| Although financial aid processing is specified in state and federal law, financial aid offices are given a great deal of flexibility in how they implement those regulations. Moreover, financial aid offices at the California community colleges vary widely in terms of size, staffing level, and administrative support. The purpose of the present study is to relate financial aid office differences to the enrollment, retention, and success of California community college financial aid students.; The results of the Financial Aid Administrative Capacity Survey, administered to all 108 California community colleges in Spring 2002, and California Community College Chancellor's Office MIS data on enrollment, retention, and success for the 2001/02 school year were analyzed using a stepwise regression model. Descriptive statistics regarding the California community college financial aid offices are reported along with factors that were found to have an effect on the enrollment rate, retention, and success of California community college financial aid students.; Important factors were as follows. Enrollment rate: the chief financial aid administrator having a business background (negative relation); Pell Grant percent of total students, an SES measure; total applications processed, a workload measure (negative relation); and overall level of verification (negative relation). Financial aid student retention: the chief financial aid director being at the dean level, having one of the large computer systems (negative relation), needing staff training (negative relation), and needing staff upgrade (negative relation). Financial aid student success: having one of the large computer systems (negative relation); needing to upgrade staff (negative relation); and zero EFCs as a percents of enrollment, an SES measure (negative relation).; Policy implications at the both the individual college and the state level are discussed. Major recommendations include: more fully integrating financial aid offices into the college administrative structure including having the chief financial aid administer report to a vice president, advocating for financial aid students to reduce the stigma attached to receiving aid, mandating minimum financial aid staffing levels, establishing minimum chief financial aid administrator position levels with a consideration for college and financial aid program size, and mandate initial and yearly financial aid staff training requirements. |
