Cathy Shell Director of Financial Aid Lees-McRae College (828)

The FA Administrator Master of Multitasking!!

Managing Priorities Prioritizing tasks Define your priorities from highest to lowest Daily Monthly Annual Factor the unexpected into your plan Employee absences Volatile student issues Demands from upper management Use your business model Anticipate the drama Peak processing issues Admissions expectations Create a compliance calendar List of all required campus reporting requirements Master calendar shared by other campus offices Used with project management software for resource management

Defining Expectations Who List of individuals that have expectations of you Prioritize this list by importance Identify the most effective communication style per individual What Ask for a list of expectations from superiors and campus partners Request clarification of expectation for precise understanding if needed Communicate resources needed to meet expectations Identify technological needs and IT support Request additional support if needed to meet expectations When Request dates and timelines of all expectations from superiors and campus partners Create calendars for all time frames and deadlines

Financial Aid Team Organization Match talent with Tasks Customer service skills matched with student facing positions Bilingual staff available for customer assistance Technically advanced staff in key processing position Quality assurance positions filled by detail oriented people Identifying staff resources for peak processing Incorporate peak processing time frames into master calendar Review past processing statistics for accuracy Partner with admissions for most up to date enrollment predictions Understanding training needs Conduct periodic file reviews for compliance training needs Monitor feedback from students and campus partners for customer service related training

Financial Aid Team Organization Onboarding new staff Team interviews incorporating FA staff members Clearly defined list of expectations for position Hiring from within versus outside Discipline/Counseling staff issues Reviewing expectations of position Discussing staff member’s role in the office and team contribution Review of complaints from students or team members Evaluation of performance using statistical examples avoiding hearsay or gossip Document all counseling and coordinate with HR for all disciplinary actions Creating a fun team atmosphere Motivating staff through praise, appreciation and promotion Celebrating milestones, diversity, anniversaries and birthdays Frequent staff meetings with open discussion regarding policies and strategies Incorporate staff contributions into policy or procedural changes accepting all input

Regulatory Reporting State Reporting/ Certification Federal reporting FISAP If campus is approved for campus based funds Monthly and annual federal funds reconciliation Coordination with fiscal office Documenting completion IPEDS Financial aid data collection SSCR Clearinghouse response reports 3rd party servicer information provided Coordination with registrars office

Regulatory Reporting Net Price Calculator Annual updates on website Annual Crime Reporting Reported to the US Ed. Published on college website Included in annual notification Student Right to Know annual notification Basic financial aid information General information about the school Schools retention rate Drug and alcohol abuse policy Completion and graduation rate Placement and types of employment Types of graduate and professional programs that students completing a 4 year degree can obtain Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Annual fire and safety reports

Daily Operations Coordinating staff schedules Fair and equitable Best case scenario for everyone in the office Match schedules to specific needs of staff Prioritizing regulatory requirements Timelines and deadlines Campus partnerships IPEDS reporting Fiscal office reporting SAP SSCR

Daily Operations Identifying student needs Application processing Support for students and parents Resolving PIN and processing issues Daily ISIR import Review of System generated ISIRs Communicating effectively Notification of additional documentation Resolution of C-Comments Verification requirements Follow up communications Emphasizing the need to meet processing deadlines

Daily Operations Timely awarding Competitive award notification Equitable distribution of institutional and campus based aid Management of acceptance responses Coordination with admissions team Timely disbursements and delivery of funds Sensitive to the needs of off campus students Clear communication regarding expected delivery dates Timely notification of disbursements Managing disbursement cancellation requests

Partnerships with Other Campus Teams Identify shared reporting requirements IPEDS SSCR Clearinghouse rejected records NSLDS Submittal Gainful Employment Coordination of completion and placement statistics Student Right to Know annual notifications Campus Security Report Website updates Communicating compliance updates Shared campus responsibilities Don’t shoot the messenger Requesting automation or support from IT

