We are excited to unveil some documents that explain the flow of communication within NYSFAAA.  From what type of information goes on each communication medium (social media, the blog, the list-serv, etc), to who to contact if you’ve got questions or issues – we hope to have it all covered within the following locations:
Communications Flow Chart
Communication Definitions and Contacts

Specifically, we’d love the chance to talk to you about the blog:

The blog’s intent is to generate conversation, share your thoughts and opinions, and spotlight things you think need to be brought to the forefront in the Financial Aid world.  Also, its intended to replace the former NYSFAAA webletter.

We are excited to unroll some new blog entries in the coming months.  In the meantime – have something to say? Want to dialog about upcoming changes? This is your place!

Please feel free to mouse through the attached documents, comment on this post, post your questions here or send us an email to nysfaaatic@gmail.com.

Be sure to stay tuned! More things are coming!

Lea Nuwer & Sarah Macri, Co-Chairs
NYSFAAA Technology, Innovation & Communications Committee
nysfaaatic@gmail.com

Establishing a Publicity Campaign for Financial Aid

By

Shaun Hoff, Assistant Director/Compliance Coordinator, SUNY New Paltz

Planning a publicity campaign for the benefit of students and parents takes a great deal of time and energy, but if organized properly, can be a great way to communicate important information to students.  For the last two academic years, the Financial Aid Office at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz established a publicity campaign to inform students of significant changes to the financial aid application and verification process, as well as to raise awareness to financial aid applicants about using the IRS Data Retrieval tool. 

At the start of the campaign, the office staff discussed what we wanted to accomplish.  The goal was to communicate the latest financial aid changes to applicants. We anticipated numerous questions about the changes, as well as problems and challenges being experienced by applicants.  We hoped the campaign would be a proactive way to address these issues. Applicants were informed that the U.S. Department of Education decided upon the IRS Data Retrieval tool to streamline the financial aid application process to make it more accurate. 

The publicity explained that this time saving feature allows financial aid applicants and their parents to retrieve, directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), certain income and information from income tax returns and to automatically transfer that information directly to the FAFSA application.  Frequently asked questions were developed on the office website and in a handout format for walk-ins.  We explained the new IRS Data Retrieval process, how long it takes for IRS tax return data to become available on the FAFSA, informed applicants that photocopies of tax returns no longer satisfy verification requirements, how to request a tax return transcript from the IRS, and how tax filers with special tax filing circumstances can complete verification.

In addition to e-mail notices being sent to students and updating explanatory literature, various promotional resources were utilized to raise awareness of the college’s priority FAFSA application filing deadlines and the use of the IRS Data Retrieval tool.  Promotional advertisements were developed to communicate the preferred process of applying for financial aid, using the IRS Data Retrieval tool two weeks after taxes are filed electronically, and about the FAFSA and tax returns being filed electronically.  We looked at our past ads, thought about what could be improved upon, and brainstormed about new and inventive ways to communicate the messages. 

Table tents, flyers, and posters were developed to publicize the preferred process and placed in all of the dining areas, residence halls, departments, and main buildings on campus.  The Financial Aid Office even partnered with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program that is offered by the SUNY New Paltz School of Business during the spring semester. As a result, the preferred financial aid process was announced and copies of the promotional flyers were distributed to those students who sought free tax preparation assistance on campus.  Similarly, small flyers were distributed by Undergraduate Admissions to freshman and transfer applicants who visited the college campus.

During the spring semester, several traditional media outlets were taken advantage of including a one minute radio spot announcing information on the campus radio station.  Versions of the promotional advertisements were also posted on the campus television station’s message board and information was printed in the New Paltz Oracle weekly newspaper for students, as well as in the News Pulse faculty/staff newsletter. Likewise, the promotional advertisements were also posted as an announcement on digital monitor television screens, which are located in various departments on campus.

