Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 27.67
Liaison Casey Romero
Submission Date Jan. 13, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

Oklahoma State University
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Toni Shaklee
Asst. VP for Research
Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer
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Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s participation in federal TRIO programs:

OSU’s participation in federal TRIO programs
Student Support Services (SSS). SSS is a federally funded TRiO program that allows selected educational institutions or agencies to provide fundamental support to students at the college level. Students involved in SSS will receive free on-campus services from academic advising to personal mentoring. The goal of SSS is to increase retention and graduation rates of qualified students.
Upward Bound: Upward Bound is a college preparatory program designed to provide academic skills and motivation for students who are interested in pursuing an educational program beyond high school. Students generally enter the program in the 9th or 10th grade and remain through graduation from high school and entry into college. Upward Bound gives the high school student a chance to learn first-hand what college life is all about and helps the student develop skills necessary to succeed in college. The program emphasizes reading, writing, math, science, and study skills. Personal, career, and academic counseling is also provided.
During the summer, Upward Bound (UB) students live on the Oklahoma State University campus for six weeks and participate in a variety of academic, social, and cultural activities. During the regular school year, UB students are in contact with UB staff members and tutors through activities, counseling sessions and tutorials. UB students come to the OSU campus one Saturday each month for workshops to help prepare for college entrance. Juniors and seniors visit college campuses and receive guidance as part of their college selection and application process. UB students also participate in recreational and cultural activities. A special "Bridge" program is provided to graduating seniors. During the six-week summer program, seniors enroll in six hours of college-level coursework on the OSU campus.
UB provides supplemental instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature, foreign language, study skills, critical thinking and computer literacy as well as academic, financial and personal counseling, one-on-one and small group tutorial services, mentoring programs, career exploration opportunities, information on postsecondary education opportunities, assistance in completing college entrance and financial aid applications, assistance in preparing for college entrance exams and waivers of test fees, opportunities to attend cultural events and academic programs, informational programs for parents, and a monthly stipend.

OSU’s policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students
Oklahoma’s Promise: OSU is committed to helping academically-eligible Oklahoma's Promise recipients achieve the dream of a college education at OSU. Oklahoma students in grades 8-10 can sign up to participate in the program, previously known as OHLAP and administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE). Once a student graduates from high school and complete the curricular and conduct requirements for the program, s/he will receive funding from Oklahoma's Promise to cover the cost of tuition at OSU.
Cowboy Covenant: By using a combination of federal, state, OSU, and private scholarships, OSU’s Cowboy Covenant program will ensure that students do not have to borrow to pay for tuition, most mandatory fees, or required textbooks. The award is renewable for up to four years or 120 semester hours attempted (whichever occurs first), of undergraduate study as long as he/she remains eligible to receive Oklahoma’s Promise (OHLAP).
Cowboy Covenant was created to fill gaps in funding if Oklahoma’s Promise (OHLAP) and other grants or scholarships are not sufficient to provide for tuition, most mandatory fees, and required textbooks during fall and spring semesters at OSU. The amount of additional scholarship funds provided through Cowboy Covenant may vary each year depending on changes in costs to attend OSU and other federal, state, OSU or private grants and scholarships you receive.
Cowboy Covenant requires that students be fully admitted to OSU, be an Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP) recipient; file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year, enroll as a full-time undergraduate each semester (fall/spring), and have eligible mandatory fees and book expenses not paid by other grant or scholarship programs.

OSU’s programs to equip the institution's faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds
Difficult Dialogues: While not specifically targeted to educated faculty on students from low-income backgrounds, the Difficult Dialogues program covers a wide range of issues and concerns regarding underrepresented student populations, which serves a similar purpose in many regards. OSU Difficult Dialogues—Faculty Development Program is involved in increasing awareness of opportunities for faculty, staff, administrators, and graduate students to participate in events that promote pluralism, enhance respect for diversity, and augment inclusion of diverse groups on campus and in the greater community. Difficult Dialogue Program participants delve into sensitive topics in an attempt to debunk erroneous perceptions about ‘others.’ Difficult Dialogues sponsors training sessions, workshops, book discussions, and conferences to address numerous “hot button” issues that impact personal interactions inside and outside the classroom. Examples of issues discussed in the last two years include: dealing with complex topics in the classroom, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion-Christianity, religion-Islam, evolution, and women and minorities in science.
OSU’s programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education
Upward Bound: Upward Bound is a college preparatory program designed to provide academic skills and motivation for students who are interested in pursuing an educational program beyond high school. Students generally enter the program in the 9th or 10th grade and remain through graduation from high school and entry into college. Upward Bound gives the high school student a chance to learn first-hand what college life is all about and helps the student develop skills necessary to succeed in college. The program emphasizes reading, writing, math, science, and study skills. Personal, career, and academic counseling is also provided.
Student Support Services (SSS). SSS is a federally funded TRiO program that allows selected educational institutions or agencies to provide fundamental support to students at the college level. Students involved in SSS will receive free on-campus services from academic advising to personal mentoring. The goal of SSS is to increase retention and graduation rates of qualified students.
Retention Initiative for Student Excellence (RISE). RISE is designed to assist students in their transition from high school to OSU during their freshman year and address all of the academic needs they may face. The program provides scheduled study group sessions, tutoring as needed, and other services.


