Request a Blue Icon Presenter for Your Event
Invite a Blue Icon expert to present at your organization's next conference or event! Blue Icon staff and consultants have extensive experience in financial aid administration, leadership, executive coaching, and project management, and we want to share that knowledge with your group. To request a speaker, simply send us an email with the dates of your event and your requested topic(s). See list below.
Handle with Care: FAFSA and Data Sharing Essentials
Financial aid professionals collect, manage, and have access to a vast amount of confidential student and parent data. Knowing when you can share this data is a critical component of financial aid administration. Join us for a lively discussion on the legal requirements and compliance obligations surrounding the sharing and protection of student financial aid data. Our focus will be FTI and FAFSA data ensuring a clear understanding of the differences and the applicable sharing and use of each.
Compliance Never Stops: Demonstrating Administrative Capability
Administrative capability is essential for institutions—it ensures fiduciary responsibility for compliant management of federal student aid and supports student success. Join us to discuss the most critical areas of administrative capability within the Financial Aid Office. We’ll highlight key practices that impact your daily operations and create space for discussion. You’ll leave with practical, actionable ideas to strengthen compliance and enhance your institution’s effectiveness.
Staff Churn: Dealing with Planned and Unplanned Staff Turnover
Staff churn is real. Planned exists, such as retirement, usually enable you to put together a transition plan and transfer knowledge prior to the departure. Unfortunately, other separations are unplanned due to a variety of reasons and can create disruptions without tools and resources in place. This training will explore reasons why people leave an institution and how the financial aid office can reduce and mitigate the negative impact of unplanned exits. We'll discuss best practices, techniques, and tasks you need to deal with turnover, onboarding, and training to support the office through the transition and help the new staff be successful.
Fantastic Financial Aid Experiences: Improving Customer Service in the Aid Office
Customer service in the financial aid office can be challenging, but it is critical to student access and success. Join this session to learn why good service is paramount for aid offices, what students want and expect throughout the process, tips for improving customer service in your aid office. The presenter(s) will share and discuss survey data Blue Icon gathered from thousands of students and offer practical advice for how schools might improve communication and transparency about financial aid while adding humanity to the process.
Get Ready for a Federal Program Review
If it hasn't happened already, you likely will be involved in a federal program review at some point during your career in financial aid. Effectively preparing for the review will help your school successfully navigate the experience. Join this session to learn how to prepare, what the reviewers will evaluate, the notification process, and what to expect during and after the review.
10 Common Questions Schools Have About Federal Program Reviews
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) performs program reviews to identify whether a school is abiding by the provisions governing Title IV aid programs, and if not, ED can impose hefty financial fines and liabilities against the school. This danger of financial ramifications may lead schools to fear program reviews, but you don't have to. Learn about the types of reviews, potential triggers for being selected for a review, the financial ramifications, and more.
Customer Service Isn’t One Size Fits All. Neither is Blue Icon’s Consulting Approach
Providing excellent customer service is a critical part of meeting institutional enrollment goals, but there is no one right way that works for all institutions. Your consulting needs require the same customized, customer-centric approach. Blue Icon Advisors, NASFAA Consulting, recognizes your unique needs as financial aid administrators being not only obligated by law and regulation but also providing positive customer service experiences to students, families, and colleagues. Learn how Blue Icon applies customer service approaches to identifying solutions for improving compliance, operations, and student satisfaction.
That Was Due When? The Importance of an Operational Calendar
We've all been there: a missed deadline, bills being sent without notice, not knowing when grades will post so we can run SAP. But developing an operational calendar for financial aid-related functions can help you stay on top of these things like a boss. Learn the benefits of having an operational calendar, and discuss what to include and who to involve when creating your own.
Establishing Your Personal Brand as a New or Aspiring Director
As a new (or aspiring) director there are competing priorities everywhere you look. What should you focus on first? Establishing your personal brand is critical to your success. Come learn some best practices on positioning yourself as a new (or aspiring) successful financial aid director.
Mistakes You're Making with Your Policies and Procedures
Let's be real: no one's policies and procedures are perfect. But you might have some key mistakes in your policies and procedures and not even realize it. These errors can mean big problems for your students and staff, especially if discovered during an audit or federal program review. Learn about these key mistakes and discuss ways to fix them quickly.
For more session options, check out NASFAA's offerings.