Determining the length of a scheduled break

Step 1 – First determine the last day that class is held before the scheduled break. The scheduled break begins on the next day.

Step 2 – Next determine the last day of the scheduled break. The scheduled break ends on the day before classes resume.

Step 3 – Count the days.

REMEMBER – If your institution’s academic calendar schedules classes that end on a Friday, but don’t resume until the Monday after the break your break may be up to nine days long. Once you’ve properly determined the length of your scheduled break, you can subtract it from the numerator and denominator of the R2T4 calculation, ensuring that your calculations yield the proper amount of aid for withdrawn students.

Knowing what to watch out for can help you avoid compliance problems.
R2T4 errors are one of the top three audit and program review findings at institutions each year. R2T4 errors related to academic calendars and scheduled breaks are often systemic because the schedule itself affects all students.

Institutions with questions about Title IV and compliance with Federal Regulations related to Federal Student Aid Programs are welcome to contact our office for assistance.

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ED recently released an updated program review guide packed with lot’s of great info to help schools and colleges understand the in’s and out’s of a program review. The new guide covers everything from general program review processes to procedures and guidelines for following up. According to the guide, these are the most frequently cited program review findings. 

These are the top ten most frequently cited program review findings at colleges and universities.

• Crime Awareness Requirements Not Met
• Verification Violations
• Return to Title IV Calculation Errors
• Student Credit Balance Deficiencies
• Drug Abuse Prevention Requirements Not Met
• Student Status – Inaccurate/Untimely Reporting
• Entrance/Exit Counseling Deficiencies
• Consumer Information Requirements Not Met
• SAP Policy Not Adequately Developed and/or Monitored
• Inaccurate Record keeping

How does your institution assess it’s risk and preparedness for audits and program reviews?

To learn more about how your institution can adjust its processes and reporting to minimize its risk of these federal student aid compliance issues, please contact us.

Get your 2018-2019 IRS Tax Return Transcript Matrix for ISIR Verification here!

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The trainers at Higher Ed Executives have designed a wide variety of custom training programs for college administrators and business officers. Designed exclusively for college and university business officers, financial aid directors, CFOs, controllers, and compliance staff our training programs elevate your staff by equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to maintain compliance in today’s challenging regulatory climate. That’s Empowering!

Higher Ed Executives offers custom training in the following areas:

• Compliance Officer Training
• Financial Aid Office Training
• Business Office / Bursar’s Office Training
• Default Management Training
• Collections Training

Whether you’re on-boarding new employees, or need regulatory compliance training on specific regulations backed with best practices and processes to address your business needs, we can help.

Do you need custom training? Our trainers are available for both on-site and remote training, custom tailored to meet your needs. Get in touch today to talk about how we can help.

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We take your career ambitions seriously. Unlike headhunters, we take the time to discuss your career goals with genuine interest. You’ve done great things in your career and we want to hear about it. We don’t just send resumes and hope for the best. In fact, we never present candidates like you to our clients until we have determined if you have any interest and only after you have been fully informed of the details and have given your permission to proceed. Once we’ve presented you to our client for consideration, we are always accessible and keep you informed with timely communication at every step.

Our higher education search practice is one of the most highly regarded in the country, providing services to both public and private colleges and universities to aggressively recruit academic leaders.

Wondering what opportunities may await you? Contact us today.

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“Staffing Agencies” are great for temps but generally lack candidates with specialization. These are great sources for blue collar and white collar employees both short term and long term.

Recruiters (aka “Headhunters”) that work on a contingency basis only get paid when they produce results. They give employers a huge advantage compared to staffing agencies by providing stronger candidates, but are often concerned with one thing – getting paid. Competition between recruiters is fierce and many compete on speed and will lower their price, while presenting the same candidates their clients can find on their own.

In “Recruitment Process Outsourcing” (called RPO’s), an employer transfers all of its recruitment process to an external service provider. It’s great for certain employers, but in doing so, they give up control and decision making; which doesn’t work for everyone.

Unlike other types of firms, one that specializes in “Retained Executive Search” not only offers superior access to the best candidates, but actually helps raise the quality of each hire. By becoming an integral part of a search committee, they don’t just hear about an organization’s vision, strategy and culture, they become active participants vested in missions and outcomes.

Here’s how retaining an executive search firm pays off:

Trust – Before we even consider any other aspect, nothing is more important than trust. Choosing new senior leaders is a tremendous responsibility. The best recruiters are consultative and work with the search committee to engage stakeholders to become a partner in the hiring process. This transparency builds trust and the result is extremely effective in successfully integrating new leadership within an organization.

Credibility – When someone does the right things for the right reasons, that’s credibility. The best recruiters have often held positions in their niche before starting their recruiting practice. Unlike “career-recruiters” and generalists, they often have a further reaching network of professional contacts and can use their years of experience and industry insights to help their candidates take the job for the right reasons.

Expertise – When choosing a search consultant it’s important to use one that knows your space and can develop an efficient search strategy that achieves the desired outcomes. Similarly, it is the expertise of senior leaders which provides them with the ability to execute innovative, cross disciplinary strategies to the problems affecting each organization.

