Financial Aid Counselor
Job Description
Recruitment Number
1558
Number of Vacancies
1
Working Title
Financial Aid Counselor
Classification Title
Financial Aid Officer
Proposed Salary to be Offered
$46,000
Appointment Percentage (Budget)
1.0
Position Summary
The Financial Aid Officer is responsible for:
- Counseling students and parents regarding financial aid matters
- Performing FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application review
- Requesting supporting documents when needed to verify FAFSA information
- Posting initial aid offers
- Revising aid offers as needed when notified about additional education resources
- Using professional judgment to revise student eligibility under special circumstances
- Outreach and communication with prospective and current students
- Assisting with office phone calls, e-mails, and in-person visits
- Maintaining Confidentiality
- Remaining compliant with federal, state, UWL, and Universities of Wisconsin policies
This position may also assist with:
- Maintaining the office website
- Maintaining the office policy and procedure manual
Position Type
Staff/Administrative
Pay Basis
Annual
FLSA
Exempt
Contingent Upon Funding
No
Is this position eligible for employment sponsorship, (H1B or PERM)?
No
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning
- Effective customer service, public speaking, conflict resolution skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information appropriately
- Ability to problem-solve and exercise independent judgment and initiative
- Ability to make timely decisions and determine priorities
- Excellent attention to detail
- Effective time management and organizational skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Work experience with Federal student financial aid, or financial resources
- Work experience in Higher Education
- Experience with computer applications (especially student information systems such as PeopleSoft).
- Work experience with students and/or colleagues from diverse backgrounds
Physical Demands
Reasonable Accommodations
UWL provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact hrinfo@uwlax.edu or 608.785.8013. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.
All position descriptions are required to provide physical demands and working condition/environment and may not be published in the job announcement. For information on the physical demands and/or working conditions/environment for this position, please contact Human Resources at hrinfo@uwlax.edu or 608.785.8013
UWL provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact hrinfo@uwlax.edu or 608.785.8013. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.
All position descriptions are required to provide physical demands and working condition/environment and may not be published in the job announcement. For information on the physical demands and/or working conditions/environment for this position, please contact Human Resources at hrinfo@uwlax.edu or 608.785.8013
Working conditions and environment
Travel to conferences and training events as needed. Some evening or weekend hours for financial aid related events.
Office setting
Office setting
Miscellaneous Information
Information about your Benefits
Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.
Highlights include:
Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.
Highlights include:
- paid vacation for 12-month positions.
- excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.
- paid holidays and sick days.
- after 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.
- benefits at UWL are highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.
Benefit eligibility is determined at point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.
Information about UWL and the Surrounding Region
Information about UWL and the Surrounding Region
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW–La Crosse) provides a challenging, dynamic, and diverse learning environment in which the entire university community is fully engaged in supporting student success. Grounded in the liberal arts, UW-La Crosse fosters curiosity and life-long learning through collaboration, innovation, and the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge. Acknowledging and respecting the contributions of all, UW-La Crosse is a regional academic and cultural center that prepares students to take their place in a constantly changing world community.
For more than a decade UW-La Crosse has been named one of Kiplinger’s 100 Best Values in Public Universities and has appeared prominently on the U.S. News & World Report list of “America’s Best Colleges” for more than 15 years, and is ranked #4 on its list of the Best Regional Public Universities in the Midwest. UW-La Crosse ranks 6th nationally among the Top LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges for 2018-19 by AffordableCollegesOnline.org (ACO).
With a student population of roughly 10,500, the university offers 91 undergraduate programs, 21 graduate programs, and 2 doctoral programs through the following three colleges, the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Science and Health, as well as the School of Education. There are over 600 full-time faculty and instructional academic staff, 75 percent of whom hold terminal degrees. UW-La Crosse boasts a retention rate (freshmen returning as sophomores) of 84 percent, graduation rate (degree within six years) of 70 percent, and is among only 12 institutions cited nationally by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for its success in linking campus culture and university leadership to outstanding graduation rates.
UW-La Crosse’s strategic plan Sustaining Excellence continues to move our community forward through its four pillars: increasing community engagement, achieving excellence through equity and diversity, investing in our people, and advancing transformational education. More information about the ongoing work of Sustaining Excellence is available at www.uwlax.edu/info/strategic-plan.