A headline link about the preferred process was also made available during the spring semester on the college’s main website linking applicants to our website for further information and resources.  Finally, the office developed a step by step video tutorial to explain how applicants can use the IRS Data Retrieval tool on the FAFSA.  The video included screenshots and a voiceover to detail the process, provided tips and navigation instructions, as well as answers to commonly asked verification questions.

Each time you plan a publicity campaign you will gain new insight on how to make next year’s campaign superior.  If you follow these suggested ideas, you will have done everything in your control to make the campaign the best it can be!  For further information about the SUNY New Paltz Office of Financial Aid please visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/financialaid.

I am writing on the train on my way to NYC to attend the Tri Regional meeting.   I will share some information regarding the current state of our association and also participate in the great sessions that have set up for today.  I want to thank them for the invitation to attend.  I am planning to visit Region IV next month to do the same.  Please let me know if you would like me to attend one of your regional meetings as I do hope to visit them all during my term as President of NYSFAAA. 

I am actually traveling from the HESC Board of Trustees meeting to this even.   The Board meeting was very informative particularly the updates and statistics on the current state of TAP.  I was also able to share with them the news of our TAP Reform White Paper which you have heard about this past week.   Sue Mead, chair of our State Relations Committee, will soon be posting this to our website.  It has been shared with the higher education committees of the state’s Senate and Assembly.   From this point, it is up to all of us to contact our legislatures and other interested parties to promote the changes in TAP that we have proposed. Please feel free to contact Sue, members of her committee or myself if you have any questions.

That’s all for now.  It is tough typing on the train.  I will continue to try and post new material and updates here whenever possible.

Scott Atkinson, NYSFAAA President

As promised in my prior blog from the EASFAA Executive Council meeting, I wanted to share what had been done for advocacy on their recent trip to Washington where they visited with a number of federal legislative offices. Teams of aid administration were able to personally visit 48 offices and left materials at many more. Cathy Patella, EASFAA President and I personally visited the offices of Timothy Bishop (NY), John Yarmuth (KY), Caroline McCarthy (NY) and Robert Scott (VA). The response overall was very positive. The main topics we focused on were:

• The retention and funding of the Campus Based Programs
• The need for a permanent federal loan interest rate (fixed variable interest linked to the T-bill).
• The simplification and standardization of the various consumer information disclosures (College Navigation, Net Price Calculator, Shopping Sheet, College Score Card, etc.) into one uniform and easily understandable format.
• A review of the needs analysis formula to ensure program integrity and to more accurately measure need.

Again, the legislative aides of the higher education committee members seemed well informed and receptive to our input.  Special thanks to EASFAA for undertaking this initiative. 

As I have said before, we all need to become more proactive in this area particularly when so much is at stake and under debate. I would welcome the chance to discuss these and other issues with you and encourage you to discuss them in your regional meetings. Contact your regional representatives of our NYSFAAA Government Relations Committee to get the discussions going. Talk to your federal legislators when they are back at their home offices and offer your assistance and input in this crucial area. It will take all of us to make a difference.

Scott Atkinson, NYSFAAA President

 I am writing to report on the Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA) Executive Council meeting just held in Washington District of Columbia. It was a very productive meeting and the various state representatives shared what was going on in their states. Highlights of my report regarding our recent activities included:

• Our new administrative calendar which is being added to our website.
• The new affiliate membership for groups such as high school counselors. The new affiliate membership went live the day before the meeting and there were already 79 new affiliate members.
• The usage and policies regarding our website, blog and other social media. EASFAA is in the process of implementing and developing their policies and were very interested in our experience. 

One day of the meeting was devoted to legislative visits. EASFAA teamed with SASFAA, MASFAA, NASFAA and the Tri-State Association and were briefed by the Federal Relations Committee and NASFAA the evening before and provided materials for the visits. Teams personally visited 48 legislative offices as well as dropped off materials to many more. I will blog separately in regards to the materials distributed and the responses we received. 

J. Scott Atkinson, President

NYSFAA