Our Agenda TodayThe OSU environmentIn the pursuit of Technology Driven Best PracticesOSU initiativesQuestions

OSU At A Glance

Students: Fall 2001OSU at a glance

Financial Assistance: 2000-2001OSU at a glance

Tech staffSystems StaffSystems ManagerSystems Specialists (2)Hardware / LAN / Daily operationsAnalysis & developmentBoth trained in Financial Assistance

OSU at a glance

Financial Aid SystemSIS IA PLUS / FAM SCTSince February 1999OSUs Y2K solutionPurchased by governing board for systemEight sitesCommon software and Data dictionaryEight databasesOSU at a glance

FAM Fund CodesFunds maintained in FAM1,853Funds paid through FAM1,398Institutional scholarship funds paid through FAM1,104Tuition waiver funds paid through FAM176OSU at a glance

Student Financial Assistance

In the Pursuit Best Electronic Practices

System PhilosophyIs the financial aid system for only?AccumulatingStoringProcessingOr a tool that --Enhances services to studentsPromotes efficiencyProvides an infrastructure for changePursuit

Characteristics of Best PracticesPursuit

CharacteristicsBest practices require a willingness to change the way business is done.Best practices are relative.Environmental considerationsBest practices are additive.Processes build upon processes.

Pursuit

CharacteristicsBest practices result from the efforts of people.Best practices are generally a team effort.Technology is not the source of best practices.Best practices do not require cutting edge technologyHowever some technologies are critical or pivotal.

Pursuit

CharacteristicsBest practices require:Strategic planning ~ Incubation DevelopmentDeliberate Implementation EvaluationBest practices requires occasional failureFailure promotes learningCondemnation stifles developmentPursuit

CharacteristicsBest practice implementation requires:LeadershipCommitmentInvestmentThe adoption of best practices is a marathon Not a sprintEverything does not have to be done at once.Best practices allow staff to focus on what is importantNot what is only urgentPursuit

OSU initiativesQuantifying Activity DocumentationDisbursementPC LabOSU initiatives

OSU initiativesMaster Promissory NotesE-Mail TechnologyLoan Consolidation CampaignScholarship ProcessingOSU initiatives

Quantifying ActivityOSU initiatives

Quantifying ActivityOSU initiatives

Quantifying ActivityOSU initiatives

Quantifying ActivityOSU initiatives

Quantifying ActivityOSU initiatives

System

DocumentationOSU initiatives

System DocumentationOSU initiatives

System DocumentationOSU initiatives

System DocumentationOSU initiatives

Systems DocumentationOSU initiatives

OSU initiativesDisbursement

Enhancements

Disbursement Enhance ObjectivesAllow distributed entry and maintenance of scholarships and tuition waivers. Ensure student eligibility for scholarships and tuition waivers at the point of disbursement.Minimize number of manual adjustments to tuition waivers.Minimize changes required to base FAM products.OSU initiatives

Scholarship & Tuition Waiver DisbursementOSU initiatives

Scholarships paid via FAM: $4,500,000 4,500 awards

OSU initiativesModifications Required for Distributed Award Entry

Award Entry ScreenReplicate existing screen functionality.Added security enhanced (value-based).Added disbursement controls (BR feed flag)Added override values for hours enrolled

Award Entry

Award Entry

Value based securityAdded elements to the Fund attribute fileOperator Security attributesLevel 1: Operators college / agencyLevel 2: Operators departmentLevel 3: Additional attribute (if needed)Modification to Fund Management ScreenMaps fund to specific user department / collegeSecurity Modifications

Security Modifications

Value based security (cont)Map operator ID to FAM Fund access.Authorized Terminals adapted in security segment.Security Modifications

004 Add/Change an OperatorScreen: ___ System: 001 Operator: 1234 Distribution ID: 999999999 Operator Name: OPERATOR, CAPABLE J Phone: 744-4709 Password: PASSWORD Password Expiration Days: ___ Date Last Changed: 04-13-01 Authorized Terminals: CEAT ETECH DJ (Optional) Use Screen Access of Oper: 0172 (Optional) Use Element Access of Oper: 0172 (Optional)Element Inquiry/Update Codes: _ _ (Used if no Element Access List specified)SIS Value Based Security Info----------------------------- Home School: ___ Dept: ACAD Primary Area: EN ORG Security Class: A ('A', 'B', or 'U'nrestricted) Authorized Academic Unit: _ Authorized Colleges: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Authorized Departments: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Authorized Majors: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____Security Modifications

Disbursement Processing Flow

Step 1: Validate EligibilityTable driven program confirms student eligibility for scholarships and tuition waivers:BR Feed Flag is setIneligible students: BR Feed flag set to N. Eligible students: BR Feed flag set to Y.If BR Feed flag = F, no update performed.Eligibility Validation

User-defined Eligibility and Attribute table provides parameters for each award:Minimum fall, spring and summer hours required for disbursement.UndergraduatesGraduatesEligibility ValidationStep 1: Validate Eligibility (cont)

Degree Program Requirement:A = All degrees are eligibleB = Both undergraduate and graduate degreesG = Graduate students onlyS = Special students onlyU = Undergraduate students onlyV = Veterinary Medicine students onlyEligibility ValidationStep 1: Validate Eligibility (cont)

