By J.D. Rottweiler, Ph.D.
Cochise College financial aid and transfer metrics may never have been as exciting as when Dr. Verlyn Fick, vice president for instruction/provost, presented these topics at the October Governing Board meeting.
Financial aid has changed significantly since Verlyn began his career in academia, and recent changes at the federal level, as well as diligent adherence to high standards by the college’s Financial Aid Office, under the direction of Karen Emmer, are helping Cochise College students succeed.
Of 67 Arizona community colleges, universities, and private institutions, Cochise College had the sixth lowest default rate on student loans for the 2013 cohort. Its rate was better than those of the three public universities; the next community college on the list ranked 39th. Cochise’s 5.2 percent rate was down from 9.6 percent for the 2012 cohort. Defaulted loans harm the financial future of students. Schools with a default rate of 30 or higher find themselves under scrutiny, which may harm their ability to offer federal financial aid. Our Financial Aid Office protects students’ financial futures, generally advising them to make calculated choices about the finances they already have or can access. In addition, the Financial Aid Office, in partnership with USA Funds, provides opportunities to offer life skills training for students and a mentoring program. The Financial Aid Office implemented a system to help students complete without exceeding federal aid regulations, and educated college and high school personnel and the greater community about the impact of default rates on schools. In just a few years, the Cochise College default rate dropped while the graduation rate increased.
Studies have shown that community college graduates are as likely or more likely to be successful at the university level as native students who begin their studies at the universities. According to recent information, Cochise College students are proving this to be true. The percent of new Cochise College transfers who graduated within two years from an Arizona public university rose from 20 percent for the class of 2007 to 26.7 percent for the class of 2013. In fact, for the Cochise College class of 2012, 53.4 percent of transfers had earned a university degree within three years of transfer, and 64.5 percent earned it within four years of transfer. These percentages are equal to or greater than the state average.
There’s even better news related to Cochise College minority transfer students, whose university graduation rates are equal to or greater than the state average. In fact, Cochise College minority transfers graduate at a higher rate than their non-minority counterparts. The is no achievement gap on this metric. Cochise has always served and treasured our very diverse student population, so we’re pleased to have helped make this possible.
The team of faculty and staff working with students here at Cochise College leads Arizona in these areas, and the college continues to raise the bar, as well as to be an incredible return on investment for both students and the citizens of Cochise County.
J.D. Rottweiler is president of Cochise College. Contact him at jdr@cochise.edu.