Leveraging Financial Aid Self-Service Bob Hughes Applications Support Manager North Orange County CCD

About the Presenter Higher Education Experience – 16 years Whittier College Cal Poly Pomona North Orange County Community College District Fullerton College, Cypress College, School of Cont. Ed. Banner Experience – 13 years Programming for Financial Aid (Whittier, Cal Poly Pomona) – 10 years MBA CSU Fullerton

What you will learn today Overview of Financial Aid Self-Service Learn how the major tabs function Learn the features of each tab Learn how FA SS is used at Fullerton College Learn pitfalls to avoid Learn setup tips and tricks Inspire you to use this at your college!

Why this topic? Financial Aid Self-Service was released in February 2008; required in FA 7.11/8.1 Beginning of the 08/09 aid year; too late to change business practices IT staff busy with Banner 8 implementations; new functionality on the back burner With Banner 8 behind us, it’s time to make improvements

FASS Continues To Improve 8.2 (Sept 2008) Increased options for award information, with a print feature to create an electronic award letter Ability to ask students questions, and collect additional information from students Ability to stop students from accepting award based on answers given Pop-up instructions for unsatisfied tracking requirements Display non-coded requirements on the Additional Requirements tab Display student-specific text Define terms and conditions page which must be accepted before students can accept awards

FASS Continues To Improve 8.5 (Aug. 2009) Requirements tracking by term Miscellaneous parameters form (RORMPRM). Display data in a grid format. Info Access on RFRBASE to prevent a fund from displaying in self- service Description, URL, Instructions field on Loan Options Self-Service (RFRMGMT, ROAMGMT) Information Access flag for requirement tracking status validation; allows 'waived' requirements to not display Long Description field for RTVRSTS codes Eligibility page has tabs for requirements, requirement messages, holds and academic progress. web text for each of these tabs can be defined. RTVLNST - determine if loan information should display in Self- Service based on the loan status (such as cancelled)

We are behind the curve! Complete mortgage applications can be completed on-line Admissions Application, FAFSA are on-line; why are students still handing in paper? Lots of hidden costs with paper Printing, copying, waste, filing, scanning, retention, data entry, etc.

Workload is increasing Fullerton College – 09/10 18,053 financial aid apps received (undup.) 12,656 received aid (includes BOG) Cypress College – 09/10 14,885 financial aid apps received (undup.) 9,854 received aid (includes BOG)

FA Self Service 6 Main Tabs General Information Award Overview Resources/Additional Information Terms and Conditions Accept Award offer Special Messages

FA Self Service

Four Sub Tabs on ‘Eligibility’ page Requirements Requirement Messages Holds Academic Progress All tabs can contain unique messages to defined groups of students – “Student Specific Text”

FA Self Service

General Information Tab Default for all students Always displays Powerful tool to guide students

General Information Tab

Award Overview Tab Default for all students ‘Electronic Award Letter’ Determine Components to Display COA Detail Need Calculation Cumulative Loan Amounts Housing Status Print Terms and Conditions

ROAINST Settings

Award Overview Tab New in 8.5 (Aug 09) – add grid lines, increase spacing on RORMPRM for award display, other tables in FA

RORMPRM Form

Resources/Addl Info Tab Includes not only student specific text, but defined questions/answers. Questions can be set to display every time awards are accessed, once per aid year, or when Unaccepted awards exist. Big limitation; can’t limit questions to specific students (like student specific text) Overcome with creative use of award codes, or simple modification Optional – Display Outside Resource Detail

Resources/Addl Info Tab Note the use of Hyperlinks!

Resources/Addl Info Tab When selected on ROAINST, you can also display Outside Resources here

Resources/Addl Info Tab When selected on ROAINST, you can also allow students to submit other resources. Important! If enabled, make sure you have a process in place to deal with the student- submitted data.

Resources/Addl Info Tab Responses to questions are stored in the RPAINFO screen in Banner

ROAINST Settings

The Mod for SSQ If you want ‘Student Specific Questions’ (such as a question to ‘zero income’ students): Mod must be made to the “question_c” cursor in the function “F_ShowQuestion” in package body “BWRKRHST” (FILE NAME..: bwrkrhs1.sql) …(prior code not displayed) AND RPRINFO_QUESTION_CODE = RORWEBQ_QUESTION_CODE)) OR (RORWEBQ_OCCURRENCE = 'U' AND unaccpt_award_exist = 'Y') /* NOCCCD (2) - Commented the next line and added new code */ -- OR ( RORWEBQ_OCCURRENCE = 'E') OR ( RORWEBQ_OCCURRENCE = 'E' AND ROKWTXT.f_calc_select_value(aidy, RORWEBQ_QUESTION_CODE, pidm, NULL) IS NOT NULL)) /* NOCCCD (2) - End of modification */

Terms and Conditions Tab Simple and effective way to require acknowledgement of terms/conditions before packaging and/or disbursement Great way to get started with FA Self Service May be the only reason some students (not selected for verification) come into your office Optional – Display Award Messages here

Terms and Conditions Tab If terms and conditions have not been acknowledged, Accept Award Offer tab unavailable When the ‘Accept’ button is pressed, tracking requirement is updated and student can accept award

Requirements Updated Note that the requirement code is updated with a system indicator of ‘W’ (Web)

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 1.Set up a requirement code; include it in your tracking groups to post to all students. 2.Enter the code on ROAINST 3.Create a web text rule code (RTVWTXT) 4.Create web text rules (RORWTXT) 5.Populate web tab rules (RORWTAB)

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 1.Set up a requirement code

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 2. Enter the code on ROAINST

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 3.Create a web text rule code (RTVWTXT)

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 4. Create web text rules (RORWTXT)

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 4. Create web text rules (RORWTXT) Make sure you use the pull-down to choose the correct Self- Service Tab. We also use this rule to post instructions on the General Information Tab.

Steps to set up Terms/Cond. 5. Create web tab rules (RORWTAB)

Accept Award Offer Tab Powerful tool for communicating with students You can control the text on this page ‘Accept All’ button can be enabled that updates a tracking requirement Important! Make sure the comment box is disabled until you have a process in place to deal with them.

Accept Award Offer Tab Are your students shouting into the wind?

Understand ROAINST Do you know how your ‘Allow’ options are set?

RPAINFO – a new way to work You should have a process in place to review and handle all ‘not reviewed’ items ‘How to I get parking?’ ‘Can I turn this in on Monday?’ ‘Can you call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx?’ ‘Where do I submit my photo ID?’ ‘What do I do now?’

Special Messages Tab Accessible only after all Terms and Conditions tracking requirements are satisfied and all required questions have been answered Standard Institutionally Defined Message Student Specific Text (popsel)

Special Messages Tab Turn it off if you are not using it (ROAINST)

ROAINST to turn off tabs

Idea – Work Study Jobs Here is an idea that incorporates student specific text and a web text variable:

Web Text Variable Create a code on RTVWVAR and a rule in RORWVAR

Variable in use Place it in a web text rule with

In Summary… Make plans to implement in Start small – Terms and Conditions Carefully evaluate all the options on ROAINST Are you ready to take student-entered info? Engage your IT staff in creating rules Be creative – control your process

Questions? Bob Hughes