Not the Administrator, not the Board

Use a committee of 3-5 to make tuition assistance decisions, (not the administrator and not the board).

In a recent survey we learned that it is not at all unusual for an administrator to make tuition assistance decisions on his/her own - and in many cases in the presence of the families. Let me say this nicely - that is not the most prudent course of action. The administrator who does this opens himself/herself up to potential complaints when families feel that there have been inequities - especially if the inequity means that they pay more than their friend pays.

It is much cleaner and more professional to utilize a committee to make these decisions. Then the administrator can distance himself or herself from the financial portion of the family's decision. Not only does this appear to be more professional to the families, it also relieves the administrator of one more task that he/she does not have to do.

In most schools it isn't too difficult to find 3-5 families who can make wise decisions and can keep a confidence. A good job description will go a long ways in spelling out your expectations. (CFAs' client manual includes a comprehensive job description that includes a list of what should be kept on file, and who should have access to those files.) If you feel more comfortable with a board presence, assign one board member to the committee - typically the board Treasurer.