School leaders: Federal aid simplification process denting Sauk enrollment numbers

DIXON — The Sauk Valley Community College Board of Trustees heard a presentation Monday night from Director of Research and Planning Aaron Roe and Dean of Students Joe Strabala-Bright about summer and fall enrollment data and the fiasco created nationwide with the rollout of the simplification process for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Roe explained that fall enrollment is down as a result of the time it takes for an application to be processed; some students have become frustrated and just given up.

To assist students in the next two weeks, representatives from SVCC’s financial aid office will be on hand at three libraries, including Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon, to help students through the online process of filling out their financial aid paperwork. Dates and times will be announced.

Bright remarked that the back-end errors of the new system are slowly being fixed. He’s optimistic that it could be at full working order in the next month.

In other news, two new faculty members were approved by the board. Evan Hunziker will become an assistant professor II of mathematics beginning Aug. 9. Mandy Aldridge was hired as the director of admissions and academic advising, effective July 22.

SVCC President David Hellmich advised everyone present that the fiscal 2025 tentative budget is available for review and will be on public display in the business office and the learning commons for 30 days. The board will hold a public hearing for the budget at 6 p.m. Aug. 26 in SVCC’s Riverview Conference Room.