Functional Statements > Federal Student Aid

A. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

The Office of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) has the primary responsibility to effectively manage Federal Student Aid as a Performance Based Organization (PBO). The COO is responsible for managing operations across channels and support functions to ensure that best in business performance is consistently delivered.

POLICY LIAISON AND IMPLEMENTATION STAFF

The Policy Liaison and Implem's involvement in the development, implementation and dissemination of Federal Student Aid program policy. Reporting to the Federal Student Aid Chief of Staff, PLIS performs the following functions:

Policy Issue Identification

• Identify policy issues affecting the administrative, accounting and financial management of the Federal Student Aid delivery system and refer these matters to the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) for resolution.
• Assist the COO in providing advice to OPE in development of regulations, policies, administrative guidance and procedures affecting the information systems administered by Federal Student Aid and other functions performed by Federal Student Aid.
• Identify legislative and regulatory changes for improving service to Federal Student Aid recipients and for improving the efficiency and integrity of the student financial assistance programs and recommend such changes to OPE.

Policy Formulation

• Develop and submit policy options, including impact statements, for consideration of senior Departmental political and executive management.
• Advise and collaborate with OPE in the development of regulations, policies, and administrative guidance affecting the information systems administered by Federal Student Aid and other functions performed by Federal Student Aid.

Policy Decisions

• Work with all relevant Federal Student Aid offices to implement OPE policy decisions.
• Report to the COO and OPE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation on status of the implementation of those policy decisions.

Policy Dissemination

• Provide policy guidance and OPE policy interpretations to both internal ED colleagues and to external partners and customers (e.g.; schools, lenders agencies and associations).
• Respond to policy queries submitted by internal and external parties either directly or through other Federal Student Aid operating units (e.g.; customer service, system call centers, Case Management, Financial Partners and Federal Student Aid Training Division).
• Draft Bulletins and Dear Partner letters (i.e., administrative communications to participating entities related to policy implementation and operational issues).
• Support Federal Student Aid training on new and existing policies.

Policy Implementation

• Ensure consistency and integration of Federal Student Aid policy across Federal Student Aid programs and operations.
• Support Federal Student Aid program operations and assist management in implementing Federal Student Aid policy decisions and serving as liaison between Federal Student Aid offices and OPE in resolving issues related to policy implementation.
• Prepare and publish Federal Register Notices for Data Matching Agreements, Systems of Records, etc.
• Develop and prepare for government clearance various forms required for the Federal Student Aid programs.

OMBUDSMAN

The Ombudsman serves as a principal advisor to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) by providing expert findings, advice, and recommendations on matters pertaining to Federal Student Aid program development and operational effectiveness. To accomplish this mission, the Ombudsman:

• Provides timely assistance to borrowers of loans made, insured, or guaranteed;
• Receives, reviews, and attempts to informally resolve complaints from loan borrowers;
• Serves as an impartial resource to mediate disputes internally without the need for outside arbitration;
• Develops a deep knowledge of business issues that face Federal Student Aid borrowers and partners;
• Gathers information about business trends that impact Federal Student Aid's ability to anticipate and address customers needs; and
• Reviews Federal Student Aid's operations and recommends quality improvements.

COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH STAFF

The Communications & Outreach office is responsible for managing all activities within Federal Student Aid related to internal and external communications and conferences as well as special outreach initiatives. To accomplish this mission, the office is divided into the following service areas:

• Communications & Information Resources Unit
• Conference & Outreach Services Unit
• Correspondence Services Unit

Communications & Information Resources Unit

• Communications & Information Resources seeks to build and sustain Federal Student Aid's image, ensure consistency in communications, and compile, track and report relevant enterprise and industry performance metrics. In particular, Communications & Information Resources is responsible for the following functional areas:
• Communications Management: Provides the best-in-business communication service to the public and the Federal Student Aid organization. This functional area is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to effectively disseminate information to various public and stakeholder groups through the media, established inter-governmental channels and proactive campaigns. Internally, this functional area facilitates communications within Federal Student Aid to employees and contractors through several print publications and online outlets, including Federal Student Aid's Intranet. Communications Management is also responsible for the compilation and dissemination of general enterprise and industry performance metrics for use by Federal Student Aid and its constituents.

Conference & Outreach Services Unit

• Conference and Outreach Services provides management of Federal Student Aid's enterprise conference strategy and coordinates the annual FSA conferences. It also assists the Department, when requested, in planning and delivery of conference activities. The organization is also responsible for planning and development of outreach initiatives. In particular, Conference and Outreach Services is responsible for the following functional areas:
• Conference Management: The conference management team plans and manages Federal Student Aid-sponsored conferences as well as the enterprise conference strategy. This team is also responsible for coordinating Federal Student Aid's support of and participation in conferences held by the student financial assistance and higher education communities. Furthermore this unit provides assistance, when requested, to the Department in planning and managing conference events.
• Outreach: From time to time the COO will call upon this unit to support planning and execution of outreach initiatives to various constituencies. The unit will define requirements to be met, design (or supervise the design) of the delivery means, and provide the oversight to assure that the implementation of the communications service fulfills the intent of the COO.

Correspondence Services Unit

• As needed, in coordination with the ED Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act Officers, this team is responsible for establishing systems, procedures and controls to coordinate and fulfill, within regulatory timeframes, requests for information under FOIA and Privacy Act. Requests, as well as any extensions needed, will be tracked.
• This unit also receives reviews, disseminates for appropriate action, and tracks controlled correspondence.