Effective leadership is vital for navigating uncertain times. It requires cultivating a growth mindset, keen listening skills, and a willingness to take strategic action. In this three-part series, members of the Financial Aid Services leadership team explore one key dimension at a time—offering practical insights to help guide your team through challenging times in higher education. 

Listen Up: Listening is a Leadership Superpower 

When turbulent times arise, most leaders want to jump into action immediately. However, in times of uncertainty, strong leaders take a moment to pause and listen. They recognize the value of tuning in to the voices that matter most:  

• Team Members 
• Key Industry Leaders  
• Customers 

This leadership behavior is an outcome of a growth mindset approach discussed in the previous blog where learning and feedback are foundational. Listening well is what allows leaders to act with informed, thoughtful intent. 

Listen to Your Team 

Actively listening to your team unlocks a wealth of diverse perspectives. Their day-to-day roles provide unique vantage points—and often, a clear view of what’s working and what needs to change. You trust them to do the work, so why not trust their input to help shape how you approach it? Your staff lives on the front lines of the customer experience. By looping them in and requesting their input, you: 

• Foster greater team cohesion 
• Strengthen trust among colleagues 
• Accelerate team growth and professional development 

Transparency is key with your team. Even when the news isn’t positive, being forthright with the information goes a long way to creating a culture where team members feel heard, and their contributions are valued.  

Taking time to listen to your team nurtures a more collaborative and supportive environment while empowering your institution to make better-informed decisions and achieve greater collective success. After you have considered input from your team, the next audience to consider is your customers. 

Listen to Your Customers 

Avoid assuming you always know what products and services your customers need. Listening to your customers is the best way to understand their needs. A practical approach to gathering customer input is to establish customer advisory boards. When allowed to share their perspectives, clients can serve as a resource for: 

• Inspiring innovation 
• Determining market needs 
• Ensuring the right solutions are provided at the right time 

By seeking and valuing customer feedback, organizations move beyond assumptions and gain actionable insights to refine their offerings, anticipate future demands, and cultivate lasting customer loyalty. 

Listen to Your Industry 

Exceptional leaders take the time to listen to their industry to stay informed and adaptable. Attending conferences, following industry pages, and continuously networking allows leaders to: 

• Notice competitor actions 
• Keep their company on the pulse 
• Maintain awareness of the broader market 

By actively engaging with the broader industry landscape, leaders place themselves and their organizations in a position for agility and enduring success in a dynamic environment.  

The Power of Listening 

Effective leaders can gather invaluable insights that drive innovation and strategic decision-making by actively engaging with their industry, teams, and customers. This method fosters a deeper understanding of current challenges while building trust and collaboration, ensuring that the way forward is navigated with collective wisdom and a shared sense of purpose. 

Contact FAS, and let’s start a conversation to help you find solutions to your institution’s challenges.  

By: Lawrence Britton, MBA, and Delinda Hall, Ed.D, MBA, Executive Consultants, Financial Aid Services 

Since Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, inaccurate or untimely student status (enrollment) reporting to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) has consistently ranked as one of the top two issues in program reviews or audits, appearing prominently in the Top Ten Findings for Domestic Institutions report. This is often followed closely by “Repeat Findings – Failure to Take Corrective Action.” If your institution has been cited for inaccurate or late enrollment reporting in the Uniform Guidance Single Audit, it is likely a recurring issue flagged as a “repeat finding” (see more details at this studentaid.gov link). Unfortunately, if this has been a concern in the past, it probably remains a current compliance challenge for your institution. If your institution has not faced this issue, be sure to thank your Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid Office, and Information Technology Services team for their collaboration and effective work in navigating this complex area of Title IV federal financial aid compliance. 

Why has enrollment reporting consistently been the top audit or program review finding for educational institutions over the past decade? 

Possible reasons might include: 

• Many institutions mistakenly believe that managing Title IV aid is solely the responsibility of the Office of Financial Aid. 
• Institutions often overlook the importance of implementing routine quality control measures to ensure the accuracy of data submitted to NSLDS, whether they use a third-party servicer or submit enrollment data directly to NSLDS. 
• Institutions often fail to designate a primary department responsible for the accurate and timely reporting of enrollment data to NSLDS. 
• In some cases, the population of student records, enrollment statuses, and program-level details are missing or being inaccurately reported to NSLDS. 
• Untimely reporting of specific student information and submission of the NSLDS roster file. 

