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Date: August 31, 2001
To: Schools participating or interested in the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Program
Subject: Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
This Policy Memorandum provides the following updates for the SDS Program.
(1) New Eligibility Criteria for AY 2002-03 SDS Application
(2) Site Visits Findings and Recommendations
New Eligibility Criteria for Academic Year (AY) 2002-03 SDS Application
The Federal Register published on September 1, 1999, states that a school or program must comply with certain outcome-based measures to be eligible to receive SDS funds. It also states that the threshold levels for determining a school or program’s eligibility will continue to increase gradually until students from disadvantaged backgrounds are represented in the health care workforce at levels that best address the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) goal of assuring access to health care for all Americans and eliminating health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities.
The Department has not increased the threshold levels for determining the eligibility of a school or program since implementation of the criteria.
Beginning with the AY 2002-03 SDS Application, students from disadvantaged (environmentally and/or economically) backgrounds must comprise the following:
1) At least 10% of the total full-time enrollment of your program (e.g., dentistry, baccalaureate nursing) during the specified reporting year; and
2) At least 10% of the total graduates (who were full-time students) of your program during the specified reporting year.
Additionally, in order to be eligible to receive SDS funding, a school must have at least one economically disadvantaged student enrolled and graduated during the specified reporting year for the SDS Application. This requirement has been in place since the FY 2001-02 SDS Application.
Page 2 – Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
The SDS Application will be available in early November 2001, and the deadline will be December 17, 2001. Enter our website http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/weblinks and select “Program Application,” then click “SDS.”
For additional information about the SDS program, please review the CHECKLIST at the end of this policy memorandum for the AY 2002-03 SDS Application. The CHECKLIST will assist you in gathering data needed for the application.
<>Site Visits Findings and Recommendations
As announced in the DSA Policy Memorandum 2000-01, dated July 7, 2000, the Department conducted site visits to verify AY 2001-02 SDS Application data submitted by those schools/programs that reported high numbers of economically disadvantaged students enrolled and graduated. As a result of these findings, the Department adjusted the AY 2001-02 award amounts to several schools where discrepancies were found.
The following represents our findings, eligibility directives, and recommendations:
• Students were identified as economically disadvantaged for the SDS Application without meeting the economically disadvantaged definition.
Each economically disadvantaged student identified on the SDS Application (enrolled and graduated) must have student’s parental income and parental family size regardless of independent/dependent, marital status, or age of a student. Student’s income cannot be used, no exceptions. These data must meet the low income thresholds applicable to the year.
To be considered economically disadvantaged, independent students may fill out the student’s parental information section on FAFSA, even though the instructions on FAFSA directs students to skip this section if independent.
If a ”Student Application for SDS” is used by schools, it should include student’s parental income and parental family size information for all students, regardless of independent or dependent status in order to be considered as economically disadvantaged.
• Students were identified as economically disadvantaged using incomplete information on student’s parental income and parental family size.
Unless students have their parental income, parental family size information and meet the low-income thresholds applicable to the application year, they cannot be included in your economically disadvantaged numbers on the application.
Page 3 – Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
• Some schools were not aware of recent changes or information available on our website to support the SDS Program.
Our website located at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/weblinks contains links to useful information as follows: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Student Financial Aid Guidelines (go to Health Professions or Nursing Programs, then to SDS), Program Information which includes Policy Memoranda, Low Income Levels, Program Application (SDS), Notice of Award, Program Reporting (AOR/FSR), etc.
In the near future you will be able to access previously released e-mail messages from the DSA Listserv. This information will be stored by the month the message was sent to the List. Watch for the link “DSA Listserv” on our site!
The Department will continue to conduct site visits periodically to ensure that schools are providing accurate information on SDS Applications. We appreciate your continued diligence in administering and managing the SDS Program. For additional information or technical support please contact Andrea Castle at (301) 443-1701, Pam Wellens at (301) 443-5168 or Angie Lacy at (301) 443-5353.
Mary W. Farrington
Associate Division Director
Office for Campus-Based Programs
Division of Student Assistance
Page 4 – Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
Checklist
for
SDS Application 2002-2003
New Eligibility Criteria for AY 2002-03 Application - Your school/program must have a program for recruiting and retaining disadvantaged students and meet the SDS eligibility criteria described below.
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds must comprise the following:
1) At least 10% of the total enrollment (full-time students) of your program (e.g., dentistry, baccalaureate nursing) during AY 2000-2001 (7/1/00-6/30/01).
