Technology Plan Office of Financial Aid

Erica LeJeuneEDTC 625

Office of Financial Aid Technology Plan

The McNeese State University Financial Aid Office is a fast paced, ever-changing, diverse industry that strives to meet the needs of all students, in accordance with federal and state regulations, as well as university policies. Because of this, our office relies heavily on the use of technology.

Technology enables our office to carry out the university’s mission of “Excellence with a Personal Touch”. We depend on technology to aid in the process of providing accurate, up to date, and timely information to prospective and current students, comply with federal and state regulations, as well as enforce university policies.

The use of technology within the Financial Aid Office has streamlined the overall process tremendously. Technology enables our office to be more productive, efficient and better than ever. By automating a large part of the financial aid process, we are able to focus our attention to other aspects that further benefit students.

Executive Summary

The primary function of the Office of Financial Aid is to administer programs which provide financial assistance to students of McNeese State University.

It is our vision to streamline the aid process through technology, in order to provide students and parents with exceptional service, timely assistance and necessary communication, while keeping all data secure.

We will rely on technology in order to meet the growing demands from prospective students, current students and parents.

Vision statement

Explore new ways to offer students accurate, up to date and timely information pertaining to their financial aid

Maintain equipment and upgrade when necessary to prevent any downtime or lost data

Maintain software by installing necessary updates

Maintain a high level of security to protect student information

Use social media more to connect with students and the general public

Create a variety of multimedia and Web 2.0 tools in order to communicate important policy and procedure information to students (tutorials, slideshows, electronic flyers)

Enhance the financial aid portion of the McNeese website and offer a variety of multimedia and Web 2.0 tools (post tutorials, slideshows and electronic flyers

Implement the Banner Document Management System in order to move toward a paperless office

Implement electronic submission of documents

Implement electronic acceptance of student loans

Ensure all employees have access and receive the training necessary to maintain and advance technology skills

Create computer based training sessions for student employees

Goals

Technology has substantially impacted the McNeese State University Financial Aid Office for many years.

Technology implementation has enabled the overall financial aid processing time to be significantly reduced, from 6-8 weeks to 2-4 weeks.

Technology also allows students to access their financial aid information 24/7 via the Banner Self-Service system.

The Banner system enables the Financial Aid Office to send emails to students when additional documentation is needed or when a change is made to the students account.

The switch from regular mail to email saved the Financial Aid Office a great deal of money by eliminating paper, printing and postage cost.

The Banner system enables the Financial Aid Office to quickly implement new procedures in order to comply with new federal regulations.

The disbursing and accounting of financial aid funds has become much more efficient and less time consuming.

Impact of technology on the workplace

Currently the Office of Financial Aid uses a variety of technology in order to carry out the financial aid process in accordance with federal and state regulations, as well as university policies.

Every employee uses a desktop computer everyday and most of the full time employees have dual monitors.

Laptop computers and LCD projectors are available for meetings, training sessions, conducting financial aid workshops and working various events around campus.

Three employees have scanners at their desk and an additional eight scanners have recently been purchased and installed throughout the office.

one heavy duty document imaging machine in order to archive documents.

Several copy machines, printers and fax machines daily.

A TV monitor and scrolling marquee resides in the front lobby.

Wireless internet access is available in and around the building.

All computers are hooked up the Local Area Network (LAN).

Current Status of technology use and availability

Technology will be integrated strategically by creating committees to oversee the project to ensure everyone stays on task and the deadlines of the plan are being met.

Committees will be lead by visionary leaders that will motivate and facilitate change.

Equipment and software will be evaluated annually and upgraded when necessary.

Access to the system will be reviewed annually to maintain a high level of security for the data in the system.

Planning Focus Areas

Financial aid administrators will be required to undergo training to learn new technology skills as well as enhance existing skills. Administrators are expected to learn the new technology so that they can train the rest of the staff. Because of this, the responsibility of working through major technology errors and participation in the initial setup process of new technologies falls on the administration staff. Employees will need to undergo training to enhance existing technology skills as well as learn new skills. In addition, employees will participate in discussions and contribute ideas for the creation of tutorials and other multimedia presentationsSelect employees will attend conferences throughout the year and report back to all employees within the Office of Financial Aid.

