Navigating the complexities of Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) regulations can be a major undertaking for any higher education institution. The challenge seemed particularly daunting for the City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s largest urban university system with 25 campuses and hundreds of thousands of students. Faced with what could have been a “data nightmare,” CUNY partnered with the National Student Clearinghouse to streamline the process and ensure CUNY’s compliance.
“I was initially overwhelmed by the amount of labor involved in compiling the data records,” said Lucy R. McIntyre, CUNY Deputy Director and Compliance Officer, reflecting on her first reaction to the FVT/GE regulations. The sheer volume of data required, coupled with the complexity of retrieving and formatting it, presented a significant challenge. Recognizing the potential for administrative overload, CUNY turned to the Clearinghouse to leverage the organization’s compliance services.
This partnership proved to be a game-changer. Rather than having to build a system from scratch, CUNY was able to use the Clearinghouse’s FVT/GE reporting solution.
CUNY followed the Clearinghouse’s guidance, participated in its webinars, and adhered to its data formatting and reporting instructions, McIntyre reported. While the Clearinghouse handled a substantial portion of the work, CUNY still faced a considerable task in compiling the remaining data. The sheer scale of CUNY’s data — encompassing nearly a million student records — meant that even a small percentage of manual data compilation required significant manpower.
“The Clearinghouse did 90% of the work. But even with the 10% of work that we did have, it was immensely labor intensive,” explained McIntyre, “and we would not have been able to accomplish the 10% required on our end without the collaboration and support from the Clearinghouse.”
McIntyre described the partnership between CUNY and the Clearinghouse as one of close collaboration and constant communication. CUNY staff worked closely with a dedicated Clearinghouse team, exchanging emails, participating in calls, and troubleshooting issues as they arose. “The Clearinghouse’s responsiveness and willingness to address unexpected challenges proved invaluable,” McIntyre shared.
While the future of the FVT/GE regulations is uncertain, McIntyre emphasized that the importance of using data to demonstrate the value of higher education is not going away. “As regulations evolve and transparency becomes increasingly crucial, institutions must be able to showcase student outcomes and program effectiveness effectively. Data-driven decision-making and strategic partnerships, like the one between CUNY and the Clearinghouse, will be essential for navigating the changing landscape of higher education.”
CUNY’s proactive approach and commitment to data integrity position them well for whatever lies ahead. Their partnership with the Clearinghouse ensured compliance and provided valuable insights into the power of data in demonstrating the value of a CUNY education. This success underscores the partnership’s positive impact on CUNY’s ability to meet the challenges of FVT/GE compliance.
Learn more about the Clearinghouse’s compliance solutions.
