Transcript Creative E-mails - Clemson University

Creative E-mails
“Going ‘E’ and Lovin’ It!”
Kenneth T. Cole
Director of Financial Aid
University of South Carolina Lancaster
Agenda
1. Federal Regulations
2. Campus-Wide E-Policy
3. E-Mail Addresses & Groups
4. Mail-Merges
5. Read Receipts & Returned E-mails
6. Getting Students’ Attention
7. Implementing your E-Plan
8. Example E-Mails
Federal Regulations
1. Federal Regulations
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Electronic notices and Authorizations: The 2006-2007 Student Aid Handbook states
“So long as there are no regulations specifically requiring that a notification or
authorization be sent via U.S. mail, a school may provide notices or receive authorizations
electronically.” Vol. 4, Ch 2; 4-19
Direct Individual Notice: The FSA Handbook states that “If you use an electronic
process to provide notices, make disclosures or direct students to a secure Web site, you
must provide direct individual notice to each student.” This can be sent by e-mail but must
reach each student individually. You can not post the information on a web site and expect
the student to find it.
Confirmation of Read Receipt no longer required: Effective November 1st, 2002, the
requirement that schools confirm receipt of a notice sent electronically was eliminated.
Confidentiality: The 2006-2007 Student Aid Handbook states “any time a school uses an
electronic process to record or transmit confidential information or obtain a student’s
confirmation, acknowledgement, or approval, the school must adopt reasonable
safeguards against possible fraud and abuse.” FSA Handbook 4-19
E-Sign Act: The E-sign act permits use of electronic signatures and electronic records in
place of traditional signatures and records. The act provides that the consumer must
affirmatively consent to the use of electronic records and demonstrates their ability to
access those records. Thus, a consumer’s consent is valid only if the consumer consents
electronically or confirms his or her consent electronically. The recipient’s consent must be
voluntary.
Internet Based Activities: For information see 34 CFR 668.14
Other related Federal Laws
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“Controlling the Assault of non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing” Act
(CAN-SPAM): The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 establishes requirements for those who send
commercial email, spells out penalties for ‘spammers’, and gives consumers the right to no longer
be sent e-mails from a specific company or individual. What this law provides:
– It bans false or misleading header information
– It prohibits deceptive subject lines
– It requires that your email give recipients an opt-out method
– It requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender’s
valid physical postal address
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act): Requires that schools have in place an information
security program to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information. This must
insure the security and confidentiality of “non-public personal information”; provide administrative,
technical and physical safeguards; protect against threats or hazards to security and integrity, and
protect against unauthorized access to such information. It must meet 5 elements: Designated
Coordinators; Risk Assessment; Safeguards & Testing/Monitoring; Evaluation & Adjustment;
Overseeing service providers. (GLB Act, Sections 501 & 505(b)(2) ; FSA Handbook 2-159)
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): 34 CFR 99 protects the privacy
of student education records. Schools must have written permission from the student in order to
release any information from a student’s education record. This law must be kept in mind when
developing a Policy for sending students information by e-mail from your institution. FERPA
Regulations now allow that consent to be made electronically, but such requests must identify and
authenticate the source of the electronic consent. (FSA Handbook 2-158)
FAFSA E-Mail Address: The FAFSA e-mail address can be used by the school to
communicate with students (see Question 13 on the FAFSA); however, due to the CAN-SPAM act
a recipient may still ask that you no longer send e-mail to that address. You can not change the
address on the FAFSA without the student’s DRN. Sometimes a FAFSA has a parent’s e-mail
address, remember FERPA in these cases.
Disclosure of Information
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Required School Notifications: 34 CFR 668.41-48 cite what notifications and
disclosure of information must be made by the school each year to both the student
population and to the public; which include but are not limited to: Financial assistance
available, Institutional Information such as cost of attendance and refund policies,
completion of graduation rates, Institutional security polices and crime statistics.
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Definition of “Notice”: 34 CFR 668.41; ‘A notification of the availability of
information an institution is required by this subpart to disclose, provided to an
individual on a one-to-one basis through an appropriate mailing or publication,
including direct mailing through the U.S. Postal Service, campus mail, or electronic
mail. Posting on an Internet website or an Intranet does not constitute a notice.’