Best Practices for Your Reporting Timeline

• Respond to Roster within 15 days, 

• Correct errors within 10 days, 

• Certify enrollment data at least every 60 days.

Critical Components of Enrollment Reporting 

• Campus Level Reporting – enrollment status: 
  • Full-time 
  • Three-quarter time 
  • Half-time 
  • Less than half-time 
• Program Level Reporting  
  • Academic program 
  • Credential level 
  • Published program length 
• Changes in the student’s enrollment status  
  • Effective date of the status 
  • Anticipated completion date 
  • Timing of reporting 

Why NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Matters 

Effectively managing Title IV programs relies significantly on the accuracy of enrollment information reported by schools. Enrollment reporting matters because the data is used to: 

• Determine if the student is still considered enrolled in school,  
• Ascertain whether the student must begin repayment of their federal student loans 
• Decide if the student is eligible for an in-school deferment. 
• Calculate the student’s loan repayment grace period, based on their last date of attendance. 
• Contribute to data used to calculate Gainful Employment/Financial Value Transparency (GE/FVT) reporting.  

Which administrative area of the institution is responsible for executing the enrollment reporting requirements?   

At most institutions, this question is a subject of intense debate.  No administrative area is eager to assume this responsibility for enrollment reporting, because of the complex regulations mired in the details of students’ academic records, and the frequent reporting requirements. Collaboration between Academic Records/Registrar, Financial Aid, and Information Technology Services is essential for consistent and precise reporting. Since enrollment and program-level data are academic records at most institutions, the Registrar is typically responsible for ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of reporting enrollment data to NSLDS. 

What if my institution contracts with a third-party servicer to comply with the Enrollment Reporting requirements?   

Many institutions utilize the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to fulfill enrollment reporting requirements to NSLDS. While your institution may find NSC’s services reliable, the institution, not the third-party servicer, is ultimately responsible for notifying NSLDS of student enrollment status changes. Relying on the Clearinghouse as a third-party servicer for Enrollment Reporting and not validating the data in NSLDS exposes the institution to increased risk. 

Remember: The administration of Title IV Federal Financial Aid programs is an institutional responsibility. 

What if my institution faces an Audit or Program Review finding of Inaccurate or Late Student Status? 

Often the program review requires corrective action that includes file reviews covering certain periods — either specific term(s) or academic year(s). The resolution to such a finding is both time and labor intensive. Completing the file review amid ongoing operations by academic records staff members is nearly impossible to complete within the constraints of the deadline offered. A deep understanding of enrollment history recorded in the Student Information System and NSLDS is needed. Please contact Financial Aid Services (FAS) if you would like to discuss how we can assist your institution in addressing some of these compliance challenges.  

Best Practice Checklist 

Timeliness: 

• Submit enrollment data within established deadlines.  

• Develop an electronic enrollment reporting schedule. 

• Continuously track reporting schedules to ensure timely updates. 

Accuracy and Data Integrity: 

• Routine validation and confirmation of data that resides at NLSDS 

• Confirm student details such as name, program, campus, and enrollment status before submitting data. 

• Perform data quality checks to identify and correct errors. 

• Does the system include the required population for each enrollment reporting instance? 

• Is the system identifying enrollment status changes at both campus and program levels for each reporting instance? 

• Regularly review and update institutional contact information for both submission purposes and inquiries. 

• Develop clear procedures for handling changes in enrollment, including withdrawals and transfers. 

• Originate loans as early as possible. 

• Add students to the transfer monitoring process. 

Standardization: 

• Institutions have the option to report the enrollment data directly to NSLDS by using the online process or batch process through the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG). 

• Consider using a third-party servicer for enrollment reporting. 

• Adhere to standard data fields and reporting formats. 

Communication and Training: 

• Keep open lines of communication with the reporting system provider for troubleshooting and inquiries. 

