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•41

For Information ?

S.95-59

REPORT TO SENATE

SENATE POLICY COMMITTEE ON

SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS AND BURSARIES

SEPTEMBER 1995

Dr. Katherine Heinrich

SPCSAB Chair

Senate Policy Committee on Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries

Report to Senate, September 1995 ?

This report covers

all

business activities of the Senate Committee on Scholarships, Awards

and Bursaries (SPCSAB) for the three semesters 94-2, 94-3 and 95-1.

Meetings

The committee held meetings on

Awards

Following

substantial changes made to the Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship

program in 1993/94, one of our primary tasks this year was to monitor the effects

with respect both to awards offered and accepted and to the budget. One positive

outcome was that we were able to reduce the CGPA necessary for students to

awarded an open scholarship. The award is only guaranteed to those who meet

eligibility criteria including a CGPA of at least 3.75. In the Summer awards were

made to qualified students with CGPA at least 3.75, but in the Fall to those with

CGPA at least 3.68, and in the Spring at least 3.65. This is consistent with our long-

term goal to have the same CGPA for students continuing on Entrance scholarships

(currently 3.6 after the second semester) and for the awarding of open scholarships.

A summary of the awarding of undergraduate entrance scholarships and open

scholarships is given below:

Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships - 94-2. 94-3. 95-1

Award Name

24:2

Caple College Transfer

Alumni Leadership

Shrum (BC)

Shrum (National)

President's (Secondary School)

Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships - 94-2, 94-3, 95-1 (contd.)

National Strand (Secondary School)

Open Scholarships - 1994/95

94-2 ?

CGPA 3.75

150 awards (87 f/59 m)

avg. award $600

94-3 ?

CGPA 3.68

214 awards (135 f/79 m)

avg. award $853

95-1 ?

CGPA 3.65

251 awards (163 f/88 m)

avg. award $781

Average awards for females were:

94-2 $604,

94-3 $846,95-1

$806

Average awards for males were:

94-2

$617,

94-3

$865, 95-1 $871

Total number of awards: 611

Total dollars awarded: $479,494

New Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship

Acting on a recommendation from the ad hoc Senate Committee on International

Students, and following extensive consultations, SPCSAB approved the

establishment of an entrance scholarship for international students:

"The Shrum International Undergraduate Scholarship

The Shrum International Undergraduate Scholarship recognizes excellence

in academic achievement. Other considerations might include a

commitment to school and community service, leadership, volunteer

activity, music, the arts, or athletics. Applicants must be completing their

qualifying year in the International Baccalaureate Program at one of the

United World Colleges and be admitted to a first degree program at the

University. The successful applicant will study at the University on a

Student Visa and will be from a country under-represented among Simon

Fraser University international undergraduate students. The Scholarship is

valued at $5000 plus tuition per semester for each of eight semesters. Seco

and subsequent disbursements from the Scholarship are subject to the s

criteria as the Gordon M. Shrum Scholarships."

Funding was provided from the undergraduate budget and a special allocation from

the President to cover tuition. At this time funds available allow only the awarding

of one such award per annum (total value $40,000 plus tuition). The two students

who have received awards to date are from The People's Republic of China and the

former Yugoslavia.

Finally, we note that the Canada Scholarship program funded by the Federal

government and providing 4-year scholarships to students entering science has been

terminated. The program was novel in that it required that at least as many awards

be made to female students as to male students.

GRADUATE AWARD DISBURSEMENTS IN FY

1994195

Sern 94-2 ?

Graduate Fellowship Master's

$4,100

$262,400

Graduate Fellowship PhD

$4,700

$145,700

President's Research Ph.D. Stipend

C.D.

SUBTOTAL 

$599,464

Scm 94-3

Graduate Fellowship Master's

S4,200

$273,000

Graduate Fellowship PhD

Ph.D.

C.D.

SUBTOTAL 

S725,596

Scm 95-1 ?

