Location: Bemidji State University

Full/Part Time: Full Time

Employment Condition: Unlimited

Job Description:

Bemidji State University (BSU) and Northwest technical college (NTC) invite applicants to join our team as the Loan Coordinator for the Office of Financial Aid.  BSU and NTC provide a rigorous academic environment with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture.  The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation.  BSU and NTC are members of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities. 

BSU’s vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU’s vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated. BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with Indigenous communities to become a destination university.  BSU enrolls around 5,000 students and offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship.

NTC has prepared students for fulfilling careers in high-demand fields for more than 50 years. The college’s accessible, affordable, hands-on programs also help the region’s employers meet their ever-growing need for a highly skilled workforce. NTC serves more than 1,000 students with an excellent education, an open-enrollment policy and affordable tuition. Students may pursue nearly 40 degree, diploma and certificate programs in six distinct career paths. Classes are offered on campus, online, or as a combination of both.

The BSU/NTC Office of Financial Aid supports students by guiding them through the federal and state financial aid process, which includes collecting and analyzing documentation necessary to make financial aid awards.  We counsel and instruct students on the steps for securing all forms of financial aid including grants, loans, work study and answer eligibility questions so that students have the information and financial resources available to them to achieve their educational goals.

The Loan Coordinator will process student loans (Federal, State and Private) for BSU and NTC, advise students and parents on loan programs and the application process, and conduct exit counseling.  They will also determine if prior financial aid was received at other institutions attended through the National Student Loan Data System (transfer monitoring) to assure financial aid is awarded and paid within Federal regulations and limitations.

Responsibilities of the Loan Coordinator include:

• Process Federal, State and Private student loan applications for Bemidji State University (BSU) and Northwest Technical College (NTC), ensuring that loans certified are within Federal, State and institutional guidelines. Process the NTC loan backouts that occur due to R2T4, over-award, student request, etc. Percent of Time:  55%
• Advise loan applicants on the various loan options available, their potential eligibility and various repayment plans (BSU).  Retrieve online entrance counseling results (BSU, NTC) and conduct entrance counseling to students when necessary (BSU).  Coordinate and conduct exit counseling for student loan recipients (BSU).  Participate in the Senior Finale Program (BSU).  Also assist in default/risk management, in order to maintain or lower the BSU and NTC default rate.  Percent of Time:   20%  
• Oversee transfer monitoring process and all edits associated with missing transcripts, etc.  Retrieve daily files using MinnState FASTER program for BSU and NTC and verify that loan records have been accepted by COD.  Originate and record disbursements of TEACH Grant.  Also provide initial backup to receptionist as needed (assuming lobby duties, respond to FA email, answer FA phone line when receptionist is out of the office). Contribute to yearly entry of BSU Foundation Scholarships into ISRS, and other projects as assigned.  Percent of Time:      15%              
• Process for disbursement MN SELF, Wells Fargo, Sallie Mae and other private lenders Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) files for BSU and NTC.  Make any adjustments to these loans through Scholarnet.  Percent of Time:  10%

Required Qualifications:

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Customer service skills (this requires common courtesy, tact, interest in positive problem solving, empathy, the ability to listen carefully, and the ability to organize ideas logically).
• Data entry, word processing, spreadsheet, and database management skills sufficient to create, enter, modify, prepare, and retrieve data in a variety of formats and documents with speed and accuracy.
• Ability to work accurately in a fast-paced work environment and be able to balance multiple competing demands.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience with financial aid in higher education.
• Experience with student information systems, preferably the Integrated Student Records System (ISRS).
• Experience with document imaging systems, preferably Perceptive Software.

To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your application and/or resume clearly demonstrate fulfillment of the qualifications.

Other Requirements:

Other considerations:

• All applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment.
• Official transcript(s) must be provided to Human Resources upon hire.
• Employment for this position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement for the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) bargaining unit, which can be found at: https://mn.gov/mmb/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor/afscme.jsp.
  
  
  
  • Salary is commensurate with education and experience; the current salary range for this position is $18.92 – $25.59 per hour.
• In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MinnState) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to MinnState’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check annually.
• BSU and NTC are tobacco free workplaces (see policy).

Physical factors of the position include:

Constant:  Sitting and near vision

Frequent:  Talking, hearing and midrange vision          

Occasional:  Carrying, crouching, firm grasp, kneeling, lifting above shoulder, lifting above waist to chest, lifting below waist, simple grasp, and squatting

To apply: 

Apply for Vacancy Posting 44999, on the Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) website:  http://mn.gov/mmb/careers/.

If you are unable to apply online, please contact the job information line at 651.259.3637.

For additional information about the application process, go to http://www.mn.gov/careers.

Internal Bid Process – Open for Bids from eligible AFSCME members from 4/5 – 4/12/2021.  Any current employee interested in this position and eligible to bid should submit a Bid Application by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 12, 2021, to Teresa Hanson in the HR office at teresa.hanson@bemidjistate.edu.  The bid form may also be found on the Human Resources website.

Note:  Internal bid applications will be considered prior to filling the position via the public application process and, therefore, this posting may be closed due to contractual obligations.

Inquiries about the position:

Stephanie Bard

Stephanie.Bard@bemidjistate.edu

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting a bid or an application, contact Teresa Hanson at teresa.hanson@bemidjistate.edu.

About:

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

Bemidji State University is nestled among the pines along the shores of Lake Bemidji, just blocks from a thriving downtown community. In this Northwoods setting, students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Bemidji State Beavers. While the city of Bemidji — named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) — is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Located between three American Indian reservations – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth, students at Bemidji State University have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State is conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area — just 12 miles north of campus — offers downhill skiing and BSU-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

For further information, visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a “special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise” at Bemidji 2.0

Benefits Info:

For information regarding benefits: https://www.bemidjistate.edu/offices/human-resources/current-employees/benefits-2/

This position is included in the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) bargaining unit.  A copy of the contract can be found at:  https://mn.gov/mmb/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor/afscme.jsp