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Disclosure through Internet or Intranet websites: 34 CFR 668.41 (b), (c);
‘an institution may satisfy any requirements to disclose information under…this
section…by posting the information on an Internet website or an Intranet website
that is reasonably accessible to the individuals to whom the information must be
disclosed’ and ‘distribute to all enrolled students a notice of the availability of the
information.’ ‘The notice must list and briefly describe the information and tell the
student how to obtain the information’ and ‘must include…the exact electronic
address to which the information is posted; and a statement that the institution
will provide a paper copy of the information on request.’
Required School Notifications
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Notices and Authorizations: 34 CFR 668.165 states that ‘Before an institution
disburses title IV…program funds…the school must notify a student of the amount of
funds that the student or his or her parent can expect to receive under each
…program, and how and when these funds will be disbursed.’
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Right to Cancel a loan disbursement: 34 CFR 668.165 (a)(2) states ‘If an
institution credits a student’s account… with Direct Loan, FFEL or Perkins Loan…
funds, the institution must notify the student, or parent, of the date and amount of the
disbursement, the right…to cancel all or a portion of the loan or…disbursement; and
the procedures and time by which the student or parent must notify the institution…;
no earlier than 30 days before, and no later than 30 days after crediting the student’s
account.’
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Borrower confirmation via e-mail: The 2006-2007 Student Aid Handbook
states that ‘if you are notifying the student of the next loan disbursement by electronic
mail or other electronic means, you are encouraged to follow up on any electronic
notice for which you receive an “undeliverable” message. (FSA Handbook 4-16)
What can you include?
• What can be included on an e-mail?
– The student’s name
– Notification that changes have been made and/or that a new
award is available
– Links to secure web site where they can access this information
– Notifications that do not reveal private or personal information
(you can tell them who their FA counselor is, how to apply for a
Work Study Job, or even how to sign their promissory note.
• What can not be included on an e-mail?
– The student’s Date of Birth and Social Security Number
– Award amounts (you can mention their loan, just not the amount)
– Sensitive or private information (defaults, bankruptcies, and
anything related to a professional judgment that might be
considered private to the student)
• If you have a way of securing the e-mail with a password
then you can include this information.
Campus-Wide E-Policy
2. Campus-Wide E-Policy
• Will you develop a Campus-Wide E-Policy?
• Will you use the Student E-mail address provided by your
institution as the “Official Means of Communication” for your
institution?
• What standards will you establish for e-mail formats?
• Who on your campus has the right to send e-mails to students,
either by Groups or to individual e-mail addresses?
Will you develop an E-policy?
• Pros:
– Students will have an expectation of communication by e-mail
from the institution
– All Offices will share standards of e-mail formats, so students
receiving these e-mails will know how to recognize them as more
than SPAM
– It will be decided whose responsibility it is to send e-mails
– There will be rules to state when and what can be sent.
– You will have a written policy to fall back on if ever needed
• Cons:
– It takes time and coordination, as well as interest from the
institution’s population to establish such a policy.
– There will be strict rules on what and can be sent, when and how.
– There may be delays in the sending of mass e-mails, as approvals
might be required
The “Official Means of Communication”
If you intend to use your institutional e-mail addresses provided to the
students as the “Official Means of Communication”, you should
consider this:
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When will the account be established?
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Notifying the Student by paper:
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Is the E-mail address a benefit and a requirement of being a student?
Can the student “Opt-Out” of receiving “Official Communication” from the Institution at this email address?
What is your policy regarding other e-mail addresses?
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Notify the student during application for admission
Send a letter giving the student the account information and relative policy
When the student activates the e-mail account switch from paper to e-mail
Can the student “Opt-Out”?
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Admission, Acceptance, Deposit, Orientation, Registration, Start of Classes
The sooner the better, more direct communication
When will you delete accounts for students not coming
Be careful not to delete students who are already here, but may not have pre-registered.
FAFSA E-mail Address
Alternative E-mail Addresses
Can the student forward e-mail from his/her Campus e-mail address?
How long does a student keep a Campus E-mail address?
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Does the address get canceled after graduation/withdrawal?
