DESIGN FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

For our current project, my group is focusing on financial aid issues that many student face here at ODU. Problems and issues concerning financial aid for higher education is something a lot of students here face, and something that a lot of other students at other colleges and universities all over the country face. Here is a sort of outline of what our group is focussing on:

What we need: Financial Aid Reform

Where we need it: ODU

Why we need it: Financial Aid for higher education is something that weighs on the minds of the majority of our students. Retention is down while tuition is up

How we are going to get it: Letting students know that their peers are facing the same financial problems that they are through a poster campaign, and petitions aimed at the financial aid office and policies. Our goal is to create an organization that will act as a peaceful and rational liaison between the student body and the University.


My group has decided to create and distribute a survey here on campus to get a better feel for how the vast majority of students at ODU feel about financial aid. Some of our questions will include:

1. On a scale of 1-10 (1being not worried and 10 being always worried) How much do you worry about being able to pay your college tuition? Either during your college education or after you have graduated.

2. How do you pay for your college tuition at present? (eg. Loans, Grants, Parents, yourself)

3. Have you ever talked to anyone in the ODU Financial Aid office? If yes how was your experience

4. Do you have an off campus job to help pay for tuition?

5. Do you have an on campus job to help pay for tuition?