The Students’ Association (SA) and the student organization Peaceful Protest of the Financial Aid System met with Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jonathan Burdick last week to lay out specific plans to improve the financial aid system.
SA will add a new Executive Director of Student Life position Monday, April 13 to oversee the Financial Aid College Committee, a new UR committee dedicated to executing the goals introduced by the protesters. SA will launch the new Financial Aid College Committee before the end of this academic year. According to SA Senator and sophomore Adrian Petrou, “Dean Burdick expressed interest in having passionate students serve on [the committee] as well as students of diverse incomes.”
At the meeting, Burdick and the other participants outlined problems and specific solutions. According to Peaceful Protest founder and sophomore Alex Wark, SA will now be implementing the original group’s financial aid initiatives. Petrou outlined some of their plans, most of which will not take effect until the next admissions cycle.
Petrou said she hopes that in the near future, financial aid counselor feedback surveys for parents and students will be available, along with a live chat option through which counselors could provide immediate answers to financial aid inquiries.
During the meeting, Burdick also discussed a potential plan for relocating the financial aid reception desk to the entrance level of Wallis Hall. The desk and Financial Aid Office are currently housed in the basement floor of the building.
To combat the sudden increases in Expected Family Contribution (EFC), some long-term goals are an early notification system and an improved four-year planning program.
With regard to increases in tuition, SA intends to create an online tracking process for appeals, much like the one used by the admissions website for student applicants awaiting their decision.
Another one of Peaceful Protest’s goals is to build a larger awareness of scholarship opportunities. Petrou mentioned a recent email by SA President Antoinette Esce to the student body, which highlighted such scholarship options. Furthermore, Petrou said a new continuing scholarship may be created by the University.
Burdick said in an email interview that this summer, students who learn about a large increase in their EFC in July will be able to compete for additional funds in August to “ease the transition.”
“Even when they see the calculations, even when they agree that the calculations make sense, they may not be ready for the change anyway,” Burdick said.“Allowing them to compete at that moment for any available funds makes sense to me.”
The Peaceful Protest of the Financial Aid System was formed in the fall of 2014 to try to bridge the disconnect between the student body and the Financial Aid Office. The purpose of the new Financial Aid College Committee is similar: to act as a liaison between financial aid and students.
Burdick said that “the timing for this initiative is great” because the Financial Aid Office is currently in the process of finding a new director for the first time in ten years.
With the upcoming changes in leadership, Burdick wrote that “this year will be optimal” for him and the staff to learn “which of our current financial aid policies and practices are working/not working well for students and families.”
Wark commented on the Peaceful Protest of the Financial Aid System’s progress since its first demonstrations during Meliora Weekend in October 2014.
“I think this is a prime example of [the fact that] if you have support and you have an idea, you can accomplish things.” He also said he feels that SA will enforce the majority of reforms from this point on.
“I think it’s hard for the [Peaceful Protest of the Financial Aid System] to continue with so many of its active members leaving,” Wark said. He noted that at least five active members may be transferring for financial reasons, including himself. Protest leader and former UR student Kelsey Fenner has already transferred from UR.
Petrou, Wark and Burdick said that although the changes won’t happen immediately, the Financial Aid Office will expand in the ways that the original protesters had hoped.
“It’s […] nice knowing that the incoming freshman class and the freshman class right now might not have to deal with the same things that upperclassmen are going through,” Wark said, expressing his hope for future students.
McAdams is a member of the class of 2017.
