DEPARTMENT: Business Department
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Vice President of Administration
SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Daily co-supervision of Student Services work study students through face-to-face interactions.
SUMMARY OF WORK: This position is responsible for the development and implementation of the College’s financial aid programs, which provide financial support and services to current and prospective students.
The Director of Financial Aid oversees the administration and awarding of federal, state, institutional, and private grants, loans, scholarships and fee waivers to students at Dawson Community College. The Director will work with students enrolled on campus and Online. The Director is responsible for developing procedures and policies that will maximize the use of financial aid and scholarships to promote the recruitment and retention of students at Dawson Community College.
The Director is responsible for the development of a Continuous Quality Improvement Plan for the Office of Financial Aid to include identification of specific goals and outcomes, assessment of the progress toward the attainment of the goals, and utilization of assessment data to revise procedures and processes to more effectively achieve the goals and outcomes for the office.
JOB CHARACTERISTICS:
Nature of Work: This position performs administrative duties that require attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness. Work is performed in an office setting during normal office hours. Position must be able to travel to one state financial aid meeting per year as well as being available for other training sessions that may develop throughout the year. Position may be required to be available to travel in all types of weather conditions to conduct parent financial aid workshops at high schools in Eastern Montana; workshops are usually conducted during the evening hours several times a year. Position may need to return to the office in the evening hours to assist students who cannot come in during office hours. Position must adhere to standards of confidentiality of information and documentation as well as deal with the stress of maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations.
Personal Contacts: Daily contact with students and parents through face-to-face meetings, e-mail or telephone. Continuous contact with coworkers, faculty and administration.
Essential Functions: This position requires the ability to:
communicate orally and in writing,
read written material,
adhere to written policies and procedures,
determine student’s residency for tuition-paying purposes,
order financial aid forms,
monitor Title IV Funds to ensure all are expended for the award year,
schedule parent financial aid workshops,
Interpret and administer federal and state regulations, laws, and guidelines for all student financial aid programs.
Establish, implement, and evaluate written policies and procedures related to the awarding and disbursement of student financial aid and scholarships.
Set the cost of attendance, constructs student budgets and determines packaging policies each year based on the school’s allocation of funds and prior year utilization.
Oversee the training and processes with the Banner student record system throughout the year and for the New Year Start up procedures.
Obtain information regarding all outside funding, such as veterans’ educational benefits, vocational rehabilitation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal funding, etc.
Monitor federal and state fund balances to maximize utilization of all funds within intended rules, policies, and regulations.
Supervise and track the distribution of all federal aid, state aid, fee waivers and scholarship funding to maximize the recruitment and retention of students.
Position must be physically able to:
read printed material and forms,
operate a vehicle
operate office equipment including a computer for extended periods of time,
sit at a desk for extended periods of time,
use fine motor skills,
reach with hands and arms,
perform finger and hand dexterity,
use visual acuity, and
exercise physical mobility.
AREAS OF JOB ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE:
Interpret and administer federal and state regulations, laws, and guidelines for all student financial aid programs.
Recommends, implements, updates and adheres to institutional policies and procedures relating to Student Financial Aid Administration.
Coordinates external educational funding sources such as Veteran’s Benefits, Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tribal funding, and Job Training Partnership act Assistance.
Constructs cost-of-attendance budgets and revises the award-packaging policies each year based upon the school’s allocations of federal, state, and institution funds and prior-year utilization.
Completes consortium agreements for non-DCC students enrolling in courses at DCC.
Follow all Title IV guidelines including exercising adequate quality control to insure that need-based awards do not exceed documented need, nor that the students’ awards combined with the funding they received at prior institutions do not exceed aggregate limits.
Maximizes utilization of all funds from the various programs within intended rules, policies and regulations.
Manages overall operation of Financial Aid Office
Maintains departmental operation budget.
Oversees federal, state, and institutional funding programs.
Enters data for all student scholarships and most exemptions pertaining to degree seeking students (re: athletics, music, art, academic, etc.), into Banner exemption forms.
Disburses all student aid: reviews student files, ensures timely award notification and on-time disbursement of funds.
Balances all accounts.
Apprises Controller and VP of Administration of funding levels.
Exercises professional judgment in cases of dependency overrides, extension of satisfactory academic progress limits, and utilization of expected year income for determining estimated family contribution (EFC).
Manages and utilizes various computer programs, including but not limited to: Banner, EdConnect, Microsoft Office, and WinSCP.
Sets up the new financial aid year within Banner for all aspects of processing aid.
Develop forms appropriate for gathering the required information for Verification of applicant data.
Collaborates with IT department to insure required Banner upgrades in response to federal and state regulatory changes are completed and uploaded.
Selects and leads a team through Self-Assessment of program.
Establishes Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies, within Federal limits/guidelines and monitors student progress per policy.
Accesses and updates DCC and/or student data as required via federal web applications including but not limited to: Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG), Financial Aid Administrator (FAA) Access to Central Processing System (CPS) online, Federal Student Aid (FSA) Download (software), National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), Return of Title 4 (R2T4) on the Web, Common Origination & Disbursement (COD) system, eCampus Based System known as the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP), and Electronic Application for Approval to Participate in Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (EAPP).
Initiates transfer monitoring with NSLDS and reviews individual student funding history, ensuring students are funded appropriately when transferring to DCC.