How soon?
Alumni
E-Mail Standards
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Text vs. HTML; which is best for your students, and which is best for
your servers?
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Subject Lines; How do you identify yourselves?
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Who is the e-mail “From”?
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Memorandum or Personalized formats
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Links; with or without written HTTP address
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The Signature Block, who is on it?
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Replies; who reads them, or forwards them?
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Unique identities on e-mails; it’s a good idea.
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Return/Read Receipts, will you require them?
Who sends e-mails?
• The IT Department or Individual Offices
• Can you send to e-mail groups, (i.e.
[email protected] ), or only to specific e-mail
addresses (i.e. [email protected] )?
• Managing Specific Populations (like FA)
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Identifying the current population
Extracting Lists of Students’ E-mail addresses, names, etc…
Mail Merging
Who does the list get sent to?
• Who in your office will be responsible for mailing, and
receiving e-mails?
E-Mail Addresses & Groups
3. E-Mail Addresses & Groups
• Which e-mail address will your Financial Aid Office send
e-mails to (Campus E-mail, FAFSA E-mail, Personal Email)?
• What do you do when someone wants to change their email address?
• What do you do when someone tells you they no longer
want to receive e-mail from your institution?
• E-mailing to a Group or “Pre-Built List”
Choosing an e-mail address
• Campus e-mail address:
– Pros
• If Official, the students will expect your e-mails, and hopefully check
it
• You know for a fact that the student has the e-mail address
• The account is on your server so you will know right away if it will
bounce back
• The student can probably check the e-mail account right from your
office
• You can put shortcuts to the account on your home page
– Cons
• Students may forward these e-mails to another address, if allowed
• The account does not exist until the student has met some ‘trigger’
Choosing an E-mail Address, Cont…
• FAFSA E-mail Address:
– Pros
• This account can be used pre-admissions
• The student was told when they filed the FAFSA that the school will
use this address.
– Cons
• These accounts often belong to the Parent
• These accounts are often neglected by the student
• Personal E-mail Address:
– Pros
• If the student provides it, it is most likely their most active account
– Cons
• If the student doesn’t bother to update it, empyt the mail box, or
blocks you, you may never get through to the student.
Changing an E-mail Address
• Can a student change their e-mail address?
– If it is a campus e-mail address, then IT changes it if they find it is necessary.
– If it is a FAFSA e-mail address, then the student can change themselves or they
can ask you to change it (be sure to get a DRN number, or signed SAR).
– If it is a personal e-mail address it could be changed all the time, but the old one
might still exist, and you will probably rarely be told by the student.
• How does a student change their e-mail address?
– Campus E-mail: See your IT department
– FAFSA E-mail: FAFSA on the Web, or request through Financial Aid
– Personal E-mail: Can be changed through ISP; but student should have some
means of notifying the institution of the change (best by web).
• Does your procedure know when a student’s e-mail
address has changed?
– Campus E-mail: If your institution changes it, do you update your list of e-mails
when they do?
– FAFSA E-mail: Do you drawdown the latest FAFSAs?
– Personal E-mail: Is the change tied into the same system you pick up the
address from?
No more e-mails!!!
• Can a student ask you to no longer send them e-mails?
– If Campus E-mail, probably not, but otherwise they can.
• Can a student block you from sending e-mails to them?
– In most cases, yes.
– If you are using a Campus E-mail, you should probably talk to your IT
department to find out how to prevent this.
• How will you make the change, and how will you notify the student
that it has been made?
– On your student information system, on a database, or on the FAFSA?
– Remember, changing the FAFSA requires a DRN or signed SAR.
– Send the student a paper letter, or post card, notifying them you have changed
their e-mail address as they requested, and tell them they can call if it is in error.
• How will you communicate with the student from that point on?
– Your procedures/systems should be setup to check to see if the student has an
e-mail address.
– You can send them a post-card telling them they need to get an e-mail address
(such as if you use Campus E-mail addresses).
– You can just send them paper until they have a valid e-mail address.
No more e-mails!!! Cont…
• What if the e-mail requesting that you “no longer send
that address e-mails” has someone else’s name on it?
– It can happen. Contact the student to verify that it is not their address.
