Core Competencies for Student Workers in the

Financial Aid OfficeTiffany Gourley

Senior Staff AssociateUniversity of Maine

Case Study – Financial Aid Office Model

Hiring

Training Student Employees

Testimonials

Discussion Questions

Overview

◦ First point of contact with students/parents◦ Answer general financial aid questions

Time lines/deadlines When will I be awarded? When do I file my FAFSA?

Types of aid available Forms required

MPN, Entrance Counseling, Verification, Scholarship checks

Cause and Effect Enrollment adjustments, late filing

Referring Students to other University Resources Bursar’s Office, Academic Areas, Admissions

Student Counselor Aides (SCA)

Other Office Related Projects

◦ Quality and Assurance Imaged documents/cleaning

queues

◦ Emails Provide accurate information

– using templates Identify issues Provide resources for

students Abide by FERPA

SCA Continued

1:1 Private Advising Sessions

In-Depth Review of Financial Aid◦ SAP, Loan Eligibility, Form/Waiver Assistance

Special Circumstances◦ Appeals◦ Prior/Past due balances◦ Budget increases◦ Enrollment Adjustments/Withdrawals

Advisor

Oversee/Assist SCA’s

◦ Ensuring adequate coverage Overseeing phone & counter activity

◦ Assigning projects

◦ Returning voicemail messages

◦ Answering SCA questions Researching loan questions Impact on awards Disbursement questions Taking over calls if necessary

Supervisors

Support Supervisors and Advisors

Further Review Questions

Special Circumstances◦ Appeals

Effect of appeals on award Required documentation

◦ Awarding students◦ Provide Professional Judgement

Financial Aid Advisors (FAA)

Initially trained with SCA’s◦ SCA position (first 3 months)◦ Advisor (3-6 months)◦ Supervisor (6-9 months)◦ FAA (9+ months)

Assigned Specific Projects◦ Appeal Processing/Communication◦ SCA Training/Development◦ Weekly Queries

Graduate Assistant

Flow Chart

Voicemails

Incoming Calls/Counter/Emails

SCA’s

Supervisor Advisor

FAA

Federal Work Study

Skills◦ Customer Service Experience◦ Interpersonal Communication Skills

Availability◦ Compared to that of office needs◦ 10-15 hours per week

GPA

Hiring

Reliable

Flexible

Demonstrate Initiative

Respectful

Patient

Professional

Team Player

SCA Characteristics

Formal Training Sessions◦ 1 week (15 hours)

◦ Days 1-3 (9 hours) Policies, procedures, financial aid basics

Phone Training Sessions◦ Day 4 (3 hours)

Phone training with seasoned SCAs Listening to phone conversations and learning phone etiquette

◦ Day 5 (3 hours) Taking calls with seasoned SCAs plugged in

Training Student Employees

Office Introductions◦ Who does what

Policies◦ Adherence, FERPA/Confidentiality, Dress Code

Procedures◦ Time Sheets, Contact Logs, Taking Messages,

Commenting on Student Accounts

Basic Financial Aid Training◦ Loans, Scholarships, Forms, Verification, FAFSA Filing

Formal Training

Formal Training◦ Group sessions

2 trainers◦ Use projector to show examples of websites used

MaineStreet UM Financial Aid homepage StudentAid.ed.gov

◦ Handouts with questions to work on independently throughout training, review as group

◦ Facilitate discussion throughout training◦ Prepared student examples, customer service

scenarios

How Do We Train?

Training Checklist

Reviewed

Comfort Level

Completed

Phone Training/SCA Peer Training◦ New SCA listening to phone calls taken by trained

SCA Reviewing phone etiquette and procedures (i.e.

comments, contact logs)◦ New SCA taking calls with trained SCA listening

Trained SCA answers questions, provides feedback

How Do We Train? (cont.)

Imagenow◦ Imaged documents that office receives

Scholarship notifications, verification forms, misc.

Share drive◦ R2PK

Why student has not been awarded◦ Alternative Loan Spreadsheet

If loan has been received When it will disburse

◦ Forms Verification Consent

SCA Tools

Formal Training◦ Provides foundation for SCAs

Basic financial aid knowledge Where to find resources Who to ask

Phone Training (Listening)◦ Provides customer service foundation for SCAs

Getting SCAs comfortable with answering phones by observing trained SCAs How to navigate MaineStreet Able to ask questions about call afterwards, learn how to

comment and use contact log

Why Do We Train the Way We Do?

Phone Training (Taking Calls)◦ Answer calls with trained SCA/staff member

listening Practice interaction with customers Able to get immediate feedback Assist with transitioning to being on their own Provides further engagement

SCA Peer Training◦ Benefits both new and trained SCAs

Teaching-to-learn strategy Keeps students refreshed on information

◦ Establishes rapport between student workers

Why Do We Train the Way We Do? (cont.)

Fall & Spring Review Sessions◦ Mandatory information review before semester

begins SCA E-mail Group

◦ Daily reminders◦ Office updates◦ Semester schedule requests

Bi-weekly listening◦ Staff member and graduate student listen and

evaluate SCA phone calls Evaluation form with feedback in SCA file

Follow-up Training & Development

Evaluations

Answering phone calls (1st semester)◦ Develops financial aid knowledge◦ Students become comfortable interacting with

students/parents◦ Refines communication skills

Counter Coverage (2nd semester)◦ Face to face contact◦ Receiving forms and applications◦ Scheduling appointments with advisors

SCA Progression

Emails (3rd semester)◦ Email etiquette◦ Editing templates◦ Multi-Tasking/Time Management

Office Projects◦ Quality and Assurance (experienced)◦ Data entry (novice to experienced)

SCA Progression (cont.)

Provides Office Efficiency◦ Time to improve our practices/processing time◦ Allows students to be awarded sooner

Energetic and Positive Atmosphere Reminds Staff of Student Impact Continual Training

Benefits to Having Student Workers in Financial Aid Offices

SCA Scheduling

• 4-6 SCAs on at a time

• 1-2 SCAs on counter

• 3 SCAs answering phones

Staff Scheduling

• 4 hour shifts

• Supervisors & Advisors 3-4 shifts per week

• FAA 1-2 shifts per week

• Additional coverage as needed

“How has working in Financial Aid prepared you

for your career?”

"I think that the most important aspect that I have improved upon since starting my employment at Financial Aid is my customer service skills. I plan on entering the legal world when I graduate, and through gaining stronger interpersonal skills I will be able to better handle clients. I think it is a skill that most don't develop until later in life but Financial Aid has helped me realize how important and valuable the skill actually is. I am no longer timid when it comes to answering calls, face to face encounters with students and parents, and have a confidence in myself that I lacked before when it comes to customer service in general"

Victoria Degenhardt4th year Political Science Major4th year SCA

"My time working for the Financial Aid office here on campus has honed my ability to convey complicated information in easy to understand sections. I also write email responses for the Financial Aid office, which has given me experience communicating on the behalf of and with the weight of a large organization. Both of these skills will serve me well in my career as a Technical Writer, where I will be writing for and on the behalf of companies much larger than myself“

Daniel Perriello4th year English Major3rd year SCA

“Working in the Financial Aid office has given me the opportunity to work closely with my superiors as well as my fellow student employees. I have learned how to effectively communicate on a professional level, which will be key for my eventual career in the medical field. The invaluable interpersonal skills I have developed in this office will stay with me through all of my future work”

Paige Courtney4th year Medical Lab Science Major 2nd Year SCA

Questions