Appeals for Additional Assistance

Financial Appeal Procedures

The Federal Student Handbook published by the Department of Education states the following:  “The law governing FSA [Federal Student Aid] programs is based on the premise that the family is the first source of the student’s support, and the law provides several criteria that decide if the student is considered independent of his/her parents for aid eligibility.  Note that a student reaching the age of 18 or 21 or living apart from his/her parents does not affect his/her dependency status.” (Application and Verification Guide, 2008-2009, AVG-22)

An appeal is an important document.  The appeal is intended to accommodate extraordinary, mitigating or unusual circumstances (i.e., severe health issues, serious accidents, unemployment, loss of a parent, etc). Technically, it is an earnest, focused and documented request for increased financial assistance in the event. 

The procedure for submitting and reviewing all financial appeals is as follows:

 1.   An appeal is a formal letter usually submitted by a student or parent addressed to the Financial Appeals Committee and sent directly to:

Maria Barlaam
Director of Financial Affairs
Manhattanville College
2900 Purchase Street
Purchase, NY  10577
barlaamm@mville.edu

2.   The Director of Financial Aid convenes the Financial Appeals Committee on a monthly basis.  The Committee is comprised of: Vice President of Enrollment Management; Vice President of Student Development; Director of Financial Aid; Director of Residence Life; and Dean of Students

3.   When reviewing appeals the Committee takes into consideration a number of factors and, thus, consults with other campus offices as needed (e.g., Academic Advising).  All decisions are made with the student’s overall best interest in mind; not only financial.

4.   The Committee takes all requests very seriously.  It conducts a thorough investigation of the facts and assesses academic, social and judicial factors, as well, before rendering a decision.  Final decisions rest with the Committee and all decisions are final.

5.   In certain circumstances a letter of appeal may be re-submitted after one semester if there is any change in financial circumstances or new information comes to light.

6.   The Committee is not obliged to provide detailed information regarding the reasons for its decision

Please refer to the document “Composing a Financial Appeal Letter” for more detailed information before you begin the process.