Western Nevada College's Financial Assistance Office provides mission critical services to ensure the college's goals of student success, institutional excellence and serving many communities. Students and families often cringe at the thought of rising tuition costs and see funding education as a barrier. Through a comprehensive approach of financial aid programs that meet the needs of students, an open and accessible model of financial aid advising/outreach, a diverse array of technical systems, and a dedication to continued professional development related to compliance, the WNC Financial Assistance Office fills a critical and crucial role.

Financial Aid Programs

Western Nevada College's Financial Assistance Office supports the college's mission and goals through a diverse array of financial need and non-need aid programs, Veterans Educational Benefits, and Student Employment/Work-Study programs. The Financial Assistance Office is responsible for administering the following programs:

Federal Programs

• Pell Grant
• Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
• Federal Work-Study
• Direct Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
• Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

Statewide and System Wide State Funded Programs

• Silver State Opportunity Grant
• Millennium Scholarship Program
• Nevada Promise Scholarship Program (in conjunction with WNC Counseling Services)
• Regent Service Program

Institutional State Funded Programs

• Nevada Resident Award
• Grant in Aid (FA Award Program)
• WEST Grant
• Nevada Student Employment Program

Institutional Aid Programs (Access Funded Programs)

• WNC Award
• WNC 15 to Finish
• Western Student Employment Program
• Western Nursing Award (Differential Fee Award Program)
• Foundation Scholarships (120 Different Scholarships)

Veteran Education Benefit Programs

• Montgomery (Chapter 30)
• Voc Rehab (Chapter 31)
• Post 9/11 (Chapter 33)
• Survivors and Dependents (Chapter 35)
• Montgomery for Select Reserve (1606)
• Reserved Education Assistance Program (1607)

Other

• Outside Third Party Scholarships
• BIA/Tribal Scholarships and Grants
• Americorps
• Alternative Loans
• Department funded Student Employment Positions

Financial Aid Advising

All Financial Assistance Office staff members provide financial aid advising in some type of capacity. It is essential that all employees are able to help students and families navigate basic financial aid processes, policies and procedures. Students interested in financial aid information or who have specific questions regarding their financial aid files are able to receive advising in the following ways:

• In-Person Appointments with a Financial Aid Advisor
  • Current and prospective students have the option to schedule in-person appointments with any of the professional financial aid staff. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting the staff member directly or contacting the financial aid front desk.
  • Financial Assistance Staff is also available at the Fallon Campus every first Tuesday of the month. Students interested in meeting with staff at the Fallon campus can schedule appointments with the Fallon Campus front office.
• You Can Book-Me Telephone Appointment
  • In 2014, the Financial Assistance Office implemented the You Can Book Me Telephone appointment system. Prior to the implementation of this system, during peak times the office struggled to manage the number of phone calls and returning messages. It would not be uncommon for the office to have the voicemail box full within the first hour of opening. The implementation of the You Can Book Me Telephone appointment system allows students to book a time that is convenient for their schedule and receive a call from a financial aid staff member at that specific time. The implementation of this system has reduced both student and staff frustrations and eliminated the back and forth telephone game. Appointments can be made at: https://fawnc.youcanbook.me/index.jsp.
• Walk-in Advice
  • The Financial Assistance Office is open Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm to assist current and prospective students. Financial Assistance staff are able to help with general financial aid questions, completing a FAFSA, completing financial aid forms and other specific questions about a student's file. Along with other Student Services offices, the Financial Assistance Office is open until 6:30 every Wednesday in August and January to provide additional hours prior to the start of the semester.
  • Financial Assistance Staff is also available at the Fallon Campus every first Tuesday of the month.
• Email Questions to finaid1@wnc.edu
  • The Financial Assistance Office regularly monitors and responds to email inquiries. The office strives to return emails within 3 business days.
• Telephone
  • The Financial Assistance Office Work-Study students answer all incoming phone calls and aim to return all voicemail calls within 1 business day. If Work-Study students are unable to assist a student with their questions, the work-study student consults with one of the professional staff members.