– If it is clearly stated that it is the student’s parent sending the e-mail on
behalf of the student, write back and state that you need an e-mail
signed by the student.
– In the end, no matter who sends it, unless it is required by your
institution (such as a Campus e-mail address) you must stop sending
them e-mails if they so request (see CAN-SPAM Act).
• How will you communicate with the student from that
point on?
– Your procedures/systems should be setup to check to see if the student
has an e-mail address.
– You can send them a post-card telling them they need to get an e-mail
address (such as if you use Campus E-mail addresses).
– You can just send them paper until they have a valid e-mail address.
Groups and Pre-built lists
• Does your institution maintain Groups of students on
particular “Address Lists”?
– i.e. [email protected]
– Does the IT department develop a list for your specific population of
students?
– Do you have the rights to send e-mails to this list?
– If not, who do you have to get e-mails approved through?
• Can you build your own lists?
– Do you have the tools to select your own list of students, and get their email addresses?
– Does the institution allow you to send out mass-emails without their
constant approval?
– What are your parameters? Admitted, Currently Registered, PreRegistered, Applied for Aid, Receiving Aid, Has previously received aid
and is currently enrolled, has expressed interest in financial aid, or other
more specific populations.
Mail Merge, It’s easier than you think
4. Mail-Merges
• Getting a list of names and addresses
• Writing your letter
• Merging your list into your letter
• Sending your e-mails
Progress Diagram
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5
Phase 1: Create a list in Text (.txt) or CSV (.csv) Format
Phase 2: Convert the List to a Spreadsheet (Excel; .xls)
Phase 3: Write your Letter (Word; .doc)
Phase 4: Move the data from your Spreadsheet into your Letter (Mail Merge)
Phase 5: Send your E-mails (Outlook)
Getting a list of names and addresses
Phase 1
• Create the list in text format (.csv or .txt)
– Decide on your fields of data
• Will you have one field for student name, or each part separate?
• Will you set the date at the time the data is extracted?
• Do you need amounts, award names, counselor IDs, etc…?
• Do you need any calculated fields, and if so do you want to calculate them
while grabbing the data?
– Decide on your criteria for the list
• Which year, Term, or Award Period is this for?
• Is this for everyone, or a specific group of students (ie: by counselor)?
• Are there special limitations (ie: only students with work study)?
– Extract the data (report writer, pop sel, etc…)
• If you use a report writer, you can probably go right into spreadsheet format, and you
can probably create some calculated fields ahead of time
• If you can’t convert right into a spreadsheet format, you will have to save as “Comma
Separated Values” (.csv) or Text (.txt); then convert to spreadsheet format (.xls)
• Save the file where you can find it
Getting a list of names and addresses
Phase 2
• Convert the list to a spreadsheet (.xls)
– Open a spreadsheet program (such as Excel)
– In EXCEL: File, Open…and find the file (you may have to change the
“Files of type” field to “Text Files (*.prn; *.txt; *.csv)”)
– The “Text Import Wizard” will then open
– If commas separate your fields, then select “Delimited”
• Click Next, then check the boxes for “Delimiters: Comma” or “Tabs”
• This defines the type of dividers you use to establish the columns of data
– If the fields are set in specific columns, then select “Fixed Width”
• Click Next, then you will see a picture of the file
• Left click in the window and it will set a “Column Break” (vertical line)
• Add or move these to define your columns of data
– Click Next and you will be able to define each column
• Each column can be highlighted by clicking on the header.
• Select one of the radial buttons for that column, to define the type of data
• SSN’s, or any number where you need a leading ‘0’ to stay, should be text
Getting a list of names and addresses
Phase 2
• In the spreadsheet, name the columns
– Insert a row above the other data
– Type a name for each column in this row
– These “Field names” will be used in the mail merge
• Create Calculated fields
– In a new column, you can calculate new data from the other fields (see functions)
– If you have more than one e-mail source, you can use some simple logic to
create a “priority” listing of addresses; example:
=IF(E1=“Blank”,F1,E1)
[where E1 is campus e-mail and F1 is FAFSA e-mail]
This says ‘If the campus e-mail is ‘Blank’ then use the FAFSA e-mail, else use the
campus e-mail.’; then you would use this newly defined field as the e-mail
address for the mail merge.
