New Mexico Official Athletic Site

Scholarships/Financial Aid

LOBO CLUB
Do you know how athletic scholarships are funded at UNM? The Lobo Club is the branch of the UNM Athletic Department responsible for raising funds for athletic scholarships at the University of New Mexico. Lobo Club members are investing in the futures of our student-athletes. They have helped create a tradition of success at UNM since 1932 and their contributions supply you, the student-athlete, with the tools you need to be successful both in the classroom and in competition.

Annual Membership Drive
Every spring, over 120 volunteers dedicate their time and energy to recruiting new and renewing current Lobo Club members during the annual campaign. The volunteers were able to secure nearly $2 million in cash and $1.5 million in gift-in-kind.

Student-Athlete Thank-a-Thon
In November, you will be asked to participate in the student-athlete thank-athon that takes place in the football press box. This event gives each studentathlete the chance to personally call Lobo Club members and thank them for supporting UNM Athletics.

The Lobo Club offices are located in the South Athletic Complex. If you meet someone who is interested in joining the Lobo Club, please have him or her call (505) 925-5014.

The Lobo Club wishes you success both academically and athletically during the upcoming year.

Athletically-Related Financial Aid

Period of Institutional Financial Aid Award/One-Year Limit
In accordance with NCAA Bylaw 15.3.3.1, athletically-related financial aid may not be awarded for a period in excess of one academic year.

Renewals and Non-Renewals of Athletically-Related Financial Aid
In accordance with NCAA Bylaw 15.3.5.1, the university must notify by July 1 each student-athlete who received athletically-related financial aid the previous academic year and who has eligibility remaining whether the grant has been renewed or not renewed for the ensuing academic year. If the university decides not to renew or decides to reduce financial aid for the ensuing academic year, the student-athlete is entitled to a hearing before the university?s regular financial aid authorities.

It is important to note that the renewal of athletically-related financial aid is not automatic and that, in accordance with NCAA rules, the decision to not renew financial aid may be made for any reason including those related to athletic ability.

Cancellation or Reduction during Period of Award
Institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability may be reduced or canceled during the period of the award (i.e., in the middle of a semester or academic year) if the recipient:

A. Renders himself or herself ineligible for intercollegiate competition; or

B. Fraudulently misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement; or

C. Engages in serious misconduct warranting substantial disciplinary penalty (including violation of team policies); or

D. Voluntarily withdraws from a sport at any time for personal reasons. In the event that a student-athlete?s athletically-related financial aid is canceled or reduced during the period of the award or at the end of the award period, the student- athlete will be provided written notice of the action and the student-athlete will be entitled to a hearing before the university?s regular financial aid authorities.

Contact Information: Student Financial Aid Office
Mesa Vista North
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505)277-9072 or (505)277-2041

A. Student Athlete meets with Financial Aid Office (ask for manager in charge of athletic awards):

a. Discuss hearing procedure/format.

i. Student Athlete is allowed to bring people to the hearing for support, help, guidance, etc. but only the Student Athlete is allowed to address the committee.

ii. Athletic department may include the coaching and administrative compliance staff.

b. Student Athlete provides a written statement requesting a hearing. c. Identify possible dates/times.

B. Financial Aid Office sets date/time for the hearing and informs the Student Athlete, Athletic Department, & Committee Members.

a. The committee is comprised of 3 student services-oriented staff. Depending on availability, this may include representatives from the Financial Aid Office, Admissions, Dean of Students, Recruitment, Registrars, Bursars, etc.

C. 3 business days before the hearing, the Student Athlete provides written statement/documentation to Financial Aid Office detailing his/her situation (why he/she feels the Grant-in-Aid should be reinstated; prior discussions with athletic staff; etc.)

D. 3 business days before the hearing, the Athletic Department provides written statement/documentation to Financial Aid Office detailing why the Grant-in- Aid was reduced or canceled.

E. 2 business days before the hearing, the Financial Aid Office provides copies of the written statements/documentation to Committee members for review prior to the hearing.

F. Hearing:

a. Financial Aid Office:

i. introductions

ii. review procedures

iii. continue to facilitate meeting

iv. notify participants of the committee?s decision

b. Student Athlete:

i. present his/her information

ii. committee may ask questions during the student?s presentation c. Athletics Department:

i. present information

ii. committee may ask questions during the department?s presentation d. Open floor to all participants.

e. The Student-Athlete and Athletics Department leave and the committee makes their decision.

f. Financial Aid Office notifies both the Student Athlete and Athletic Department, in writing, of the committee?s decision. The committee's decision is final.

BOOKS ON LOAN SCHOLARSHIP THREE EASY STEPS

Step One:
Pick up BOOK AUTHORIZATION FORM and/or books at the Athletic Book room (Johnson Center, rm. 1135). The book room is open from 8:30 a.m. to noon & 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Step Two:
The authorization form lists each class on your schedule and the books you need for those classes. Take it to the UNM Bookstore and: Pull books from the shelves, Give books and authorization form to the cashier. Your books will be charged to the Athletic Department. YOU NEED A PICTURE ID TO USE YOUR AUTHORIZATION FORM AT THE BOOKSTORE. MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BOOKS LISTED ON THE FORM AND ONLY THOSE BOOKS.

