Financial Aid Counselor

Located in Morrow, Georgia, Clayton State University is roughly 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta. The university offers employees an adaptable, collaborative environment that fosters professional and personal development.

The university is committed to having a positive impact on the State of Georgia and beyond by serving students and the community through broadening access to high-quality education and advancing workforce development. Clayton State offers multiple certificates, Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degree programs, which currently enroll over 5,500 students in challenging campus and online courses.

Clayton State's main campus is situated on 214 beautiful acres in a lakeside setting just minutes from downtown Atlanta, making access to the vibrant metropolitan area swift. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has named the university a Top Workplace in Atlanta for six consecutive years. The Chronicle of Higher Education also named Clayton State one of 79 higher education institutions across the nation in its list of 2017 Great Colleges to Work For.

The Financial Aid Counselor is responsible for counseling and advising students regarding their financial aid eligibility by individualizing information to meet the particular needs and situations of each student. This position collects and analyzes financial data on students to accurately determine their eligibility and make awards within federal, state, and
institutional guidelines. This position requires knowledge of Title IV, state and federal regulations, state scholarship regulations, and Satisfactory Academic Progress procedures. This
position will require some nights and weekends.

A. Meet with current and prospective students and parents to assist with understanding their financial aid options and eligibility. Utilize Banner, Campus Logic, COD, NSLDS, CPS, and other online applications as needed to research and determine aid eligibility.

B. Assist with virtual or walk-in visitors, answering phone calls, emails and chats by providing information regarding federal, state institutional and departmental regulations covering all federal financial aid, Veterans Education Benefits, scholarship information, account information, etc.

C. Provide excellent customer service by responding to student and parent email and/or phone inquiries in a timely manner to provide clarification on questions and documents needed.

D. Assist students by explaining procedures required to complete all steps in the financial aid process, including completing the FAFSA, accepting loans, completing Entrance/Exit Counseling, signing the MPN, requesting SAP Appeals, etc.

E. Load and process Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data from the Department of Education.

F. Represent the department at special events such as high school college nights, orientations, financial aid workshops, etc. Present financial aid information to students, parents, high school guidance counselors, and university constituents.

G. Assist with logging/imaging documents received via email and fax as needed.

H. Assist in financial aid processing by evaluating financial aid applications, perform verification in Campus Logic, and award financial aid based on federal and state regulations as well as institutional policies.

I. Identify the source of complex financial aid issues, determining the appropriate course of

action to provide an effective solution, and ensuring follow-through to resolution.

J. Review requests for professional judgment relating to changes in FAFSA data elements,

dependency override requests, and special circumstances.

K. Counsel students on Satisfactory Academic Progress and the appeal process. Assist with running the SAP processes in Banner after each semester.

l. Maintain a working knowledge of federal, state, and university programs administered by the Financial Aid Office. Stay informed of any changes in federal, state, and university rules and regulations by reading aid literature and attending various training sessions.

M. Collaborate with other departments across the university in committees, meetings, and efforts to better serve our students as needed.

N. Participates in public speaking engagements on campus, at college fairs, high schools,

financial aid nights, community groups, and other similar forums.

O. Coordinates, develops, and implements communication and outreach campaigns designed to raise awareness of Financial Aid programs and services offered to students.

P. Assist in the development of the financial aid outreach program to include scheduling

seminars and workshops, facilities, presenters, and promoting of the events.

Q. Responsible for office social media maintenance and daily postings, including Facebook and Twitter.

R. On a rotating basis, serve as the front desk representative responsible for greeting walk-in students, addressing financial aid concerns and responding to student emails.

S. Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant/Associate or Director of Financial Aid as necessary for the effectiveness of the organization.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education required *and* one
  year of experience at an institution of higher education.
• Experience with Ellucian Banner highly preferred.
• Excellent communication and counseling skills (verbal and written).
• Ability to work and effectively communicate with a diverse academic environment of
  students, faculty, and staff of varying social, economic, cultural, ideological, and ethnic
  backgrounds.
• Strong analytical and computer proficiency skills are necessary.
• Ability to multitask effectively and able to process large volumes of work with accuracy.
• Ability to counsel and handle difficult situations with confidentiality, sensitivity, and
  responsiveness to student needs.
• Strong ability to take initiative and follow through to completion all assignments and
  projects in a timely manner with demonstrated ability to prioritize, organize, and
  collaborate professionally among staff and management.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Clayton State University will have a positive impact on the State of Georgia and beyond by serving students and the community through broadening access to high-quality education and advancing workforce development. Our statement of core values is adaptability, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and people-centered. Each Clayton State University community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on Clayton State's Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct can be found online at https://www.clayton.edu/strategic-plan/mission-vision-values and https://www.clayton.edu/human-resources/current-employees/resources-policies

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation, including a criminal background check demonstrating eligibility for employment with Clayton State University, as determined by Clayton State University in its sole discretion, confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in application materials and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. Applicants may be subject to a pre-employment drug and alcohol screening. Candidate must disclose potential, actual, or apparent conflicts of interest in compliance.

Offers are made expressly subject to the applicable federal and state laws, statutes, rules, and regulations of this institution and the Bylaws and Policies of the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University System of Georgia (USG), which are available for your inspection upon request.

Clayton State University is an equal employment, equal access, and equal educational opportunity and affirmative action institution. It is the policy of the University to recruit, hire, train, promote, and educate persons without regard to race, color, national or ethnical origin, age, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status as required by applicable state and federal laws (including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Sections 503, and 504, AREA, ADA, E.O. 11246, and Rev. Proc. 75-50). Clayton State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution. For questions or more detailed information regarding this policy, please contact the Clayton State University Office of Human Resources at (678) 466-4230. For individuals requiring disability-related accommodations for participation in any event or to obtain print materials in an alternative format, please contact the Disability Resource Center at (678) 466-5445.

This position may be considered a Campus Security Authority, CSA. A Campus Security Authority is a Clery-specific term that encompasses certain departments, groups, and individual employees who have a duty to report crimes they become aware of, as defined by the Clery Act.