Enabling Access and Success through Financial Engagement:

Enabling Access and Success through Financial Engagement: • A Case Study of Durban University of Technology • Presentation outline: • Research questions • Data sources • Results • Koo Parker, Prabashnee Kisten & Nicky Muller

Research Questions • How are students paying for their education? • What are students spending on and how much? • How financially stressed are our students and what • choices are they having to make when constrained • financially? • What is DUT doing to assist financially needy students? • How are USAS students performing academically? • Impact on other students?

Data Sources • SASSE • Financial Stress Scale (Q. 23 – Q28) • Management Information • Student Support Services • Finance • USAS Focus group

SASSE Descriptive Statistics

SASSE: Descriptive statistics

SASSE: Results How are students paying for their education?

SASSE: Results (Chi square) Using parents’/guardians’ money • 62% of Diploma students; 48% of Degree students & 43% of BTech students were funded by parents. • 78% of Indian students; 68% of White students, 56% of Black students & 50% of Coloured students • 72% of those staying off-campus & 39% staying on campus were using parents money • 81% of non-first gen students were using parents money; 54% of first-gen were using parent’s money Using NSFAS • 33% of Diploma students, 29% of Degree students and 23% of BTech • 36% of Black students; 17% of Coloured students; 5% of Indian students & 7% of White students were using NSFAS • 58% of those staying on campus & 15% living off campus were using NSFAS • 36% of first gen. students using NSFAS; 83% of non-first gen. were NOT using NSFAS

SASSE: Results

SASSE: Results What are students spending on, and how much?

SASSE: Results How financially stressed are our students and what choices are they having to make when constrained financially?

SASSE: Results: Chi-square FIRST-GEN STATUS ACADEMIC STATUS GENDER

SASSE: Results

DUT Assistance What is DUT doing to assist financially needy students? • Alumni Bursary Fund: • Lead by Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) • Academic merit and financial need • Scarce skills fields of study; • Replenished from monies in the Individual Giving Fund (70%) • Between 2007-2016, 19 students assisted to the value of approx. R387,100 • 2017: 10 students have received bursaries

DUT Assistance “When NSFAS sent me their message stating that I was unfunded, I thought I will never see my graduation or complete my studies but because of my academic performance and the recognition from my department, my details were submitted to the Development and Alumni Department and I was notified that my outstanding debt will be paid, … this brought a whole new light of hope into my life,” Philani Nkuna (Final year IT student)

DUT Assistance • Food Security Programme (One meal, once a day): • Lead by the Dean of Students and administered jointly by DAR, Student Counselling and Finance; • 2013-2016: 102 students have benefited; • 2017: R10,600 was disbursed • Aim to fund a student at least R30/day (R1,100/month) • Receives funds from the Individual Giving Fund (30%)

DUT Assistance • Missing Middle/Adopt a Student Campaign • Lead by DAR • Instituted in late 2016 in Durban and 2017 in the Midlands • All currently registered students can upload their profile onto DUT DevMan site and write a 150 word motivation for why they should be funded.

DUT Assistance • Undergraduate Scholarship Award Scheme (USAS) • Returning students (completed1st semester/year): • First-time entering students (completed matric in the preceding year): • - Other awards (Dean’s Award; Vice-Chancellors Award; Dux Award; Textbook vouchers etc.)

USAS Students’ Academic Performance • Model – Predicting student success • Methodology • Data • Sample: • USAS: 324 students (371 qualified) • Non-USAS: 661 students • Total: 985 (13% of first-time entering students)

Descriptive statistics

USAS Students’ Academic Performance • Results • Stepwise OLS linear regression • Best-fit model (R-square = 0.13; F = 29.15) • Beta Coefficients • USAS: +0.226 • FEBE -0.234 • Matric aggregate: +0.114 • FHS: -0.091 • White: +0.081 USAS Students’ Academic Performance USAS Students’ Academic Performance

Focus group • What does it mean to you to be a USAS recipient? Does it motivate you to work harder? Do you see yourself as a role model to other students?

Focus group “it’s not just about the academics but we actually share, we talk, we actually motivate one another, those kind of things. So in a way, other people’s action they actually change. My first year, we started having it [study group]and then students they saw us as we were like too serious and it wasn’t taken seriously, but in my surprise, in second year we actually had a high number, it’s almost half the class students coming to attend our group.” 3rd year, female FMS

Focus group “I also got a study group so like we share things. Like if you pass by 75, or you got this certain percent, then this [USAS]is what you get. So it’s actually making other people want to do, to perform, better, so I think I am a role model. Actually I think if your action or whatever is actually stimulating someone to think or it makes someone to do better things, you are a role model to someone.” 1st year, FEBE female

Focus group “I do think that we are role models, you know when you get into university everyone doesn’t know each other and you just kinda choose your friends kinda thing, and then obviously those who are working will look for those who are working and those who are chilling around, they will go with them. And then like with the USAS thing it motives me to work hard and everything, and automatically even though I didn’t ask or go to friends or anything, people would come to me and they’d say oh you work very hard or something like that, it forms like a study group and they’ll be like teaching each other, telling each other why do you wanna do [programme] and also working hard and setting goals.” 1st year, FHS male

Thank you Koo Parker: koo@dut.ac.za

Enabling Access and Success through Financial Engagement: