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Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Upcoming project request deadlines

Now that Planning Period 4 (P4 2024) is officially underway we will begin reviewing project requests for P1 2025 (Aug - Oct) and beyond. Please submit project requests as early as possible to allow time for review. Full details of the project request process and additional resources, including the Complete ASR Planning Calendar, are available online.

Upcoming dates and deadlines for P1 2025:
  • Project request deadline: June 7, 2024
  • Project prioritization meeting: July 11, 2024
  • Start of P1 2025 quarterly planning period: Aug 5, 2024
Please feel free to reach out to osi-projects@umn.edu with any questions or concerns as you go through the project request process.

NASFAA Virtual Conference

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) 2024 virtual conference is being held on July 8-11. Individual sessions cover information on financial aid, including a free Need Analysis NASFAA Credential Test, which can help you learn more about the new Student Aid Index and how eligibility is determined.

If you want to attend any of the individual sessions, your name needs to be on the NASFAA roster for UMN. If you are not yet on the roster, email Michelle Curtis (mcurtis@umn.edu) to get added to the roster. To attend, please check in with your supervisor for approval. If your supervisor approves, please register for the individual sessions. No PERR is necessary to attend virtual NASFAA.

NASFAA 2024 Virtual Conference schedule

Monday, July 8, 2024
  • 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Diversity Session
  • 1:30 - 5:00 p.m. - NASFAA Credential Session - Need Analysis
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
  • 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - NASFAA Welcome & Opening Session
  • 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. - Support Internal Controls for Institutional Compliance Using NASFAA Tools
  • 3:00 - 4:45 p.m. - A House Divided Cannot Stand: Institutional Approaches to Developing a Campus Compliance Culture
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
  • 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Getting Students to Yes: Comprehensive Financial Aid & Admission Offers
  • 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. - NASFAA Policy Session
  • 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. - The Zero Budget Financial Literacy Program
Thursday, July 11, 2024
  • 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - FAFSA Simplification - How Under-Resourced Schools Weathered the Storm
  • 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. - Listening to Students: Learning About Financial Aid Experience to Inform Customer Service Expectations

Student Account Assistance in-person service hours

In an effort to efficiently utilize resources, in-person service at the Student Account Assistance (SAA) window will be from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, between June 3 and August 30, 2024. Virtual service remains available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Closing Out Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and a good time to reflect on the importance of mental health. 83% of Gen Z and millennial patients openly share they are in therapy. Adults aged 34-44 are reporting higher instances of chronic health issues (58% vs 38% in 2019). Adults aged 18-34 reported the highest instance of mental illness in 2023 (50%). 75% of mental health challenges start before the age of 25.

These are serious statistics. But there is help available. The University offers a range of online and in-person mental health resources for faculty and staff, including: Make your wellbeing a priority all year long and take advantage of these resources when you need them. If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, here are a few Minneapolis resources that can help.

ASR Staff Engagement May 30 Survey

This week’s ASR Engagement Survey asks about your summer plans. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!

According to the last survey on balancing/managing workload, many mentioned that new hires should not take on too much at once, develop a relationship with your manager/unit, and ask for help when needed regarding their workload. In addition, a majority say highlighting university-related resources and bringing an associated speaker to an ASR all-staff would be beneficial regarding balancing workload. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

Unit Updates: Office of Classroom Management survey feedback

“This classroom provided a dynamic space for teaching and learning and for collaborative work. It is spacious, bright with natural light from strategically placed windows, and contains furniture (i.e., chairs, a table, and an ADA-compliant desk) that can be easily rearranged, which is very useful when teaching a discussion- and humanities-based course. Additionally, students and guest speakers were able to access technology easily throughout the course of the semester. This term (unlike the previous one), I learned how to use the sound, and this has made a significant difference when showing video or film. It's also extremely helpful to have access to a DVD player. I am especially grateful to the janitors, maintenance staff, and groundskeepers for providing such a clean and welcoming environment. Thank you!” - Blegen 220

“This is without a doubt the best experience my co-instructor and I have ever had with presentation technologies. The classroom presentation setup is perfect! It is intuitive and exceptionally easy to use...both for student presenters and instructors. My co-instructor and I applaud the efforts that have gone into this system. We have both taught at the University of Minnesota and at other colleges and universities, and have made presentations throughout the U.S. and elsewhere in the world. We agree that this has been our best experience. Great work! Thank you.”

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Save the date: ASR in-person staff assembly and picnic

This year’s in-person all staff assembly and picnic will be held Thursday, July 25. Employees who live outside of a typical commuting distance are not required to attend. More details will be given closer to the day of the assembly.