HRS check required (employment):N = HRS check not performedY = HRS check performedAward Type:M = Maximum tuition waiverV = Variable tuition waiverF = Faculty/ Staff tuition waiverG = Graduate teaching / research assistant wavierO = Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP)R = Third-party tuition award (Voc-Rehab, ROTC)S = Scholarship (non-tuition waiver)Eligibility ValidationStep 1: Validate Eligibility (cont)

Priority:Valid number from 00 to 9900 is reserved for OHLAP and ScholarshipsEligibility ValidationStep 1: Validate Eligibility (cont)

Pre-Disbursement

Step 2: Calculate PaymentTable driven program calculates and adjusts Tuition Waiver Offer and Accept amounts.User-defined Fund to Charge table links FAM fund code to BR subcode.Percentage of charge used in calculation.Pre-Disbursement

Generates standard maintenance transaction to update Offers and Accepts:If Maximum Tuition Waiver, only Accept amount will be lowered, if necessary.If Variable Tuition Waiver, Offer and Accept may be adjusted. Sets BR feed flags for ineligible studentsExample: Award conflicts identical prioritiesStep 2: Calculate Payment (cont)Pre-Disbursement

Pre-Disbursement

Step 3: Disbursement ComplianceCurrent credit hours carried are greater than zero.Anticipated hours are greater than zero.Financial Aid Class level equals Registrars class level.Student not over awarded or over budget.Items Verified:Pre-Disbursement

All document requests are complete or waived. Certain documents are not consideredSC*** - scholarship appsPM*** - promissory notes / loan processing itemsIf student is classified as a special student, the Budget Code must be TC (teacher certification) or PC (prerequisite courses).Pre-Disbursement

Confirmation of undergraduate status for Pell and SEOG.FA Residency status in sync with Registrars.Current semester RAP statusFA budget confirmation: Anticipated hours agree on disbursement and budget segmentsPre-Disbursement

If Stafford awarded, entrance interview completed.Annual and aggregate program limits for:PerkinsSEOGDirect Loans

Pre-Disbursement

Step 4: System Modifications (SBA590)Modified to bypass any award with BR Flag equal to F (student/award specific).Modified to allow exclusion or inclusion of specific funds as needed.Disbursement

Step 5: Award SynchronizationUsed to synchronize Offer and Accept amounts to Paid amount for each term.Processes funds identified in Eligibility and Attribute table.Executed only after end of add/drop for each term. Post-Disbursement

Disbursement enhancementsNew clone screen allowing users to view all scholarships of any given studentNew clone screen allowing user to access and update fund screensRequested

PC LabOSU initiatives

PC LabOSU initiatives

PC LabOSU initiatives

Master

Promissory

Notes

Master Promissory Notes100% Electronic MPNs for 2001-02PC lab essentialWhen student accepts Stafford loan:Student notified if MPN neededStudent notified if Entrance Interview neededCustom LetterSystem generated follow-up letter (2)OSU initiatives

Master Promissory NotesNightly program:Generated mail merge fileRequests MPNRequests entrance interviewRequests both if necessaryLetters completed by Loans staffOSU initiatives

Master Promissory NotesNightly program (continued):Posts document request to FAM tracking segmentDocuments codes compliant with masking schemePosts document complete status to FAM whenMPN acknowledged by LOCEntrance interview completedOSU initiatives

E-mailOSU initiatives

E-mailObjective: Enable OSFA staff to more efficiently communicate with students via e-mail

Policy decision needed: Commitment to business e-mail address for university correspondenceOSU initiatives

Project requirements:Individual basisCustom correspondenceStandard text easily updateableBulk mailings to targeted groupsLoan consolidation campaignOSU initiativesE-mail

Project requirements (continued)Generic return addressfinaid@okstate.eduPersonal return addressOSU initiativesE-mail

E-mailOSU initiatives

E-mailOSU initiatives

E-mailOSU initiatives

E-mailOSU initiatives

E-mailOSU initiatives

Scholarship Application ProcessingOSU initiatives

Scholarship Application ProcessingObjectives / Requirements:Track and route all scholarship applications within 24 hours of receipt6,000 applications per year High School and Transfer StudentsFebruary 1 deadlineNotify students of receiptEnhance internal controlCommunicate processing to Recruitment OfficeOSU initiatives

Scholarship Application ProcessingApplications processed by consolidated data entry unit:Application tracked into FAMApplication copied as neededApplication routedRouting annotated on FAMOSU initiatives

Scholarship Application ProcessingNightly program created to:Generate batch file of E-mail addressesConfirmation letters sent dailyGenerates and posts updates to the recruitment segment of SIS data baseGenerates manifest of applications that will be transferred to recruitment office.OSU initiatives

There is a better way to do it Find itPursuitThomas Alva Edison

Student Financial Assistance

Questions?Pat Kennedypatk@okstate.edu

10 Commandments of ITRemember, this is businessTalk to the usersUnderstand your customers businessTraining is not a discretionary costUse the vendors knowledge

INFOMRATION WEEK / March 9, 1992

10 Commandments of ITDevelop an IT staff with business and technical skillsManagement issues are always more important than technical issuesEvery contact with users is a PR opportunitySpend time on strategyHave a good timeINFOMRATION WEEK / March 9, 1992