[nfbmi-talk] College Policy

Thu May 20 20:54:46 UTC 2010

Hello List,

I have been informed that the attachment from my last message may not have gone through, so I am resending it as well as posting it at at the bottem of this message for those of you who did not receive it.

Elizabeth

----

MCB COLLEGE AND OTHER POSTSECONDARY TRAINING

A. Purpose

The mission of the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) is to provide opportunities to individuals who are blind and visually impaired to achieve competitive employment and function independently. We believe that all blind and visually impaired individuals have the capacity to live up to their fullest potential and be active members of society. 

The Michigan Commission for the blind believes rehabilitation is a cooperative venture between the agency and the individual, with the individual having primary responsibility for personal successes and failures, and each individual is different with different strengths, weaknesses, interests and aptitudes which require vocational rehabilitation counseling, planning and training specific to individual needs. 

It is recommended that students keep an on-going dialog with their counselor to ensure that their individual needs are met throughout the rehabilitation process. Students are also encouraged to advocate for themselves through due process if they are not satisfied with any decision that is made by any member of the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

B. Provision for Services 

A student shall demonstrate his or her ability to participate in a college or other postsecondary training program that will result in competitive employment.

Procedure:

1. Students must participate in a college assessment to ensure that they have the skills necessary for college participation. Students must demonstrate competent skill levels in the areas of technology, communication, note taking, traveling, and independent living. If students cannot successfully demonstrate competent skill levels in these areas, they will work with their counselor to receive additional training at the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training center or another qualified vocational training center consistent with the individuals informed choice.

2. Students will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of their chosen vocational goal through a written report with the help and guidance of their counselor. Items in this report should include a description of the vocational goal, qualifications necessary to obtain the vocational goal, and reasons for choosing the vocational goal. Examples of research for this report include job shadowing, mentoring, labor market analysis, and volunteer or paid work experience.

3. Students must present their counselor with a letter of acceptance to an accredited institution recognized by the United States Department of Education along with a curriculum outlining their program of study. Students should consider the advantages and disadvantages of attending a four-year university, a community college, and a vocational training program or trade school when deciding on an institution of higher learning. However, the student’s final decision shall be honored by the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

4. The Michigan Commission for the Blind and each state-sponsored university or college in Michigan have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which defines the responsibilities of the university or college and the Michigan Commission for the Blind. Prior to the student’s participation in any college program or Post-secondary training, the Michigan Commission for the Blind will explain the contents of the Memorandum of Understanding to determine which entity should provide the student with specific accommodations. When there is a dispute over which entity will provide the necessary accommodations, the Michigan Commission for the Blind will be responsible for providing the accommodation until the dispute is resolved. The student shall not be held responsible for failing or incomplete grades if either the Michigan Commission for the Blind or the educational institution fails to provide the accommodations necessary for the student to succeed. 

C. Duration of Training

Students are encouraged to complete their college program or post-secondary training as a full time student as defined by the educational institution. However, individual time frames will be determined on a case-by-case basis between the student and his or her counselor.

Procedure:

1. Michigan Commission for the Blind financial participation will be limited to one associate's degree, one bachelor's degree, and one advanced degree. Students who complete an associate's degree may continue to pursue a bachelor's degree after completing their associate's degree. Students who complete a bachelor's degree may continue to pursue an advanced degree only if they are not able to achieve their vocational goal with a bachelor's degree.

2. The Michigan Commission for the Blind understands that in some cases it may not be possible for a student to take a full load of classes. Special consideration will be given to students who work part-time, have a secondary disability, or have some other special circumstance that prevents them from taking a full load of classes. However, it is important to ensure that time extensions do not interfere with the requirements of the student's educational program.

D. Financial Aid

The Michigan Commission for the Blind will provide financial assistance for college and other post-secondary training after all other financial resources and comparable benefits have been exhausted.

Procedure:

1. Comparable services and benefits refer to any appropriate service, financial benefit, or assistance available to a consumer to meet, in whole or in part, the cost of vocational rehabilitation services. For the purposes of this definition, comparable benefits do not include Social Security benefits, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI); and unrestricted scholarships and awards based on merit. However, merit scholarships designated for a particular college cost must be used according to the guidelines of the scholarship.

