Dive Brief:
- The University of California, Davis has instituted a new procedure intending to streamline the process of submitting documentation to verify financial aid eligibility. Through a partnership with CampusLogic, families are able to submit information via mobile devices, according to Ed Tech Magazine.
- Schools are mandated to verify data submitted by a potential student to calculate the expected contribution by that student's family. The vendors must meet all regulations about protecting the sensitive documents that students or parents might submit, though UC Davis offers its own protections as well.
- UC Davis Chief Information Security Officer Cheryl Washington emphasized it is the responsibility of the users of that information to not share passwords and keep the information safe. That applies both to the school utilizing the app and students submitting information.
Dive Insight:
Though tech tools, as well as their usage on college campuses, may be increasingly ubiquitous, it is important for admissions staff to consider that digital accessibility is not uniform for all applicants. Some students and parents may lack the experience and the means to electronically submit the documentation required by schools to assess what financial aid would be necessary. Still, allowing submission via mobile device may ease the burden for families for whom a mobile device is their only source of internet access in the home. And while these individuals may need more guidance through the process, institutions can avoid potential problems by making sure that they are in communication with potential applicants from the initial submission all the way through consideration.