Outreach Services

The Financial Assistance Office is an active partner in the college's outreach services. Financial Assistance staff conducts Financial Aid Nights and Hands-on FAFSA workshops at all service area high schools including:

• Aspire High School
• Carson High School
• Churchill County High School
• Dayton High School
• Douglas High School
• Fernley High School
• Sierra Lutheran High School
• Silver Stage High School
• Smith Valley High School
• Virginia City High School
• Yerington High School

On average, the Financial Assistance Office conducts 23-25 Financial Aid Nights and Hands-on FAFSA workshops every Fall.

Technical Requirements

The Financial Assistance Office utilizes the following technical systems to administer federal, state and institutional aid programs:

• PeopleSoft - Student Information Systems, main system for processing aid
• OnBase - Electronic Forms, Work-Flows, Document Imaging
• Student Connections - Loan Default Prevention
• National Student Clearinghouse- Enrollment Reporting (Enrollment reporting in conjunction with Admissions and Records)
• Accuplacer - Ability to Benefit Testing (Testing administered in Counseling Services)
• Workday
• Variety of Alternative Loan Programs
• VAONCE
• Department of Education Software (EdConnect, COD, NSLDS, CPS, FAFSA, and SAIG Mailbox)
• Americorp Certifications Portal
• Scholarship Software Programs
• SIS / HRS
• Microsoft Office

Each system requires knowledgeable staff members to implement complex process and procedures. The use of technology is essential to ensuring compliance, providing efficient and effective processing times, and delivering excellent customer service.

Compliance

The Financial Assistance Office is committed to maintaining compliance while meeting the needs of students and providing excellent customer service. The college participates in annual audits and recently completed a college wide United States Department of Education Program Review. Analysis of the Financial Assistance Office's commitment to compliance is available in the Quality of Program section.

Training and Professional Memberships

The Financial Assistance Office participates in regular training opportunities and belongs to state, regional and national organizations. Membership and training opportunities with these organizations are essential to remain current and knowledgeable of changing federal regulations. The office utilizes a variety of funding sources to pay for training and memberships including: state operating budgets, College Staff Development funds, Pell Administrative Cost Allowances, and Campus Based programs indirect funds.

• Nevada Association of Financial Aid Administrators
  • 2018-2019 President Elect - JW Lazzari, Secretary - Temple Campana
  • 2018-2019 Members - Ambra Reed, Kathleen McFarlin, Jessica O'Brien
  • 2018 Conference Attendees - JW Lazzari, Temple Campana, Kathleen McFarlin, Ambra Reed, Jessica O'Brien
  • 2017 Conference Attendees - Ambra Reed, Jessica O'Brien
  • 2016 Conference Attendees - JW Lazzari, Temple Campana, Kathleen McFarlin
  • 2015 Conference Attendees- JW Lazzari
• Western Association of Financial Aid Administrators
  • 2018-2019 Members - JW Lazzari, Temple Campana, Kathleen McFarlin, Ambra Reed, Jessica O'Brien
  • 2018 WASFAA Fall Training Attendees - JW Lazzari, Ambra Reed, Pao Lee (WNC Counseling Services)
  • 2017 WASFAA Fall Training Attendees- Ambra Reed
  • 2016 WASFAA Fall Training Attendees - JW Lazzari, Kathleen McFarlin
  • 2014-2018 Multiple Webinars regarding Federal Student Aid
• National Association of Financial Aid Administrators
  • 2018-2019 Members - JW Lazzari, Temple Campana, Kathleen McFarlin, Ambra Reed, Jessica O'Brien
• Alliance Higher Education Users Group (PeopleSoft)
  • Members- Ambra Reed, JW Lazzari
  • 2018 Alliance HEUG Conference Attendee - Ambra Reed
  • 2017 Alliance HEUG Conference Attendee - JW Lazzari
• Federal Student Aid Annual Training Conference
  • 2018 Federal Student Aid Conference Attendees - JW Lazzari, Ambra Reed
  • 2015 Federal Student Aid Conference Attendees - JW Lazzari, Kathleen McFarlin, Jose Quiroga (no longer with WNC), Aaron Endel (no longer with WNC)
• Western Association of Veteran Educational Specialists (WAVES)
  • 2018 WAVES Conference - Jessica O'Brien
  • 2017 WAVES Conference - Jessica O'Brien

