Financial Aid Officer - 18541 UPDATED AND EXTENDED DEADLINE

ATTENTION:

The Financial Aid Office at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater seeks a Financial Aid Officer, (Financial Aid Officer, AE105).

Academic staff positions are provided fixed term appointments with annual renewals unless otherwise noted. Reappointment for subsequent terms is dependent upon performance, university funding and external forces.

JOB DETAILS:

This position provides excellent customer service and guidance to financial aid applicants and their families throughout the financial aid application process; completes review and verification of financial aid applications; determines financial aid eligibility within the parameters of federal, state, and institutional policies; and is responsible for the oversight of one or more financial aid programs.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• One year of experience with customer service and/or advising students

Desired Characteristics:

• Knowledge of student financial aid administration, including federal and state regulations and aid programs, file review/verification, and Federal Student Aid processing systems (CPS, NSLDS, COD, etc.)
• Experience processing Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculations with extensive knowledge of related R2T4 policies and procedures, including post-withdrawal disbursements and unofficial withdrawals
• Experience with integrated student information systems, preferably PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, and ImageNow document imaging system
• Master’s degree in higher education administration or related field

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent customer service and verbal/written communication skills, including the ability to exercise tact and discretion when dealing with students, families, and staff.
• Ability to work independently under moderate supervision, and also work cooperatively with others as an effective team member
• Thorough attention to detail
• Organized with good time management skills
• Basic mathematical computation skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Willingness and ability to be an active participant in the following applicable safety rules and regulations including necessary training drills
• Ability to interact respectfully with people from diverse socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Duties:
30% A. Counsel students and their families regarding the availability of, eligibility for, and application process for financial aid funds.

1. Responsible for advising in person, via phone, and email for an assigned subset of students, equating to between 15 and 25 percent of financial aid applicants/student population.
2. Each work week, serve as the walk-in counselor for half-day shift(s).
3. Develop and conduct financial aid presentations for various prospective and current student groups.

20% B. Complete review and verification of financial aid applications and award federal, state, and institutional financial aid.

1. Review verification worksheets, tax documents, and other forms to perform federally-regulated verification.
2. Review various documents for student eligibility, including marriage certificates, birth certificates, selective service registration confirmations, etc.
3. Review reports regarding various aspects of student eligibility, including students close to loan limits, one semester only students, changes to residency status, and others.
4. Exercise sound professional judgement, within federal guidelines, when processing extenuating circumstance requests, dependency overrides, and other professional judgement requests.
5. Revise financial aid when students receive outside funding.
6. Process various reports to monitor financial aid eligibility and make appropriate adjustments to financial aid. These include changes to loan eligibility, enrollment changes, etc.

20% C. Manage the Return to Title IV Funds (R2T4).

1. For each student who withdraws from the university after the term has begun, calculate the amount of aid the student earned and the amount to be returned, and process according to federal regulations.
2. For students who have withdrawn and whose aid has not yet disbursed, calculate and monitor post-withdrawal disbursements according to federal regulations.
3. Monitor students dropping courses offered in modules to determine if an R2T4 calculation needs to be completed.
4. At the end of each term, review students who do not receive any passing grades to determine if an R2T4 calculation needs to be completed.
5. Counsel students on the financial aid implications of withdrawing from courses.
6. Report any grant overpayments to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
7. Monitor Federal Pell Grant recipients when they withdraw from courses to ensure the students started the classes for which Pell funds were received, and process according to federal regulations.

10% D. Process institutional scholarships.

1. Review scholarship export reports from Admissions, query data for Academic Non-Resident Scholarships, and query data of UWW Foundation scholarships on a weekly basis.
2. Revise financial aid packages if necessary, and send communication to students.
3. Reconcile funds with Admissions, UWW Foundation, and Student Accounts.
4. Process AmeriCorps certification requests.

10% E. Research, interpret, and develop policies to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional policies.

1. On an ongoing basis, remain abreast of regulations from the US Department of Education and through financial aid professional associations.
2. Document and/or update all processes and procedures used by the position.

10% F. Miscellaneous duties as assigned; may include but not limited to:

1. Prepare for and actively participate in staff meetings.
2. Participate in professional development opportunities to maintain professional knowledge and share this knowledge with the entire office staff.
3. Maintain operational knowledge of financial aid systems, including NSLDS, COD, FAA Access to CPS Online, etc.

CAMPUS INFORMATION:

Founded in 1868, UW–Whitewater is one of eleven comprehensive universities in a public higher education system that also includes two doctoral institutions and a statewide Extension. UW-Whitewater’s main campus is located in Whitewater, with a branch campus in Rock County, in the city of Janesville. Together, these campuses form a preeminent academic institution driven by the pursuit of knowledge, powered by a spirit of innovation, and focused on transforming lives. UW-Whitewater’s campuses are located conveniently near Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago, and thus offer the advantage of beautiful small-town environments with easy access to the cultural and commercial opportunities of major metropolitan areas.

The Warhawk family — led by caring faculty and staff — is devoted to student success within a broad range of academic programs offered at the associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. These include both on-campus and online programs, and span the disciplines, from the theoretical to the applied, and encompass study in the arts, business, education, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, technology, and professional and interdisciplinary programs.

UW-Whitewater has a special mission within the UW System to serve students with disabilities and, as such, embraces the principles of universal design and is one of the most accessible campuses in the nation. The campuses have more than 200 student organizations and UW-Whitewater’s intercollegiate athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division-III level. UW-Whitewater is committed to seeking and sustaining a culturally and ethnically diverse campus environment, building a diverse faculty and staff with expertise and interest in serving students with diverse needs, backgrounds, ethnicities, abilities and other distinct characteristics in respectful, sensitive and understanding ways. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and actively seeks and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and veterans.

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION:

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is part of the 13-campus University of Wisconsin System ( https://www.wisconsin.edu ).

Wisconsin Statute 19.36(7)(b) provides that applicants may indicate in writing that their identity should be kept confidential. In response to a public records request, the University will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wisconsin Statute 19.36(7)(a).

Per Regent Policy Document 20-19, University of Wisconsin System Criminal Background Check Policy and UW System Administrative Policy 1275 Recruitment Policies, UW-Whitewater requires criminal background checks as a contingency to employment. A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of employment. All final candidates must be asked, prior to hire, whether they have been found to have engaged in, are currently under investigation for, or left employment during an active investigation in which they were accused of sexual violence or sexual harassment. When obtaining employment reference checks, these same sexual violence or sexual harassment questions must also be asked.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater requires that all employees be active participants in following applicable safety rules and regulations including necessary training and drills.

For UW-Whitewater Campus safety information and crime statistics/annual Security Report, see http://www.uww.edu/asfr . If you would like a paper copy of the report please contact the UW-Whitewater Police at 262-472-4660.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Well-qualified candidates can expect a salary commensurate with the candidate’s education, related experience, and qualifications.

UW System employees receive an excellent benefit package. To learn more about the UW System’s comprehensive benefit package, review the UW System Employee Benefits Brochure.

CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT:

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources . UW-Whitewater is not an e-verify employer, therefore STEM extensions are not options for work authorization.

TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION:

Applications received by August 19, 2022 are ensured full consideration. Applications received after that date may be given consideration at the discretion of the search committee. The most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

If you have questions regarding this recruitment or if you are unable to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact us at (262) 472-1072 or hrstudent@uww.edu .

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Melissa Walton
Executive Assistant II, Enrollment and Retention
262-472-1385
waltonm@UWW.edu

TO APPLY:

Only complete application packages will be considered. This includes online submission of the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Name and contact information for three professional references

This Job ID is 18541.


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