• Save as a spreadsheet file (.xls)
Writing your Letter
Phase 3
• In your word processing software (MS
Word, WP, etc…), write your letter
• Decide where those “Fields” you created
will go, and leave blank spaces for them.
• If you are sending e-mails in HTML format
you can include images, and hyperlinks
• If you are sending e-mails in TEXT format,
keep the formatting simple. Don’t use
tabs.
Merging your list into your letter
Phase 4
• This is different in every software, but here is how it
works in MS Word:
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Tools> Letters and Mailing> Mail Merge (if the “Show Mail Merge Toolbar” isn’t checked,
check it)
You can use the “Wizard” or just use the “Tool Bar”
Using Wizard: (be sure to close the spreadsheet if you haven’t already)
• “Select document Type” -> E-mail Messages, Next
• “Select starting document” -> Use the current document, Next
• “Select recipients” -> Use an existing list, “Browse”, find your spreadsheet
– It will ask you to choose a “sheet” but there should only be one.
– Check the box “First row of data contains column headers”
– The spreadsheet will appear, choose “select all” & “OK”
– Next
• “Write your Letter”
– Place your cursor in the word document where you want the first field
– Select “More Items”
– A window called “Insert Merge Field” with “Database Fields” will appear
– Highlight the field you want and select “Insert”, it will be dropped into the word
document in <>
– Close the window, move the cursor to the next location, and repeat above steps.
– When done, Next
• “Preview your letters” -> scroll through recipients (note how many there are), Next
Sending your E-mails
Phase 4 Phase 5
• A few things to think about first:
– When do you send them (daily, weekly, monthly, annually)?
– How Old is the data? Do you need newer data?
– How Late in the day? Do you need to let transactions load first?
• Before completing the merge, open your e-mail software (ie:
Outlook)
– Empty out, or Archive, your “Sent Items” folder.
– Moving data to Personal Folders saves space on the network, allowing
you to send more e-mail at once, and keeps the data secure.
• “Complete the Merge” -> Electronic Mail
– The “Merge to E-mail” window appears
– Under “Message Options”, in the “To:” line, select the field you will use for the email address (ie: EMAIL)
– In the “Subject Line” type a subject; use whatever standards your institutional epolicy has defined
– In the “Mail Format” line, select which format your institution allows you to use
(HTML or Plain Text)
Sending your E-mails, cont…
Phase 5
• Under “Send Records” you will decide how many e-mails to send.
– Your IT department can help you decide how many you can send at
once, efficiently. If the program stops half way through a send, it could
be difficult to know what the last e-mail sent was.
– I recommend sending no more than 500 at a time.
– In the “From/To” boxes, indicate your starting number and ending
number
– Hit “OK” and it will merge the e-mails to your Outlook folder.
• In your e-mail software, select “Send & Receive” to send the emails.
– In some systems this happens automatically, you may want to turn that
feature off, to prevent your PC from slowing down.
• I suggest you “archive” them or store them in a “Personal Folder”
after you send them.
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Archive folders store the data on your network, but take up space
Personal folders store the data on your PC rather than the network
Be sure to backup any stored data
Saved E-mails are a good way to keep record of communications, just
like keeping a copy of a letter you sent to the student in a paper file
used to be.
Read Receipts & Returned E-Mails
5. Read Receipts & Returned E-mails
• Read Receipts
– Confirms that the student received or read the e-mail
– Not required, but a good idea
– Set up a “Rule” in your Email Software to move them to an archive folder or
Personal Folder right away, so they don’t overfill the mailbox
– You try to note any returned “Unread” Receipts, which tells you the student
deleted the e-mail without reading it. However, you don’t have to. Think of it as
the same as the student throwing away a letter from your office without reading
it.
• Undeliverable E-mails
– You should note undeliverable e-mails, often times this is because the mailbox is
full, but sometimes it is because the address is no longer valid.
– Will you change the e-mail address in the system?
– Will you opt to print a paper letter and mail it instead? You may have to develop
a procedure for doing this.
– You can create a rule in your e-mail software to move these to their own folder.
