Financial Aid (Program Technician 1)

Department Overview

The purpose of the position is to administer student financial aid funding through the process of reviewing financial aid applications and documentation, intrepreting program policies and controlling regulations, making independent decisions while awarding and revising federal, state and institutional financial aid funds, counseling students and parents, and directing certain aid programs, all while maintaining compliance with governing regulations. This position includes oversite of several projects as well as technological responsibilities. The largest of such projects consists of performing functions related to the administration of the Federal Direct Loan program and the administration of Institutional Student Aid Records (ISIRs). These responsibilities include such things as Federal Need Analysis, packaging, sending and receiving information, determining if changes to award amounts are required, writing and updating policies and work manuals/procedures, ensuring compliance with regulations and policies, and being the subject matter expert for the financial aid office on those specific funds and processes.

Pay Range: $31.79 - $42.97 per hour

Function/Duties of Position

• Administer federal, state, private and institutional student financial aid programs. Review student financial aid applications by using and interpreting policies, procedures, and regulations. Determine if additional information is needed to complete federally mandated Verification of applicant data and make any necessary corrections to federal financial aid applications. Use the federally mandated Need Analysis process, governing regulations and university policies to determine federal, state, private and institutional financial aid awards. Revise student financial aid awards when governing regulations, eligibility and/or enrollment status changes. 

• Perform functions related to administering the Direct Loan program and ISIRS including but not limited to running processes to create Direct loan origination and ISIR correction files. Review Direct loan response files and resolve issues with the U.S. Department of Education Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system. Process National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) alerts for potential impacts to eligibility. Process other U.S. Department of Education files as needed. For awarded students, review of ISIRs that were updated by the U.S. Department of Education or by the student. Process miscellaneous internal reports to ensure compliance. Develop and maintain policies and procedures for these processes, reviews operations, recommends change and corrective action. Serves as the Data Point Administrator with the U.S. Department of Education. 

• Provide precise information on Registrar and Financial Aid Office policies and procedures and federal regulations to students and university departments via in person, telephone, and email. 

• Participate in the implementation of new federal and state regulations and institutional policies needed to maintain compliance with changing regulations. Develop and present potential process improvements to help ensure compliance and to improve customer service. Assist in evaluating and updating administrative policy and procedures necessary to process, fund and track federal, state and institutional financial aid funds. 

• Evaluate student requests describing special circumstances and appeals for funding review using federal, state, and institutional policies and procedures to make independent decisions if the request can be approved. Evaluate and make independent decisions on whether individual consortium agreements are acceptable for funding purposes. Develop and provide presentations of financial aid application and awarding procedures and information on financial aid opportunities for funding to students. 

• Provide backup on administration duties for other Program Technicians during peak processing periods as well as leave coverage. 

• Complete a limited number of federally mandated Return to Title IV Funds (R2T4) processes and Leave of Absence requests. Intrepret and follow governing regulations to calculate funds that need to be returned to the U.S. Department of Education. Track student Leave of Absense or withdrawals  and determine any impact on aid already received or scheduled to be received. 

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Three years of experience administering or coordinating parts or subsets of a project or program. 

• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or a field directly related to the position will substitute for two years of the required experience.

• At least two years experience working in a higher education Student Fin