Graduate Fellowship Master's

President's Research Ph.D. Stipend

SUBTOTAL 

$703,529

GRAND TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS

S2,028,589

94195

BALANCE (carried over to

95196) ?

S345,832

Disbursement Totals by Award

Graduate Fellowship

$1,424,500

President's Ph.D. Research Stipend

Budget

Resulting from the restructuring of the Financial Aid and Awards Office,

unassigned, donated funds of approximately $100,000 were identified and SPCSAB

approved using them to establish an endowment the interest on which will provide

two Summit Entrance Scholarships each year. Additional donations are both

welcomed and encouraged. The committee met with Meg Clarke (Director,

Development) to discuss funding for scholarships, awards and bursaries and to offer

whatever help we could in any fund-raising activities.

In the last two university budgets there has been no cut to funding for scholarships,

awards and bursaries and additional funds as determined by the formula have been

allocated. The 'commitment of the President to providing funding for these

programs is greatly appreciated.

Following a request from the Vice-President, Academic, for advice on the

proportional allocation of this additional scholarship and bursary funding, SPCSAB

made an analysis of past allocation history and reviewed funding at other

universities; recommending (in May 1995) that funding be allocated to the two

budgets based on FTh enrolment and that the funding for a graduate FTh be 6.5

times that for an undergraduate. This recommendation was accepted and came

into effect in the 1995/96 budget year. The situation will be monitored.

General

In order to provide a better record of our activities the Registrar's office is currently

working to bring

all

SPCSAB policies together in one location. In conjunction with

this the committee prepared a set of guidelines (Appendix A attached) to direct our

decision making.

SPCSAB regularly approves the allocation of the undergraduate and graduate

budgets and receives for information reports on the distribution of awards. We

thank all those in the University who have worked with us over the year to

develop and enhance our scholarship and awards program.

Motions

The following motions were approved by the committee during the year:

Undergraduate

Motion (June 1994):

That the revised criteria for limiting the number of Open Scholarship

disbursements be approved:

Eligibility for the Open Scholarship is restricted to those students who are pursuing

a first degree at Simon Fraser University. For purposes of this Scholarship only,

A/*

first degree shall include those students who are registered in the PDP (Professio

Development Program) in the Faculty of Education*

Eligibility will expire wi

the total of the accumulated credit hours (including those credit hours awarded at

transfer and those completed at this University) exceeds by 10% the minimum

number of credit hours required for completion of the degree program in which the

student is registered.

* A student will be eligible during the first semester of the PDP Program if all other

eligibility requirements are met. Thereafter, since PDP courses are 'not normally

graded courses', the student will cease to be eligible for further disbursements until

such time as he/she completes the minimum 24 credit hours over the last three

normally graded semesters.

Motion (September 1994):

That the Shrum International Undergraduate Student Scholarship be approved

contingent on funding.

Graduate

Motion (August 1994):

That while a student may be recommended for a Graduate Fellowship wh

carrying a DE grade, tenure of the award will be contingent on the clearing of all

grades by the deadline for submission of grades.

Motions (March 1995):

That the upper limit on annual total scholarship income from sources that include

SFU scholarships be increased from $20K to $22K.

That the award values of the graduate fellowships be increased by $50.

That the departmental allocations of graduate fellowships for 1995/96 be approved.

Financial Assistance

Although

all

scholarships and bursaries are administered under policy approved by

SPCSAB, the allocation of bursaries, loans and many private awards are decided by

the Student Academic Resource Office. A detailed report on that Office's activities

has been prepared by the Director, C. French, and is attached. This report includes a

description of loans taken out by SF0 students. There is clearly a high level of

financial need which we are unable to meet.

Financial Assistance Programs Summary 1994 to April

1995

Submitted by:

Charlotte French, Director

Student Academic Resources

October, 1995

'p.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Introductory Comments ?

2. I. ?

Bursaries ?

2-3

Emergency Loans: Undergraduate/Graduate

IM Government Programs . ?