What if the books on the authorization form are different then the ones required on the syllabus?
Bring the books back to the bookstore within the return time and then take your syllabus to the Bookroom to get a new authorization form.

What if I need readings from Kinko?s or Alphagraphics?
Purchase what you need and bring the receipt to the Athletic Bookroom where you can get a reimbursement request. You take the request to the UNM Bursar's Office for cash reimbursement.

What if a book is late arriving at the bookstore?
You may get a new authorization form from the Athletic Bookroom each time you return to the UNM Bookstore.

What if I buy a book then drop the course?
For Fall and Spring semesters, return your books to the UNM Bookstore by the end of the third week of classes with the original receipt. If the three weeks have passed, return your books to the Bookroom. For the summer session, return your books to the UNM Bookstore by the end of the first week of classes. After the first week, return your books to the Bookroom. If you've signed up for a new class, stop by the Bookroom for a new authorization form.

Step Three:
Return all books to the Bookroom at the end of each semester. BOOKS MUST BE RETURNED BY THE FRIDAY AFTER THE END OF FINALS WEEK.
If you don't, terrible things will happen. (No future registration, no transcripts, no checks and you WILL be charged for any books not returned or accounted for by their proper due date). Never leave books in the hallway or on someone's desk with a note. The Bookroom is not responsible for any lost or stolen books. It is the student-athlete's responsibility to review all book returns with the Bookroom's employee to ensure that all books have been returned or accounted for.

MOUNTAIN WEST SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FUND
A special assistance fund has been set up through the Mountain West Conference for student-athletes who receive a Pell grant or for International students who still have unmet needs as determined by the International Admissions Office. Domestic students must have applied for a Pell grant using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a completed file in the financial aid office. This fund is limited and will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis.

This fund is set up to help students pay for the following:

Medical and dental (non-cosmetic only) expenses*
(Except those covered by institutional, personal or any other insurance policy)
(Expenses for family members are not permitted)

Hearing aid*

Vision therapy (contact lenses/eyeglasses)*

Off-campus psychological counseling*

Travel expenses for parents and/or students-athletes for family emergencies*

Purchase for expendable course supplies
(required for all students in the course)*

Rental of non-expendable course supplies
(required for all students in the course)*

Clothing, shoes and other essential expenses (maximum of $ 500 per year)
(Receipts required for all requests that exceed $ 200)*

*Written receipts required

Those wishing to apply or need further information regarding the special assistance fund should contact David Flores, 277-6479 in the Compliance Office in Johnson Center.

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS AT UNM
To start applying for financial aid, a student must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Priority deadline for financial aid is March 1. This puts the student in the pool for the following programs:

1.) Workstudy

2.) Pell Grant

3.) Direct Loans

4.) Perkins loan

5.) LEAP (formerly the State Student Incentive Grant)

Additional documentation may be required and will be requested directly from the financial aid office. Respond immediately to any additional document requests from the Student Financial Aid Office. Include your name, Social Security number and e-mail address (if you have one) on all documents you submit to the Financial Aid Office.

Should you have any questions regarding your financial aid file, you may contact them at 277-2041. You may also check the status of your file through I-TEL UNM.

How will your financial aid be disbursed to you?
Any amount owed to UNM will be deducted from the first payment of student financial aid you receive. If your financial aid is insufficient to pay the total amount owed, you are responsible for the balance due.

Student financial aid is credited to your UNM account beginning the first day of each semester. If your financial aid is greater than the amount owed the University, you will be able to pick up a check from the Cashier's Office. Prior to the beginning of each semester, the Bursar's Office publishes a disbursement schedule, according to Social Security number, for the first week of classes. After the first week of classes, students may pick up their financial aid checks anytime, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. If you do not pick up your refund, it will be mailed to you, so it is important that you check with UNM's Records Office to be sure they have your correct address.

If you will be enrolled for Fall and Spring semesters, and have been awarded grants, one-half of your total grant award will be credited to your account in the Fall and one-half will be credited to your account in the Spring, if your enrollment level is the same for each semester. If you will be enrolled for Summer semester, and have been awarded a Pell Grant, a pro-rated portion of your total Pell Grant award will be credited to your account in the Summer.

If you have been awarded a Perkins, NDSL, or Nursing Loan, and will be enrolled Fall and Spring semesters, one-half of your total award will be credited to your account in the Fall and one-half in the Spring, if your enrollment level is the same for each semester.

Academic Scholarships
If you have been awarded a renewable scholarship, it is important that you become familiar with the requirements for continuation of your scholarship. Please refer to the UNM Scholarship Office?s WEB site for detailed information. The WEB address is: http://www.unm.edu/~schol/schol.html. If you have questions or wish additional information regarding your scholarship(s), please contact the Scholarship Office at 505/277-6090 or email them at schol@unm.edu.

