E-language is E-language is Still EnglishStill English

Martha OlsonMartha OlsonSystem Analyst, Information Technology System Analyst, Information Technology

ServicesServicesAnn WessmanAnn Wessman

Assistant Director, Student Financial AidAssistant Director, Student Financial AidIowa State UniversityIowa State University

Iowa State UniversityIowa State University Established in 1864Established in 1864 First Land Grant CollegeFirst Land Grant College Enrollment Enrollment

Undergraduate – 20,732Undergraduate – 20,732 Graduate/Professional – 5,009Graduate/Professional – 5,009

Aid RecipientsAid Recipients Students – 22,161 Students – 22,161 Aid - $229,071,054Aid - $229,071,054

Financial Aid StaffFinancial Aid Staff Full-time staff - 19Full-time staff - 19 Student work-study staff – approximately 20Student work-study staff – approximately 20

OverviewOverview

Getting started with e-Getting started with e-communicationscommunications

Current processCurrent process ImprovementsImprovements Future uses of e-communicationsFuture uses of e-communications

ISU E-mail SystemsISU E-mail Systems

SMTP

E-mail Files

CampusMail Hub

(Anti-Virus)(Anti-Spam)

POPServer

POPServer

POPServer

POPServer

POPServer

Host

Exchange

Outlook

Eudora

HotmailYahooEtc.

Web Mail

HistoryHistory

Big Mail – AIT – 1998Big Mail – AIT – 1998 E-award – 1999E-award – 1999 Aid Authorization – 2000Aid Authorization – 2000 Acknowledgment Letters – 2000Acknowledgment Letters – 2000 FAFSA Reminder - 2001FAFSA Reminder - 2001

Concerns/IssuesConcerns/Issues

How do we know they read the e-How do we know they read the e-mail?mail?

What e-mail address do we use?What e-mail address do we use? Limited number of e-mails sent at Limited number of e-mails sent at

one time.one time. Can student request no e-mail?Can student request no e-mail? Lack of personal touch.Lack of personal touch. Return address?Return address?

Concerns/IssuesConcerns/Issues

Staffing to respond to e-mail.Staffing to respond to e-mail. Which students get e-mails?Which students get e-mails? Subject title – how to get their Subject title – how to get their

attention?attention? Text of e-mails.Text of e-mails. Timing of delivery.Timing of delivery.

Current E-mailsCurrent E-mails

Batch jobs - Large groupsBatch jobs - Large groups Award letter notificationAward letter notification Aid authorizationAid authorization Acknowledgment lettersAcknowledgment letters FAFSA reminder (multiple)FAFSA reminder (multiple) Pending documentsPending documents Child care grantsChild care grants ““Breaking news”Breaking news”

Current E-mailsCurrent E-mails

LoansLoans Multiple disbursementsMultiple disbursements 30-day delay30-day delay Holds on loansHolds on loans ConsolidationConsolidation Unsigned prom notesUnsigned prom notes

QAP – student notificationQAP – student notification Summer aid applicationSummer aid application FA Newsletter noticeFA Newsletter notice

Current E-mailsCurrent E-mails

On-line – Individual e-mailsOn-line – Individual e-mails Student employmentStudent employment

Job posting previewJob posting preview Employment verificationEmployment verification

Student, supervisor, and payroll clerkStudent, supervisor, and payroll clerk JLD follow-upJLD follow-up

Change in student awardChange in student award Over-awardsOver-awards

Current E-mailsCurrent E-mails

One-time e-mailsOne-time e-mails ScholarshipsScholarships

Potential recipientsPotential recipients Endorsement holdEndorsement hold Information release and donor thank Information release and donor thank

youyou

FACT FACT (Financial Aid (Financial Aid

Communications Team) Communications Team) Focus groupsFocus groups Input from phone counselorsInput from phone counselors Student participationStudent participation Core and review teamsCore and review teams Terminology/ReadabilityTerminology/Readability Test e-mailsTest e-mails On-line formsOn-line forms Automatic system note for counselorsAutomatic system note for counselors

APE TeamAPE Team(Access Plus Enhancement)(Access Plus Enhancement)

Financial aid awardFinancial aid award

AccessPlus Iowa State University About/Logout A+ Home Student

Financial Aid Award Financial Aid: Financial Aid Award 2005-2006 Report Scholarships e-mail: financialaid@iastate.edu Aid Status Authorize Aid Student Loan History Estimated Cost of Attendance Estimated Financial Resources Summer Aid App Full-time tuition and Fees $5,634 $ Direct Deposit Room and board $6,197 Grant Money $1,000 Account/U-Bill Total direct costs $11,831 Subsidized loans $3,500 Address Change Books and supplies $892 Unsubsidized loans $2,000 Admissions Personal expenses, transportation, etc. $3,160 Additional loan options $9,380 Campus Org Collect Total Indirect Costs $4,052 Class Registration TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE $15,880 TOTAL RESOURCES $15,880 Class Schedule Current Stdnt Info CyCash Dining Services Direct deposit Fall Spring Full Enrollment Cert Financial Assistance 2005 2006 Year Financial Aid Grant Money – You do not need to repay these funds G Class Schedule Estimated Federal Pell Grant $500 $500 $1,000 Grad Stdt Status Loan Money – You are not required to borrow all or any of Grades&Transcripts These funds. Any amounts that you borrow must be repaid in Health Insurance Accordance with program guidelines. Register for Class Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loan (Subsidized) $1,750 $1,750 $3,500 Residence Halls A master promissory note is currently on file for you Student Health Ctr A new note is not required for this loan. Student Job Board Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loan (Unsubsidized) $1,000 $1,000 $2,000 A master promissory note is currently on file for you A new note is not required for this loan. Additional Loan Options (Unsubsidized) - Final approval for any of these loans requires a

separate application and analysis of credit history.