Student loans

? 3-6

Work-Study

Part-time Student Assistance

S. ?

IV. Merit Based Awards

6-7

V. ?

Athletic and Recreation Awards ?

Appendix A

1'.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SUMMARY 1994/95

INTRODUCTION

The following report is a year end summary of the need based and merit based award

programs administered by Financial Assistance. The 1994/95 program year saw an overall

increase in demand on programs. The most noteable increase was in need based programs,

namely, Government student loans and S.F.U. administered bursaries. Although bursary

funding continues to increase, rising costs and decreasing employment opportunities force

students to seek out all available avenues of support.

Government

student loan awards to S.F.U. students increased by $1,655,876 to 2,286

additional students in 1994/95. The S.F.U. bursary program, which is primarily awarded

as a supplement to student loan funds, increased undergraduate privately funded and

endowed bursary disbursements by S 117,748 to 161 additional students and SFU Open

bursary disbursements by S71,162 to 70 additional students.

Merit based scholarships and awards experienced a modest increase in total dollars

disbursed, as did Athletic and Recreation awards.

A four year summary of all programs is included as Appendix A. Figures reported in the

following report represent the academic year May to April, not the fiscal year.

.../2

-2-

I. BU1SARIES ?

Bursaries are awarded on the basis of financial need to students registered in a minimum of 9 semester hours. To be

considered for bursary funding students must submit an application that includes a budget outlining their income and

expenses for the semester. From these reported budgets. Financial Assistance assesses the students' unmet need.

Students must have received maximum student loan funding (S3995 per semester for a single student) or be

ineligible for student loans before they will be considered for bursary awards. Bursaries are adjudicated after all

scholarships and awards are disbursed to allow these funds to be included in the income calculation. Approximately

25% of students who receive bursaries also qualified for scholarships. However, scholarship awards are often not

sufficient to meet student funding needs. Students who receive bursaries have exhausted all other sources of funding.

At the present time we are able to meet 20 to 30% of a student's assessed need through a combination of Private or

Endowed Bursaries and SF17 Funded Open Bursaries. Typically, for a domestic undergraduate student with no

dependents a bursary award will cover approximately 60 to 70% of their assessed tuition fees (not including athletic

and service fees). Bursaries rarely address living expenses or material and supply costs. For students with dependents

or those living away from home the main cost of attending university is living expenses. Although bursary funding

has increased, so has the unmet need of students.

In 1994/95 Financial Assistance received 1,819 applications for Undergraduate Open Bursaries and was able to make

687 bursary awards; 162 applications were received for Graduate Open Bursaries and 111 bursary awards were made.

Due to limitations of the present recording system, data regarding reasons for denial is not available.

Most students apply for Private or Endowed Bursaries as well as the Open Bursary program. Private and Endowed

Bursaries are adjudicated first to as many students as possible. Those students whose need is not met through Private

or Endowed funds or who are not eligible for any of these bursaries are then considered for SF17 Open Bursaries.

SF17 Daycare Bursaries are also funded by SF17. These awards assist a small number of student parents meet the

costs of childcare and are tenable only at the SFU Childcare Centre. These bursaries awards are made on the

recommendation of the Director of the SFU Childcare Centre.

UNDERGRADUATE BURSARIES

SR.) Open (international)

'is

SFU Open (international)

II. EMERGENCY LOANS: UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE

Short term, interest-free loans are available to students who require interim emergency funding while awaiting funds

from other sources. A student is allowed a maximum total Emergency Loan debt of S 1000, except in extraordinary

circumstances. To receive an Emergency Loan a student must complete an application form, show documentation

confirming means of repayment and be interviewed by a Financial Assistance Advisor. This process allows the

Advisor to review the students overall financial situation and consider other possible sources

funding.

Due to the rising delinquency on Emergency Loan repayments in the past, Financial Assistance has become more

rigorous with the criteria for eligibility and the dollar values of these loans. The value of the outstanding loans

considered unrecoverable has decreased from S 10,544 in 1993/94 to $5,363 in 1994/95.