The Bridge to Success and the Lottery scholarship are housed in the financial aid office NOT in the scholarship office. Should you have questions about either one, please call 277-2041.

Bridge to Success Award
This is a one-semester, $1,000.00 award which is funded by UNM for a freshman student's first semester at UNM. The award is a "Bridge" to the New Mexico Lottery Success Scholarship.

In order to be eligible for the Bridge to Success Award, students must be:

1. enrolled full-time (12 hours) at UNM for their first semester;

2. a graduate of a public or accredited private New Mexico high school with a 2.5 grade point average, or have received a NM GED since December 1998;

3. a New Mexico resident;

4. a U. S. citizen or permanent resident alien; and

5. enrolled in a degree-granting program at UNM.

Students may not receive this award in addition to other scholarships which cover tuition. The intention of this award is to provide funds of $1,000.00 of a qualified student's first semester tuition at UNM, but no more than $1,000.00. Students who receive other scholarships may be awarded additional support for such things as fees and books (sometimes a room and board allowance). However, no student may receive more than one tuition payment.

The Bridge to Success Award is made on the basis of the information about each student which is on record at UNM at the time of the student's admission. There is no formal application required. Changes in or corrections to this information may result in a change in the individual student's award status.

While on the Bridge to Success Scholarship, the recipient must successfully complete at least 12 credit hours with a 2.5 GPA to qualify to receive the Lottery Success Scholarship Spring semester, 2004. There is no exception to this rule.

IMPORTANT Classes taken for CR/NC (credit/no credit) are not calculated into the grade point average. Therefore, it is important, if you are taking some classes for a letter grade and some classes for CR/NC, that the GPA for the classes you are taking for a letter grade is at least a 2.5. DO NOT COUNT ON CLASSES TAKEN FOR CR/NC TO BRING UP YOUR GPA! THEY WON?T!

New Mexico Lottery Success Scholarship
The New Mexico Lottery Success Scholarship is a state-funded tuition scholarship for New Mexico high school graduates attending public, post-secondary institutions of higher education in New Mexico. It was created by the State Legislature and funded from lottery revenues with the intention of making a higher education more accessible to graduates of NM high schools. During the student's second semester at UNM, this scholarship may be awarded to a New Mexico resident who:

1. is a US citizen or permanent resident alien;

2. is a New Mexico high school graduate (public or accredited private school or NM GED);

3. has met the admission requirements and is accepted for enrollment as a student at UNM;

4. has been enrolled in a degree-seeking program at UNM during the first regular semester immediately following graduation from a NM high school or receipt of a NM GED; and

5. has obtained at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and successfully completed a minimum of 12 credit hours by the end of their first semester at UNM. Students may receive the Lottery Success Scholarship for up to 8 consecutive regular semesters or until graduation, whichever is sooner. The scholarship is not available for summer sessions. To continue receiving the Lottery Success Scholarship, a student must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Currently, the scholarship covers full-time cost of tuition. Fees are not included. Future awards are dependent on the amount of lottery revenue available for the program and any future action by the State Legislature.

Students may not receive the Lottery Scholarship in addition to other tuition scholarships. The intention of the law is to provide public funds for up to 100% of a student?s tuition, but not more than 100%. At UNM, the Lottery Success Scholarship will fund tuition for eligible students. Students who receive other scholarships may be awarded additional support for such things as fees and books (sometimes a room and board allowance). However, no student may receive more than one tuition payment.

IMPORTANT Classes taken for CR/NC (credit/no credit) are not calculated into the grade point average. Therefore, it is important, if you are taking some classes for a letter grade and some classes for CR/NC, that the GPA for the classes you are taking for a letter grade be at least a 3.0. DO NOT COUNT ON CLASSES TAKEN FOR CR/NC TO BRING UP YOUR GPA!

UNM BILLING PROCEDURES
As a squad member of an athletic team, all financial assistance other than money from a parent or guardian must be reported to the Associate Athletic Director or the Compliance Office to ensure that the student-athlete and their team's eligibility will not be jeopardized. Other financial assistance includes scholarships, grants, loans, monetary gifts, and EMPLOYMENT.

Attached is a sample copy of a UNM student account statement. All studentathletes will be billed each month for any outstanding balances on their account and ?future due? amounts will be included in these statements. Student-athletes who are receiving full or partial scholarships may subtract the amount of athletic aid they will receive for Fall 2003 from the ?future due? amount, because they are not responsible for paying that amount.

Returning student-athletes who have been awarded athletic grant-in-aid for the 2003/2004 academic year should have received their financial award letters from the Financial Aid Office. The amount listed for Fall ?03 (i.e. tuition and/or room and board) is the amount they may subtract from their future due. If any returning student-athletes have not received their financial aid agreement letters, they should contact Janice Ruggiero at Athletic Advisement immediately.

If there are charges listed on their account statements for parking tickets, library fees, special course fees, or housing charges/damages, etc, the student is responsible for the charges. The student should pay the current amount due by the specified due date or they will receive a penalty charge and a bursar?s hold will be placed on the student's account.