• Ensure stakeholders are informed about updates and reporting schedules. 

• Routine training and knowledge transfer (amidst staffing turnover) for all departments collaborating on the requirements for Enrollment Reporting. 

• Create and monitor institutional policies and procedures.

Financial Aid Services understands the complexities of NSLDS reporting and can help you navigate confidently these challenges. We offer expert guidance and support to ensure your institution maintains accurate data, meets deadlines, and avoids costly penalties.  

Partner with FAS and learn how we can help your institution achieve seamless NSLDS reporting. 

 

REFERENCES 

2024-2025 Federal Student Aid Handbook, Volume 2, Chapter 3

NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide – November 2022. 

Federal Student Aid Training Center, Learning Track, School Eligibility, 2024-2025 Audits and Program Reviews  

By: Dotti Davidson, FAS Consultant

Prioritizing Technology for Maximum ROI

With 87% of students citing a school’s technological sophistication as a key factor in their college choice, financial aid offices must prioritize technology investments. In an era where digital expectations shape enrollment decisions, outdated systems in financial aid offices can cost schools more than time—they can cost students.

To avoid these pitfalls and ensure the highest return on investment (ROI) in technology for financial aid offices, we can focus on four strategies listed below.

Automate and Streamline the Financial Aid Process

Invest in technology that automates and simplifies the financial aid process, such as application submission, document collection, and student communication. Automation tools can speed up processing times, reduce errors, and free up staff to focus on more complex cases. A streamlined process also improves the overall student experience, which is crucial for recruitment and retention. Just a simple implementation of DocuSign can make a massive difference.

• ROI: Reduced administrative costs and improved student satisfaction.
• Tech Examples:
  • AI-powered chatbots
  • Digital forms
  • Electronic signature

---

Additional Reading from FAS: Explore practical ways to simplify day-to-day operations in your financial aid office. 

---

Develop Robust Online Portals

Invest in a user-friendly, integrated online portal where students and their families can:

• Track their financial aid status
• Access necessary forms
• Communicate with staff

This helps to engage students early in the decision-making process and keeps them informed throughout their college journey. Many schools already have a portal, but they are not user-friendly or customized. With help from IT, customizations can be made to increase the student experience exponentially.

• ROI: Enhanced engagement, improved retention, and increased student satisfaction, as prospective students find the process clear and accessible.
• Tech Examples:
  • Web-based portals
  • Mobile apps
  • Personalized dashboards

Improve Data Analytics for Decision-Making

Use data analytics to gain insights into student behavior, financial aid trends, and outcomes. This can help financial aid offices make informed decisions about where to allocate resources, identify gaps, and track the effectiveness of financial aid strategies. At one of my previous schools, I had the privilege of learning how to create web pages and had to migrate all the financial aid information to the new platform.  Pulling the analytics to see which pages students most utilized helped drive the new layout.

• ROI: Data-driven decision-making helps to fine-tune processes, identify at-risk students, and maximize the effectiveness of financial aid offerings.
• Tech Examples:
  • CRM systems
  • Predictive analytics tools
  • Reporting dashboards

---

Additional Reading from FAS: Learn how optimizing your PowerFAIDS software setup can further strengthen these outcomes. 

---

Enhance Communication Tools

Invest in communication tools that allow financial aid offices to interact with students and parents effectively. This includes email automation, text messaging, and even AI-powered virtual advisors for answering common financial aid questions. It is amazing how many schools still do not utilize text messaging. At one school, financial aid saw a 60% increase in specific forms being turned in when text messaging was used to prompt the students. In addition, offering virtual financial aid counseling sessions can ensure students have access to help regardless of location. Implementing the Microsoft Bookings app was a game changer in helping those students who can’t make it to campus. The app already comes with the Microsoft Office suite, so there is no added cost.

• ROI: Improved student satisfaction and engagement, quicker response times, and a more connected experience.
• Tech Examples:
  • SMS alerts
  • Virtual assistants
  • Video conferencing tools
  • Automated email systems

Financial aid offices can create value for prospective students, reduce operational costs, and foster student loyalty by strategically prioritizing technology investments that automate processes, improve communication, provide personalized support, and enhance the overall student experience. This can drive enrollment, retention, and ultimately lead to a higher ROI. Our consultants at Financial Aid Services (FAS) are available to  help develop and implement a strategy that enables your institution to prioritize technology.

