Minutes of Student Scholarship Committee

November 19, 2008

1:00 PM

Rawl Annex 142

Attending: Tyler Richardson, Yong Wang, Pramathanath Sastry, Hanna Jubran, Jill Carlson, Susie Harries, Jonathan Dembo, David Conde, Anthony Britt and Julie Poorman

1. The meeting was called to order by the Chair of the Committee Ken Macleod.

2. Scholars Weekend: Anthony Britt, Director of Undergraduate Admissions reported that the East Carolina Scholars Program has set an application deadline of December 1, 2008. The interviews of candidates will take place on Friday and Saturday February 20 and 21, 2009 by faculty committees who will be making decisions on awards. Minimum qualifications to be considered are 3.5 GPA un-weighted, 1300 or higher SAT. Students are awarded $10,000.00 per year and $5,000.00 for study abroad. Students may or may not accept the awards for reasons that include better offers from UNC Chapel Hill and NC State. It is intended that a larger number of students be invited in order be sure that there is enough high quality students who can do well in the interviews. There was a change some time ago to award fewer students at a larger amount because the actual cost of attending ECU is $12,500.00.

3. Office of Financial Aid: Julie Poorman, Director of Financial Aid reported that the office is becoming fully staffed and will be more efficient in drawing down the funds for students as appropriate. Among new activities is a campaign that sends post-cards to students’ homes asking if they have filed for financial aid and consulted their account. She also went over the rules for student good standing that include: 2.0 GPA, completion of 75% of classes started and must complete studies in the maximum of 150% of the credit hours it takes to graduate. Appeals are allowed and the Office of Financial Aid is requesting assistance with second denial appeals. The SSC agreed to help form a committee to hear these appeals. Ideally, the committee should be made up of 1 representative from Financial Aid, 1 from Counseling, 1 from Student Health and 2 faculty from SSC or appointed by SSC. The Director also asked for help with online surveys about such things as the cost to students of their education and it was suggested that faculty from the College of Business be a point of contact for this.

4. Strategic Enrollment Management Report: It was pointed out by the committee Chair that the Strategic Enrollment Management Report is calling for the organization of a committee that will be doing the same thing SSC is already doing. He asked that SSC review the report and send comments to the Chair and the Chair will contact the Enrollment Management Task Force and let them know that we exist.