Heather Borries

Photo by Indian Yogi (Yogi Madhav) / Unsplash So, this is happening. A student (or their momma bear parent) is angry and you happen to be in their path. Keep calm and carry on? That’s for novices. You need a plan to tame the bucking bronco into a gentle steed.

Photo by Naassom Azevedo / Unsplash Happy students graduate. That statement in itself may not seem mind blowing, but it is a fair statement with wide implications. Do you realize that the number one reason students drop out is depression? Previously seen with stigma, mental services and support for wellbeing have

Success, your student has graduated! In the past it was enough to teach students interview skills, teach them how to make a resume, and send them off into the big world. But, what can colleges do to ensure students are successful after they land their dream job? Photo by JodyHongFilms

Photo by Franck V. / Unsplash Robotics have been emerging in our world at an unprecedented pace. If you walk into a McDonalds you are likely to order from a kiosk then a person. Not that impressive, but robots are getting smarter. Momentum Machines created a robot that can make a

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 period for 18-19. The 18-19 rates were much higher than ED anticipated. ED will be issuing guidance

IRS Tax Security Awareness Week The IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry will hold a National Tax Security Awareness Week December 3 -December 7, 2018 to encourage both individual and business taxpayers to take steps to protect their tax data and identities in advance of the 2019 filing

Usually the holidays are a time of merriment, but college students are extremely susceptible to the holiday blues. Photo by Aaron Burden / Unsplash There are specific factors that are unique to students. Academic, environmental, social, and family pressures intensify for during the holiday months. Many students don’t have proper

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 cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone

The new award year 2019-2020 is just around the corner. Students haven’t had to wait until January to complete their FAFSAs for four years now. FAFSA applications open in October, but many students choose to wait to complete their applications. So why are students waiting to apply for aid?

The rise of AI in the classroom Photo by Markus Spiske / Unsplash Just as many innovations start, a professor at Georgia Tech, Ashok Goel had a need. As his numbers of students increased, so did their questions. Their questions were same as always, there was just more of them. As

Intrusive Advising is all the rage these days. But what is it? And why should you do it? Photo by Monica Melton / Unsplash Intrusive Advising is a proactive style of student retention. Advisors (Life Coaches) are reaching out to help at risk students. It is intrusive because students are not

Times are always changing and so is the IRS Tax Transcript. Below is the who, what, when, and why of it all. Photo by Thought Catalog / Unsplash Why is the IRS making the change? The IRS announced upcoming changes to the Tax Transcript that will go into effect for individuals

2017-2018 Award Year Deadlines The 2017-2018 Pell Award Year will officially close on Sunday, September 30, 2018. 2017-2018 electronic or mailed ISIR corrections must be received at CPS by September 15, 2018 by 11:59 pm (Central Time). Receipt of a FAFSA to be received by CPS was June 30,

Good communication is imperative in every relationship from spouses, to co-workers, all the way to the person I’m ordering my lunch from. It’s important to get things right (and that I don’t like pickles). People have an overwhelming need to communicate. After all, even introverts talk to

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 Policy and Procedure Manual that is complete or reasonably complete since Federal regulations require colleges to have

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 be risk sharing. This will likely mean that institutions will have more "skin in the game&

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. Maybe that’s why my hairstyle has barely changed in the past decade. Like all things, Financial

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 and procedures important to your college and students? Your Mission: Security You are obligated to protect the

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 superheroes. The caped crusaders of the Financial Aid world are unsung heroes of the campus. They are

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 students these days were the first babies that we saw in 3D ultrasounds. It is no surprise

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 request, download, and import these new message class tables as soon as you connect to the SAIG

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 sets. Either way, here is the information you need to know. The time is upon us to

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 trusty plastic log in token. It’s time to pull up NSLDS. Being a prepared FA Advisor