Fort Collins, Colorado (February 6, 2008) – Today, The Evans Consulting Group, Inc. (ECG), a leader in higher education consulting services since 1995, announced the launch of its new corporate division, The Center for Financial Aid Management (The Center), www.centerfinaid.org.  The Center’s core focus is to provide resources to colleges and universities for managing financial aid operations in the following key areas:

Financial aid offices face increasing demands to document their student information systems and operational procedures.  Maintaining accurate, user-driven documentation is essential for providing ongoing staff training, as well as to address audit and program review requirements.  The Center’s documentation service features software that allows schools to capture system procedures using video clips and rich-media interactivity, resulting in an easy-to-access repository of operational documentation.  Request a demo at www.centerfinaid.org/corporate_contact.htm.

oEasily record systems procedures using rich-media interactivity
oCreate a central repository for operations documentation
oReview documentation 24/7 via the Web
oVisually enhance staff training process
oImprove audit preparation

Building on the hallmark expertise of The Evans Consulting Group, Inc., The Center offers colleges and universities comprehensive assessment of their student financial aid systems.  Our consultants have extensive experience working with schools to review, assess, and design new solutions for using Banner, Datatel, PeopleSoft, Regent, and many other software programs.  The system assessment provides a comprehensive review of a school’s current platform, recommendations for system upgrades and/or enhancements, and implementation assistance.

oFull-service assessment of a school’s financial aid system
oImplementation support with Banner, Datatel, PeopleSoft, Regent, and other software
oStreamlined services to students
oEnhanced compliance and quality control processes

Increasingly, schools are expanding their traditional academic programs to support adult learners and others who seek alternative programs to the standard semesters or quarters.  These nontraditional (i.e., nonterm or nonstandard term) programs may require financial aid offices to make major changes in their processes for administering financial aid funds.  The Center can assist schools in determining the appropriate procedures for handling nonterm and nonstandard term enrollment periods, as well as highlight potential pitfalls and help create proper monitoring systems to ensure regulatory compliance.

oDevelop financial aid procedures for nonterm and nonstandard term programs
oEnsure efficient, streamlined, and timely financial aid processing
oCreate monitoring systems to ensure regulatory compliance

The Center’s comprehensive, on-site training services utilize the nationally recognized CORE training curriculum developed by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).  The school-delivered services reduce travel costs and staffing logistics required for attending off-site workshops; and the training can be customized to each school’s needs and interests.  Using ExamBuilder, a web-based learning assessment tool, we can evaluate participants’ comprehension and identify any areas for necessary review and follow-up.  The Center also provides advanced training for senior-level financial aid professionals on a full range of operational management topics.

Join the Training Roundtable, which will offer webinars throughout the year to address specific training needs.  Participating in the roundtable will give schools access to timely guidance on current financial aid issues and to areas that can enhance compliance for the overall administration of a school’s financial aid programs.  If you would like to receive more information on joining the Training Roundtable, let us know at www.centerfinaid.org/corporate_contact.htm.

oNationally recognized financial aid training curriculum for all levels
oSchool-delivered training services reduce off-site travel costs and logistics
oCurriculum presentation can be customized for individual school needs
oPre- and post-assessment tools help target learning gaps for follow-up and review
oAssessment reports help monitor proficiencies