What I would like to add is that hence all schools should comply with the same regulations, governing bodies, which usually have a pier review, should be responsible and diligent to review schools by interpreting the regulations commensurate to the school size. Sometimes, piers review schools of much smaller scale and expect the small school to comply at the level of a larger school. Compliance sometimes is not as objective; regulations are sometimes vague and it is left to the interpretation of the reader, therefore there are always different ways to comply with a requirement depending on the situation or school size.
Shannon - This is good to hear. A lot of people from smaller schools have indicated shortage of staff, time, etc. I think either way - small or large - it's important to ensure there are enough resources to maintain the proper level of control.
Larger schools with multiple campuses do have corporate staff that are available to assist; however, I don't see this as an ufair advantage. It easier to keep small schools compliant because there is less room for error and it is easier to maintain tighter control.
Excellent point, Patricia. Establishing a habit is part of creating the compliant culture and it is easier to stay on top of things when the school size is small. However, some feedback I have received is that the small schools have challenges due to limited staffing to get things done in a timely manner when they are wearing multiple hats. Any suggestions from anyone out there on how to handle the broader responsibilities that typically come with being in a small school environment?
I believe that small schools should be subject to regulatory requirements as a large school. Schools have to look ahead at their growth potential. It is easier to get into the habit of doing things "by the book" from the beginning rather that change later on.
Jane - My personal opinion is that all schools should maintain standards of compliance. But, to your point, large school systems have different staffing resources to fulfill internal audit and compliance responsibilities. Having worked at a variety of sizes of schools, I have seen different task assignments to achieve compliant operations. Specifically, I have seen compliance responsibilities shared between heads of financial aid and academics or divided in a manner suitable for the particular method of operations. Some schools use some method of outsourcing to support compliance efforts - either by having a third party FA servicer to ensure compliance with relevant DOE regulations. Others hire a consultant to conduct internal reviews and/or to assist with external communications/submissions/reports for the myriad of regulatory bodies. I am convinced that if schools have a strong registrar in the academics area and a solid head of financial aid, those two roles can drive and maintain a compliant institution, regardless of the size.
