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Understanding Professional Judgment in Financial Aid Administration

This article explores the discretionary authority of financial aid administrators under HEA 479A(a). It emphasizes the importance of using professional judgment in adjusting students' cost of attendance and expected contributions based on special circumstances. Key examples of special circumstances include tuition expenses, medical costs, child care responsibilities, significant income changes, and more. The document underscores the need for financial aid counselors and administrators to meticulously document their decisions and the process used to evaluate applicants to ensure fairness and compliance.

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Understanding Professional Judgment in Financial Aid Administration

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  1. Using Your Professional Judgment John Choppy, UC Berkeley Jennifer Tweedy, USC Pat Hurley, Glendale Community College

  2. HEA 479A(a) – Discretion of Student Financial Aid Administrators • In General – Nothing in this part shall be interpreted as limiting the authority of the financial aid administrator, on the basis of adequate documentation, to make adjustments on a case-by-case basis to the cost of attendance or the values of the data items required to calculate the expected student or parent contribution(or both) to allow for treatment of an individual eligible applicant with special circumstances

  3. More…. • … nothing in this title shall be interpreted as limiting the authority of the student financial aid administrator in such cases to request and use supplementary information about the financial status or personal circumstances of eligible applicants in selecting recipients and determining the amount of awards under this title

  4. Limitations to HEA 479A(a) • However, this authority shall not be construed to permit aid administrators to deviate from the contributions expected in the absence of special circumstances • Special circumstances shall be conditions that differentiate an individual student from a class of students rather than conditions that exist across a class of students.

  5. PJ Examples in the HEA • K-12 tuition expenses • Medical/dental not covered by insurance • Child care • Parent in college • Student status (dependency) • Change in income, assets (displaced worker) • Farm or business bankruptcy or foreclosure • Costs incurred due to disability • Home care, nursing facilities • SAP [484(c)(3)]

  6. Where the PJ buck stops: • FA counselor • FA director • Committee • Dean • VP

  7. The Basic Rule of PJ Document! Document! Document! DOCUMENT !!!

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