Salary and Benefits
Salary Range: $4,066.00 per month to $4,269.00 per month. PLEASE NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $4,066.00 per month to $5,752.50 per month.
Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b), dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance, vacation and sick leave, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and tuition fee waiver.
For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits package.
This position may be eligible to participate in the Cal State East Bay hybrid telecommute program subject to management approval.
Classification
Student Services Professional IB
About Cal State East Bay
Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is one of 23 universities of the California State University system (CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic innovation, student success, engaged and service learning, diversity, and sustainability.
About the Position
Under general supervision, the Financial Aid Counselor/Scholarship Specialist will be responsible for all student services functions associated with the Pioneer Scholarship Program. This position administers systemwide, endowed and private funding programs, ensuring the timely rollover of the Scholarship Universe portal ensuring that all scholarship applications are updated live, concurrent with the annual FAFSA/CADAA applications. In partnership with the Financial Literacy Coordinator, this position will conduct webinar/workshop events to encourage students to submit scholarship applications and train departments on how to utilize ScholarshipUniverse as well as provide guidance on best practices related to timely scholarship reporting. Additionally, the Financial Aid/Scholarship Specialist will be responsible for counseling students at workshop events, in person, through zoom and via the phone center regarding scholarship opportunities, eligibility requirements and the impact on scholarship adjustments to federal, state, and other institutional/private aid.
Responsibilities
Scholarship Specialist:
- Counsels students in workshop events, phone center, via appointment requests through zoom or in-person regarding scholarship eligibility, scholarship opportunities, and impact of other federal/state aid packages resulting from adjustments due to additional scholarship
- Establishes Yearly scholarship reporting deadline according to federal payment periods to ensure compliance and minimal impact on student aid
- Provide access and training to department members to help with the review, selection process, and awarding of scholarship funds
- Ensures that scholarships are awarded according to set criteria or donor intent
- Modify/Update scholarship applications as needed and conduct yearly rollover to ensure that portal goes live concurrent with the FAFSA/CADAA application
- Organizes and coordinate campus departments' yearly scholarship review
- Extracts reports and analyze discrepancies to assist in monthly and yearly reconciliation process
- Ensures timely awarding and authorization of campus scholarships (from Scholarship Universe) ensuring that students receive their funds prior to the billing deadline
- Works with Student Financial Services to process external scholarship checks
- Conducts Need Analysis to award students within their Cost of Attendance and ''Need' as defined by the Department of Education
- Points Person for the budget department to resolve discrepancies in budget balances
- Works with the Advancement Division to ensure funding availability prior to disbursement authorizations
- Assists Associate Director of Operations to properly link yearly FAFSA/CADAA application data to Scholarship Universe
- Provides student information on as needed basis while adhering to federal privacy laws including FERPA
- Certify Gilman Scholarships for Study Abroad Program
Financial Aid Counselor:
- Provides advising throughout the financial aid process to prospective, new and current students and their families
- Exercises good judgment in the management administration of operational details of the financial aid process including but not limited to: Federal and State Verification, reviewing incoming financial aid applications and any supporting documentation needed to determine the accuracy of the financial and household information reported on the FAFSA/CADAA
- Completes assigned duties with a high degree of accuracy to ensure compliance while experiencing multiple interruptions
- Exercises great attention to detail when completing assignments as error in judgment or calculations could result in unintended consequences for the student and/or the institution such as: under or over funding of a student, loss of student eligibility, audit findings, fines, damage to school’s reputation or loss of institutional eligibility
- Reviews and makes decisions on Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals
- Updates the student ISIR data with approved changes; has the authority to recalculate and make changes to financial aid awards when student’s eligibility changes
- Reviews subsequent ISIRs received after initial ISIR to determine if we need to request additional information and re-process.
- Reviews C Flags on ISIRs
- Reviews applications (FAFSA and CADAA) and awards students federal, state, and institutional aid
- Maintains knowledge of policies of other departments (registrar, student accounts, housing, athletics, study abroad, etc.) and understands the impact of them on a student’s financial eligibility
- Utilizes conflict resolution skills to help students and parents understand challenges and identify solutions
- Maintains student confidentiality in accordance with FERPA and Federal Privacy regulations
- Performs need assessment and examine verification documents to ensure compliance with Federal and State awarding regulations
- Maintains knowledge base and understanding of all regulations and policies to the administration of Federal, State, and Institutional aid programs
- Assists in conducting Financial Aid presentations and various workshops on and off campus
- Responds to student emails, works in the enrollment information center, and answers student phone calls
- Assists with Professional Judgement Appeals
- Participates in state, regional, and national professional development activities to ensure a complete understanding of federal and state regulations and remain current on changes to the Federal and State aid programs
Other duties as assigned by the Associate Director or Director.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience:
- Equivalent of one year of experience in professional Student Services work at the entry trainee level
- Equivalent amounts of graduate level job‑related education may be substituted for the required experience
Education:
- Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business administration, or a job‑related field
- Additional specialized experience during which the applicant has acquired and successfully applied the knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year‑for‑year basis
Knowledge and Abilities:
- Working knowledge of the methods and problems of organization and program management; research and interviewing techniques; principles of individual and group behavior
- The ability to rapidly acquire such knowledge of the organization, procedures and activities of the specific campus to which the position is assigned; and the basic principles, practices and major trends in the Student Services field to which assigned
- Ability to rapidly acquire a working knowledge of the specific objectives of the campus Student Services program and its relationship to the total campus operation
- Interpret and apply program rules and regulations; gather and analyze data
- Reason logically, draw valid conclusions and make appropriate recommendations
- Present clear and concise information orally and in written reports
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, CSU administrators, student organizations and other private and public agencies
Required Qualifications
- One year of Student Services Professional Experience or equivalent
- Ability to quickly grasp Federal, State, and Institutional Regulations
- Understand FERPA and maintain confidentiality
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to conduct financial aid workshops/presentations as needed
- Maintain a professional demeanor and empathize with students
- Ability to work independently in scheduling opportunities continuing training
- Attends workshops sponsored by the Department of Education and State affiliates
- Proficient in MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint
Preferred Skills and Knowledge
- A Bachelor’s Degree
- Two years in Scholarship Administration
- Experience with PeopleSoft Student Information System
- Experience with CampusLogic
- Proficiency in another modern language
- Experience in Financial Aid Administration
- Customer Service Experience with the ability to provide advice and guidance on difficult issues/regulations
Condition(s) of Employment
Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment. Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.
All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.
EEO Statement
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cal State East Bay does not discriminate on the basis of any protected categories: age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, gender, immigration status, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. The University is committed to the principles of diversity in employment and to creating a stimulating learning environment for its diverse student body.
Other Information
All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.csueastbay.edu/smokeandtobaccofree/
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available at: http://www.csueastbay.edu/upd/safety-and-security-reports.html
Sponsorship
Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.
Mandated Reporter
The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.
