[BFET] Question: 7 Business Days for PR Signatures

[Biros, Demetra]

HI Brian,
A message has been sent out to the SBCTC regarding some of our concerns related to the new PR process. We have not received a response to our email, but I was told in person that the new PR process would be put on hold until input from the colleges could be provided, some of our questions could be answered, and the details worked out. I'm disappointed to hear that the new BFET Provider's Handbook has been released with these changes before the colleges have had a chance to provide input.

The PR process that each of our colleges use related to book purchases was originally discussed extensively with a team of college staff, SBCTC, and DSHS.  We decided together what would work best for our colleges, our students, and BFET policy. The new process has not been discussed with the colleges.

So, to answer your question, I do not have a suggestion for moving forward without compromising level of service to the student participants.  First, the questions that we have related to the new policy have not been answered yet (at the webinar there was no mention of a 7 day requirement, for example). Second, I believe that the new PR policy will substantially compromise the level of service to our student participants and increase the amount of administrative burden on each of our programs/staff.

Thanks for your email; it helps us to all understand where we are at with this conversation.

Demetra Biros
Director of Workforce Development
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
425-739-8315
Demetra.Biros at lwtech.edu<mailto:Demetra.Biros at lwtech.edu>

From: BFET [mailto:bfet-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Brian Johnson
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2018 3:08 PM
To: bfet at lists.ctc.edu
Subject: [BFET] Question: 7 Business Days for PR Signatures

Hi,

At Bellingham Technical College, we have used Canvas to allow students participating in BFET to be able to submit requests for books and supplies to our Workforce Funding office online.  They have been able to place this request up to several weeks before the start of each new quarter (which tends to be when most of these kind of requests are needed).

Once the Canvas request has been made and we confirm eligibility, we at that time have been generating a paper PR (Participant Reimbursement) form based on the submitted request.  We then keep that paper PR form on file in the Workforce Funding Office until the student comes into the office to sign it in person.  This has the benefit of allowing students to prepare for their quarter in advance, so that they can feel comfortable knowing they will receive their books at quarter start.  It also helps us in processing a large number of PR's.

However, with the switch to EJAS PRs, the guidance from the new BFET provider's handbook revised October 2018 p. 14 indicates that seven business days is the maximum timeframe for having participants sign PR's.

[cid:image001.jpg at 01D4617C.3AAB4990]
Evidently the intent of the PR has always been that the student sign at the time that the PR is made.  Does anyone else have a similar issue or suggestion for moving forward without compromising level of service to the student participants?

Thank you.

[cid:image003.jpg at 01D4617C.3D976D00]<https://www.btc.edu/>Brian L. Johnson
Interim Director
Workforce Funding and Student Support
Bellingham Technical College<http://www.btc.edu/>
3028 Lindbergh Ave | Bellingham, WA 98225-1599
Call: 360.752.8463 | Office: College Services 101B

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