The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024–25 award year. The changes to the federal student aid process created challenges and significant delays to the 2024–25 enrollment and financial aid process for all schools participating in federal student aid programs.
In the past year, Enterprise Technology & Services (ET&S) worked hard to support the PSU and UNH Financial Aid Offices while they navigated the changes and requirements resulting from the modernization of the FAFSA process to make the application process as easy as possible for students. This work also supported Admissions in recruiting students for the fall of 2024. This initiative required comprehensive updates across Banner Financial Aid, including system upgrades, business process enhancements, and software modifications to facilitate file transmissions to the Office of Federal Student Aid.
Key milestones achieved since August 2023 include:
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Integration of IRS Data: ET&S upgraded essential software (TDClient, EdConnect) for Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) requests to comply with updated security mandates required to receive IRS data.
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New SAIG Mailbox: The Education Department's introduction of a dedicated mailbox on the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) necessitated ET&S to revamp automated file transmission processes.
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Automated Process for PSU: ET&S developed an automated process for PSU, streamlining their file transmission workflow.
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FAFSA Questionnaire Updates: The revised FAFSA data collection impacted how schools process student financial information. ET&S assisted with evaluating and adapting current procedures to align with the 2024-25 financial aid award year.
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Banner Software Upgrades: The evolving requirements of the FAFSA Simplification Act prompted ET&S to respond to an increased frequency of Banner software updates, ensuring timely compliance and financial aid distribution.
ET&S's agile and effective response allowed the PSU and UNH financial aid offices to respond to the continuously changing federal requirements. The financial aid offices were then able to successfully support our students through a new financial aid experience and provide financial aid awards to support enrollment.
