Policies & Procedures for New Financial Aid Administrators

Carla Arsaga -

By Rick Cox and Siobahn Arbogast

  • Colleges are required to create, implement and follow written policies and procedures. This information may be requested during a program review. The Department of Education will hold colleges accountable if they are not following their own policies and procedures.
  • Colleges should review and update their P&P manual regularly. Institutions should also review any hyperlinks they have on their website to ensure those are still working properly. This should be done on an ongoing basis.
  • As a reminder, colleges are required to annually distribute a notice of available consumer information and where this is located. You must also include in that notification that a paper copy is available on request.
  • Colleges must provide a copy (mail, email or hand delivery, etc.) of the Annual Campus Security Report to all current students and employees. This must be distributed by October 1 of each year. Additionally, the college must inform prospective students and employees of the availability of that report and how they can obtain it.
  • FSA Assessments has been moved to Appendix C of the FSA Handbook. The Appendix provides a listing of the assessments available, as well as a link to the assessments webpage.
  • The department plans to offer a two-day training in early 2025 on Policies and Procedures.
  • As a reminder, colleges must publicize (website or distributed written materials) their withdrawal process (how to withdraw, who to contact and timeframes, etc.), as well as their Return to Title IV policy and institutional and/or state refund policy.

Rick Cox is Global’s Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance. Siobahn Arbogast is Director of Title IV Accounting.