Policy and Procedures for Authorization Form

All student financial assistance must be initiated on a Student Financial Assistance Authorization Form. Financial assistance information will be entered into the Student Aid Management (SAM) system by Student Financial Aid (Scholarship Department) and paid through the Student Accounts Receivable (SAR) system by University Accounts Receivable. All awards will be applied to balances due before being issued to the student. Please allow sufficient time (5-7 working days) for processing through all offices. Awards will pay at the beginning of each month according to the financial aid disbursement schedule. If the award is for the current month the payment will typically pay within 2-3 days of posting.The form is available on-line at:

http://fa.nmsu.edu/sch.html

It can be completed on-line, then printed for signatures.Forms submitted for approvals and processing must contain original signatures. Processing offices may wish to maintain a copy of the form as it is processed. The award is not official and recipients should not be notified until the originating department receives a completed copy with all signatures from Financial Aid.

SCHOLARSHIP(S)>

Scholarships are classified as either "restricted" or "unrestricted". Restricted scholarships are gifts in which the donor submits specific criteria for the award of the scholarship. On gifts such as this, coordinated by the NMSU Foundation, the Foundation is responsible for notifying the college and/or department of the donor restrictions.Unrestricted scholarships are gifts for which the donor places no restrictions, either explicitly or by omission, other than designating it for use by a specific college or department. For these scholarships, the college/department is responsible for developing, documenting and retaining the criteria. For both restricted and unrestricted gifts, the awarding college or department is responsible for ensuring award recipients meet the criteria at the time of the award. All of the information on the award criteria, selection process, award recipient, and any other pertinent award information are to be retained by the department/college for audit purposes. The originating department head, and dean/director or vice president will certify by signature that the award criteria have been met and funds are available.

STIPEND(S) AND DEPARTMENTAL TUITION ASSISTANCE

This process has expanded to include stipends and departmental tuition billings. Departmental accounts will be charged at the time the award is applied to a student's account in University Accounts Receivable. Stipends and departmental tuition awards will be viewed as an additional form of Financial Aid.

PROCESSING THE AUTHORIZATION FORM

Routing from the college/department will be in accordance with the form.  

Contact Person:  This person will be contacted for questions and/or clarification.

Enrollment Criteria:  Indicate enrollment requirement(s).

Award Instructions:  Use this area to indicate any specific instructions.

Future Expected Award(s):Once a program or department becomes aware of an award, but is not yet ready to pay the award, expected amount(s) should be submitted on an authorization form.  This amount will be placed in a hold column on the student’s financial aid file.  Examples of awards not yet ready to pay include monies not yet received or account numbers not yet set up.  When monies are received or account numbers are set up, an authorization form must be routed.  When the financial aid office receives the paperwork, the “hold” award amount will be removed and an official award will be posted to the student’s account.

NOTE: Pre-Award Accounts:  Indicate amounts in the months that are ready to pay.  Use the “Future Expected Award(s)” section to indicate expected money from account numbers that are not yet ready to pay.

Foreign Students:  If the award is to a foreign student, please indicate on the form in the allotted space.  Treasury Services will review the assistance form to determine the taxability of the award.  

PROCESSING CHANGE FORM

A change form must be submitted when changes in FRS account number, award increases/ decreases/cancellations and changes in enrollment criteria need to be made.  Changes can be submitted for an entire form or for an individual student.  Note: Upon receipt of the change form the financial aid office will determine if the award(s) has/have already paid to the student’s account.  If the aid has not yet paid, the financial aid office will process the change form.  If the aid has already paid, the form will be returned to the originating department.  A journal entry needs to be done by the departmental fiscal monitor.

CONTACTS

NMSU Foundation - Bill Harty  (505) 646-6125, bharty@nmsu.edu

Treasury Service - Robert Scaling (505) 646-4019, rscaling@nmsu.edu

University Accounts Receivable - Wynne Bierck (505) 646-1753, wbierck@nmsu.edu

Scholarship Department - Veronica Llañes (505) 646-5777, verllane@nmsu.edu