Galveston College Foundation Universal Access Scholarship Guidelines

Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship Eligibility and Participation Guidelines

Since 2001 the Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship has supported almost 2,000 students. These students were not eligible for federal or state funding - oftentimes because their income exceeded eligibility limits, yet they still needed financial assistance to complete their studies and graduate. Thanks to consistent generosity from the Galveston community, area foundations, and businesses, the Galveston College Foundation has been able to raise significant sums for the Universal Access Community Endowment and individual scholarships.

General Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship Requirements:

Universal Access (UA) Scholarships are provided by the Galveston College Foundation to ensure that every eligible high school graduate, or equivalent, who resides in the Galveston College taxing district, has the opportunity to attend college, receive an associate degree, bachelor degree or acquire technical training through a workforce development program and obtain a certificate.

• Recipients must be a graduate of a Galveston College taxing district high school and have attended a minimum of 12 months prior to graduation from the accredited high school, or have successfully completed a General Education Development (GED) or home schooling while a resident of the Galveston College taxing district prior to enrollment into Galveston College, or otherwise, be qualified for an in-district waiver under state law. Students must continue to be a resident of the Galveston College taxing district while enrolled at Galveston College and receiving Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship funds. Residency requirements are determined by the Admissions Office and should be contacted for further information.

• For the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, students who meet the first two criteria but are not residents of the Galveston College Taxing District will be considered for funding. Any students entering the UA program during this time will be eligible to continue under program guidelines.

• All applicants must complete and submit: (1) a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)*; (2) a Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship application; (3) file a degree plan in the Counseling Office; and (4) submit a Galveston College admissions application. *The FAFSA is completed online at www.studentaid.gov.

• Renewal applicants must complete: (1) a FAFSA; (2) have an active updated degree plan with the Counseling Office; and (3) complete a Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship application. The application must be turned in to the Financial Aid Office at Galveston College.

• A final high school transcript or GED certificate must be submitted to the Admissions Office prior to registration. Forms should be turned in by the Financial Aid Priority Deadline Date indicated on the Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship application. Incomplete or insufficient forms will cause processing delays.

• If the student has received a Federal Pell Grant or any other assistance that satisfies the costs for tuition and fees, the commitment of Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship will be considered fulfilled. Other assistance includes Federal SEOG, Workforce Investment Act, and state financial aid such as TEOG and any 3rd party Scholarship/Source that is directly committed to the payment of tuition and fees. If the student receives assistance that is under the total cost of tuition and fees for the academic year or workforce program, the Universal Access Community Endowment will pay the difference between the amount received and the cost of tuition and fees up to the established funding limits cited below.

Beginning in Fall 2022, eligible Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship recipients (UA) will receive an average of $104.40 per semester credit hour to cover tuition and fees. The lifetime limit is $6,264 for an associate’s degree candidate; beginning in Fall 2023, an additional $6,264 may be awarded to a baccaulearate candidate or advanced certificate in Computerized Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) candidate while they are enrolled in these programs at Galveston College. Unused funds in any given semester or over the lifetime of the available award will be returned to the Galveston College Foundation.

UA+ assists students with the purchase of required books, program equiment, tools, and including internet access codes, etc. Students must initiate the UA+ award voucher process through the Financial Aid Office and comply with the requirements as stated in the application.

The Galveston College Foundation Board of Directors approved the increase for UA eligible students on April 28, 2022. In fall 2020, the Foundation directors increased and expanded use of the one-time UA+ award for non-tuition needs, e.g. books, online access codes, licensing fees, etc. to $35 per semester hour with a lifetime limit

of $2,100 beginning spring 2021. The UA+ voucher may be used during any semester as long student remains in good academic standing.

Stewardship Requirements:

Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship recipients are required to fulfill the following:

1. Write and submit a letter of thanks to the donor in care of the Office of Development and Foundation.

2. Attend the President’s Reception recognizing donors and scholars held in the Spring semester.

3. Take individual and/or group photographs as needed.

4. Participate in Galveston College Foundation activities and events including visits to area schools as needed.

Enrollment Requirements:

• Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship recipients are required to be enrolled as full-time or part-time students. Students must be enrolled in at least six or more credit hours per semester.