The UW-La Crosse campus is in southwestern Wisconsin, nestled in a residential area of the City of La Crosse and positioned as part of a larger metro area with a population close to 140,000. The area, known as the 7 Rivers Region, is famous for its exceptional natural beauty which includes the Mississippi River on one side, majestic bluffs on the other, and views of rolling farmland and forested valleys in between. Abundant water, woodlands and varying terrain provide ample opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. Only a couple of hours from Minneapolis or Madison, La Crosse enjoys the affordability and charm of small town living with larger city benefits. Three colleges, two world-class medical institutions, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a restored nineteenth century downtown business district, and a number of galleries and art centers have made La Crosse a regional center for culture, entertainment, medical care, shopping, sports and recreation. More information about the La Crosse metro area can be found here: Choose La Crosse. Learn more about UW-La Crosse here: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/finalist-welcome/
AA/EO Statement
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. We strongly encourage women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans to apply. UWL, in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or protected veteran status.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. We strongly encourage women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans to apply. UWL, in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or protected veteran status.
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE
Inclusive Excellence is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the Universities of Wisconsin community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning, research, scholarship, creative activity, community service, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin La Crosse fulfills this by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background – people who serve the State of Wisconsin and the public good.
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)
For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see https://www.uwlax.edu/police/annual-security-report/ or contact the University Police Department at 608.785.9000.
Redbook Position
Yes
Division/College
Academic Affairs Division
Description of College / Department / Program / Division / Unit
The Division of Academic Affairs encompasses a wide array of activities and functions that ensure the overall academic quality of the institution. This includes providing administrative oversight and academic leadership for: the College of Business Administration; the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities,; the College of Science and Health; the School of Education; Murphy Library; Admissions; Records and Registration; Financial Aid; Career Services; Academic Advising; University Graduate Studies; Continuing Education and Extension; the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creativity; the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning; Institutional Research; and International Education & Engagement. Academic Affairs also provides leadership and support to the nearly four hundred full-time faculty and instructional academic staff, 73 percent of whom hold terminal degrees. Through its various functions, the Division of Academic Affairs supports students in the pursuit of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education as well as scholarly activity.
Duties/Responsibilities
<div>These are the job duties required for the position.</div>
Responsibility Statement
FAFSA Application Review
Duties to Support Responsibility
- Per federal law, review and verify information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by comparing application information to documentation provided by the family/student.
- Analyze information, resolve conflicts, make corrections and/or complete further investigation when appropriate.
Responsibility Statement
Financial Aid Offers
Duties to Support Responsibility
- Determine financial aid offers for applicants using the guidelines and award criteria established by the various programs, including Federal law, State law, institutional or office policy.
- Revise financial aid offers when applicable (i.e., adjust offer due to receipt of scholarship/grant), depending on the financial need to remain compliant with award regulations.
Responsibility Statement
Advising Students/Families Regarding Financial Aid
Duties to Support Responsibility
- Counsel prospective and current students in person, virtual, and via telephone/email on financial aid matters.
- Counsel students on loan eligibility and loan options.
- Use Federal Student Aid professional judgment to revise student eligibility, financial aid offers, and decide on appeals for additional aid based on special or unusual circumstances.
Responsibility Statement
Outreach
Duties to Support Responsibility
- Represent the Financial Aid Office at various on/off campus events such as campus visit days, START (Freshmen Registration), FAFSA completion events, etc. providing presentations/materials to assist and engage students.
Responsibility Statement
Customer Service
Duties to Support Responsibility
- Assist with office phone calls, e-mails, in-person visits.
- Learn campus resources to refer students and families as needed.
Posting Detail Information
Posting Detail Information
Posting Date
10/07/2024
Continuous Recruitment
Yes
Continuous Recruitment First Review Date
11/04/2024
Close Date
Special Instructions
Application deadlines
TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION: Priority consideration is given to those candidates who apply by the listed ‘First Review Date’. Applications received after that date may be given consideration at the discretion of the search committee. Application materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Incomplete and/or late application materials may not receive consideration. If you have questions regarding this recruitment, or if you are not able to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact the Office of Human Resources.
Confidentiality of Applicant Materials
UWL is a state agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWL will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.
CBC & Reference Check Policy
All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a criminal background check, work authorization, and verification of education. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.
TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION: Priority consideration is given to those candidates who apply by the listed ‘First Review Date’. Applications received after that date may be given consideration at the discretion of the search committee. Application materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Incomplete and/or late application materials may not receive consideration. If you have questions regarding this recruitment, or if you are not able to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact the Office of Human Resources.
Confidentiality of Applicant Materials
UWL is a state agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWL will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.
CBC & Reference Check Policy
All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a criminal background check, work authorization, and verification of education. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.
Position Contact Name
Christina Hayes
Position Contact Email
chayes@uwlax.edu
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