Things Every New Financial Aid Professional Needs To Know Things Every New Financial Aid Director Needs To Know Presented by Sherry Foster Director, Student Financial Services Southeastern Oklahoma State University SWASFAA Conference Houston, Texas December 11, 2002

Observation Number 1 n To Those On Your Campus, Your Success Is Judged By…. –How Many Student Complaints You Do or Don’t Receive –How Many Audit Findings You Had (Regardless of What They Were!) –What Is Your Default Rate? –Do They Have Enough Student Employees –How Accessible YOU Are To Them and Your Students

Observation Number 2 n To A Student (And Parents) Perception Is Reality –How Are You Being Perceived? –How Is Your Office Being Perceived?

Observation Number 3 n Complaints Are Never Acceptable, But Are Inevitable –You Will Never Make Everyone Happy

Observation Number 4 n Seek Out Professional Development Opportunities –You Need To Continually Learn In Order To Be Successful –Your Staff Needs You To Support Them In Their Professional Development and Growth –Go To NASFAA. It’s Worth The Money You Spend On The Trip.

Observation Number 5 n Keep Yourself Informed –The Internet Is Your Friend –WWW. IFAP. ED. Gov Is Your Friend –Make Time Everyday To Read Something on IFAP –NASFAA Daily Is A Must

Observation Number 6 n To Your Staff, You’re The One Who Is Supposed To Know It All. –You are The Expert. –You are Supposed To Know Where To Find All Answers

Observation Number 7 n Embrace Technology –Search Out Ways To Use Technology Or You Will Be Left Behind –The Pace of Technological Change Is Faster Than Your Own Ability To Change and Your Ability To Understand It All

Observation Number 8 n Coordinate Outreach Activities –Conduct Workshops In Area High Schools –High School Counselors Need Your Expertise To Help The Families They Serve –Informed Families Who Understand Financial Aid Makes Your Job Easier

Observation Number 9 n You Can’t Do It All By Yourself –Value the Work Of Your Staff and the Expertise They Have To Offer –Tell Your Staff You Appreciate Them And Are Glad To Be A Part of Their Team –Acknowledge Their Contributions

Observation Number 10 n Communication Is Important –Don’t Let Someone Say”You Never Told Me” and It Be The Truth –Let Your Staff Know Your Goals and What You Are Thinking

Observation Number 11 n Hiring Decisions Are Very Important –Good Hiring Decisions Pay Off Time After Time After Time and Contribute To Your Success –Bad Hiring Decisions Can Haunt You For A Long Time and Damage The Relationships of People On Your Staff

Observation Number 12 n Do Employee Evaluations –Your Staff Need and Want To Know How They Are Doing –It Helps You Keep An Open Line of Communication –It Gives You Documentation To Support Both Positive and Negative Decisions Concerning An Employee’s Future –Evaluations Help You Grow As A Supervisor

Observation Number 13 n Foster A Positive Relationship With Your Business Office –Your Relationship Is Like A Marriage…. For Better or Worse Till Death You Do Part You Continually Have To Work At It No Option For Divorce The Relationship Will Continually Be Tested

Observation Number 14 n Foster A Good Relationship With Your Lenders –They Will Provide You and Your Students With Good Service –They Appreciate Your Business –They All Want Your Business –They Offer Outreach Materials For Free –They Love To Go Out To Lunch With You!

Observation Number 15 n Keep A Survival Kit In Your Office –You Need A Can of Lysol –You Need A Box of Tissue –You Need the Campus Police Phone No. –You Need A Bottle of Aspirin

Observation Number 16 n Respect The Privacy Act –It Always Gets In Your Way –It Makes You Look Like The Bad Guy –You Never Want To Be Accused of Breaching Someone’s Privacy –Make Sure Your Staff Understands Privacy and Know What They Can and Cannot Discuss and With Whom

Observation Number 17 n You Will Deal With Conflict So Be Motivated By It’s Challenges –Conflict With Your Staff –Conflict With Students and Parents –Conflict With Other Campus Offices –Conflict With Another School –Conflict With Your Computer Programmer –Conflict In Implementing New Procedures –Conflict Created By New Technology

Observation Number 18 n Politics Exist At Every Place You Will Ever Work –You Have To Know How To Be Confident In Playing The Game Even When You Don’t Know All The Rules

Observation Number 19 n Understand the Budgeting Process At Your School –Know What Money You Actually Have Control Over And How It Can (or Can’t) Be Spent –Know What Money You Don’t Actually Have Control Over

Observation Number 20 n Admit When You’re At Fault (Except Maybe In An Audit!) –You’re Not Perfect and Neither Is Anyone Else –Mistakes Are Inevitable –Others Will Understand And Respect You For Your Honesty

Observation Number 21 n Think Like An Auditor –Document Your Decisions –Three Years From Now Will You Be Able To Explain Why?

Observation Number 22 n Maintain An Up-To-Date Policies and Procedures Manual –The NASFAA P&P Manual Template Is One of The Best Tools Ever Created For Financial Aid Professionals

Observation Number 23 n Satisfactory Academic Progress Decisions Are Tough Ones To Make –Your Decision May Determine Whether Students Can Continue With Their Educational Pursuits (Or Not) –Favorable Decisions-You’re the Hero –Unfavorable Decisions-You’re the Enemy

Observation Number 24 n Don’t Be Afraid Of Professional Judgement –It’s One Tool For You To Maximize The Success Of Your Students –Be Persistent With Students About Adequate PJ Documentation

Observation Number 25 n Go To Graduation –You’ll Feel Proud For Your Students –It’s Good To Celebrate Your Success As Your Student’s Celebrate Theirs –Your VP Might Be Watching To See If You Were There!

One Final Word…. n Your Work Is Important And Helps To Make A Difference In the Lives Of Many People n n Enjoy Your Job! n Strive For Excellence In Your Work!