New developments planned for Student Financial Services
Paramount to Student Financial Services is the mission to provide student-centered customer service while teaching financial responsibility to students. To support both objectives, the department has implemented several new initiatives and made a handful of changes.
Revised Student Financial Support hours
Beginning in March, Student Financial Advisors will be available to assist students from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office will no longer be open until 8:30 p.m. It was determined that students would be better served by having more staff in the office during the day. Student Financial Support in Saint Edward Hall will remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
CashCourse
Saint Leo University has a new online financial literacy tool called CashCourse. The university is no longer using SALT. CashCourse provides articles, advice, and resources to help individuals learn about finances. It also provides tools to help individuals understand, track, and manage their student loans, credit card debt, and mortgage. CashCourse also provides personalized lessons and guidance to help individuals master their money and debt.
CashCourse is not only for students but also is open to all of the Saint Leo community. Keep an ear out for the CashCourse giveaway which will be promoted closer to National Financial Literacy Month in April. For more information on CashCourse, please visit www.saintleo.edu/cashcourse and sign up for a free account.
Ask Leah Chatbox
Another tool Saint Leo University is utilizing is the Ask Leah Chatbot. Have you ever needed quick, direct answers to a financial aid or student accounts question, but got lost on the Student Financial Services web pages? Perhaps you wanted information, but did not have the time to read through dense text. Visitors to the Student Financial Services web pages now can converse with the Ask Leah Chatbot, Saint Leo’s newest financial aid expert. Leah can answer questions about tuition, student accounts, financial aid eligibility, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and more. The chatbox also is available 24/7. You may meet Leah by visiting any Student Financial Services web page and clicking on the blue bubble in the lower right corner or by going directly to www.saintleo.edu/financial-aid#bot.
FATV
FATV is a new feature on the Student Financial Services web pages. FATV is a comprehensive video library of short answer videos, tutorials, and humorous vignettes. Topic-specific videos are available alongside relevant text throughout the Student Financial Services web section. These videos are also mobile friendly so students, staff, and faculty may access videos from their smartphones and tablets. Enjoy the complete video selection at https://www.saintleo.edu/financial-aid-resources.
Financial Aid Forms
Financial Aid Forms is Saint Leo’s new online platform for submitting verification documents. In Financial Aid Forms, students can complete and submit verification forms from mobile devices anytime and anywhere. When a student is selected for verification, an email is sent to the student’s Saint Leo University email address or the preferred email address on file. This email explains how to easily set up an account in Financial Aid Forms. These emails are sent to students with outstanding verification documents for 2018-2019 and/or 2019-2020.
Advisors are able to view what verification documents students need to submit. However, advisors must first be granted viewing permission. To gain viewing permission, supervisors will need to submit a request to Brenda Clark at brenda.clark02@saintleo.edu or Nicholle Thor at nicholle.thor@saintleo.edu with the name and Colleague ID of the advising staff they would like to access Financial Aid Forms. Please send a spreadsheet if multiple staff members will need access.
Financial Aid Forms is a new platform students will use to submit verification documents, but students still will need to use eForms to submit nonverification documents.
Digital Award Letters
Beginning with newly admitted students for the 2019-2020 academic year, Student Financial Services now sends out digital award letters. These emailed “award letters” are mobile friendly and feature personalized messaging, award information, and videos. Incoming campus freshmen now receive highly engaging “letters” that contain helpful information about their aid, cost of attendance, loan management, and more. Saint Leo WorldWide students and continuing campus students also will receive new “letters.” Award letters are sent to the primary email that Saint Leo has on file for new students.
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