The following are notes of items of interest from the 2018 FSA Conference OPENING SESSION 10% of all FAFSAs are being filed using the mobile app. ED wants to reduce the burden on students selected for verification. The 19-20 selection rates are much lower than this
Do you Know Who Your Students Are? This is an interesting question about who is attending your institution these days. Photo by Andrés Gerlotti / Unsplash When we think about an undergraduate student, what comes to mind? Traditional and conventional wisdom
Gone Phishing! A Whale of a Tale This is a story on how the “big one” got away. To start, let’s plunge into Data Security attacks through phishing and the methods utilized. First, what is phishing? Phishing is a
Special Thanks to All Financial Aid Staff Do you know what day it is? No, it’s not your Birthday or it could be! It’s October 17th which is a very special day because the third Wednesday of every
FISAP is Near! A Deadline is Closer Than it Appears Photo by Bryce Barker / Unsplash Don’t look now, but another deadline is upon us. As announced in the Federal Register Notice “2018-2019 Award Year Deadline
The Founding Fathers Had No Idea! Constitution Day and Title IV Entwined Photo by Anthony Garand / Unsplash Little did we know that we had a date with destiny in December 2004, when the late Senator Robert C. Byrd, believed
Fall is Coming Wait…this reminds me of a popular television show. Photo by Peter Aschoff / Unsplash Seriously, as we approach the traditional “peak time” of the year, I was thinking about how stressful it can
A Mobile Revolution – Are you ready? Photo by freestocks.org / Unsplash “You say you want a revolution,” The Beatles sang in “Revolution 1”. The revolution is here, and it has invaded your campus. Can you guess? It is mobile
As the World Turns – Policies and Procedures As we start the beginning of a new award year, it is probably a fitting time to start considering the updates necessary to your Policies and Procedures Manual. Hopefully, your college has a
Notes From the 2018 NASFAA Conference Reauthorization Ready Reauthorization is 4 years overdue and there is still a long way to go before reauthorization happens. Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate agree that there needs to
Are Electronic Processes Always Better than a paper process? Change is good, so they say. I’m often conflicted with change. I love one click ordering on Amazon yet am enraged my new car has data ports instead of a CD player.
Mission: Not Impossible –Why a Security Program Is Important to Your College and Students Photo by Taskin Ashiq / Unsplash Your mission, should you chose to accept it (wait one second…you do not have a choice) pertains to security. Why are Information Technology (IT) security policies, controls
Modern Day Super-Heroes: Financial Aid Officer I was wondering, who is a Financial Aid Officer, Financial Aid Administrator, or Financial Aid Counselor? We go by many titles and wear many different hats, just like some of our favorite cape-wearing
Chatty Cathy Technology has given us devices that can answer your doorbell, change the thermostat settings, call a cab, and make dinner reservations by voice command. Technology also offers limitless ways to get information. College
Red Alert! Red Alert! Red Alert! New Message Classes from CPS and COD are Flying at You New message classes are coming for Central Processing System (CPS) and Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System. EDConnect transmission software will automatically
It's That Time Of Year FISAP deadlines…you either view them as the circle of life or a yearly resurrection of Dracula. So, burst into song as the sun rises or grab a silver stake as the sun
Streamlining the Student Eligibility Process A meeting has been set with a new student to discuss their Financial Aid options. Before they arrive, you have some work to do. You clack away on your keyboard and grab your