674

887

317,329

422,278

Ill. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS

FEDERAL AND PROVThCIAL LOANS: Undergraduate/Graduate

Domestic students, graduate and undergraduate, may apply for funding assistance through the federal and provincial

loan programs. Students apply for both programs through the provincial ministry responsible in the province in

which they hold permanent residency. Financial need and a student loan award is determined by the information the

student submits during the application process. Canada Student Loan is adjudicated first to a maximum allowable

value and then provincial funding tops up to reach the students calculated need or the maximum loan allotment,

whichever is less. Next to personal and family resources, Government Loans are considered to be the primary source

of funding for Canadian students in financial need.

.14

10•

-4- ?

Canada Student Loan and BC Student Loan regulations have been undergoin

revision for the past two years and will

continue to do so for the next two. The most significant change in 1994/95 was the federal government increasing

their portion of the combined federallprovincial award from

50%

to 60%. However, this did not necessarily translate

into higher funding for students as the assessment criteria remained unchan

ed. This change was actually detrimental

for BC students in their first and second year of post-secondary education as these students usually receive the

provincial portion of their award in the form of a non repayable grant rather than a loan.

In 1994195 the maximum award that a single, undergraduate student with no dependents could receive for one

semester was

$3995;

$2397 in CSL and $1598 in BC funding. This amount was intended to covered shelter

(dormitory residence was approximately S 1170 per semester), tuition

(S965

for 12 semester hours including activity

fees, etc.), books and supplies (usually bud

eted at $300), food (varies; approximately S700), transportation (S216

for bus passes) and all other miscellaneous living costs (dental, medical, cleaning supplies, toiletries, etc.). Without

miscellaneous expenses, the above list of costs totals S344 1.

Changes to the assessment process which are being implemented for the 1995/96 program year could mean increased

loan award values for many students who are not presently receiving maximum awards. There are some students

who will find themselves penalized under the new system however, as a higher portion of their income will be

assessed for contribution toward costs. For example, an existing deduction of $600 for scholarships and bursaries

has been changed and now includes earnings from all sources, including pan-time work. Semester maximum award

limits remain unchanged.

One of the most significant changes for the 1995/96 program year will be the introduction of designated lenders by

both Canada Student Loan and BC Student Loan. Students will now be required to negotiate their student loans with

one of the contracted lenders who will assume a portion of the delinquency risk once the student is required to begin

repayment. For the Canada Student Loan program the designated lenders are the Royal Bank of Canada, the Canadian

Imperial Bank of Commerce, the Bank of Nova Scotia and Edelweiss Credit Union. For the BC Student Loan

program the designated lenders are the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Nova Scotia.

B.C.

WORK STUDY PROGRAM: Undergraduate/Graduate

The Work Study program is a B.C. government funded program for students in high financial need which

supplements a student's B.C. and Canada Student Loan award with paid work experience. A small SFU funded Work

Study program supplements bursary funding for international students.

In August. 1994 the Student Services Branch of the BC Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour reviewed and made

changes to the policies governing the Work Study program. These changes clarified the eligibility criteria for the

Program and removed most of the institutional discretion in determining student eligibility. Unfortunately, these

chan g

es were announced late in August which caused delays in adjudicating student eligibility for the Fall 1994

.../5

II.

•1

-5-

semester This is reflected in the decrease in expenditures in the Program for

1994/95.

In the long term the policy

changes will allow us to identify students earlier and make them available for work in the first or second week of

classes rather than the four or fifth week, as had occurred previously.

To be eligible for the BC Work Study program a student must meet the general eligibility criteria for BC Student

Loans, have received the maximum allowable Canada and BC Student Loan award and have a financial need, as

assessed by the SSB, greater than the Loan funding they received. Students who do not meet these criteria may only

be considered for the Program in exceptional circumstances as specified by the Student Services Branch.

