Aid Office Staff Shortages Reach ‘Crisis,’ Survey Shows

"Increasing staffing shortages at college financial aid offices have been a point of concern throughout the pandemic. According to a recent survey, reduced capacity, high turnover rates and difficulty hiring over the past two years have institutions worried about long-term impacts, including the ability to meet federally mandated staffing requirements," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"According to a recent survey of 500 institutions released today by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, 80 percent of respondents indicated that they were concerned about their financial aid offices’ ability to remain “administratively capable” in the future to reach Education Department requirements for Title IV programs, plus Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and federal student loans.

What’s more, 56 percent of respondents said they were concerned with their ability to meet the needs of students given their current staff levels.

'We are sounding the alarm bells that many financial aid offices are critically short-staffed, which could create cascading issues for those colleges and universities, both in their ability to adequately serve students while also remaining compliant with federal and state rules,' said NASFAA president Justin Draeger."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

 

Publication Date: 5/24/2022

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