Additional Loan Eligibility $4,690 $4,690 $9,380 ISU Partnership Loan eligibility: https://partnershiploan.org/isualtapp for application Click here to apply for loan TOTAL FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY $15,880 Your file has been selected for Verification by the Federal Processor and a hold has been placed on your file. Before aid can

be released to your account, please provide the following documentation. Signed photocopy of parent’s Federal Tax Return Signed photocopy of student’s Federal Tax Return Institutional Verification Form (http://www.financialaid.iastate.edu/) For information concerning the different types of financial aid that you have been awarded, please

go to http://www.financialaid.iastate.edu/ and click on Explaining Your Financial Aid Award.

Reduce Aid Decline Fall Aid Only Decline Spring Aid Only Decline ALL Aid No Change

AccessPlus Iowa State University About/Logout A+ Home Student

Financial Aid Award Financial Aid: Aid Status Report Scholarships Aid Status Authorize Aid Fall 2005 . Student Loan History Summer Aid App Direct Deposit Account/U-Bill Award Title Amount Status Address Change Almost Graduated Scholarship $500.00 Aid applied to university bill 8/16/05 Admissions Fed Dir Stafford Sub Loan $862.00 Aid applied to university bill 8/16/05 Campus Org Collect Fed Dir Stafford Sub Loan $862.00 Aid clear Class Registration Fed Dir Stafford Unsub Loan $492.00 Aid applied to university bill 8/16/05 Class Schedule Fed Dir Stafford Unsub Loan $493.00 Aid clear Current Stdnt Info CyCash Total Financial Aid Eligibility $3,209.00 Dining Services Direct deposit Enrollment Cert Click here to review the current account status of your university bill. Always allow a minimum of two (2) business days Financial Aid For refunds to be directly deposited into your bank account. G Class Schedule Grad Stdt Status Grades&Transcripts Action completed normally Health Insurance Register for Class Residence Halls Student Health Ctr Student Job Board

AccessPlus Iowa State University About/Logout A+ Home Student Financial Aid Award Financial Aid: Financial Aid Award Response 2005-2006 Report Scholarships e-mail: financialaid@iastate.edu Aid Status Authorize Aid Student Loan History Summer Aid App How to Reduce Your Aid Award Direct Deposit Account/U-Bill To REDUCE your aid, enter the total for the semester in the “Reduce To” box. Address Change Gift and Grant assistance can not be adjusted on AccessPlus. To make any changes, please contact the Financial Aid Office. Admissions Campus Org Collect Fall Reduce Spring Reduce Full Class Registration 2005 To 2006 To Year Class Schedule Non-Adjustable Assistance Current Stdnt Info CyCash Estimated Federal Pell Grant $500 $500 $1,000 Dining Services Direct deposit Enrollment Cert Adjustable Financial Assistance Financial Aid G Class Schedule Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loan (Subsidized) $1,750 $1,750 $3,500 Grad Stdt Status Grades&Transcripts Federal Direct Stafford/For Loan (Unsubsidized) $1,000 $1,000 $2,000 Health Insurance Register for Class Additional Loan Eligibility (Separate Application Required) $4,690 0 $4,690 0 $9,380 Residence Halls Student Health Ctr Student Job Board Submit Adjustments Main Menu

AccessPlus Iowa State University About/Logout A+ Home Student Financial Aid Award Financial Aid: Financial Aid Scholarships 2005-2006 Report Scholarships e-mail: financialaid@iastate.edu Aid Status Authorize Aid Student Loan History Summer Aid App Report Scholarships Direct Deposit Account/U-Bill List sources and amounts of financial aid you anticipate receiving from other sources in 2005-2006. Other aid of $500 or more Address Change will be divided between fall and spring semesters unless we receive written authorization from the donor. Aid received Admissions .from other sources may result in a revision to your offer. Campus Org Collect Class Registration Class Schedule Scholarship Name Scholarship Amount Current Stdnt Info CyCash Almost Graduated Scholarship $1,000 Dining Services Direct deposit Enrollment Cert Financial Aid G Class Schedule Grad Stdt Status Grades&Transcripts Health Insurance Register for Class Residence Halls Student Health Ctr Student Job Board The scholarships listed above will appear on your award under “Non-ISU Reported Aid” and will give a total of all reported scholarships. You may want to print this screen for your records before submitting. Submit Main Menu

APE TeamAPE Team(Access Plus Enhancement)(Access Plus Enhancement)

Financial aid awardFinancial aid award Explaining your financial aid awardExplaining your financial aid award U-business functionU-business function

Proxy OptionsProxy Options

Aid statusAid status Loan historyLoan history University billUniversity bill Transcripts/GradesTranscripts/Grades Class scheduleClass schedule

ChallengesChallenges

It ain’t always It ain’t always easy…easy…

FutureFuture

Expanded proxy optionsExpanded proxy options Financial aid award (2006)Financial aid award (2006)

Standards for individual Standards for individual communicationcommunication

““Canned” responsesCanned” responses Guidelines for answeringGuidelines for answering Revised e-award lettersRevised e-award letters

Questions?Questions?

Thank youThank you

for attendingfor attending