A brief description of the institution’s policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students?:

OSU Opportunity Grant: This grant provides assistance, as funds are available, to families with limited financial resources. To receive this one-year grant, students must be classified as an undergraduate student by the OSU Registrar at the time of awarding and disbursement, be in compliance with the OSU Scholarships and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, and be enrolled in at least twelve (12) resident credit hours each semester.
OSU Incentive Tuition Scholarship: The OSU Incentive Tuition Scholarship program provides assistance, as funds are available, to families with limited financial resources. This one-year scholarship is a reduction of the credit hour tuition a student is charged to attend OSU; it is not a cash scholarship. To receive this award, a student must be classified as an undergraduate student by the OSU Registrar at the time of awarding and disbursement, be in compliance with the OSU Scholarships and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, and be enrolled in at least twelve (12) resident credit hours each semester.
OSU Freshman Tuition Waiver Scholarship: The OSU Freshman University Tuition Waiver Scholarship program provides assistance, as funds are available, to families who need additional financial assistance to make an OSU education possible. This one-year tuition scholarship is a reduction of the credit hour tuition that a student is charged to attend OSU; it is not a cash scholarship. To receive this award, a student must be enrolled in at least twelve (12) resident credit hours as an undergraduate each semester and be in compliance with the OSU Scholarships and Financial Aid Satisfactory
Academic Progress Policy.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to equip the institution's faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:
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A brief description of the institution’s programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

Upward Bound: Upward Bound is a college preparatory program designed to provide academic skills and motivation for students who are interested in pursuing an educational program beyond high school. Students generally enter the program in the 9th or 10th grade and remain through graduation from high school and entry into college. Upward Bound gives the high school student a chance to learn first-hand what college life is all about and helps the student develop skills necessary to succeed in college. The program emphasizes reading, writing, math, science, and study skills. Personal, career, and academic counseling is also provided.
Student Support Services (SSS). SSS is a federally funded TRiO program that allows selected educational institutions or agencies to provide fundamental support to students at the college level. Students involved in SSS will receive free on-campus services from academic advising to personal mentoring. The goal of SSS is to increase retention and graduation rates of qualified students.
Retention Initiative for Student Excellence (RISE). RISE is designed to assist students in their transition from high school to OSU during their freshman year and address all of the academic needs they may face. The program provides scheduled study group sessions, tutoring as needed, and other services.


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

OSU Opportunity Grant: This grant provides assistance, as funds are available, to families with limited financial resources. To receive this one-year grant, students must be classified as an undergraduate student by the OSU Registrar at the time of awarding and disbursement, be in compliance with the OSU Scholarships and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, and be enrolled in at least twelve (12) resident credit hours each semester.
OSU Incentive Tuition Scholarship: The OSU Incentive Tuition Scholarship program provides assistance, as funds are available, to families with limited financial resources. This one-year scholarship is a reduction of the credit hour tuition a student is charged to attend OSU; it is not a cash scholarship. To receive this award, a student must be classified as an undergraduate student by the OSU Registrar at the time of awarding and disbursement, be in compliance with the OSU Scholarships and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, and be enrolled in at least twelve (12) resident credit hours each semester.
OSU Freshman Tuition Waiver Scholarship: The OSU Freshman University Tuition Waiver Scholarship program provides assistance, as funds are available, to families who need additional financial assistance to make an OSU education possible. This one-year tuition scholarship is a reduction of the credit hour tuition that a student is charged to attend OSU; it is not a cash scholarship. To receive this award, a student must be enrolled in at least twelve (12) resident credit hours as an undergraduate each semester and be in compliance with the OSU Scholarships and Financial Aid Satisfactory
Academic Progress Policy.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:

Upward Bound: Upward Bound is a college preparatory program designed to provide academic skills and motivation for students who are interested in pursuing an educational program beyond high school. Students generally enter the program in the 9th or 10th grade and remain through graduation from high school and entry into college. Upward Bound gives the high school student a chance to learn first-hand what college life is all about and helps the student develop skills necessary to succeed in college. The program emphasizes reading, writing, math, science, and study skills. Personal, career, and academic counseling is also provided, as well as informational sessions for parents on the college application process, higher education generally, and the application process for scholarships and financial aid.


A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Upward Bound: Upward Bound is a college preparatory program designed to provide academic skills and motivation for students who are interested in pursuing an educational program beyond high school. Students generally enter the program in the 9th or 10th grade and remain through graduation from high school and entry into college.
Upward Bound gives the high school student a chance to learn first-hand what college life is all about and helps the student develop skills necessary to succeed in college. The program emphasizes reading, writing, math, science, and study skills. Personal, career, and academic counseling is also provided.
Upward Bound is one of the federally-funded "TRIO" programs that allows selected educational institutions or agencies to provide fundamental support to participants in preparation for college entrance.


A brief description of the institution’s other admissions policies and programs:
A brief description of the institution’s other financial aid polices or programs:
A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs not covered above:
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The website URL where information about programs in each of the areas listed above is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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