After a year of promoting the money management site, COCC has only signed up 13 percent of students.
Despite low enrollment numbers, Central Oregon Community College is still promoting its partnership with the financial assistance program SALT.
SALT is a website that offers students resources to help them organize their finances, such as blog entries about money management, budgeting calculators, and assistance in locating scholarships.
The website is free to join for anyone, although several colleges, including COCC, have partnered with SALT to provide exclusive content for their students, according to the director of financial aid, Kevin Multop. COCC’s partnership with SALT costs $5000 annually. COCC has also been hosting events and giving out prizes to encourage people to give the program a try.
“We need students to sign up for it,” stressed Tyler Hayes, financial advisor. An estimated 2500 COCC students have joined SALT – about 13% of the current student body.
“It’s a matter of getting SALT out there,” Hayes stated. “[SALT is] a bunch of resources and tools at [students’] fingertips. It empowers them and educates them in their finances.”
SALT can be accessed via www.saltmoney.org. Signing up as a COCC student grants access to extra content such as exclusive articles and an achievement program.
Kelly Lawer | The Broadside