The Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid was interviewed for this report since there was limited student input via invited solicitation for comments last fall and only two focus groups of students were conducted. In the new organizational structure of the University, Financial Aid is no longer formally tied to the group of offices that recruit and enroll students and promote retention. Financial Aid and Admissions need to coordinate activities. Furthermore, Financial Aid is concerned about the possible gaps in communication and technical support implied by the new structure. Guidelines for qualification for financial aid, allocation process, and notification process could be clearer.
Technical support is limited due to many competing priorities.
Staff retention due to low salaries is problematic. Financial Aid reports that they receive many positive comments from students. Financial Aid prominently displays comment cards for students to fill out regarding customer service. Data are used to assess ongoing customer relations and identify areas for staff training. Additional information needs to be collected systematically from the students about their experiences with Financial Aid.