Higher Education Assistance Group
News & Insights
Greetings!

It's been a long three years, and no one could have foreseen the challenges and issues students, faculty and staff would be faced with during the pandemic. I think we are all excited for the end of the COVID-19 national emergency, which is scheduled to end on May 11, but it means additional changes for schools, including the end of the flexibilities and exceptions in Title IV financial aid programs. Our blog post below provides a summary of the changes. We've also included a post about cybersecurity and steps your institution can take to protect your students' information.

Please contact us if your institution is facing challenges or needs help due to additional demand. We have the experience to seamlessly integrate with your staff and take on any type of financial aid work or special projects. We also offer full financial aid support and outsourcing.

-The HEAG Team
HEAG Welcomes Catherine Demchak, Director of Operations

We’re pleased to announce Catherine Demchak has joined the Higher Education Assistance Group as Director of Operations. Cathy has a long and successful career as a Financial Aid Administrator in a variety of roles that span more than twenty years. Her areas of specialization include Title IV compliance, training and consulting. When she began her financial aid career, Cathy quickly learned that her work could make a difference, not just in the lives of students, but for the university and for the financial aid profession as well. She is devoted to sharing her knowledge and insight with her colleagues and clients. 

An active member of PASFAA (Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) for 22 years, Cathy has led or contributed to PASFAA Mentoring Programs, Conference Committees, Newsletter Committees, and Leadership Development and Training. Cathy’s academic studies include Business Management, Labor and Employee Relations, and Higher Education Administration. She holds an FAAC® designation, which attests to her years of industry-related experience and affirms her commitment to exemplify the highest level of ethical behavior and professionalism. 

In her role at HEAG, Cathy is responsible for supervising discovery, proposal, contract and resource allocation phases; communicating critical planning and operational needs across the firm; and developing policies and procedures. 
The COVID-19 National Emergency is Ending, Are You Ready?

On January 31, President Biden announced the national emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be ending on May 11, 2023, and that means the flexibilities and exceptions in the Title IV financial aid programs will be ending as well. There’s not much time to determine which of your office procedures are impacted and when. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) has created a resource page to aid with the transition, and we’ve summarized some of the program changes in our blog post.

Keep reading to learn about key changes.
Technology Support & Systems Analysis

Our Technology Support & Systems Analysis solutions can help your institution improve workflow processes, better utilize existing technology, and implement new financial management software – all of which can improve the financial aid experience for students and their families.

Our Approach to Technology Projects
We are experienced in all aspects of financial aid technology solutions. Our approach to technology projects is focused on creating more efficient processes that enhance student satisfaction by delivering cost-effective solutions. As financial aid compliance experts, we also work to ensure that your financial aid office is following sound business and regulatory practices.
It’s Always a Good Time to Think About Cybersecurity
To celebrate Data Privacy Week in January, the Federal Student Aid Training Center created a collection of training resources for financial aid administrators. And while this may be the last thing on your mind at this busy time of year, it’s important to make sure you know about your responsibilities when it comes to protecting your students’ information and your own for that matter.

We encourage you to take advantage of the full training program when you have the time, but in the meantime, we have outlined some things to consider. Keep reading to learn more.
Consultant Spotlight
How long have you been with HEAG?

I have been working as an HEAG consultant since 2017.

What do you enjoy most about your current role with HEAG?

I enjoy the flexibility of the work hours and days and being able to accomplish tasks remotely while being just as effective as I would be on site.

What was your first job?

When I was a teenager, I had several jobs: babysitter, supermarket cashier and working in retail.

What is something few people know about you?

In another life I was a radio personality for a local Christian broadcasting station. I also do some public speaking for high schools and other organizations; mainly in the fall to provide students and parents with information about the college financial aid process.
Dorothy Gilliard
Tell us a little about yourself.

My first professional job was in the Trust Department of a bank. The bank later transferred me to the Education Finance division where I performed marketing functions for a company that was a client of the bank. The president of the company was looking to expand his operation and asked me if I was interested in making the transition. I accepted and took on the role of Department Head and Vice President and spent the next 19 years in financial aid, eventually managing 43 for-profit trade and technical schools across the country.

What are some of the FA tasks you have performed and excelled at?

I’ve handled a number of projects in my role as a consultant including working on several file reconstructions that were part of a DOE review, handling refunds on behalf of schools, updating the National Student Loan Database system, performing data entry and corrections, and working in whatever FAMS systems the schools used, as well as Title IV verification, Awarding/Packaging, and professional judgement and appeals. Recently, I took on the task of completing a Staffing Assessment report for a school client that wanted to make sure they were hiring the right number of people and the right people for the right jobs.

What advice would you give to a school looking to bring in an FA consultant? 

Make sure the consultant has the expertise that you need to get the job done. Additionally, make sure the consultant has the desire to accomplish the tasks that need to get done and that they can be empathetic and relate to the schools’ challenges, problems and issues.

What makes HEAG unique or special compared to your work experiences elsewhere?

HEAG identifies each consultant’s areas of expertise and matches them with a school that needs that expertise and knowledge. The organization is extremely professional and well organized and works hard to ensure each consultant has the resources they need for the job that needs to get done.

When you’re not consulting, what other hobbies/interests do you have? 

I have a jewelry and accessory business; I love to travel; and I do some writing in my spare time.
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