track record of success in that particular course. Help Sessions are offered on a regular basis for all mathematics, science, and language courses.

5. The Building Bridges Mentoring Program matches historically underrepresented first-year students with faculty from the departments that the students wish to explore as possible majors. The foundation of the program is built upon the work of faculty mentors who play an integral role in the academic development of the students. As a result of these early interactions with faculty, many Building Bridges students are finding opportunities for research and internships in their first two years at the University.

6. The Honor Students and High Achievers Program assists historically underrepresented Notre Dame students in their preparation for graduate school. Participants are invited at the beginning of their sophomore year. During their time in the program students maintain a highly competitive academic record and complete research under the guidance of Notre Dame faculty.

7. The Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program (BHSP) seeks to provide high-achieving students who are also members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education with a close-knit learning community that will give them the tools and connections they need to be at the leading edge of the arts, sciences, and humanities. The highlight of the Program is a rigorous, four-week summer curriculum that introduces incoming first years to the academic and social challenges of university life. The Program follows up with students throughout the academic year, supporting the academic advising provided by the First Year of Studies, and providing opportunities for students' intellectual, social, and spiritual development. BHSP offers additional scholarship opportunities and leadership development for “post-Balfours”—upper-level Balfour Scholars.

8. The AnBryce Scholars Initiative brings first-generation, low-income students into a family of scholars and mentors, who seek to expose the students to the greater work and encourage them to better it. In addition to the University’s resources, AnBryce Scholars are offered enrichment programming that includes opportunities to connect with professionals and faculty from a range of fields. The AnBryce Scholars also have the distinction of participating in a uniquely-designed study abroad opportunity in their freshman year, in addition to attending University study abroad programs, for which they may apply.

9. The University of Notre Dame is partnered with the Posse Foundation. The Posse Foundation partnered Notre Dame with their New Orleans scholars. The Posse program began in 1989 and Notre Dame is in the second year of partnership with the Foundation. Posse identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential and extends to these students the opportunity to pursue personal and academic excellence by placing them in supportive multicultural teams. Each Posse consists of ten students. The students receive four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarship funded by the University. In most cases, the Notre Dame Posse students receive additional University Scholarship to meet their demonstrated financial need.

In addition to the financial commitment, Notre Dame assigns a faculty mentor who meets weekly with the Posse as a team and with each individual Scholar every two weeks during the first two years in college. Posse also facilitates an annual weekend-long PossePlus Retreat attended by members of the larger student body, faculty and administration, with the goal of discussing an important campus issue identified by Posse Scholars.


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

In the 2017/2018 academic year (to date), there are 830 enrolled students whose parent annual income falls below $60,000. These students are receiving nearly $4 million in need-based University Scholarship specifically intended to reduce the need for the student to borrow. In addition, they are receiving close to $35 million in University need-based scholarship intended to meet our commitment to meet full-demonstrated need. The scholarship assistance funded by Notre Dame is often supplemented by Federal and state grants, Notre Dame alumni club scholarships and private scholarships.

There are a variety of scholarships available for low-income students at Notre Dame.
The Office of Student Enrichment offered 56 Fighting Irish Scholarships of $2,000 each for academic year 2016-17 to help low-income and first-generation Notre Dame students finance their student experience.


A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Notre Dame fosters success, bringing high school students to campus through our Pre-College Programs, which allow them to experience living and learning on campus during the summer. Scholarships are available for qualified students from low-income backgrounds:
•Summer Scholars offers rising high school juniors and seniors with outstanding academic records an opportunity to explore one of 16 academic fields of study with some of Notre Dame's finest faculty members.
•Global Issues Seminar offers rising high school seniors with excellent academic records the chance to learn about the future challenges facing young Catholic leaders through a series of lectures by distinguished faculty, group discussions, and collaborative projects.
•Latino Community Leadership Seminar offers outstanding Hispanic students entering their senior year of high school an opportunity to explore the role of Latinos in U.S. society through a series of presentations, discussions, and experiences that will help them develop strong leadership skills.
•Seminar for African American Scholars offers talented, enthusiastic, and open-minded African American students entering their senior year of high school a chance to delve into the rich historical, political, and spiritual legacy of African-American culture.


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

Breaking Through Barriers is a program that provides various workshops to equip underrepresented students with vital skills for their academic, professional, and personal growth. Programs help to elevate the level of confidence of underrepresented students so they can compete for high-level and high-salaried positions, to equip underrepresented students with vital job survival skills, to create a diverse pool of qualified employment applicants, and to meet the critical need of employers seeking to diversify their employment candidate pool.


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

A brief description of the institution’s scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:

Students who are enrolled in their final semester at Notre Dame may receive need-based University Scholarship assistance.


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:

The University of Notre Dame has an on-site child care facility. Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC)-ND enrolls children with parents who are affiliated to the University of Notre Dame or Saint Mary's College in the categories of faculty, administration, staff, student and alum. ECDC-ND only enrolls children who have parents affiliated to ND or SMC except in the kindergarten program.
ECDC-ND – The income based tuition schedule at ECDC-ND for affiliated families (ND and SMC employees and students) with financial need is available at ECDC-ND. Child Care Voucher is accepted at ECDC-ND.


A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:

The University of Notre Dame would like to thank all the men and women who have bravely served our country. We are pleased to assist our veterans and their families by offering our support regarding the use of their Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits.

The University of Notre Dame has participated in the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program since its inception in August, 2009.


Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (tracking accessibility and affordability)? (If data is not available, select 'No'):
No

The percentage of entering students that are low-income (0-100):
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The graduation/success rate for low-income students (0-100):
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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):
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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):
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Estimated percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students (0-100):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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.