Front Desk Customer Service

Since 2011-2012, the Financial Assistance Office has not had a permanent full-time front desk staff member. During the peak of the recession, as buy-outs were conducted and individuals were shifted to new positions, this position was eliminated. The front desk has been staffed by primarily student-workers and by a part-time Administrative Assistant II. The Financial Assistance staff has done an excellent job working together to help cover the front desk, when student help is not available or when the AA II is out. However, the inconsistent coverage provided at the front desk is evident in some of the student satisfaction results, as analyzed in the Quality of Program section. The Financial Assistance Office is in need of a permanent position to cover the front office and assume other duties to allow professional staff to focus on compliance and serve other students.

Increased Compliance Monitoring

The Financial Assistance Office has taken great pride implementing strategies and processes related to improving compliance. As indicated in the Quality of Program section, the office has seen significant improvement and a decrease in the number of audit findings. Many strategies can be automated, however many still require manual intervention.

Staff members all wear multiple hats to ensure that new strategies are continued. For example, as part of our internal quality assurance program, each Verification File receives a second check/review. The office also implemented a Class Applicability Module in 2016 to ensure federal funds were only being awarded for courses that were applicable to the student's declared degree/certificate. A financial assistance staff member reviews each identified student and course for accuracy, prior to notifying the student of the issue. This new process and procedure can be cumbersome and is in addition to the staff members previous duties. The office also conducts additional internal audits of Cost of Attendance, R2T4 Calculations, and Award amounts to ensure policy is being followed and processes are working correctly. The Financial Assistance Office is in need of a permanent position to cover the front office and assume other duties, which will allow professional staff to focus on compliance.

US Department of Education Program Review Finding

The US Department of Education's college wide Program Review identified a significant change required to college policy and practice. The Program Reviewers indicated that the college must identify unofficial withdrawals or students who have not attended at the Financial Aid Census Date (last day of the 100% refund period) and recalculate aid at that time. Since the inception of PeopleSoft, the college has been identifying students who never attended at the end of the semester and returning funds at that time. This Program Review finding requires significant collaboration among faculty, Admissions and Records, Financial Assistance and needs full support from the Colleges's Administration.

Technical Programs and Software

The Financial Assistance Office was one of the college leaders in the implementation of onBase workflows and online forms. The office continues to use online forms and continues to improve the functionality each year. Currently, Application Support and Development coordinates all onBase form creation and updates. With the significant college wide increase in the use of onBase forms and workflows, Application Support and Development does not have the manpower to keep up with the demand. The Financial Assistance Office would like to have greater ability to make cosmetic changes and small updates to our onBase forms.

As part of the Shared PeopleSoft Instance, the Financial Assistance Office is required to complete regular testing of new PeopleSoft Bundles and new Modules to ensure functionality. Currently, the office does not have one dedicated Technical Systems Analyst or Programmer to complete these requirements. Rather, the office relies on testing from the Verification Coordinator and the Director. The lack of a dedicated staff person to complete the required testing and implementations, often times results in the office relying on assistance and help from the other schools in the Shared Instance (TMCC, GBC, NSC, and CSN). The Financial Assistance Office needs a full-time Programmer Analyst or at least part time assistance to keep-up with the demand and changing technology.

Summary of Projected Needs

Staff members have assumed additional responsibilities related to compliance, have been tasked with additional customer service at the front desk, and are stretched thin for testing and implementing new technologies. Many staff are beginning to feel burnt out and additional support is needed to provide excellent customer service, timely processing of aid, and ensuring compliance. The following positions/support have been identified as critical:

1. Financial Assistance Front Desk Support Specialist (AA II or higher)

2. Financial Assistance Programmer Analyst / Technical Systems

3. Administration and College wide support for the implementation of the new Attendance Roster