| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.14 |
| Liaison | Jeff Spoelstra |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Western Michigan University
PA-7: Affordability and Access
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.82 / 4.00 |
Jeremy
Glefke Associate Director of FInancial System Student Financial Aid |
Does the institution have policies and programs to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:
Seita Scholars program which offers a full tuition scholarship to young people aging out of foster care. Students receive the scholarship along with a comprehensive academic and personal support program.
In 2010, WMU became the first public school in the state to assess undocumented students' resident tuition rates. Since then, the University of Michigan and Wayne State have followed our lead. WMU remains the leader in the state in assisting undocumented students by providing private scholarship funds.
Additionally, in 2016 WMU implemented a new unit with the Student Financial Aid Office – a Financial Literacy, Educational Planning and Outreach unit. This unit provides students with information about building a financially stable future, including financing their education, knowledge and understanding about student loans, debt and repayment, credit basics, budgeting, saving and investing. For more information: wmich.edu/financialliteracy.
A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve 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:
In December 2013, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized four schools for providing financial literacy instruction to low-income students preparing for college. The “X-Treme Reality” program designed and operated by members of the WMU Financial Aid Office was singled out along with programs at Ohio State, Kansas State, and the University of Oregon.
WMU offers the TRiO Upward Bound Program, which helps prepare low-income, first generation students for higher education.
A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:
The University offers several programs to assure access and affordability to low-income students with the greatest obstacles to enrollment. One is the Seita Scholars program which offers tuition scholarships of up to $13,200 per year for up to 5 years to young people aging out of foster care. Currently, over 100 students receive the scholarship along with a comprehensive academic and personal support program. Our Foundation Scholars program is another program that offers a $15,000 per year, 4 year scholarship to high achieving low-income, undocumented and/or refugee students. Additionally, since 2000, WMU has provided assistance to undocumented students. Currently 25 low-income, undocumented students receive a nearly half tuition scholarship, often their only access to financial aid. WMU also offers residence hall grants to these undocumented students living on campus. WMU offers the MLK Academy scholarships to students from schools with high rates of eligibility for free and reduced lunch.
A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:
A brief description of the institution’s other policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
Does the institution have policies and programs to support non-traditional students?:
A brief description of the institution’s scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:
Institutional need-based funding does not require full time attendance. Part time students are fully eligible and receive awards pro-rated to their attendance (half awards for half time, etc.). Departmental scholarships may be available to part-time students as well, at the discretion of the academic college or department.
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:
WMU offers on-site child care at the Children's Place Learning Center. The professional training and caring staff at the WMU Children’s Place Learning Center focus on the unique needs of each child enrolled in our program. Low child-teacher ratios allow our teachers to interact and guide each child’s development based on their individual needs. Parents can be confident that their children will receive specialized personal attention that contributes to a positive learning experience.
A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (tracking accessibility and affordability)? (If data is not available, select 'No'):
The percentage of entering students that are low-income (0-100):
The graduation/success rate for low-income students (0-100):
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):
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):
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):
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.