Transition to
Electronic
Processing
Financial Aid
Presented by: Kathy Williams
Institution(s): National Louis University
May 21, 2013
1
Introduction
Goal: Spark idea sharing for electronic
processing and communications
• Enhance services rendered to students
– Reduced wait times
– Streamlined processing
– Increased communications
– Online convenience
2
Disclaimer
• The level of electronic processing that can
be achieved will vary based on the
institution’s technological resources
• Complete paperless processing may not
be achieved for each student type
3
Agenda
•
Organization
– Identify, create forms in PDF format
– Create simplified instructions for each form
•
Use of population selections during upfront processing
– Find discrepancies; contact students early
•
Tracking setup for electronic communications
– RTVTREQ
– RTVMESG
•
Award setup for electronic communications
– RTVAWST
– ROAINST
•
Scholarships
– Selection
– Awarding
– Communication
•
Communication
– Self-Service Banner
– Email
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Topic #1
Organization
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Organization
“Organizations are successful because of good
implementation, not good business plans”
~ Guy Kawasaki ~
Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur
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Organization
• Identify and create forms needed for
student completion
– Verification worksheets, assets, etc.
• Post PDF version of forms on web
– Create “Forms” section of departmental web if
not already created
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Organization
• Create simplified, concise instructions for
completing each form
– Post to web with form as a separate doc
– Will be used later for setup of RTVTREQ
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Form on Web
• Post PDF of forms to the web
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Instructions on the Web
• The same instructions posted to the web will be used for RTVTREQ
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Topic #2
Population Selections
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Population Selections
• Identify initial information/discrepancies for
pop selection creation
– Ex: Student answers “Yes” to prior bachelor’s then
answers “No” to a grad/prof
• GLRSLCT, Create pop selection
• GLBDATA, Extract pop selection
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Population Selection Processing
• RORPOST, select applicable popsel
• RORBPST, Batch post tracking code
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Communication Option 1
• Create message using RTVTREQ
“Instructions” with link to form(s)
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Communication Option 2
• Create question for student to answer that can
be reviewed through RPAINFO
• RTVWEBQ-validate question code
•
RORWBQA-web question setup
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Communication Option 2 (cont)
• RPAINFO, review question responses
• RPPINFO, identify students who need
information reviewed
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Topic #3
Tracking Requirements
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Tracking Setup for SSB use
• RTVTREQ control form
– URL for each form
– Instructions will show in SSB; embed link(s) to
form(s)
– Ensure “Access Indicator” & “Information
Access” checked
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Tracking Setup for SSB use
• RTVMESG, control form
• ROAMESG, banner screen
– Create general messages for tracking
requirements
• Verification selection
• Refer to “Outstanding Requirements” in SSB
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Tracking Requirements in SSB
Example:
• Financial Aid menu
– Financial Aid status link
– List of requirements for each student
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Topic #4
Awards through SSB
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Award Setup for SSB use
• RTVMESG
– Create message code for each fund
– Embed link(s) in message body
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Award Setup for SSB use
• RTVAWST
– Create award status codes for online
accepted and declined
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Award Setup for SSB use
• ROAINST, control form
– Web Processing Rules
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Award Information in SSB
• Financial Aid menu
– Financial Aid Award Information
• View award(s)
• Accept/Decline partial or full award amount(s)
– ROAINST check boxes (partial/full)
– Can set a trigger that student must review terms and
conditions prior to accepting awards
• Link to Loan Entrance counseling when accepting
loan monies
• Message for each fund with embedded links
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Award Information in SSB
• Financial Aid menu
– Awards by Aid Year
– Awards by Term
– Disbursement schedules
– Eligibility status
• SAP (link to policy and/or forms)
• Fund specific requirements to complete
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Topic #5
Scholarships
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Scholarship Setup
• RFRMGMT, Funds management
– Fund comments, list criteria
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Fund Messages
• RTVMESG, create scholarship-specific
messages
– Include eligibility requirements
– Include donor information (if applicable)
– Embed any applicable links
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Scholarship Selection & Sharing
• Generate “candidate reports”
• Share reports with selection “committee”
•
•
•
•
Windows file sharing (My Computer, “Tools”)
Intranet site
Cloud computing
Email (Secure files; zip documents)
• Receive recipients through file sharing
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Scholarship Awarding & Acceptance
• Award scholarship funds
• Messages tied to fund will appear in SSB
– Include criteria, continued eligibility, “thank you”
– Embed any links when applicable
• Allow students to accept/decline in SSB
– May not be the case for each type of fund
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Topic #6
Communication Plan
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Resistant to Change
“Change itself will happen whether
one likes it or not, it is one of the few
things in life that is guaranteed.”
“Fear of Change” by Carmen Jochmann
www.suite101.com
• A clear communication
strategy is a must to
reduce resistance
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Communicating Change
“The first and most important step toward embracing
change involves the ability to stop fearing change.”
“Fear of Change” by Carmen Jochmann
www.suite101.com
• Reduce fear with communications
– Staff meeting
– Emails to students
– Timeline posted to web
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Communicating Change
• Work incoming freshman through
electronic process
– Generally more tech savvy
– Familiarity to process will follow through
education
• “Grand-father” upperclassmen
– Begin with seniors to sophomores
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Communicating Change
• Send emails to students
• Send emails to parents
– Communications will vary based on policy for
granting parental access to information
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Online resources
• Post timeline of new process on web
11/2/12
12/3/12
1/1/13
• Website updated outlining new electronic communications
• Emails to students/parents regarding electronic processing
• New electronic processing begins for upcoming aid year
• Post timeline of finaid processing on web
3/1/13
Begin loading 1314
FAFSA records
3/18/13
Initial tracking emails
sent
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4/1/13
1314 Awarding begins
Online Resources (cont)
• Additional timeline option
10 days
Record loaded after
submitting FAFSA
3-5
business
days
3 weeks
Initial email
communication
after FAFSA loaded
Verification
process after all
forms submitted
2 weeks
Offered awards
after verification
completed
Please note all timeframes are approximate. Processing times will vary based on time of aid year.
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Online Tutorials
• Post tutorials for accessing finaid info in
SSB on web (example below)
– Log into the ABC portal
– Click “Student”
– Click “Financial Aid”
– Click “Award Information”
– Select “Aid Year”
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Summary
• Organization
– Laying a strong foundation will result in a
smoother transition
• Gather info, create forms, instructions
• Development timeline
• Be proactive with the use of population
selections
– Identify discrepancies to follow up with early
on
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Summary
• Tracking setup
– URLs and Instructions for each requirement
– Display in SSB with link(s)
• Award setup
– ROAINST
– Messages each fund code with link(s)
– Creation of web acceptance/declined codes
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Summary
• Scholarships
– Electronic applications
– Utilize RFRMGMT for criteria
– Generate candidate reports
– File sharing for selection and awarding
– Message codes for each
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Summary
• Communicate!
– Clear concise
– Timeline
– Online resources
– Email students/parents
– Tutorials
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Questions & Answers
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Thank You!
Kathy Williams
Kathleen.Williams@ellucian.com
kwilliams74@nl.edu
.
© 2013 Ellucian. All rights reserved.
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