Apprises students of Direct Loan and Perkins entrance and exit counseling requirements.
Conducts individual exit counselling session with Federal Perkins Loan borrowers, obtaining exit schedules of re-payment from Xerox (Perkins Loan Servicer).
Accesses data on Xerox website for year-end data to complete the FISAP Perkins Loan section.
Compiles data and completes the financial aid section of the annual IPEDS report.
Compiles data and completes Gainful Employment reporting to NSLDS.
Compiles data and populates the Department of Education’s Net Price Calculator template for IT department placement on DCC website.
Maintains all financial aid information on the DCC website, as well as those relating to the certificate programs in compliance with Gainful Employment regulations.
Approves access of DCC employees to various US Department of Education financial aid web systems, as the Primary Destination Point Administrator (PDPA) with the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) system.
Adheres to FERPA, being responsible for insuring that confidentiality of student records is maintained and that all contacts with the public are handled quickly, courteously, and accurately.
Prepares and submits various fiscal and operational reports as required by the Vice President of Administration, Federal, and State regulations.
Provides federal guidelines to the DCC Calendar for establishment of the academic calendar.
Develops annual scholarship applications, coordinating with the Dawson College Foundation, DCC, and outside entities.
Prepares and submits a list of Dawson College Foundation Scholarship recipients and disbursements each semester for payment.
Chairs the Financial Aid Committee, providing regulatory guidance on student financial aid appeals.
Distributes scholarship applications to review/selection committees, in keeping with the wishes of the donor.
Chairs the Financial Aid Committee with scholarship review/selection on institutional academic waivers and those where the donor did not specify.
Provides to the Dawson College Foundation information on student recipients for their annual newsletter.
Provides to the Dawson College Foundation a report of the use of the Short Term Loan Fund at their annual meeting.
Informs students and parents about the availability of financial aid, application procedures, and how to request reevaluation in the event of changes in the family’s financial situation.
Disseminates information relating to the financing of an education to currently enrolled students, potential students, parents, and high school counselors.
Develops positive relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, high school personnel, the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, Legislators, reporters, auditors, Department of Education staff, and members of relevant professional organizations.
Presents informative sessions for parents of high school students at Dawson County High School (other locations in Eastern Montana upon request), Campus Buccaneer Days, Summer Advance Registration, and Orientation.
Serves and participates in institutional committee structure as requested.
Reviews residency appeals and makes determination based on documentation provided.
Meets with the Athletic Department regularly to work collaboratively providing answers to inquiries and requests regarding financial aid packaging, processing, improving efficiencies to increase retention and recruitment efforts, etc.
Assists the Enrollment Management Department with admission inquiries and requests and improving efficiencies to increase retention and recruitment efforts, etc.
Assists the Business Department with reconciling student AR accounts, fee payment, inquiries and requests.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
Knowledge: This position requires a thorough knowledge of: Bookkeeping and accounting; State and Federal Financial Aid regulations and policies, Dawson Community College’s Admissions requirements and policies; operation of computers and various types of software; financial aid programs and web applications such as: Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG), EdConnect, Common Origination and Disbursement (COD), eCampus Based Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP), Electronic Application for Approval to Participate in Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (EApp), Xerox (Perkins Loan Servicer), Banner, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access; FERPA; Dawson Community College Foundation Scholarship policy; and HiSET (Montana High School Equivalency) rules and regulations.
Skills: This position requires skills in the use and operation of a computer, calculator, copier, fax, and telephone.
Abilities: This position requires the ability to: communicate effectively orally and in writing; follow verbal and written instructions; work with continuous interruptions; prioritize tasks; accurately process all applications for financial aid and administration; maintain the college’s eligibility to participate in administering Title IV Funds; establish effective and collegial working relationships with co-workers, staff members, students, supervisor, high school counselors, and the general public.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
The above knowledge, skills, and abilities are typically acquired through a combination of education and experience equivalent to:
A Bachelor’s Degree in Student Personnel Services, Business Administration, or in a related field. Three to five years experience in a college financial aid capacity gaining increasing responsibilities.
Must be able to be bonded.
COMPLETED APPLICATION PACKET MUST INCLUDE:
Completed Dawson Community College application
Current resume
Cover Letter
Copies of college transcripts (original transcripts required, if hired)
Three professional references (names, addresses, and phone numbers).
INQUIRIES MAY BE DIRECTED TO:
Human Resources Department
406-377-9412
Qualified protected class individuals are encouraged to apply. Dawson Community College must comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of1986. If hired, you will be required to provide documents to show your identity and authorization to work.
Nondiscrimination Policy: Dawson Community College does not discriminate on the basis of creed, race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy status, marital status, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation with respect to access, employment, programs, or services. The College is in compliance with Executive Order 11246; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972; Title IX regulation Implementing Educational Amendments of 1972; Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the 1991 Civil Rights Act; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended; the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974; Title 49, the Montana Human Rights Act; and all other federal, state, and college rules, laws, regulations and policies. Inquiries or complaints concerning these matters should be brought to the attention of John Bole, Director of Student Learning and Engagement, Title IX Coordinator. Telephone: (406) 377-9416. Email: jbole@dawson.edu. Office: 117 Library. Mailing Address: John Bole, Title IX Coordinator, 300 College Drive, Glendive, MT 59330.