Financial Aid Technician (Student Services Professional IB), Financial Aid Administration

Apply now Job no:536367
Work type:Staff
Location:San Bernardino – San Bernardino Campus
Categories:Unit 4 – APC – Academic Professionals of California, Administrative, Probationary, Full Time, Student Services

Job Summary:

Under general supervision, this position is responsible for assisting with the coordination of Federal, State, and/or Institutional aid programs to ensure compliance. Responsible for processing financial aid applicant cases and use of appropriate delivery techniques to service the financial aid applicants, recipients, parents, and campus community. Responsible for assisting with the overall awarding and disbursing process to support student success.

Duties and responsibilities

Financial Aid Reports, Forms, and Documentation

• Responsible for assisting in the review and analysis of a variety of data reports that reoccur on a weekly basis.
• Utilizing these various reports, manually analyze data, resolve inconsistencies in the students’ files, adjusting student aid as needed, requesting new Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), gathering additional information from various sources including California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), WebGrants, National Student Loan Data Service (NSLDS),  Common Origination and Disbursement (COD), Department of Education, Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) & Education Loan Management Resource (ELM) websites.

Advising and Customer Service

• Advise students and parents from diverse backgrounds on Federal, State, and University financial aid policies and procedures.
• Exercise basic interviewing skills when discussing personal and sensitive issues that may impact student eligibility.
• Deliver students and parents with informative options about financial inquiries.
• Resolve inconsistencies on financial aid application data used to determine financial aid eligibility.
• Assist students to choose appropriate course of action for financial aid problem situations.
• Award financial aid to students and perform revisions based on exceptional circumstances or per regulatory requirements.
• Ensure changes in financial aid are communicated and explained to student aid recipients.
• Meet with supervisor and team on a recurring basis and contribute recommendations and suggestions as part of the financial aid professional level staff.
• Provide financial aid advising during various campus recruitment or outreach events which may occur weekends or evenings; participate in committees; attend professional conferences and/or training workshops.
• Provide guidance and clarification to campus colleagues seeking information, clarification and guidance on general financial aid information and Title IV program policy and procedures.
• Respond to financial aid inquiries from constituents needing assistance involving financial aid cases and/or situations where financial aid knowledge is required to reach resolution and/or support actions on behalf of a student aid recipient or complete a financial aid related process.
• Appropriately refer student to other resources on campus such as the Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), Student Assistance in Learning (SAIL), Learning Center, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Services to Student with Disabilities (SSD), or Academic Services.
• Assist with guidance and support of financial aid students needing assistance from other campus programs and services.
• Provide written, verbal and/or electronic communication on behalf of a student aid recipient to ensure student receives, to the extent possible, help needed to progress holistically.
• Assist with an alphabet caseload percentage of financial aid application received annually.
• Provide telephone and counter coverage when assigned; meet with students and/or parents by scheduled appointment or walk-in.
• Work assigned system reports to ensure correct data is process for financial aid applicants.  This includes but is not limited to federal, state, institutional, and scholarship awards.
• Provide program rules and information, including Policies and Procedures updates, to Financial Aid Office (FAO) staff, student assistants and other appropriate campus constituents.

Verification

• Verifies information students provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Using eligibility criteria, request, review and evaluate data elements to clear discrepancies based on federal guidelines and when required, recalculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to determine student aid eligibility.  Data elements must be corrected and sent to Central Processing Service (CPS) through the electronic corrections process.

Program Coordination

• Assist with monthly reconciliation for assigned program(s).  Utilize PeopleSoft queries/reports to reconcile program expenditures.
• Meet with appropriate agency/office to review and reconcile program expenditure balances.  Ensure reconciliation activity details are include in program policies and procedures.
• Coordinate information affecting financial eligibility with student accounting and financial aid leadership, staff, and appropriate campus personnel to provide timely policy and regulatory changes.
• When appropriate, convey with management and other professional level staff regarding interpretation of regulations and procedures.
• Stay abreast of and successfully apply knowledge of various federal, state and institutional regulations.
• Ensure that program information and guidance is provided to staff and students in the respective area of program administration.
• Ensure the awards are updated and posted on the student financial aid system and that financial aid is awarded within compliance requirements.

