Student Affairs@NOVA

This month, Student Affairs wants to discuss NOVA’s Commitment to Safety and the role of the Violence Prevention Committee, Threat Assessment Team and you!

Maintaining a safe and secure campus is fundamental to our mission at NOVA. The college’s Violence Prevention Committee (VPC) and Threat Assessment Team (TAT) play a critical role in fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive environment by identifying and addressing behaviors that could pose a risk to the community.

In alignment with Virginia Code § 23.1-805, the Violence Prevention Committee is responsible for developing policies and procedures for threat assessment and educating the NOVA community on how to recognize and report threatening and concerning behaviors.  The VPC also provides guidance to the Threat Assessment Team (TAT).

The NOVA Threat Assessment Team assesses whether an individual poses a threat of violence to themselves, others or college community members. After a review of the details of an incident, TAT provides guidance, recommends interventions and promotes the coordination of communication throughout the review process.

What You Can Do:
Recognizing and reporting threatening and/or concerning behaviors is essential. If there is an emergency that involves an imminent risk of violence, please call 9-1-1 or contact the NOVA Police Dispatch at 703-764-5000.

We urge you to submit a Threat Assessment Report for non-emergency concerns about threatening or concerning behavior(s) so TAT can engage in their work. 

What to Report:

• Threatening Behaviors: These include verbal and nonverbal threats. Examples include, but are not limited to: verbal threats indicating a desire to harm self or others, aggressive invasion of personal space, intentional property damage, brandishing weapons or inciting violence.
• Concerning Behaviors: These include verbal and nonverbal behaviors signaling a need for intervention. Examples include, but are not limited to: unusual or disruptive conduct, suicidal comments, preoccupation with violence or weapons, extreme emotional reactions, failure to comply with a request to stop disruptive behavior in and outside the classroom.

Want to Learn More?
For more information, we encourage you to review the following college policies, and the information found on the Threat Assessment Website.

• • NOVA Policy 113 – Campus and Workplace Violence Prevention
  • NOVA Procedure 113P: Campus and Workplace Violence Prevention
  • NOVA Policy 119 – Threat Assessment
  • 119P – Policy Procedure: Threat Assessment Procedure
  • Students should follow the NOVA Student Code of Conduct.

In an emergency, please contact NOVA’s 24/7 Police Dispatch at 703-764-5000 or call 911.

Call the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 emotional support and assistance.

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Financial Aid Updates

February is Financial Aid Awareness Month, and we would like to reflect on some of the accomplishments achieved during the 2024-2025 aid year and highlight some new financial aid initiatives.     

The 2024-2025 aid year will be remembered for quite some time. It began with a delayed rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and the implementation of the most sweeping federal student aid changes in more than 40 years. Due to the FAFSA Simplification Act, everything from systems to policies and procedures had to be updated. Technical issues with the FAFSA complicated the financial aid process, but fortunately most issues have been resolved, and the Department of Education is working on the remaining issues.

As noted in the table below, the number of financial aid applicants, awards, inquiries and outreach events has increased across the board in 2024-2025 as compared to 2023-2024. Significantly more students are receiving financial aid at NOVA this year. Factors that contributed to these gains include the simplified FAFSA application, additional funding for key programs such as G3 and, of course, the hard work of NOVA’s dedicated financial aid team.

In November 2024, the Virginia Commonwealth Emergency Assistance application and website were launched. This program provides up to $2,000 per incident to students with financial need who experience unforeseen emergencies that would disrupt their academic progress or degree completion at NOVA. If a student’s application is approved, the funds are sent directly to the student based on their NOVA refund preference. SCHEV allocated $558k to NOVA for the Virginia Commonwealth Emergency Assistance Program in addition to $35M in other state-funded student financial aid programs.

SCHEV also provided funding to NOVA for the Pell Boost Initiative. In spring 2025, two financial aid liaisons will be hired. Their objectives will be to increase the number of FAFSA’s submitted to NOVA, increase the enrollment rate of students who complete the FAFSA, connect students with College resources and enhance the satisfaction of Pell-eligible students. One of the primary goals of this initiative is to increase the number of FAFSA applicants by 15-20% over the next three years.

Since mid-January, 84 students have been awarded Inside Track scholarships, collectively totaling $53,412. These awards were provided by the NOVA Foundation and can be used to pay up to 50% of the cost of tuition, fees and books for up to six credits. There is no application for this scholarship, and it may not be offered to students whose financial aid is sufficient to cover their charges. Students who are placed in the Inside Track student group who are within 3-12 credits of completing their program may be offered the award if funding is available.

The new scholarship management system launched on January 31. Information is available here. Scholarship applications will be accepted through March 23, 2025 for fall 2025/spring 2026 awards. Students can submit one scholarship application to be considered for multiple scholarship opportunities.

The 2025-2026 FAFSA and VASA applications are currently live. Students should apply by the May 1, 2025 priority application date to be considered for the maximum amount of grant aid. There are no major changes in federal processes or policies for the 2025-2026 aid year. NOVA will begin processing 2025-2026 financial aid applications once SIS updates are completed.   

In closing, please help us promote NOVA’s financial aid initiatives, particularly during Financial Aid Awareness Month. With an abundance of financial aid programs and resources available, we are striving to make an education at NOVA as accessible and affordable as possible. NOVA’s financial aid website contains many resources that are easy to share with students such as the New Student Orientation financial aid playlist, Student Information System (SIS) tutorials and information on aid policies and appeals,  which demystify the financial aid process. Should students have any questions about financial aid or need assistance with applying for aid, please encourage them to stop by their campus Financial Aid Office, email finaidsupport@nvcc.edu or call the Financial Aid Support Center at (855) 323-3199.

—Dr. Joel Frater, VP of Student Affairs