Getting Students’ Attention
6. Getting Students’ Attention
• Familiar Symbols, Text styles, Catch
Phrases
• Using the student’s name (or nick name)
• Using standards for subject lines and email formats
• Looking Professional
• Keep it concise and simple Make it worth
the student’s time to read it
• Keep the student’s trust
Getting Students’ Attention
• Familiar Symbols, Text styles, Catch Phrases
– Symbols: Stop Signs, Arrows, Stars
– Text: Underline, Bold, Italics, color, Bullets, exclamation points (do not
use not all caps)
– Catch Phrases: “Will be dropped”, “Aid will be cancelled”, “Processing
has Stopped”, “Attention”, “Important”.
– Avoid using ‘sellers lingo’, such as “Act now” or “Response Requested”,
as it tends to look like SPAM.
• Using the student’s name (or nick name)
– This is better than a generic “Dear Student”
– It makes it clear the e-mail directed to that individual student.
– Students tend to toss “generic” letters.
• Using standards for subject lines and e-mail formats
– If the student recognizes the subject line format, they will likely open the
e-mail.
– Students are very aware of SPAM and viruses, and would rather throw
something away that looks fishy than take a chance.
– Example UNCW: Financial Aid; 2004-2005 Award Notification
Getting Students’ Attention
• Looking Professional
– Don’t get ‘too personal’ with the student
– Use a Business Letter Format (To, From, Date, Regarding)
• Keep it concise and simple (unlike this presentation)
– If it won’t fit on one printed page it is too long
– Feel free to direct students to web sites if you need to tell them more; hence the
e-mail is a summary
• Make it worth the student’s time to read it
– Make it clear to the student what the purpose of the e-mail is, in the very first
sentence.
– Include some information and instructions, if you can.
• Keep the student’s trust
– Don’t let your e-mail address get used for junk mail
– Protect your e-mail address, such as with Java Code on your web sites (hackers
read web sites for addresses and use them in “Spoofing”)
– Don’t over use the student’s e-mail
– Don’t include ‘unrelated’ information.
– Don’t include advertisements
– Resolve potential e-mail viruses IMMEDIATELY
– If you make a mistake, notify the students as soon as possible and be apologetic.
Following one e-mail with another is OK, if it keeps the student from being
confused.
Implementing your E-Plan
7. Implementing your E-Plan
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Start Small
Point to on-line Systems
Get your IT department Involved
Get other Offices Involved (committees)
Use your Report Writer
Go Slow
Edit and Review
Fix mistakes quickly
Keep Record Counts
Be Creative
Implementing your E-Plan
• Start Small:
– Send simple e-mails that go to a majority of
students
– The more complex your criteria for selections,
the greater the chance of errors, so starting
simple creates a foundation of “trust” with the
students.
– Try sending both e-mails and paper letters for
a year, and then when students seem ready
to go fully to e-mail you can convert.
Implementing your E-Plan
• Point to on-line systems:
– You can’t send most information by e-mail
anyways, since it is confidential.
– Just give a quick “notice” and point them to
whatever on-line systems you have.
– If you don’t have an on-line system, tell them
to call or come by.
– In some systems you can set passwords on email, but you have to know for sure that it is
very secure before you use it. It is better to
just point them somewhere that is secure.
Don’t send the password by e-mail.
Implementing your E-Plan
• Get your IT department involved:
– While you can do some of this yourself, it is
best to have the support of the staff that
manage the e-mail servers and software.
– They may be willing to do some of the work
for you.
– They may already have an e-Policy and/or
standards for e-mails that you aren’t currently
aware of.
– They may not want you sending these types
of e-mails; you’ll need to convince them, and
it is easier to convince them if you haven’t
already ‘stepped on their toes’.
Implementing your E-Plan
• Get other offices involved:
– Is any other office already doing this?
– The more offices that want to do this, the
more likely IT will get involved
– Setup a committee to establish the policy.
– If you share ideas with other offices, you
reduce your workload.
– You may reduce duplication and redundancy
– You could include more than just Financial Aid
Information in your e-mails (such as Bill Due
Dates, and Registration Dates).