Partner with FAS to map out your institution’s path to prioritizing technology.

By: Delinda “Lindy” Hall Ed.D.

We’ve all experienced unexpected staffing shortages, unforeseen budget constraints, and tight timelines. When students and university administrators face delays due to service interruptions, it disrupts the timely release of critical funding. These funding interruptions lead to frustration, causing students to delay enrollment or even withdraw early at the start of the term. For institutions, these delays jeopardize critical goals, such as awarding 50% of financial aid packages by mid-April, creating bottlenecks that strain resources and impact student success.  

The Urgency of Early Communication 

Delaying communication with students until the 2025-2026 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) is received could create processing bottlenecks, especially if your team still relies heavily on manual processes. Starting early ensures that institutions can stay ahead of these delays and meet key milestones in funding disbursement. Early communication sets the tone for a seamless financial aid process, reducing confusion for students and ensuring they are prepared to take timely action.  

“Gen Z students, shaped by on-demand experiences like Netflix and DoorDash, expect speed, personalization, and 24/7 support. Early communication is key to meeting these expectations, reducing friction, and transforming financial aid into a seamless experience.” 

Plan Early and Revisit Your Plan Often 

Start your planning process early to ensure your institution meets key deadlines, such as awarding 50% of financial aid by mid-April to align with state deadlines and support enrollment decisions. Effective planning—well in advance—and developing an operational plan in collaboration with key departments is essential for delivering a seamless student experience. The financial aid office relies on student data from other departments, such as admissions and the registrar’s office. The information shared between these offices is essential in accurately and efficiently awarding financial aid to students.  

A Better Student Experience: Communication is Key 

Delivering a seamless student experience begins with understanding your institution’s strengths and areas for improvement. By evaluating key factors, you can identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve communication, and enhance outcomes for students. Quickly assess the following factors to evaluate your institution’s agility and preparedness in enhancing the student experience:  

Initiate communication with all student groups early in the registration/enrollment process:  

• First-time undergraduates  
• Continuing undergraduates  
• Graduate and professional students

Communicate application and eligibility requirements to all student groups through various channels. Utilize social media or text messaging to reach them in accordance with institutional policies. The U.S. Department of Education offers digital content across various social media platforms that can be leveraged to avoid starting from scratch. 

Here are a few examples of critical communication topics:  

• Troubleshooting tips for completing the FAFSA  
• Step-by-step guide for applying for federal, state, and institutional aid FAFSA 
• Reminders and instructions for completing Entrance Loan Counseling & MPN for Federal Direct Loans  

Foster communication and collaboration among departments: Admissions, Registrar, Academic Advising, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts 

• Timely sharing of admitted student data from Admissions with Financial Aid is crucial for financial aid to determine eligibility and award first-time students
• Access to data: Is admissions data stored in a CRM?
• Does Financial Aid have access to the CRM, and is the necessary interface set up to share data between the CRM and the SIS/FAMS?  
• Academic Records data: Is the student’s grade level and anticipated graduation date current and accurate? This is critical information for determining federal direct loan eligibility and award amounts 
• Satisfactory Academic Progress: Has the SAP status been communicated to students at the end of the term? Understanding the impact of probation or suspension is essential for students’ decisions to continue enrollment. 

How Financial Aid Services Can Support Your Student Experience  

Need help updating or creating strategic and operational plans to ensure timely awarding and processing of financial aid for eligible students? Financial Aid Services provides interim staffing, processing support, and consulting services to enhance and maintain a positive student experience.  

Partner with FAS for a better student experience.   

By: Dotti Davidson, FAS Consultant

Financial aid offices are tasked with juggling student support, compliance and administration of funds, all within complex systems that impact the entire institution. As a consultant, I have served many schools and and have seen firsthand how small process improvements can make a big difference. At times, there is a knowledge gap regarding the many tools and strategies available to make the job of the financial aid department easier. Here are a few tips that could make day-to-day operations more efficient and effective. 

