Module 3: Campus Administrators

Introduction

Students' success in managing their educational debt is optimized by the level and consistency of counseling they receive throughout their college experience. Postsecondary education administrators serve as important partners in ensuring that students are well informed about their rights and responsibilities with respect to their educational debts. While the student financial aid office has been the traditional lead office in assisting students on these matters, other campus administrators — from academic affairs to student affairs — also can have a meaningful impact on how well students understand their obligations as borrowers.

This module is intended to assist campus administrators (both in and outside the financial aid office) in gaining relevant and timely information regarding student loans and proven techniques for counseling students about their educational debts. The module includes insights on the respective roles of multiple entities that contribute to the student loan process. Furthermore, the module reviews the fundamentals of credit and debt management and provides key indicators about why students may inadequately manage their debt. The module also explains how loan defaults adversely impact both institutions and students.

Finally, the module builds on the premise that we are most effective in informing students about their educational debts when we employ exceptional customer service techniques. This module recommends customer service strategies and techniques designed to facilitate meaningful conversations with students.

Learning objectives

At the end of this module, campus administrators will:

• Understand the role that lenders, servicers, guaranty agencies, and schools play in the student loan management process
• Learn the fundamentals of credit and debt management
• Understand cohort default rates and its implications on the campus and students
• Learn proven skills and techniques for providing exceptional customer service

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Module 3  

Want to know more about the Council? Contact Maria Luna-Torres at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4632, or send an e-mail at maria.luna-torres@tgslc.org.