The Offices of Bursar and Financial Aid are merging to become the Office of Student Financial Services.
Over the past three years, staffs of the two offices have been engaged in planning and strategizing how they might best serve the needs of our students and their families. The implementation of the Banner system led to a comprehensive internal review of business practices and now, with the pending relocation of the Enrollment Services division to the new Gateway Building, scheduled for late in 2008, the timing is right to move forward with the merger.
The newly named Office of Student Financial Services will focus on providing excellent customer service in all matters related to billing, payment, and financial aid. There is a practical and logical interdependency between the two current operations and the merger is expected to provide maximum efficiency, streamlined service, and a "one-stop" concept for parents and students redressing financial matters related to attendance at Ithaca College.
The merger will occur in stages over the coming months, to be completed late next fall with the move to the new Gateway Building.
At this time I am pleased to announce that Larry Chambers, formerly the director of financial aid, has agreed to become the director of student financial services. Larry will lead a management team that includes Anne Woodard as bursar and associate director of operations; Julie Hickman-Godoy as associate director of financial aid; and Jill Moreland as information systems manager.
This new management team, with the assistance of Ithaca's Office of Human Resources, has been working with office staff to redefine operations and positions in a joint effort to build a strong, effective, and student-centered office.
Over the next year, staff will be engaged in cross-training for their new positions, but will remain physically located in their current locations (Bursar in Job Hall and Financial Aid in Egbert Hall), and service to students will continue as it currently is handled.
Updates on progress through this period of transition will be provided to the campus community via Intercom.