Relationship – Today, recruiters spend hour each day data mining names on LinkedIn, and scraping resumes off of the popular job boards while claiming access to “passive candidates”. It sounds good to the hiring committee but they soon get tired of seeing the same old candidates recycled over and over again. The best recruiters have developed real relationships with the folks in their industry and can create a list of candidates they actually know and can recommend highly in good faith.

To learn more about Higher Ed Executives Executive Search & Placement Services, please contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

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Leadership requirements continue to evolve, but the need for high-performing college and university leaders remains constant. Identifying and attracting the best and brightest talent in the higher education space requires a rigorous approach, a thorough understanding of our industry and functional roles. Higher Ed Executives has unrivaled access to senior executives who place their trust in our ability to identify meaningful opportunities which match their career aspirations.

Company founder and President Peter Terebesi has been recruiting exclusively in Higher Ed for more than a decade. He applies real insight into strategic requirements to help colleges recruit leaders who have the necessary skill, experience and personal qualities to advance school and university strategies, and achieve outstanding results. That’s Empowering!

Far-reaching network of relationships with top college leaders across the Higher Education Sector.

An expansive view of thousands of executives in every function of our business. Executives trust Peter to bring them opportunities that represent a good fit with their capabilities and ambitions.

Proven expertise, essential insight, honest advice and commitment to the success of our schools and candidates.

Range of tools and proprietary techniques to conduct a rigorous assessment of candidates’ track records, knowledge and abilities most relevant to the position.

Facing unrelenting competitive pressures, shifting market conditions and ever-increasing student expectations, schools, colleges and universities today can not afford to be complacent about leadership decisions. Drawing on deep insight into today’s challenges and the qualities that define the most effective leaders, Higher Ed Executives applies a disciplined approach and sound judgment to every search.

Contact us today to get started.

The post How to find the best candidates for your college or university. appeared first on Higher Ed Executives.

Higher Ed Executives partners with institutions that are candidates for accreditation or already fully accredited to streamline the path to Title IV eligibility. Our consultants combine decades of financial aid and accreditation experience to help you:

• Prepare a complete and accurate Title IV application package
• Ensure policies and procedures meet federal regulatory requirements
• Train staff on FSA systems, reporting, and compliance obligations
• Anticipate common pitfalls that can stall approvals for months
• Build sustainable administrative capability rather than reliance on outsourcing

Most institutions can achieve approval in as little as six to eight months when the process is managed strategically. During this period, we help your team implement the required controls and prepare for the administration of federal student aid, ensuring a smooth launch once approval is granted.

With Higher Ed Executives, you gain more than a consultant, you gain a partner dedicated to protecting your institution’s compliance posture and empowering your staff for long-term success.

Empowering Administrative Capability

Start your Title IV journey with confidence. Contact Higher Ed Executives today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help your institution achieve approval quickly and securely. Get in touch with us today to learn more.

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Depending on a number of factors, the process of obtaining initial accreditation can take up to two years for national accreditation and up to four or more years for regional accreditation. Choosing an appropriate accreditor is an important first step and one that should be taken with due care, as not all accrediting agencies are created equal.

To determine which accrediting agency is right for your school, you’ll need to understand the eligibility requirements of each agency.

Consider the answers to these questions:

1. Is my institution a private, postsecondary career school or college with trade, occupational or technical educational objectives?
2. Does my school provide general or avocational education?
3. Are our programs offered online on campus or both?
4. What is my school’s primary educational objective?
5. How long has my school been training students?
6. Does my school have a graduate from the longest program offered?
7. Does my school offer at least one program that is 300 clock hours (or longer)?
8. Is my school in compliance with state, local, and other federal requirements?
9. Is my school financially sound?

Depending on the answers to these questions, your institution may be eligible to apply for accreditation through several different accreditation agencies.

Contact Us Today to Schedule a Free Consultation.

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Recently accredited schools seeking participation in Title IV Federal Student Aid Programs, often must implement a number of institutional policies and procedures beyond those required by their accrediting body. These policies are federally required policies of the U.S. Department of Education and a prerequisite for becoming an approved institution.

For existing institutions, updating and maintaining policies and procedures is essential for ensuring that their financial aid and other related offices remain current with the latest regulatory requirements, and helps financial aid staff members process aid compliantly and consistently.

Policies and Procedures – Assessment and Development

Whether you need help drafting new policy statements and procedural documentation or reviewing and updating existing ones to comply with best practices, we’re here to help.

We’re here when you need us. Contact Higher Ed Executives today for more information.

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Schools and colleges are required to disclose a wide range of consumer information to students and families each year.  Many of these disclosures must be updated and distributed to students annually. Additionally, schools must report data to the U.S. Department of Education each year to stay in compliance, including IPEDS, FISAP, Teacher Preparation, Campus Crime Statistics, Intercollegiate Athletic Program Participation Rates, Gainful Employment and information about student outcomes such as graduation, retention and placement rates.

Failure to meet these requirements has been cited as a top audit and program review finding. To ensure that your school is meeting the disclosure and reporting requirements, we thoroughly review your school’s current consumer disclosures and reporting practices.

Assessing your institution’s compliance with consumer information disclosure and reporting requirements can help you stay ahead of problems while ensuring that current and prospective students as well as the public at large have all of the information they need to make informed decisions about your school.

Contact us today for more information

The post Is your institution’s Consumer Information Compliant? appeared first on Higher Ed Executives.