What does a Business Need and Want from their Financial Aid Office? Hal Deuser Assistant Bursar Webster University

Why the Business Office has Needs & Wants from their Financial Aid Office? Students and parents perceive our offices as essentially the same, even though with very different tasks, responsibilities, and missions Today’s students and parents see themselves as customers expecting and demanding coordinated and efficient student financial services A student’s account balance is funded for many/most of our students in large part by Financial Aid

What We Need and Want! A general understanding and full access to each other’s screens and systems The more we know of each other’s screens, systems, policies, and procedures, the better we can serve our students and our schools in a focus to maximize and streamline our financial services Stop our too frequent phone transfers in a goal to stop the resulting frustration of our students and parents – answer in just one call, both aid and bill questions

Close location of our two offices is needed to improve our inter-dependent student financial services’ efficiencies and coordination, no trekking across campus for that “other” student financial service office – Results in improved service as well as staff efficiency and communication – More quickly resolves student and staff issues – Builds a common mission focus and understanding of each office’s people, demands, tasks, policies, and procedures Joint training and mentoring to ensure that each’s office’s systems, policies, and procedures are known (at least more than only familiar), generally understood with a go to mentor for ongoing questions and answers, and a general appreciation by the staff that jointly deliver our school’s student financial services

Shared Goals and Mutual Respect – Mutual respect is more important than reporting lines and fosters support instead of competition, finger pointing, and that nasty, self defeating blame game – To serve our school’s Mission, an appreciation and understanding of each office’s role in delivering our school’s Mission leads to greater efficiency, coordination, student service, job satisfaction, not to mention better retention and graduation rates – Our staffs know what is wrong, what needs fixing, as well as how to fix it in order to improve our joint services – We are our school’s student financial service experts, We need to work together towards our common goals

Service to Students is Job #1! – What is essential to maximize our student financial services, what can be eliminated, and what should be added or modified, just ask your staff – Student Financial Service printed and like web information should be succinct, complete, attractive, and easily understandable – What are our most frequent questions and complaints, fix accordingly – Fewer incomplete financial aid applications = fewer unpaid student account balances = less problems, less interruptions, and angry students/parents = greater efficiency and greater value to your schools and certainly better secure job security and job satisfaction

Tips to Maximize Your Joint Student Financial Services With Your Financial Aid Office and Staff Learn the job responsibilities and role of your Financial Aid Office and staff Do not be afraid to ask questions Take the Initiative Meet regularly Communicate, plan, and collaborate regularly Keep your commitments and meet deadlines Share updates and ask questions on regulatory and legislative policy changes and all related need to know Avoid the use of jargon and encourage likewise from your financial aid colleagues Be patient, it is a nasty financial aid jungle out there Acknowledge and appreciate their efforts

YOUR COMMENTS – QUESTIONS THANK YOU!