• Please note this requirement is waived for academic years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. The applicant must be enrolled and initiate the UA Scholarship, Pell Grant, or any other assistance within 16 months of graduation from high school, receipt of a GED certificate, or completion of home schooling. If a program does not start at the beginning of the fall or spring semester, enrolled students will be eligible for support provided they fulfill the requirements.

• Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship recipients may enroll in an academic or technical credit program as identified in the Galveston College Catalog or an approved contact hour program of at least 360 hours.

• The Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship will pay up to a total of 18 semester hours of developmental coursework.

Academic Requirements For Receiving Financial Aid (Satisfactory Academic Progress)

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, mandates institutions of higher education to establish a standard of satisfactory academic progress for students who receive financial aid. This standard must apply to the student’s entire academic history, whether Title IV financial aid was received or not. In order to remain eligible to receive aid students must meet the standard specified for acceptable academic performance and for satisfactory progress toward completion of their eligible program of study. This standard should not be confused with Probation or Good Standing as defined by academic regulations, nor is satisfactory progress affected by “academic fresh start”.

Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship recipients are subject to the Galveston College Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress including the process of appeals related to financial aid probation and suspension.

Galveston College’s definition of satisfactory academic progress for receiving financial aid includes the following components with some exclusions:

I. Academic Standard Component

Galveston College uses the 4.0 grade point average (GPA) system and numerical code:

4.0 = A 3.0 = B 2.0 = C 1.0 = D

Students are expected to maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 based on the number of semester hours attempted at Galveston College.

II. Maximum Time Frame Component

Students may receive consideration for financial aid for up to 150% of program, with the exception of the Computerized Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Advanced Certificate programs. The maximum number of attempted hours for the bachelors program is 180 hours. The maximum number of attempted hours for an associate degree program varies depending on the length of the program (90-98 hours). The maximum number of attempted hours for a certificate program varies depending on the length of the program (24-68 hours).

III. Rate of Completion

Student’s overall completion rate (percentage) of credit hours attempted is expected to be at least 75%. Rate of completion is measured by dividing the cumulative number of hours successfully completed by the cumulative number of hours attempted.

IV. Change of Major

A student may change from one major to another during attendance at Galveston College. Students who change from one major to another are still expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress and complete the coursework within the time frame or hour limitation stated unless an appeal is approved. All attempted hours from a prior major(s) are included in the total maximum attempted hours.

Review Procedures

I. Academic Standards and Incremental Progress

The Financial Aid Office staff will determine each semester whether the student has successfully completed at least the minimum expected percentage of hours with the required GPA. The UA Scholarship is designed to encourage students to complete their education in an efficient manner, ensuring maximum utilization of the scholarship investment.

The following will be considered as semester hours successfully completed: “A” through “D” grades and “CR” credit.

The following shall be considered as semester hours not completed:

F—Failure

I—Incomplete Work* NR—In Progress-No Grade Reported Yet

W—Official Withdrawal** AUDIT—No Credit NC—No Credit***

AWN—Administratively withdrawn for non-attendance/no credit

CR—Credit*** CRA—Credit*** CRB—Credit***

CRC—Credit*** NCD—No Credit*** NCF—No Credit***

* Incomplete work must be completed on or before the end of the next long-term semester. Work not completed by the end of the next long semester (excluding summers) will automatically be changed to a grade of ‘F’ or ‘NC’. Students with grade of ‘I’ will not be eligible for ‘Honors’ until ‘I’ has been completed.

**The last day to drop a course with a grade of ‘W’ is noted in the College Calendar.

***Developmental courses are not computed in semester or cumulative GPA, effective spring 1988.

II. Repeat Courses

For repeated courses, only the latest grade earned is included in cumulative grade point averages, but both courses will remain as a part of the aggregate hours attempted. Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarships will not be available for courses taken by audit or credit hours earned by placement tests.

III. Time Frame

At the end of each semester, the Financial Aid Office staff will determine the aggregate number of hours the student has attempted. The student must not exceed 150% of the required program hours to graduate from any one degree program. The student may appeal to have the Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship reinstated by providing supporting documentation.

IV. Developmental Classes

After a student accumulates a total of 18 (non-credit)semester hours of developmental coursework, developmental coursework may no longer be used to establish eligibility for the Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship. No exceptions will be made.

Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship Warning/Probation/Suspension

Following the first semester in which the standards of academic progress are not met, the student will be placed on a Warning status. A student who fails to meet the Galveston College Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress during the semester of attendance while on a Warning status will be placed on suspension and denied further funding. Students who are suspended may become eligible again by bringing themselves into compliance with the requirements at their own expense.

Appeal Process

The Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship makes use of limited private dollars to ensure that all have access to higher education regardless of ability to pay. The recipient is charged with adhering to the rules and restrictions of the Community Endowment. If students lose their Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship because of failure to meet the requirements stated above, they may appeal their status to Satisfactory Academic Progress Team. Information about the Satisfactory Academic Progress Team and the appeal process is available with the Galveston College Financial Aid Office.

The Galveston College Foundation Board of Directors approved these guidelines on May 22, 2023 and reserves the right to change them.

Important Information for Parents and Students

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Get a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) by logging in to www.studentaid.gov. Your FSA ID confirms your identity when you access your financial aid information and electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents. IMPORTANT: Only the owner of the FSA ID should create and use the account. Never share your FSA ID.

Collect the following documents and information:

• 2021 Federal Income tax returns (student and parents). The IRS Data Retrieval tool is designed to provide an easier way to complete the FAFSA. Eligible students (and parents) who have completed their federal tax return may use this tool to automatically populate financial information required on the FAFSA. Using the IRS Data Retrieval tool eliminates errors and verifies reported tax information with IRS reporting. All imported data will be marked with “Transferred from the IRS” on the FAFSA. Students who do not use the FAFSA-IRS Data Retrieval Tool or make changes after importing the data will be required to submit tax information using the alternative methods described.

• 2021 W-2 forms and other records of income. If you work and you file a tax return, you must include this information in the FAFSA.

• Student Social Security number, parents’ Social Security numbers, parents’ marital status (Including step-parent, if remarried), and parents’ date of birth.

• Your Alien Registration Number if you are not a U.S. citizen.

• Information on savings, investments, and business assets for yourself and for your parents.

• If you are married, you need to collect federal tax information or tax returns, including 2021 W-2 information, for yourself and for your spouse.

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at www.studentaid.gov.

School Code: 004972

You will enter this code when applying for the FAFSA Galveston College

Universal Access Community Endowment Scholarship “To Do” List

❑ Apply for Financial Aid by completing the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.studentaid.gov.

❑ Forms/documents to submit to the Financial Aid Office:

1. Universal Access Application

2. File a degree plan with the Counseling and Advising Center. Set an appointment with an advisor by calling 409-944-1220.

3. Additional documents, if requested by the Financial Aid Office, based on the information provided by FAFSA.

❑ Forms/documents to submit to the Admissions Office:

1. Final Official High School Transcript, GED, or Homeschool Documentation

2. ALL Final Official College Transcript(s)

3. Admissions Application

4. Evidence of bacterial meningitis vaccination or exemption. Evidence of the vaccination must be during the 5 years preceding and at least 10 days prior to the first day of the semester in which the student plans to enroll.

5. Please contact Admissions for any additional requirements at 409-944-1230.

All documents must be submitted by the Priority Deadlines:

Fall 2023 - June 9, 2023

Spring 2023 - November 8, 2023

Summer 2024- March 30, 2024 to ensure the Universal Access Scholarship file can be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office prior to the payment deadline date.

Missing documentation, incomplete or insufficient forms will cause processing delays.

Ms. Melanie Buck

Mr. James Clark

Mr. Michael Cordray

Mrs. Elizabeth L. Cryder

Galveston College Foundation

Board of Directors

Chair

Mr. Keith McFatridge

Vice Chair

Mr. Tom Schwenk

Treasurer

Mr. Samuel Benjy Shabot

Secretary

Lt. Col. Carol Hodges

Board Members:

Mr. Jason Hardcastle

Dr. Donna Lang

Mrs. Betty Massey

Mr. Kyle McFatridge

Ex-Officio Members:

Dr. Walter J. Meyer, III

Ms. Cynda Mullikin

Mr. Samuel Benjy Shabot

Mrs. Cynthia Smith

Mrs. Karen Flowers, Chair, Board of Regents

Mr. Fred Raschke, Vice Chair, Board of Regents

Dr. Myles Shelton, President

Galveston College Foundation