Description:
Based in the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, St. Kate’s is home to a diverse group of students in a wide array of disciplines and degree levels. St. Catherine University is committed to helping students find ways to make the investment in their future affordable. The Financial Aid Office administers in excess of $100 million in student financial aid annually from federal, state, institutional, and private sources. Our team collaborates with students to ensure they understand their options, choices and commitments. The Assistant Director serves as the expert for student and parent loans and manages the administration of the federal, state and alternative loan programs, ensuring timely delivery of student aid and program compliance.
Responsibilities include:
- Prepare financial aid packages for prospective and current students.
- Perform need analysis and exercise professional judgment according to regulation and policy.
- Use knowledge regarding aid programs and legislation, need analysis theory and computation to review student applications and determine financial aid eligibility.
- Complete federal Verification process. Identify and resolve conflicting data.
- Review subsequent ISIR, grade change, SAR C-Flag and other reports, determine transaction or package revisions, and complete required student record or aid adjustments.
- Complete various reports and/or reconciliation projects for loan, grant, work study, scholarship, and other aid programs as identified by Associate Director or Director.
- Counsel students, families and guardians on eligibility requirements for federal, state, institutional, and private student financial aid programs.
- Interpret and explain financing options and financial aid regulations.
- Ensure smooth and meaningful referral to other University offices and external agencies when appropriate.
- Provide excellent customer service and communication during walk-in visits, appointments, and via letter, telephone, and e-mail inquiries.
- Exercise pro-active problem solving on broad range of issues to anticipate and minimize problems and concerns for students and their families.
- Resolve simple and complex problems, and de-escalate difficult situations, coordinating complex problem resolution with staff in the Financial Aid Office, Student Accounts, Registrar, Academic Advising, Academic Affairs, Access and Success, Student Life, and other departments as necessary.
- Serve as a liaison with internal and external agencies who provide funding to students that is counted as part of the student aid package.
- Administer scholarship funding, adjust aid due to over awards, coordinate with the Student Accounts on funds received and reconcile account discrepancies.
- Monitor and review federal Return of Title IV and state refund calculations for accuracy.
- Act as liaison to Student Account to coordinate retention efforts for students with past due balances and registration holds.
- Package awards, complete verification, perform Professional Judgment calculations for special circumstances as necessary to meet office, enrollment, and University goals
- Read, review and understand NASFAA News, MAFAA emails, Federal Student Handbook, MN Office of Higher Education State Financial Aid Handbook, other information to maintain current knowledge of financial aid programs to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations as well as institutional policies.