Partnerships with Other Campus Teams Registrar Updating student SAP statuses Monitoring students on appeal Career Services Coordination of information with default prevention team Employment services for students on unemployment deferment Admissions Team Partnerships include Sharing enrollment goals Identifying at risk prospects Managing institutional funding

Interfacing with Upper Management Honest appraisal of staffing needs Temporary assistance during peak processing Budgetary guidelines for pay increases Requesting support for automation New reporting requirements Updated communication Strategic planning efforts Policy and procedure updates Compliance updates Congressional initiatives Impact to higher education

Mentoring Find a mentor Conferences List serves Be a mentor Share your expertise Train the next generation Support your professional organizations and communities NCASFAA/SASFAA committees Support at conferences High school outreach Networking Support is out there

Questions?

Rachel Cavenaugh Assistant Director of Financial Aid & Veterans Services Cape Fear Community College

Some Ideas: Veterans Center Reserved for student veterans Computers and printer Fax service VA Certifying official Assistance with registration and advising Coffee Networking opportunities Veteran to Veteran mentor and tutor Veterans volunteer to tutor and mentor each other in areas such as math, for example. “Veteran Friendly” Veteran Friendly sticker on Faculty and Staff doors Student veterans select those offices that are “veteran friendly” Veteran Coordinator provides information to interested faculty/staff Veterans Day Celebration

Best Practices at CFCC Red White and Blue cords for graduates Attendance Policy for veterans Student ID’s marked as “veteran” Representatives on campus to help with disability filings Social gatherings for veterans and families on weekends Student Veterans Club active and growing Wooden funeral urns and canes for families of veterans & veterans Helping veterans get service dogs

Questions?

Joey Trogdon Asst. Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs Randolph Community College

Best Practices Know how much you can impact your institution, and use it to your advantage Communicate externally and internally Embrace Technology Professional Engagement

Know Your Impact A professional journal article titled “The Relationship Between FAFSA Filing and Persistence Among First-Year Community College Students” noted that less than half of community college students actually file a FAFSA. However, full-time students that completed a FAFSA in their sample were 79% more likely to persist from Fall to Spring, after controlling for other predictors. The positive association between FAFSA filing and persistence is even stronger for part-time students in their sample as these students demonstrated 100% higher odds of persisting when compared to those who did not file. Journal Citation: McKinney, L., & Novak, H. (2013). The Relationship Between FAFSA Filing and Persistence Among First-Year Community College Students. Community College Review, 41(1), doi: /

Know Your Impact…(cont.) Financial Aid Provides access to higher education for students from underprivileged backgrounds Assists with recruitment Increases retention Increases persistence to graduation, which assists with local economic development Affords students the opportunity to get work experience through the Federal Work Study Program The impact is vast and profound!

Communication Make sure you develop effective and current communication pieces for your students Know trends and embrace them Realize that they give a first impression Develop communication pieces to send out to your division and/or institution(ex. Newsletter)

Embrace Technology Equipment can be obsolete in a few short years – or even months. Some of the students we serve remember the days of learning to add using a basic calculator, now they are learning to use iPads and computers during retraining. The pace of technological change has been drastic over the last 50 years. As Ramage noted in 2011, “Technological change is constant and its rate is accelerating exponentially”. Therefore we must stay curious, flexible, and unsatisfied with today’s standard of technological excellence. What is considered excellent today may be considered average tomorrow. Journal Citation Ramage, T. (2011). What is next? Futuristic thinking for community colleges. New Directions For Community Colleges, 2011(154), doi: /cc.451

Embrace Technology…(cont.) Things you should consider: Use your student management system to automate processes (ex. SAP reviews, packaging aid, etc.) Utilize HTML communications from your student management system Allows you to create hyperlinks and embed pictures Review your student population and demographics and see if social media and phone tree communications would be helpful Use a document imaging system to go “paperless” Create workflows for your office and online forms for your students

Professional Engagement Serve on committees at your institution and in professional organizations Allows you to learn, and expand, your knowledge at an institutional level and within your profession Gives you the ability to see the bigger picture and plan accordingly

Questions?

