After 32 years in financial aid, Jim Belvin, director of financial aid at Duke University, is retiring. In a recent audio interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, Jim discussed the increasing "squeeze" on financial aid officers coming from the federal government and enrollment departments. The difficulties of trying to satisfy both parties while helping anxious and excited parents and students through the financial aid maze means that "more and more people are finding the [financial aid] profession one of agony and pressure, not good will."

Overture's Payment Planner is aimed at alleviating this specific issue. Payment Planner combines electronic award distribution with sophisticated tools to educate students by helping them calculate the impact of decisions. Also, Payment Planner offers automatic status update and management information that enrollment staff can use to track student progress.

The 40 colleges and universities that use Payment Planner have found a dramatic reduction in calls and e-mails to financial aid, especially during peak season. Institutions that use Payment Planner experience significant savings in not only out-of-pocket mailing and support costs, but just as importantly, in the time of their staff. With this extra time, aid offices are able to focus on helping those who require extra attention and care.

If you’d like to learn more about how Payment Planner can help your financial aid office, please go to www.overturecorp.com/paymentplanner or give us a call at 301-492-2155 or e-mail sales@overturecorp.com.