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This article explores the technological concerns, origination challenges, reconciliation issues, and customer service concerns faced by Iowa State University in its first year. It also suggests improvements for better functionality and communication.
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Roberta JohnsonInterim DirectorIowa State University Common Origination and Disbursement A First Year School’s Story
Iowa State University Enrollment: 27,898 Pell recipients: 5,412 Stafford recipients: 14,550
A history of firsts. . . • First school to participate in electronic Pell • First school to participate in electronic transmissions with the MDE • First Iowa school to develop electronic FFEL transmissions and EFT • First year Direct Loan participant • Access America participant • First year COD participant
Technology concerns • Difficulty with file specifications • Examples not clear • Initially files sent with wrong XML just vanished; now a response is sent • Changing of tag names: 02-03 files came back with 03-04 tags • School use field has disappeared
Technology concerns • One record vs. multiple records has caused some problems • Difficult for school to identify where the problem may be due to lack of flow chart • COD web site invaluable in reviewing data although not always consistent
Technology concerns • Upgrade conversions • Testing • Customer service
Origination concerns • Electronic signatures: signatures didn’t always link to loans • No confirmation to borrower that electronic signature received/processed • Credit check concerns • Missing paper promissory notes • Customer service
Reconciliation concerns • Have to call to request Pell cumulative file • Receive Direct Loan monthly detail, no cumulative file • No SL-732 report • Many unknowns as we haven’t closed out 2002-03. • Customer service
Customer service concerns • Customer service representatives don’t understand “big picture” • Customer service representatives don’t have authority to fix the problem • Issues fall off the list without resolution • No follow-up • School does all the work
Suggestions for improvement • Functionality of web site • Allow schools to check status of issues via web • Send e-mails to schools as issues are resolved • Send e-mails to students to confirm receipt of e-MPN • TEST, TEST, TEST