S.F.U. Funded Work Study (International only):

Government Funded Work Study:

499

8,956

.16

I).

-6- ?

3. ?

PART TIME STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Part Time Student Assistance Program, offered by the B.C. government, operated on an experimental basis in

1991/92 and was in the first year of province wide operation in 1992/93. The requirements for eligibility are the

same as for government loan funding except that students must be registered in less than 9 semester hours and

demonstrate that they are unable to study full-time. Awards to students are adjudicated by the institution and are

given in the form of grants rather than loans. These awards may only be used to cover direct educational costs.

This is the only Financial Assistance program available to part-time students at SFU. Our yearly grant budget is

$38,500. SFU was granted some additional funding during the Spring 1995 semester due to the heavy demand on

the program. This was unusual action from the SSB and is not expected in 1995/96. In fact, this program has been

expanded to include more institutions and more educational programs which has prompted the SSB to advise SFU

that our funding for the 1995196 program year may be decreased.

IV. MERIT BASED AWARDS

Private and Endowed Scholarships are available to continuing students who meet specified criteria and have a

minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50. To be considered for these Scholarships students must apply to

Financial Assistance and be selected by the Senate Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee (SUAAC).

Funding from Endowed and Private Scholarships increased substantially in 1993/94 (by approximately $48,000) but

remained essentially unchanged in 1994195.

Academic and Service Awards are given to students, faculty or staff for outstanding performance in an academic area

or outstanding service to the University community. Recipients of these Awards are determined by Department or

individual nomination and confirmed or adjudicated by SUAAC. Funding for Private and Endowed and SF11 funded

Academic and Service Awards has remained substantially unchanged for the past four years (see four year

supplement).

S.F.U. Service Awards continue to be the most difficult to award. Some Service Awards may not be disbursed in a

given year due to a lack of nominations. In 1993/94 only one of the four major service awards was able to be

adjudicated. In 1994/95 all but the Terry Fox Gold Medal were awarded. Timing of the adjudication of these awards

is under review.

... /7 ?

-7-

Endowed/Private Schs.

# of Students

Ttl. S

Endowed/Private Awards

V. ?

ATHLETIC AND RECREATION AWARDS

Endowed, Private and SF11 funded Athletic Awards are given on the basis of Athletic merit. Some of these awards

include an academic achievement component. Recipients of Athletic Awards are selected by nomination of the

Director of Athletics and Recreation and confirmed by the SUAAC. SF11 has increased its support to Athletic

Awards by S 10.000 over the past four years while Private and Endowed support has increased by $48,000.

Athletic Tuition gifts are made to students from funds raised by the Athletics section of the Department of Athletics

and Recreation. These gifts are not administered through Financial Assistance or SUAAC but as of January 1994

•

have been recorded on the Financial Assistance computer system for information purposes.

Recreation Awards are funded by SFU. Recipients are selected through nomination of the Director of Athletics and

Recreation and confirmed by the SUAAC. Funding available for these awards has remained unchanged in the past

four years; however, nominations decreased in 1994/95 by S3,600.

Endowed/Private Athletics

# of Students ?

Ttl. S

SF11 Funded Athletics

SF11 Funded Rec. Awds

* Data in this category is incomplete prior to 1994/95

UNDERGRADUATE BURSARIES

SFU Open (international)

SFU Open (international)

94/95

6,005

2,624

645

EMERGENCY LOANS: UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE

FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL LOANS: Under2raduateiGraduate

Canada Student Loan

#ofStudents ?

Ttl. S

B.C. Student Loan/Grant

WORK STUDY PROGRAM: Undergraduate/Graduate

SFU Funded Work Study:

Government Funded Work Study:

..13

If,.

Graduate

*Program was restricted to limited use for international students.

