CFI School Services ISIR Verification

Pilot Project -- 2012

Presented to:

North CarolinaAssociation of Community College Business Officials

Agenda

• Who is part of the pilot project• What makes the process work• How the process works• Customer Service for Schools• Customer Service for Students and

Families• Enhancements --making verification

more cost effective & efficient

Participants1.Service Agreement:

• North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA)

• North Carolina Community College System Office (NCCCS)

2.CFI School Services: (CFISS)• College Foundation Inc. (CFI)• Financial Aid Services (FAS)

Participants3. Pilot Colleges:

• Davidson County Community College

• Edgecombe Community College

• Gaston College

• Wake Technical Community College

CFI School ServicesWe offer:

• depth of financial aid experience• technology and operations know how • commitment to excellent customer service

We support colleges as they:• increase administrative effectiveness and

efficiency• enhance service to students and families• comply with complex and changing

regulations

Standard VerificationCFI School Services currently offers two

services: • Standard Federal Verification• Resolution of C-Codes

(Student Aid Report Comment Codes)

What is “Standard Federal Verification”?• Federal Required Items Only (Includes all changes in effect 7/1/2012)

• Custom Institutional items not supported • All changes for 2013 – 2014 academic year

Colleges Send roster

Record Matched with ISIR

Initial Verification Analysis

Request for additional information

StudentReturns Required documentation

CFI Follows-up for missing information

FAS Reviews records as necessary

THECFI PROCESS AT A GLANCE

ISIR Corrections Sent to CPS

CFI Stores Images and makesavailable to Colleges

CFI Sets College FAM system flag to "Verified"

Colleges &CFI receive updated ISIR

Colleges Award Student Aid

School Sends Request File• School uploads request file through CFISS

Administrator Web Portal

• CFISS process begins: • Access current ISIR records• Evaluate ISIR and build verification review• Send letters/emails/reminders advising

student what information is needed for verification

• Notify school if student drops school from FAFSA

CFISS Collects Information

• CFISS contacts students by mail & email

• More “reminders” than most schools

• Student submits data & documentation

• CFISS assesses each new ISIR for more information needed

• CFISS contacts students – with reminders – until all information received

Student Portal

Student Submits Data / Documents

• Data & Information submitted by student is:• Imaged & indexed

• (available to schools on web administrator portal)

• All data entered into system • two separate “blind” entries and variation review

• School tracks progress on-line thru web portal: • at portfolio level thru dashboard• at individual level – what is needed, received, & status

Administrator Portal -- Portfolio Dashboard

CFISS System -- Initial DisplaySnapshot of record where request for dataor documentation has been sent to student.

Status shows MLS

To Verify or Not

When all data & documents submitted:•System assesses information & determines:

• Final Review Needed • Request goes to REV status

• Additional Information Needed– Supplemental letter sent – stays in MLS status

• Passes Verification – corrected ISIR data sent to CPS– Status goes to VCR

• Verified – no additional action or information required – Status goes to VER and flag placed in FAM system

Student file verification complete; no further action required by CFI School Services

Verified?CFISS System -- Verification Complete

Customer Service – Schools

• CFISS works with FAM system interface

• CFISS “follow-up” -- key dates in school calendar – bills due, registration classes start

• One review per student across all participating schools listed on FAFSA

• Speed to complete submission is critical – simplicity & customer service are key

Customer Service – Schools

• Regular progress calls – schools, CFI, FAS – issue spotting, feedback, trends

• Schools have toll-free access to CFI and to FAS for review or student-specific problem solving

• Schools track portfolio with online dashboard; individual students with online reporting

• CFISS monitors submission of documentation and can respond proactively if trend varies

Customer Service – Students• Apply to multiple schools, but submit

documentation to only one place

• Call experienced Call Center staff know when to answer / when to refer to FAO

• Email & get detailed response, assistance and guidance with verification process

• Customized emails/letters address complex issues with process or required documentation

Customer Service – Students• 7,500 students selected for verification

• 16,500 letters / 31,000 emails to students/parents

• 9,000 documents received -- 4,400 faxes; 2,750 pages uploaded to web portal; or sent by mail

• 5,000 calls answered (700 hours)

• 900 emails received & answered

Enhancements This Year• 100% QC & debug, fix, enhance

• Barcoding and enhanced OCR on faxes

• Email form to better ID incoming emails

• Improved school “cancel” functionality

• Dashboard – real-time graphic overview

• Student “drops” – notice to school

Enhancements Under Development

• ISIR corrections uploaded directly to CPS

• Enhanced status grid shows student “exactly” what is needed

• Flexible “aging” reminders – keyed off school deadlines

•On-line “authorization to speak with others”

• School request student-specific “extension”

Enhancements for Next Year• On-line wizard interview process

• simplify process; eliminate forms; reduce time

• Authentication & E-sign for documents

• Opt-in for “texting” reminders to students

• Enhanced reporting options – greater granularity for schools (dashboards too)

• Federal requirements for AY 2013-2014

Security

• CFI School Services takes strong measures to protect confidentiality & privacy of student/family information

• Data collection, web portals and automated review system protected by a layered defense system

Questions• Questions about the Verification Pilot or Process• Please contact:

Patrick Kaiser

VP Technology & School Services

College Foundation, Inc.

919-835-2312

pkaiser@cfi.org