Analyze the Evidence based Practice

Interview with Director of Financial Aid @ Southern Crescent Technical College

Evidence based problem solving is a practice common in the medical industry, in which data is used to make decisions for patients. However, this practice has been adopted by other industries as well. Evidence-based practice in is most simplistic form involves using data or scientific knowledge in its approach to making decisions and solving problems. It focuses on the facts of the data or science to make decisions.

Q1: Please identify your leadership position and briefly describe your role at your organization?

Response: As Director of Financial Aid, my idea of leadership is that of a coach or team leader. I currently have 10 members on my team. My specific approach is that I don’t ask my team to do anything that I am not willing to do myself. During busy times, I make an effort to jump in and assist with the phones, seeing students and processing paperwork to ensure that our students are awarded eligible financial aid in a timely manner. I do this for several reasons:

1. Although I am the director, I am not above getting my hands dirty;

2. I value them as team members. I stress the importance of learning and cross training as often as possible. I use every opportunity to show my team new things as things are constantly in financial aid. I think it is important to expose them whenever possible. I urge them to step outside of their comfort zone. Also, because I want them to be prepared to move on when a more challenging position comes along. I tell them all the time that I am training them to be director one day. I find the team approach to be valuable as people who feel appreciated are happier and work harder.

Q2: What method(s) does the institution use to identify problems?

Response: Our college about three years ago began having joint meetings with all the Directors, Deans, and Vice Presidents. We soon learned that we were not always aware what the other guy was doing and that students were suffering because of this and that we had some serious compliance issues. This was a hard to pill to swallow at first, people were feeling some type of way. However, we soon learned that communication flows better. We discuss what is going on in other areas and now we are breaking all kinds of records within the technical system, better enrollment numbers, higher graduation rates, our retention rates are skyrocketing. Now we look forward to our weekly meetings. As it turns out, we actually like working with one another.

Q3: Can you describe the role your department has in the planning process of the institution?

Response: As financial aid is linked to many areas on the college campus, my office plays a major role in the planning process. As a part of our strategic planning, each year I identify several outcomes that are in lined with other departments on campus that ultimately benefit the college as a whole. Again, as a part of the Deans and Directors team, my department plays a significant role in the planning process.

Q4: Who are the stakeholders (i.e. Board of Directors, Leadership Team etc.) involved in the decision-making processes at the institution? What role do these stakeholders have in implementing the decisions that are made? Respnse: Our college has a board of directors along with our senior leadership team (made up of 6 Vice Presidents), and the technical college system of Georgia (we are a state institution) all play a major role in how decisions are made for our institution. These decisions of course must comply with state and federal regulation in addition to our accrediting body.

Q5: What opportunities for improvement has your department or the institution identified that could benefit from evidence-based practices?

Response: Over the last four years, SCTC has used data driven methods to improve student retention, increased graduation rates, improved enrollment numbers, and improved data to support 98% job placement rates for our graduates. For example, our college uses an Early Alert Management System (TEAMS). TEAMS is a web-based early alert system that allows SCTC to identify at-risk students, communicate with them, track the application of interventions, and monitor their success.

Early Alert Program

The SCTC Early Alert Program is coordinated by the Student Navigator. This program is designed to identify students who may be at-risk of academic difficulty or failure. Faculty make referrals to the Student Navigator via an electronic program called TEAMS. The program provides feedback from faculty members and advisors to help students investigate and utilize student support services and implement a recommended plan of action developed especially for them that will help them succeed. This is directly related to improving student retention.