Leverage Your Phone System for Better Customer Service 

Financial aid offices often struggle to manage high call volumes, and during peak processing times, this can lead to frustrated students and staff.  

At one school, students frequently complained about unanswered calls because the system routed all inquiries to a single front-office assistant. When we reviewed the setup, the team believed a more efficient system wasn’t possible with their existing technology. 

However, many phone systems offer round-robin call distribution, which automatically rotates incoming calls among available staff instead of overloading one person. By restructuring the setup into three call groups—ensuring calls were evenly distributed and using me as the last resort before voicemail—we significantly improved response times. 

What a difference it made in ensuring the phone was answered on the first attempt! Reviewing and optimizing your phone system settings can streamline communication, reduce frustration, and enhance the student experience. Ensure you’re utilizing your phone system capabilities to deliver a better student experience.  

Tame the Email Beast: Managing High-Email Volumes 

For many financial aid offices, managing the constant flow of emails—especially during peak seasons—can quickly become overwhelming. Without an efficient system, inboxes fill up, response times slow down, and student frustration grows. 

At one school, the general financial aid inbox had over 600 emails in the general financial aid inbox waiting for responses. To tackle this, we implemented a structured approach, dividing and assigning emails to three dedicated response teams.  Each team had a specific number of emails to address by the end of the day and staff members signed their responses, so we could track progress.  

This clear process with shared accountability allowed the team to reduce response times and gained insight into workload distribution and long-term performance management. The following summer, we responded to emails the same day due to the improvements made in our processes and customer service.  

Improve Financial Aid Office Workflow: Leverage Technology 

Student information systems are often underutilized and there is typically a heavy reliance on manual processes that can be automated. Systems such as Banner are incredibly powerful – like a Ferrari- but without a full understanding of the capabilities it can be a bumpy ride.  

A process that I know can be frustrating is Transfer and Monitoring and it can be streamlined with a simple adjustment. A great way to track students that have received funds at another school is to enter a fund placeholder on the award maintenance page (RPAAWRD). For example, if they received loans and/or Pell grant, enter the fund code TLOAN for loans and TPELL for Pell with a $0 placeholder and corresponding comments in RHACOMM. 

Ensure the information access indicator remains unchecked so this does not create confusion for the student, but the staff can see the fund. When staff are looking at the students’ awards, this will allow them to quickly know the student is not under awarded.  This ensures that students do not receive funds that are in excess of their annual limits.  

At another school, I worked with a financial aid employee responsible for reconciliation. When I asked her to complete it by the end of the day, she was visibly overwhelmed. As we walked through the process, we uncovered that she was manually exporting data into Excel and using VLOOKUP to reconcile records. She was surprised and relieved to learn that Banner had built-in functions to automate the process entirely. As we explored other workflows, we uncovered additional inefficiencies that could be easily resolved with system settings. 

• Scholarships were being paid in full and should be pro-rated; thus, they were manually adjusting scholarships. We then fixed the set-up in Banner (RFRMGMT).  

• Another school was manually reporting federal work-study earnings to COD, unaware that Banner could handle the process using campus-based earnings (REPCBER) and extract process (RERCB1B/RERCB1A).  

• A scholarship meant to be fall-only was split between fall and spring. By adjusting the fund disbursement page (RFRASCH) we ensured the full award posted in the fall term.  

The key takeaway? If a process in your financial aid office is being done manually, there’s a strong chance your SIS has an existing function to automate it. Regularly reviewing system capabilities can save time, reduce errors, and allow staff to focus on higher-value tasks. 

Focus on Solutions 

Financial Aid Departments have a lot to balance to keep the system efficient and accurate and the reality is that many schools are unaware of the opportunities to streamline work incrementally. I have found many schools implement a process and get stuck in the rut of “we have always done it this way.” Don’t lose your curiosity; stay current with the new enhancements to your student information system. And remember if you are processing something manually, there is probably an automated process for that!  

Partner with FAS and make things easier for your financial aid team.