Bemidji State University · 2 days ago
Office & Admin Spec Sr - Financial Aid Assistant
Bemidji, MN
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$22.23/hr - $30.09/hr
2+ years expBemidji State University (BSU) invites qualified applicants to join our team as a Financial Aid Assistant. This position coordinates the awarding and revising financial aid packages for institutional and non-institutional scholarships and grants and reconciles these accounts monthly.
Higher Education
No H1B
Responsibilities
Processing and incorporating private scholarship and grant checks into student aid packages and depositing funds or preparing the check for disbursement as outlined in the “Procedures for Processing Outside Scholarships” document
Receiving and entering scholarship and grant checks from non-institutional funding sources in ISRS
Receiving and processing tribal scholarships. Completing budget for tribal scholarship applications and working with tribal education offices on resolving issues. Completing month end reconciliation of tribal account
Depositing checks on a daily basis and determining the distribution of outside scholarship and grant checks according to donor’s wishes and financial aid regulations
Revising student awards to prevent over-awarding of State/Federal funds. This will require an understanding of various need-based vs non-need-based aid programs
Updating the document screen and comment screen if necessary
Analyzing if adjustments are needed by researching budget and need. Determining what aid programs require adjustment. Communicating changes/adjustments to financial aid funding for students as a result of receiving private scholarships/grants
Verifying student enrollment status to funding agencies
Initiating and returning balance of funds to outside funding agencies for students not attending or withdrawing from school
Reconciling on a monthly basis deposits and disbursements with the monthly accounting report
Processing and incorporating institutional and BSU Foundation scholarships, Faculty/Staff tuition waivers, and room and board scholarships into student aid packages
Once scholarship notification has been received in the Financial Aid Office, the award will be entered on the campus shared spreadsheet the same day or within 5 days during peak scholarship awarding
Running reports and making updates to student aid packages as needed (ex FA0280CB)
Updating the award maintenance screen with appropriate award number, term, sequence number, amount, credits and indicating award is accepted
Revising student awards to prevent over-awarding of State/Federal funds if necessary. This will require an understanding of various need-based vs non-need-based aid programs
Communicating changes in aid packages to students because of scholarships/waivers. Communicating with the BSU Foundation Office cancelled scholarship awards
Updating the document screen and comment screen if necessary
Loading files daily for BSU & NTC, clearing discrepancies on CM1150, reviewing ISIR loads, researching and solving load errors, processing waivers and third-party authorizations, and assisting with processing of MN State programs
Pulling in files from TG mailboxes for BSU & NTC. Reviewing, processing and disbursing files as needed
Reviewing daily ISIR load and recalculating files. Reviewing NSLDS for changes, working to clear data discrepancies
Reviewing CM1150UG and completing duplicate resolution
Completing third-party authorizations and processing waivers
Assisting with reviewing, organizing, and processing of OHE financial aid programs following regulations and policy. Coordinating gathering and organizing materials needed for audit review
Utilizing the MN Aid software system for reports and researching information
Coordinating financial aid offer procedure for both BSU and NTC. Also coordinating work study awarding. Communicating and coding consortium/remote applicability
Reviewing BSU and NTC financial aid offers for revisions/corrections and forwarding if revisions are needed
Directing student employee in the mailing of the preliminary financial aid offer
Entering student earnings figures (provided by Payroll Office) into spreadsheet
Entering work study authorizations in Teams, completing work study authorization by departments if needed, and entering actual earnings of work study in ISRS
Researching applicability and working closely with the Records Office to verify if required for declared program(s)
Coordinating the completion of receptionist duties and performing other miscellaneous tasks for BSU and NTC. Reviewing and clearing tracking edits. Printing tracking letters weekly and moving review edits to queues. Ordering office supplies, providing training, and preparing purchase orders. Completing the preparation of Summer Application forms
Coordinating with student workers answering phone calls and returning voicemails, responding to emails, scanning and linking in Image Now, entering documents submitted, and other front-end customer service needs
Training co-workers and student workers on difficult problems with student situations, customer service, and Image Now scanning of documents
Advising students and parents on completing the application process
Assisting in identifying problems, resolving conflicts, and correcting the situation to the satisfaction of the student/parent
Mailing appropriate status letters and verification documents to resolve edits
Preparing Summer Application forms for processing timely
Qualification
Required
Ability to use customer service skills on the phone, in person and online sufficient to provide general and specialized office support (this requires common courtesy, tact, interest in positive problem solving, empathy, and the ability to organize ideas logically)
Knowledge of standard computer software programs for word processing, spreadsheets, and databases sufficient to input data quickly and accurately and create, modify, manage, and protect them
Ability to problem solve situations with a positive attitude utilizing critical thinking skills
Math sufficient to maintain complete and accurate financial records, balance and resolve discrepancies, and determine eligibility and level of benefits
Explaining laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures to customers
Receiving and reviewing source documents, compare documents to database information, and edit, code, and correct documents
Maintaining accurate budget records and reports
Preferred
Experience with student information system, preferably the Integrated Student Records System (ISRS)
Experience with document imaging system, preferably Perceptive Content
Two (2) years in a Financial Aid Office or a related field
A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism
Benefits
11 paid Holidays
Vacation Time
Sick Time
Six weeks of Paid Parental Leave
Low cost medical and dental insurance with low deductibles ($250 - $1500)
A Pension Plan
457(b) and 403(b) retirement plans and other retirement investment options
Pre-tax medical and dental expense (with roll-over option) and dependent care accounts
Employer paid life insurance
Short and long term disability
Professional development
Tuition waiver program for employees and their dependents
Company
Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University is a school in Bemidji.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageRecent News
2025-01-28
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