2) At least 10% of the total graduates (who were full-time students) of your program during AY 2000 - 2001 (7/1/00-6/30/01).
In addition, in order to be eligible to receive SDS funding, a school must have economically disadvantaged students enrolled and graduated during AY 2000-01.
In completing the application, please use the data for the period of July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001, unless otherwise noted.
Collect data on the following:
1. Number of full-time students enrolled in your program (specific discipline for which your school is submitting the application for SDS funds) for AY 2000-01 (7/1/00 - 6/30/01) categorized by racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Categorize the student to the best of your knowledge under the following:
American Indian or Alaska Native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
Asian: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam.
Page 5 – Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
Asian Underrepresented: Any Asian other than Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Asian Indian or Thai. (i.e., Cambodian, Vietnamese, Malaysian) (Asian Underrepresented are counted also in the above group, Asian)
Black or African American: A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
Hispanic or Latino: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North America, the Middle East or North Africa.
2. Number of full-time students and full-time disadvantaged (environmentally and economically) students enrolled in your program for AY 2000-01 by class year. Collect class year data that is applicable to the length of your program. For example, if your program is a four-year program, provide number of full-time students and full-time disadvantaged students for each class year for four years.
Of the total number of full-time disadvantaged students, number who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in your program for AY 00-01. Use the new Alow-income level@ (attached for reference) which reflects 200% of the 1999 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines.
Note: School must provide number of economically disadvantaged students enrolled and graduated (see below) in order to be eligible to receive SDS funding.
3. Number of full-time students who are enrolled during AY 00-01 and have been or were participants of the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) or the Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Program (formerly Nursing Educational Opportunity Program (NEOP)). Provide numbers only if it is applicable.
4. Number of total full-time students and full-time disadvantaged (environmentally and economically) students graduated from your program during AY 00-01.
Page 6 – Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
Of the total number of full-time disadvantaged students graduated, number who were from economically disadvantaged backgrounds graduated from your program during AY 00-01. Use the new Alow-income levels@ (attached for reference) which reflects 200% of the 1999 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines.
Note: School must provide number of economically disadvantaged students enrolled and graduated in order to be eligible to receive SDS funding
5. Number of total graduates and graduates serving in Primary Care from Academic Year listed below. This is limited to the following disciplines only:
Allopathic Medicine/Osteopathic Medicine (Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, Osteopathic General Practice)
Dentistry (General Dentistry, General Public Health, Pediatric Dentistry)
Graduate Nursing (Midwifery, Nurse Practitioner)
Physician Assistants (Non-Specialized Practice)
For Allopathic/Osteopathic Medicine, use graduates from AY 96-97 (7/1/96-6/30/97), who were serving in primary care or completing a primary care residency during AY 00-01. In other words, use “Post Graduate Year (PGY) 4” data. For schools participating in the Primary Care Loan (PCL) program, the data your school provided on the Annual Operating Report (AOR) 2001 will be inserted on your application from the DSA database.
For Dentistry, Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistants, use graduates from AY 99- 00 (7/1/99-6/30/00) serving in primary care during AY 00-01.
6. Number of total graduates and graduates serving in Medically Underserved Communities (include number of graduates if serving residency in Medically Underserved Communities) from Academic Year listed below. This applies to all disciplines.
For Allopathic/Osteopathic Medicine, use graduates from AY 96-97 (7/1/96-6/30/97) serving in medically underserved communities during AY 00-01 (use PGY 4 data).
For the remaining disciplines, use graduates from AY 99-00 (7/1/99-6/30/00) serving in medically underserved communities during AY 00-01.
7. Name of Accrediting Body for your program and Expiration Date.
Page 7 – Campus-Based Policy Memorandum 2001-2
Low Income Level
for
SDS Application 2002-03
For the purpose of determining students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds for AY 2002-03 SDS Application, use the following income thresholds, which are based on 200 percent of the 1999 HHS poverty guidelines:
Size of parent's family 1/ Income level 2/
1----------------------------------------------$16,700
2----------------------------------------------$22,500
3----------------------------------------------$28,300
4----------------------------------------------$34,100
5----------------------------------------------$39,900
6 or more-------------------------------------$45,700
1/Includes parents and /or dependents listed on Federal income tax forms. (i.e., family size of 4 includes parents and 2 dependents)
“Parent’s family” means a student’s “parents”, even if a student is independent.
2/Adjusted gross income for calendar year 1999 rounded to nearest $100.
