Short-Staffed, Colleges Outsource Financial Aid Offices

At one point during the fall semester, the number of employees working in the financial aid office at Kentucky State University dropped from four to zero. According to state documents, all the full-time staffers either left the institution or went on medical leave. Last month the historically Black public university contracted with the financial aid consulting service Blue Icon to step in and keep funds flowing to students until new staffers are in place. Last month, Bethany College—a small Christian institution in Kansas—announced that it was in the process of outsourcing both the business office and financial aid department. Campus officials said in a news release that a partnership with the outside financial services and consulting firm Clifton Larson Allen will allow the liberal arts college to “streamline financial processes, ensure compliance with changing regulations, and allocate our resources more efficiently.”