Other classification-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience:

• Equivalent of one year of experience in professional Student Services work at the entry trainee level. Equivalent amounts of graduate level job-related education may be substituted for the required experience.

Education:

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business administration or a job-related field. Additional specialized experience during which the applicant has acquired and successfully applied the knowledge and abilities may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Required Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of the methods and problems of organization and program management; research and interviewing techniques
• principles of individual and group behavior
• the ability to rapidly acquire such knowledge of the organization, procedures and activities of the specific campus to which the position is assigned
• the basic principles, practices and major trends in the Student Services field to which assigned.
• Ability to rapidly acquire a working knowledge of the specific objectives of the campus Student Services program and its relationship to the total campus operation
• interpret and apply program rules and regulations
• gather and analyze data
• reason logically, draw valid conclusions and make appropriate recommendations
• present clear and concise information orally and in written reports
• establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, CSU administrators, student organizations and other private and public agencies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience advising students; either in a group or individual setting
• Knowledge of: (CMS) PeopleSoft, NSLDS (National student loan data systems), COD (Common Origination and Disbursement Systems), WebGrants, ELM (Electronic Loan Management), and Hyland OnBase Imaging System (Or comparable Image & workflow software).
• Two or more years of experience working in a Financial Aid Office with direct experience performing verification and awarding student financial aid with specific Title IV programs, ie: Pell Grants, Federal Work Study, Direct Loans, or state aid such as Cal Grant).
• Full functional knowledge of and skill in standard office procedures and practices, as well as an ability to understand and operate in a variety of organizational structures.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation and be able to clearly communicate orally and in writing.
• The ability to use and quickly learn new office support technology systems and software packages.

Compensation and Benefits:

Anticipated Hiring Range: $4,066 per month

Classification Salary Range: $4,066 – $5,752 per month

The salary offered will take into account internal equity and experience among other factors.

The CSU system provides a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental and vision plans, membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), sick and vacation time, and 15 paid holidays a year. Eligible employees are also able to participate in the fee waiver education program. A summary of benefit information can be found here .

Position Information:

Full-time Non-Exempt Probationary

Academic year schedule: Monday through Friday (8:00 am – 5:00 pm), some evenings/weekends.

Summer schedule: Monday through Thursday (7:00 am – 5:30 pm), some evenings/weekends.

The application deadline is: Wednesday, March 06, 2024

As of January 1, 2022, the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.

California State University, San Bernardino in not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (i.e. H1-B Visas).

Conditions of Employment

Background Check

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment.  CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information.  Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

Mandated Reporter

The person holding this position is considered a `mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

I-9

CSUSB hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.  See Form I-9 Acceptable Documents at https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents .

Statement of Commitment to Diversity

In our commitment to the furthering of knowledge and fulfilling our educational mission, California State University, San Bernardino seeks a campus climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the entire variety of human experience. We welcome people from all backgrounds, and we seek to include knowledge and values from many cultures in the curriculum and extra-curricular life of the campus community. We will create, promote, and maintain activities and programs that further our understanding of individual and group diversity. We will also develop and communicate policies and promote values that discourage intolerance and discrimination.

California State University, San Bernardino is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, hire, train, and administer all personnel actions without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, color, caste, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, protected military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. This position adheres to CSU policies against Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence, including Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking. This requires completion of Sexual Violence Prevention Training within 6 months of assuming employment and on a two-year basis thereafter. (Executive Order 1096) For more information about Diversity & Inclusion at CSUSB, please visit https://www.csusb.edu/human-resources/diversity-inclusion

Closing Statement:

Reasonable Accommodation

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact CSUSB Benefits at [email protected] .

Smoking

CSUSB is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.  See policy at  https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6591951/latest/ .

Clery Act

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Cal State San Bernardino Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at: https://www.csusb.edu/clery-act .

Advertised:21 Feb 2024 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close:06 Mar 2024 Pacific Standard Time