Overview

From time to time, the NSPA Exchange updates the prescriptive guidance it provides to Data Team members. These updates typically go out in a communiqué called a Data Team Bulletin. These notes are sent to current team members via email but are preserved here for reference. We’re making the information publicly available in the event that consumers and providers of NSPA Exchange data find it useful.

Contents

Bulletins

Bulletin No. 3 (October 2021)

Program Self-Descriptions

Program Self-Descriptions should be copied into the Exchange only if they support our work for entering the programs (i.e., if it contains relevant scholarship information such as eligibility criteria).

If the description includes a bulleted list, please make sure to enter them similar to how they appear in the ECD (i.e., a hyphen followed by a space). The Exchange doesn’t recognize bulleted lists copied directly from a website, and the results can appear a bit wonky.

Relevant To:

• Core Data Entry

• Re-Check

Action Requested:

• Copy & paste the description from the organization’s website if not currently entered in the Exchange.

• Format bulleted lists per Exchange hyphen-space style.

• During Recheck, update the description if needed.

• Do not copy the self-description if it does not contain useful eligibility criteria or other data points.

Award Tyle and Duration Years

We recently refined the details for entering the Award Type and Duration Years. The rules that follow sum up our current guidelines:

• One-time. Easy.

  • For this type of award, the system will not offer the option to select the “Duration Years.”

• Multiyear. Enter the span of years the scholarship is provided.

  • Enter multiple years including the initial award year.

  • If the program is for an associate degree, enter 2 years.

  • If the program is for a bachelor’s degree, enter 4 years.

• Renewable. Enter the number of years a student could re-apply for the scholarship.

  • Enter multiple years excluding the initial award year.

  • For associate degrees, enter 1 year for renewing (meaning the student would be able to apply 1 additional time after the initial award).

  • For bachelor’s degrees, enter 3 years for renewing (meaning the student would be able to reapply 3 additional times after the initial award).

Note: Always follow the NSPA Guidelines for the number of years a program can be renewed
regardless of what is stated on the organization’s website

Relevant To:

• Core Data Entry

• QA

• Re-Check

Action Requested:

• Enter or update Award Type per rules above.

• Enter or update Award Duration per rules above.

Bulletin No. 2 (October 2021)

HBCU Coding

Each year we review the official list of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) published by the U.S. Department of Education. The list was updated in 2021 and now includes 102 institutions. 

Relevant To:

• Eligibility Criteria Coding

• QA

• Re-Check

Action Requested:

• Use the latest templates (referenced below) when coding new programs.

• When re-checking and QA-ing existing programs, re-import the school list for previously HBCU code programs

Additional Information & Reference:

We have two templates to assist in coding HBCUs. The templates are accessible in the Admin Site. The templates can be used for both Eligibility Criteria and Preference Criteria and will populate the coding under the categories of College Attendance and Current School with all relevant HBCUs.

• TEMPLATE – Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU)

• TEMPLATE – Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) - 4-year schools (New!)

The latter template is new this year and does not include 2-year colleges.

Bulletin No. 1

This mythical bulletin was issued who-knows-when, and regarded who-knows-what. Spooky!