Andrea Simpson Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs Surry Community College (336)

Flooding the market…. National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) July 1, June 12, million undergraduates 4 million graduate students How many planned to enter Financial Aid upon completion of college?

Working in Financial Aid is so hard! Federal regulations are ever-changing. We are overworked and underappreciated. Students are unhappy, disrespectful, demanding….shall I go on? And then there are the parents!!

Solution….

So why Financial Aid?? Job security Offices are understaffed and you are needed! Awards for them = Rewards for you $238.5 billion total financial aid awarded to students Resources and support from so many angles

Financial Aid is a career! A career is built through investing… Invest your time Invest your energy Invest yourself

Questions?

Amy Berrier Assistant Director for Operations The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (336)

Advocacy Why should we be focused on advocacy? Use your voice Types of advocacy On Campus State Regional National Ways to advocate Letters to lawmakers Visits to state lawmakers Congressional visits on the Hill in DC

Contacting Legislators To whom do you need to speak? Higher Education staffer? Legislative Director? Important to know the office structure , phone calls, snail mail – which do you use? Phone call – see who you need to speak with, obtain an address of that individual – ok to use to request appointment, follow up with phone call to verify appointment Do not use snail mail – takes too long to reach the individual Use proper etiquette when contacting offices and/or individuals What is it you want to say in an ? Phone call? Important!!! Get approval from your institution before participating in advocacy efforts

Requesting Appointment Be clear and concise in your request for an appointment How many individuals will be attending the meeting with you? Not every office is the same size. Who is attending the meeting? Provide that information to the staffer. Responsiveness – especially when you have their attention There are different staffers for each topic – higher education, veterans affairs, budget, and others Reminder – not every Congressional office is organized in the same manner

Communication in Meeting Be prepared with talking points. What can happen at a meeting? Talking point documents – leave behinds Thank the staffer AND the Senator/Congressman IMPORTANT – FOLLOW UP!!!

Reach out!! Do you have questions? Fears? Concerns? Contact someone for help and advice! Campus state/federal relations offices NCASFAA Legislative Advisory Chair/Committee Dana Kelly – SASFAA Legislative Relations Chair/Committee As of July 1 st, Sharon Oliver – NASFAA Staff NCASFAA/SASFAA Executive Boards

NCASFAA Be a member! Request a mentor - Submit your volunteer form NOW for Committees – Conference, Legislative Advisory, Publicity & Publications, and others Check out the different committees at Conference on-site volunteers Network at conferences 2 conferences every year - Fall & Spring Fall 2014 – November 8-12, 2014 – Crowne Plaza Tennis & Golf Resort, Asheville, NC Spring 2015 – April 11-15, 2015 – Holiday Inn Resort, Wrightsville Beach, NC Listserv Other NCASFAA events & opportunities Find employment opportunities

SASFAA Be a member! Request a mentor – this is done through the membership application Submit your volunteer form NOW for Check out the different committees at Conference/Local Arrangements on-site volunteers Network at conferences 1 Annual Conference every year - February Other SASFAA events & opportunities Pre-Conference Workshops, Summer New Aid Officers Workshop Find employment opportunities Listserv

SASFAA Future Events New Aid Officers Workshop – June 15-20, 2014 University of SC Upstate – Spartanburg, SC Check here for registration Annual Conference – February 22-25, 2015 Peabody Hotel – Memphis, Tennessee 2016 Annual Conference – February 7-10, 2016 Sheraton Four Seasons – Greensboro, North Carolina

NASFAA Be a member – institutional, associate, & retiree membership Volunteer opportunities NASFAA Today’s News – receive daily via Network at conferences 1 Annual Conference every year – usually in July June 29-July 2, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee Benefits News/Legislative Information Continuing Education Critical legal and regulatory updates Student aid advocacy opportunities Professional practice resources AskRegs Student Aid Index …and More! Employment opportunities

Questions?