Finance and Administrative Services Planning Goal #1
2002-2005

1. What is a visionary goal that your unit set? 

Improve the financial services provided to students.

2. What information and data did you use to set this goal? 

For many years, in surveys given to PLNU’s graduating seniors, satisfaction with the University’s student accounts/financial aid services have received below-average ratings (see Senior Survey Data).

3. What actions did you take to try to reach this goal?

• In 2002 Student Accounts and Financial Aid were combined into one unit called Student Financial Services (SFS).
• Initially the Associate Vice President for Financial Affairs provided oversight for this unit (in addition to his other responsibilities), but it soon became clear that, to be successful, SFS needed full-time leadership. As a result, the University hired a Director of Student Financial Services in August 2004.
• In 2005 SFS moved into a new building that was specifically designed for their work and is a much more “customer friendly” environment.

4. What progress did you make?

• The morale in the Student Financial Services department has risen
• The timeliness and accuracy of student bills and financial aid award letters has improved dramatically
• Student satisfaction has steadily increased.

5. What information and data did you use to evaluate your progress?

• There is a new tracking system for student bills and financial aid letters:
• Bills are now sent according to a master billing calendar
• A “checklist” is used to ensure all charges and aid are posted before bills are run
• Financial aid “packaging” statuses are monitored weekly and non-packaged students are followed up on.
• An internal “comment card” has been used to measure student satisfaction.
• The data from senior surveys will continue to be tracked, a request has been made to add the question asking for a rating of SFS into the Spring 2006 survey.

Supporting Documents:

Senior Survey Data relating to Financial Aid and Student Accounts