Professional Development

The Office of Financial Aid will seek support from the community and work together to ensure the goals and objectives of the technology plan are being bet.

McNeese communityBanner software support Banner Document Management SystemLASFAASWASFAANASFAA

Community Engagement

Personnel roles and responsibilities

Director

Responsible for seeking out new technology, maintaining contracts and requesting funds from the Chief Information Technology Officer as well as the University Computing Services Office.

Maintains employees’ access to the system every year and approves or declines security requests

Informs the staff of any upcoming upgrade to the system and ensures all employees have adequate information pertaining to the upgrade

Promotes training events to all employees and ensures adequate training opportunities are available

Creates implementation team for installation of new technology

Associate Director

Oversees and monitors social networks

Provides updates to be displayed on the portal

Oversees and troubleshoot email correspondence

Provides information for scrolling marquees around campus and TV monitors

Serves on implementation team

Assistant DirectorProvides access to various industry related listserv

Acts as the destination point administrator for various Department of Education systems

Serves on implementation team

Personnel roles and responsibilities

Stafford Loan Manager

Maintains all Direct Loan technology

Creates flyers, documents and tutorials

Create student worker training

Serves on implementation team

Office Manager

Keeps inventory of all equipment

Ensures equipment never becomes outdated

Request funds from accounting

Works with third party contractors to keep equipment working properly 

Assistant Director

Provides access to various industry related listserv

Acts as the destination point administrator for various Department of Education systems

Serves on implementation team

After interviewing the technology coordinator within the Office of Financial it has been determined that this office already has the appropriate equipment, software and access to carry out the goals and objectives of the technology plan.

The resources to replace outdated equipment would come from the Office of Financial Aid’s annual allotment as well as the TASC office.

The tutorials and Web 2.0 tools are free to use so financial resources are not required to implement this part of the plan.

McNeese State University has already purchased the equipment and the software for the Banner Data Management System which will allow our office to become paperless.

Funding for training and professional development will be requested as needed from the purchasing department.

Budget and Funding

Positive feedback from students indicating the Financial Aid Office is utilizing technology efficiently to communicate information.

Positive feedback from employees that their needs are being met with technology, that they have access to adequate equipment, software and training.

Evaluation

Indicators of success

In order to measure the effectiveness of the technology integration outlined in this plan, a questionnaire will be sent to the students of McNeese State University, as well as the staff within the Financial Aid Office. A pre-assessment questionnaire will be sent out prior to implementing any new technology as well as after the technological implementation

5 Year Plan

Create various tutorials and documents and post to the website

Create and use Twitter for financial aid information

Review each computer to ensure it does not become outdated. If so request an

upgrade from network services

Review security each year to ensure all employees have the appropriate access

and revoke access for any employee that is no longer working in financial

aid

Begin training on the Banner Document Management System.

Begin process for electronic acceptance of student loans via Banner Self Service.

Develop training team. This team will create computer based training for student employees.

The director will ensure all employees receive technology training by actively searching for training

opportunities and make those available to all employees.

The End

See ya at graduation!

Office of Financial Aid Student worker Training

Create various tutorials and documents and post to the website

Create and use Twitter for financial aid information

Review each computer to ensure it does not become outdated. If so request an upgrade from network services

Review security each year to ensure all employees have the appropriate access and revoke access for any employee that is no longer working in financial aid

Begin training on the Banner Document Management System. The equipment and software have been purchased already. Employees will first learn the interface and function of the system. Once training is complete the BDMS will be used to archive documents then procedures will need to be developed in order to become paperless. Policy and procedures for scanning the documents on the front end will need to be written and the capability of accepting documents electronically will need to be thought out. An implementation team will be created and the office will become paperless within five years.

Begin process for electronic acceptance of student loans via Banner Self Service.

Develop training team. This team will create computer based training for student employees.

The director will ensure all employees receive technology training by actively searching for training opportunities and make those available to all employees.