Skip to content Skip to navigation

Scaled financial wellness for students (Columbus State University-2024)

Strategy/Project Name: 
Scaled financial wellness for students
Momentum Area: 
Change Management
Data & Communications
Strategy/Project Description: 

Support students financially through the enhanced use of data, coordinated student communications and outreach across units, and initiatives to address financial stop-outs and students losing HOPE.

Activity Status: 
Evaluation/Assessment plan: 

 In the space provided, indicate your general evaluation plan, including the key performance indicators and measures for the project; how frequently you are assessing, your baseline measure, your goal or target for success and your current status.

KPIs: Decrease percentage of students who lose HOPE to less than 15% by 2030

Incrementally, decrease by 2% annually

Baseline: 24% of students lose HOPE by 30 hours, 22% of students lose HOPE by 60 hours (about 5 days).

Aspirational Outcomes by academic year:

2024-2025: 22% (30 hrs.), 20% (60 hrs.)

2025-2026: 20% (30 hrs.), 18% (60 hrs.)

2026-2027: 18% (30 hrs.), 16% (60 hrs.)

2027-2028: 16% (30 hrs.), 14% (60 hrs.)

2028-2029: 14% (30 hrs.), 12% (60 hrs.)

2029-2030: 12% (30 hrs.), 10% (60 hrs.)

Progress and Adjustments: 

Launched TouchNet Student Accounts Advisor, which provides academic advisors and others (enrollment management center, admissions, recruitment, etc.) with access to view student accounts in real time to assist in conversations around academic choices, balances due, available resources, and alternative funding that may be needed to bridge the gap in their offered aid versus actual costs.

Developed a proposal for a scholarship like “Keep Hope Alive” at GSU, which is pending approval from the foundation and executive leadership. Outline of the proposal below:

  • Eligibility HOPE GPA and Overall GPA must be between 2.75 and 2.99
  • Award $500 Scholarship using Cougar Commitment funds (fall and spring semesters)
  • Students must sign a contract and follow an academic plan for the academic year, which includes the following requirements:
    • Complete 30 semester hours of credit in the academic year 
    • Earn no grade below a B while in the program
    • Participate in tutoring each semester
    • Check in with advisor 3 times each semester
    • Attend at least 1 Student Success Workshop or Academic Coaching each semester

Developed “at-risk” dashboard for HOPE/Zell, which looks at past performance and mid-term grades so that advisors can proactively have conversations with students about their trajectory for the semester and potential impacts on HOPE/Zell eligibility.

Plan for the Year Ahead: 

Develop an additional “at-risk” dashboard for Federal Financial Aid.

Programming for students around financial wellness in the institutional priority courses or in partnership with local banking industry—potential programs:

Raise the Banner: Synovus

Regions Next Step

Our Turner College of Business and Technology is developing a financial literacy course to be deployed in our redesigned IMPACTs Core.

Challenges and Support: 

Challenges: Encouraging student engagement with financial literacy resources and overcoming stigma or reluctance to seek financial advice. Additionally, ensuring equitable access to personalized financial support and addressing diverse financial needs can require substantial resources and continuous program evaluation.

Support Needed: We are engaged with the National Institute of Student Success in implementing our NISS playbook, so we feel confident we have the necessary support to complete these activities.

Primary Contact: 
Melissa Young, Assistant Vice President for Student Success
Philip Hawkins, Director of Financial Aid