Implementing your E-Plan
• Use your Report Writer:
– Writing a report is the simplest way to get a
list of students and the information you need
– If you have it, use it. If you can run the reports
whenever you need them, it greatly increases
the speed of processing.
– If IT runs reports, get them involved, and set
up schedules for the dates reports are run.
– Pre-built systems are often not quite what you
need, so review them carefully before using
them.
– Make sure the data is very current.
Implementing your E-Plan
• Go Slow:
– Make a plan to start with one or two types of
e-mails in the first year, and then add new
ones each year.
– Make transitions slow. Send only general
notifications at first, and then work up to more
specific and important information.
– Give students plenty of notice and make sure
all relevant offices know what is going on (IT,
Student Accounts, Dean of Students,
Registrar’s, Admissions, Orientation, etc…)
Implementing your E-Plan
• Edit and Review:
– Before you send any letters out, re-read what
you wrote. Then, get someone else in the
office to read it.
– Does someone specific need to approve the
message (the Director, or another Office)?
– Find someone in your office who is good at
grammar and spelling to edit your letters.
– Ask a student to read the letter before you
send it and give you input. You need to make
sure the letter makes sense to the students.
Implementing your E-Plan
• Fix your mistakes quickly:
– If you make a mistake, and have already sent the
letter to students; fix the letter, double check it, and
send it again.
– Include a disclaimer at the top, notifying students of
the mistake and that this is the valid letter.
– By having others review letters in your office, you will
reduce the number of mistakes you make.
– Check phone numbers and web addresses before
sending e-mails. Phone numbers change, and so do
web addresses. What you are sending might be out
of date or just a typo, and that can be very detrimental
(IE: we once displaced two numbers for the DL
servicer and gave students a very inappropriate
phone number).
Implementing your E-Plan
• Keep Record Counts:
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–
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–
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Can be used to justify the stopping of paper letters
Supports the need for increased resources
Most mail merges give you numbers of letters sent.
Keep a tally on a spreadsheet and make graphs.
Compare e-mail counts to paper letter counts.
You will get a picture of what times of year are
busiest.
– You will get a better idea of what is working and what
isn’t (IE: if you send MIL messages three months in a
row and the numbers don’t go down, then maybe the
MIL Message isn’t working and you may have to
change your tactics).
– Statistics are a good way to show others how much
work your office does.
UNCW’s Statistics
Note that as e-mails
increased letters dramatically
decreased. More were sent
due to increase in student
population, and the ability to
send more at no extra cost.
UNCW’s Statistics
Note that as e-mails
increased letters did
decrease some.
UNCW continues to
send the first award
letter by paper,
since many
freshmen do not
have an Official
UNCW E-mail
address” yet.
Implementing your E-Plan
• Be Creative:
– Come up with new ways to make the system
work.
– Question yourself on what you could do to
make these letters more interesting, timelier,
or accurate.
– Find ways to get more information to the
students in summaries (such as monthly news
letters).
– Don’t be afraid to be a little entertaining. You
can include images for holidays or add
famous quotes to your signature line.
Example E-Mails
8. Example E-Mails
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
FAFSA has been received
Verification Selection Notification
Missing Information Letters (example provided)
Notice of Award (example provided)
Changes in Awards Amounts
Notice of Account Activity (example provided)
Monthly Newsletters (example provided)
Federal Work Study Recipients, Apply for a Job (example provided)
Notification of Student’s Counselor, changes (example provided)
Entrance Interviews and Exit Interviews (example provided)
End of Forbearance period for Loan Borrowers
Promissory Notes need to be signed (example provided)
Veteran Certification Notification (example provided)
Cost of Attendance Survey, Please complete (example provided)
Please contact our office
Example E-Mails
Missing Information Letters:
Example E-mails
Notice of Awards
Example E-Mails
Notice of Account Activity
Example E-Mails
Monthly Newsletter
Example E-Mails
FWS Recipients, apply for a job
Example E-Mails
Change in Counselor ID
Example E-Mails
Exit Counseling Sessions
Example E-Mails
Promissory Note needs to be signed
Example E-Mails
Veterans Certification Required
Example E-Mails
Cost of Attendance Survey
End of Presentation