Sometimes students wish to study for a semester at another campus as part of their program at UW-Stevens Point. If approval for this type of study is secured from the student's dean, we will set up a consortium agreement with the other school whereby UWSP will provide aid as the "home" campus, and the other school will provide cost and enrollment information to support the award. Consortium agreements are all facilitated at this station, and this usually entails meeting with the student to work out all the details. Often students from other campuses wish to come to UWSP for a semester on a consortium agreement basis-- this, too, is handled here.
Since each week we download new student data directly from the federal government, eligibility changes can occur as a result of corrections, enrollment adjustments, or by new information provided by the student directly to the government. The necessary monitoring activity associated with changed information is conducted here, and this is where the award adjustments are made if aid awards must be modified as a result of these changes.
All students who borrow under the federal Stafford loan program must participate (at least once) in an entrance loan counseling interview. In this presentation students are told about their repayment obligation and asked to certify that they have had the counseling. A counselor is always available to answer any questions that may arise. We want to insure that all borrowers at UW-Stevens Point know exactly what they are getting into when they take out a college loan. Students at UWSP fulfill this obligation by watching a presentation on the Internet, where they can interact with the financial aid staff and directly certify completion of the requirement.
Exit loan counseling refers to another federal requirement that students exiting the University must fulfill, and that also is handled utilizing an Internet counseling program. Students are connected to a site that explains their repayment obligation, provides links to their personal loan information, and offers other relevant information to help them avoid debt pitfalls and manage their debt more comfortably.
All of these tasks are performed by Carol Scipior, Assistant Director. Additional specialized duties include arranging for office supply and equipment purchases, keeping track of the office budget, identifying potential unofficial withdrawals and assisting students with their counseling needs.
In many ways Mrs. Scipior's role is that of an Office Manager or Assistant Director, and she offers special assistance to the Director to meet federal reporting deadlines for the major campus-based programs as well as a number of specialized programs. If your needs ever bring you into her presence, you will find that she is both compassionate and thorough in handling your affairs. Mrs. Scipior is another one of our UW-Stevens Point graduates, so she too knows what it's like to be a student here. She also has a son in graduate school, which has given her experience as a parent of a college attendee.