PART TIME STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

IV. ACADEMIC AND SERVICE AWARDS AND PRIVATE/ENDOWED

SCHOLARSHIPS

Endowed/Private Schs.

of Students

Ttl. S

Endowed/Private Awards

-4-

ATHLETIC AND RECREATION AWARDS

Endowed/Private Athletics

/1-1

Appendix A

SPCSAB - PRINCIPLES

These principles are to guide SPCSAB in the design and establishment of scholarships,

fellowships, awards and bursaries for the support of students (graduate and undergraduate)

at Simon Fraser Universit

. The principles are to be followed in accord with the responsibil-

ities of SPCSAB as defined by Senate and the University Act.

The following definitions will hold:

undergraduate scholarship -

Funds provided on a competitive basis to undergraduate

students with high academic standing.

graduate fellowship/scholarship -

One semester support provided on a competitive basis

to graduate students of high acadniic standing.

award-

This term will be used to cover scholarship, fellowships, prizes and special purpose

awards.

bursary -

Funds made available on the basis of need to students with good academic

standing.

There are two programs: undergraduate and graduate.

Establishing the awards

Within the undergraduate and graduate programs, the level of academic standing

should be consistent across all awards in

given program.

2. A

broad spectrum of awards should always be available (entrance, continuing, special).

3. In

accord with the BC Human Rights Act eligibility requirements should not be biased

against any group of students but may, in very special circumstances, allow for special

provisions where a specific group has been traditionally underrepresented.

Visa students should have the same access to awards as students who are Canadian

citizens and Permanent Residents, except in the case of undergraduate entrance schol-

arships where awards are designated according to admission category.

Entrance scholarships should be designed to reflect the distribution of students over

the various entrance categories of admission.

There should be a balance between the various types of awards in each program that

ensures the financial needs of as many students as possible are met, that academic

success is encouraged and recognised and that recruitment needs are supported. The

distribution over these categories should be reviewed regularly.

Each program should have a special awards category to allow the Chairs of SUAAC

and SGAAC to take advantage of opportunities to recruit students.

1 ?

/10

In developing criteria for endowed awards SPCSAB should work closely with the devel-

opment office. Although the desires of donors should be followed as closely as possible,

the terms for such awards must meet SPCSAB policies. Terms must be as unambiguous

as possible and easily adjudicated.

SPCSAB should work closely with the development office and assist with fund-raising

activities as the opportunities arise.

Support levels

There should always be the possibility of long-term support.

The programs (graduate and undergraduate) should be flexible enough to allow the

number of awards of each type to vary from year to year in light of a changing university

budget and external policies affecting students needs.

Awards and bursaries funded by the university should be of sufficient monetary value

to meaningfully affect a student's financial situation. At the graduate level this is

interpreted to mean that scholarships and fellowships should fully support a single

student at a reasonable level for the duration of the award:

Procedures

Application procedures should be straightforward and easily complied with. Crite-

ria should be clear and advertised as broadly as possible. They should not change

dramatically from one competition to another without adequate notice.

The Chairs of

SUAAC and SGAAC should annually provide to SPCSAB a budget plan

for the allocation of awards sponsored

the university's operating budget. Those

bud-

gets should not exceed the anticipated funds available and should maintain sufficient

flexibility to prevent cost overruns.

The adjudication (as per Senate regulations) for awards will be done respectively by

SUAAC and SGAAC who will bring to SPCSAB as necessary recommended changes

in programs.

The Chairs of SGAAC and SUAAC should report annually to SPCSAB. Such a report

could be verbal.

5. Program

and budget reviews should be ongoing and proposed changes should be made

based on data available. The following data should be collected annually: (a) accep-

tance rate on entrance scholarships; (b) success rate of entrance scholarship holders;

each of first two semesters, program entered; (d) nature of continuing scholarship and

fellowship holders: CGPA, gender, program; (e) distribution and size of bursaries, and

level of bursary funding requested; (f) perception of the nature of the undergraduate

entrance sholarships within the school system in BC, and their recruiting effectiveness;

(g) annual reports on the category of "special" awards.

Approved by SPCSAB, March 30th, 1995