2. All financial aid, grants, and stipends received by a student administered through the student's college or university, employer benefits, workers compensation, or similar public benefits will be applied to tuition, books, supplies, and maintenance. 
3. Students requesting college sponsorship must apply for federal financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and submit a copy of their financial award letter to their counselor no later than one month before the beginning of the semester. Students who fail to meet this deadline will be considered for sponsorship the following semester.

4. If a consumer is in default of a student loan, no financial aid, including Pell Grants, will be available to the consumer. The Michigan Commission for the Blind is prohibited from paying for any training or related services at an institution of higher education for an individual who owes a refund on a grant or is in default of a student loan unless the individual makes maximum effort to resolve the default as defined under the guidelines of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

5. The Michigan Commission for the Blind will sponsor students at out-of-state and private institutions at the same rate of a comparable program in an amount no greater than the highest tuition rate for Michigan residents attending a state-supported college or university in Michigan. Training at an institution outside the United States (study abroad) may be sponsored as a part of an approved course of study by an accredited educational institution. The rates for a study abroad program will not exceed the highest tuition rate for a comparable program sponsored by a state-supported college or university in Michigan. 

6. Students will be encouraged to pay the cost of application fees and entrance exams. However, the Michigan Commission for the Blind may provide assistance for seeking alternative financial resources to help cover the cost of application fees and entrance exams. When appropriate, the Michigan Commission for the Blind will pay for the cost of preparation classes or materials for entrance exams. The Michigan Commission for the Blind will also assist with the cost of professional certification exams and fees.

7. The Michigan Commission for the Blind may provide rehabilitation technology and reader services as a part of a student’s Individualized Plan for Employment. The Michigan Commission for the Blind will be responsible for providing these services when they cannot be provided by the educational institution.

8. The Michigan Commission for the Blind will sponsor the costs associated with living on campus including meal plans and room and board based on double occupancy.  Students who do not choose to live in the housing provided by the college or university may receive assistance from the Michigan Commission for the Blind. This assistance shall not exceed the rate of the housing provided by the college or university, or the amount of the highest housing rate for Michigan residents attending a state-supported college or university in Michigan.

9. Students who require additional financial assistance will be encouraged to apply for Social Security benefits including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI. Students may also be eligible to receive maintenance from the Michigan Commission for the Blind to help cover the costs of participating in specific rehabilitation services. Students who wish to receive maintenance will be required to create a budget outlining the need for additional financial assistance. 

E. Academic Progress

All undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, or "C" average. In some cases, students may be required to maintain a higher grade point average depending on the academic program. In all cases, students must report their final grades to their counselor within two weeks after the end of each semester.

Procedures:

1. Students will follow the requirements of an academic curriculum approved by their educational institution unless exceptions are approved by both the academic program and the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

2. Students may be placed on probationary status if their grade point average falls below the 2.0 or “C” average, receive a failing or incomplete grade, or if they drop a class after the Michigan Commission for the Blind has already paid for the class. In the case of an incomplete grade, students must resolve the incomplete grade during the next semester. Following the semester when any of these situations occur, students will be given a grace period of one semester to correct these deficiencies. While students are on academic probation, the Michigan Commission for the Blind will assist students by exploring resources to help them retain or reestablish their sponsorship. 

3. When a student has failed or dropped a class after the Michigan Commission for the Blind has paid for the class, the student will be required to contribute the amount paid by the Michigan Commission for the Blind. However, the student shall not be responsible for submitting this contribution if either the Michigan Commission for the Blind or the educational institution has failed to provide a necessary accommodation for the successful completion of the class. In the event that a student is required to pay this contribution, they must arrange to pay for the contribution before the beginning of the next semester.

F. Advanced Degrees 

The sponsorship of an advanced degree by the Michigan Commission for the Blind will be limited to students who cannot obtain competitive employment with a bachelor's degree, or when they are included as a part of a student’s Individualized Plan for Employment before the completion of an undergraduate degree.

Procedure:

1. In addition to the procedures listed under the undergraduate degree sponsorship, students seeking an advanced degree must maintain an acceptable grade point average as defined under the standards for their academic program. If the student’s grade point average falls below this level, their sponsorship by the Michigan Commission for the Blind will be suspended until they are able to bring their cumulative grade point average back up to the standards set forth by the academic program.

_________________________________________________________________
The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox.
http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_3
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MCB College Policy DRAFT 05-20-2010 my way.doc
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 44032 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20100520/9d4c5ee8/attachment.obj>