1. Cross Departmental Collaboration
Alicia Keaton, UCF Student Financial Assistance
Kelly D’Agostino, UCF Student Account Services
FABSAA Annual Conference 2018
Daytona Beach, Florida

2. University of Central Florida
66,000 students as of Fall 2017
More than 12,000 employees
Operating budget of $1 billion
Average HS GPA (weighted) of 4.06
315 National Merit Scholars enrolled
$478 million in financial aid awarded
72% of undergraduate students received fin aid

3. UCF Financial Office Structure
UCF Office of Student Financial Assistance
UCF Student Account Services
Office reports up to Enrollment Services VP
Approx. 50 employees
Office reports up to Admin & Finance VP
Approx. 25 employees

4. Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Effective meetings
Continuous communication
Contacts for students
Surveys
Resolve issues

5. Effective Meetings Schedule more than one meeting time
Ask staff members for topics

6. Sample Topics Tuition Deferments Florida Prepaid
Academic Activity Requirement
Transient Enrollment
Tuition Deferments
Florida Prepaid
Summer financial aid vs. Fall/Spring financial aid
Purchasing Books
Tuition Payment Plan

8. Continuous Communication
Include other department leaders in communication to staff
Involve other departments in decision-making
Communicate changes to timelines, estimates
Be each other’s representative in meetings where they are not represented
Share information

9. Continuous Communication (cont.)
Financial Aid created How To Videos and sends the links out to students at the beginning of each term

10. Contacts for students
Be a representative on behalf of the university – not just your department
Provide names of specific individuals that may be able to assist

11. Surveys What aspects of the training could be improved?
Offer staff members a survey after collaborative trainings/meetings
Was adequate time provided for questions and discussion?
What aspects of the training could be improved?
Was the content organized and easy to follow?

12. Resolve Issues
Issue: When Student Account Services drops a student for non- payment, Financial Aid can no longer award aid because the student is not enrolled. Therefore, the student may have aid but is unable to get reinstated in classes.
Old resolution: Use a paper “verification of aid” form that has to be walked over to Student Account Services by Financial Aid.
New resolution: Implement an electronic verification of aid form.

13. Resolve Issues (cont.)
Issue: Students who were late FAFSA filers would be dropped for non- payment because financial aid could not award aid without the student’s information and Student Accounts required payment
Old resolution: Student could reinstate once financial aid was awarded.
New resolution: All UCF students are eligible to enroll in a 2-installment payment plan. Students waiting for aid to be awarded can typically pay the first installment and aid is usually posted by the time the second installment is due.

14. What are your issues? How have you resolved them?

15. Questions?

16. Contact Us
Alicia Keaton University of Central Florida Kelly D’Agostino