May 6, 2021

Attendees

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Attending Members:  Balducci, Booye (co-chair), Glapion, Kirkpatrick, Kobata, LeBleu-Burns, Mandy, Mieso (co-chair), Shively, Tran (DASG)

Guests: Veronica Avilla, Karen Hunter, Alexander Pieb, Gary Valentine, Nina Van, Casie Wheat

Meeting Items

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Minutes Approval

There were no amendments to the previous meeting notes or to the agenda.

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Adobe Sign Enrollment Services Forms

Casie Wheat and Alexander Pieb presented on the new Adobe Sign Enrollment Services forms that have been created. The new electronic forms don’t require printing and can all be authorized electronically. Some other features include:

• Form fields that require specific data. This guides the user as to what information is required in a specific field and leads to more forms being submitted correctly.
• Email notifications to all parties.
• Attachments can be added to the forms.
• Adobe Sign has two formatting options for forms:
  • Web forms that are used for single party submissions.
  • Workflows that allow for multiple users and signatures.
• The forms can be found in MyPortal under the Adobe Sign tiles specifically for students, faculty, and employees.
• The forms are continuously being expanded to include items such as employee Banner access permissions, etc. Pieb has been working with Linda Koyama in ETS to get these forms working and posted in the various areas.
  
  
  

Mieso asked if students had any issues or comments regarding the new forms.

• Wheat responded that there was a bit of a learning curve in the beginning but they are working well now for students and the various areas.
  
  
  

Financial Aid Reflection Presentation

Karen Hunter, Nina Van and Gary Valentine presented the Financial Aid Reflection presentation.

• The 2019-20 academic year became a challenge at the end of the winter quarter, the Financial Aid office overcame these challenges, and continued to refine our approach to serving students throughout 2020-21.
  • Accomplishments included:  improved communication, utilization of Argos reports and the creation of new ones, completing student files within 7 days using their online Campus Logic verification software, and utilizing Zoom to better assist students.
  • Challenges included:  increased fraudulent FASFA submissions and more refinement is needed to avoid manual intervention in Banner.
• Program Plans included Campus Logic and Chatbot, aka, Fina.
• Transition to remote work included:
  • Campus Logic, increasing Pell disbursements from 9.2 million in March of 2020 to 10 million in March of 2021.
  • A virtual office was created in Office 365 for shared documents.
  • Weekly team meetings and open office hours for students via Zoom.
  • Chatbot Fina was available on the Financial Aid website to assist students.
    • If Fina cannot answer the question, an email is sent to staff for follow-up.
  • Workshops were created and offered online for students.

• Equity goals and improvements:
  • Utilized data that was available from Institutional Research.
    • Noted the disparity gaps with Federal Work Study and Scholarships.
    • Increased scholarship workshops to cohort groups.
  • Reviewed the CARES Act funding process and the plan was revised to award more students in a timely manner.
    • The pandemic was affecting more students, not just those receiving Pell grants.
  • The impact of the 2020 pandemic:
    • More student financial stress.
    • Emergency funds were dispersed to non-Promise program students to assist with computers and textbooks and assisted International and AB540 students.
    • The virtual open office hours were well received and gave students face-to-face interaction
  • Resource needs requested:
    • Campus funding to support a dedicated technology support person to increase services for students and add more mature processing to lower the manual labor involved in reports and processes.
  • Relevant information with future goals:
    • Financial Aid plans to continue to provide online Zoom appointments and open office hours for students after they return to campus. They have found the Zoom environment has served more students than the in-person extended services.

Some comments and questions on the presentation included:

• Glapion mentioned the dedicated staff by alphabet being posted on the website was helpful and efficient for students and liked their new Chatbot, Fina.
• Shively asked what bargaining unit(s) does Financial Aid have and Mandy responded they have ACE and Teamsters.
  
  

Full Presentation

Member & Program Updates

• Tran from DASG reported that the 2021-22 budget was approved. The Townhall on racial justice that was originally scheduled for May 7th has been moved to May 13th from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
  
  

• Glapion reported from Academic Senate and they are on the final revision of the Constitution and Bylaws and they have been sent out to faculty for review and comments.
  • They are also working on and discussing the current elections.
    
    

• Booye reported from Classified Senate and discussion is continuing on the new format with volunteers being asked to stay on for an extra year. This will allow for some current members to mentor the new members coming on board next year.
  • Classified Professional day also needs some mediators if anyone wants to volunteer.
    
    

• Kirkpatrick reported from ACE and at the last Board Meeting the resolution to have Juneteenth as a holiday was passed and will now be on the negotiation table.
  
  

• Balducci reported that a Title IX has Climate Survey will be going out in May. De Anza has never done one before and it will help inform us as to what programming is needed for students.
  
  

• LeBleu-Burns has been working with the Foothill Dean of Student Affairs and a workgroup on the AP/BP policy revision and update. They are including students in this process to get their perspective as well.
  • EOPS is working on their drive through celebration and graduation.
  • DASG has some wonderful activities planned coming up as well.
    
    

• Mandy said the 2021-22 FASFA applications are coming in for the upcoming academic year and they have begun awarding aid to the students.
  
  • They are working with ETS on a CalGrant interface to work with Banner to cut down on the manual work that is taking place and will serve students better.
  • Booye also wanted to mention that EOPS has been working with Financial Aid and their students have received $115,000 in grants this year.
    
    

• Kobata reported that Athletics are back this week and thanked everyone for their support. On April 30th they did drive through testing for both De Anza and Foothill students and over the weekend they did the physicals for the athletes. They also have everyone signed up in the Optimum HQ system for tracking.
  
  • The athletes will be starting out conservatively during the spring quarter and will hopefully ramp up and meet more often during the week to be competitive during the next season.
    
    

• Mieso reminded everyone that the return-to-campus roll out is gradual and will need to be adjusted as conditions change. This gradual roll out will assist us with the process when more programs come back to campus and with the contact tracing that needs to be done.
  
  
  

Good of the Order

Members did not have any statements or observations to note at this time.