Assistant Director of Financial Aid

BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY (BSU) AND NORTHWEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE (NTC) invites qualified applicants to join our team as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid. BSU’s vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU’s vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated. Centered between the three largest Tribal nations in Minnesota – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth – BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with American Indian communities to become a destination university.  

Enrolling more than 5,000 students, BSU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship. BSU is located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota and occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. BSU balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture. The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation.

NTC has prepared students for fulfilling careers in high-demand fields for more than 50 years. The college’s accessible, affordable, hands-on programs also help the region’s employers meet their ever-growing need for a highly skilled workforce. NTC serves more than 1,000 students with an excellent education, an open-enrollment policy and affordable tuition. Students may pursue nearly 40 degree, diploma and certificate programs in six distinct career paths. Classes are offered on campus, online, or as a combination of both.

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid assists the Director and Associate Director in planning, administering, managing, and coordinating the student financial aid programs at Bemidji State University (BSU) and Northwest Technical College (NTC).  This position serves as the primary financial aid officer for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) for both institutions.  This individual counsels’ students and parents, as well as verifies awards and revises financial aid awards.

 

Responsibilities of the Assistant Director of Financial Aid include: Satisfactory Progress Officer & Return of Title IV Funds (45%): Acts as the Financial Aid SAP Officer and R2T4 funds liaison with faculty and the Business Office for BSU and NTC. Scheduling and performing reviews of student academic performance using the MinnState Integrated Statewide Records System (ISRS) at the end of each term. Creating, notifying, and monitoring students placed on warning and suspension status. Receiving and preparing all appeals of financial aid suspensions, once prepared, reviewing with Associate Director to determine results of appeal. Promptly communicating decisions regarding appeals to students. Maintaining records of appeals and all decisions related to SAP. Determining students who require an R2T4 calculation and submit information to Business Office.

Financial Aid Counseling (25%): Meeting with current and prospective students and parents to discuss issues related to applying for and receiving financial aid at BSU, including financial aid eligibility, application procedures, governing regulations, debt management, and ramifications of withdrawing from courses.

Financial Aid Processing (15%): Identifying and resolving conflicting financial and personal information using the MinnState ISRS financial aid system edits and verification processes. Calculating student eligibility and award appropriate financial aid funds. Providing assistance for NTC processes; this includes, but is not limited to aid applied, duplicate resolutions, packaging, and tracking.

Other Duties (10%): Assisting students participating in international travel academic programs. Developing and monitoring all facets of the TEACH grant program for BSU including application requirements and student individualized counseling within the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Education. Facilitating financial wellness programming at BSU. Aiding with the development of financial aid queries, financial aid policies, procedures, computer software and systems at BSU and NTC and other duties as assigned.

Outreach (5%): Participating in BSU Academic Advising and Registration programs, BSU FYE classes, and financial aid nights at area high schools.

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Bachelor’s Degree. Three (3) or more years of financial aid or related experience in higher education. Computer software and technology skills. Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to receive and maintain access to federal student aid databases.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Master’s Degree. Ability to participate as a team member. A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Working Conditions:

• Some evening and weekend work is required. Occasional overnight travel is required to attend conferences, training, and planning sessions.

 

Apply online:    https://bemidjistate.peopleadmin.com/

 

Inquiries about the position:

Jodi Knott, Associate Director of Financial Aid

Phone: (218) 755-4143

Email: jodi.knott@bemidjistate.edu

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application, contact Melanie Pakonen at melanie.pakonen@bemidjistate.edu

 

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

The greater Bemidji community has a population of 25,000 and serves as a regional center for education, commerce, recreation, health care, and the arts.

In this Northwoods setting, students, staff and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Bemidji State Beavers. While the city of Bemidji — named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) — is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Located between three American Indian reservations – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth, students at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State and Northwest Tech are both conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area — just 12 miles north of campus — offers downhill skiing and campus-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

 

For further information About BSU visit our website at http://www.bemidjistate.edu or the NTC website at https://www.ntcmn.edu.

 

Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at Bemidji 2.0

 

Other Resources:

• Visit Bemidji – https://www.visitbemidji.com/
• 218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji – https://www.218relocate.com/
• Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce – https://www.bemidji.org/ 
• Explore Minnesota – https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidji

 

Statement of Notice

Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College prohibit discrimination and sexual violence of any kind. Contact the Center for Civil Rights Investigation Office if you have concerns regarding discrimination and/or sexual violence. Per Minnesota State System Procedure 1B.3.1, all universities and colleges must provide contact information of their Title IX Coordinator.

 

Steven D. Parker, Campus Diversity Officer & Title IX Coordinator

Email: TitleIX@bemidjistate.edu

Phone: (218) 755-4121

1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Deputy Hall, Room 211, Bemidji, MN 56601