ITS proudly recognizes the Financial Aid Functional Support Team as the Spring 2026 Team of the Quarter! The team is composed of Fernando Ramos, Financial Aid Systems Analyst, and Hak Lee, Manager of SIS Operations and Support. They were nominated by Kathleen Buckner, Director of Financial Aid, and Jose Aguilar, Executive Director of the Financial Aid Office, for their outstanding work in implementing the new One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) federal guidelines.
Supporting the Timely Implementation of Financial Aid
The Financial Aid Functional Support Team collaborated with the UCR Office of Financial Aid to implement the new federal guidelines for student billing and financial aid under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3). Despite late regulatory updates from the Department of Education, the team successfully processed and disbursed federal funds on time. While other campuses across the University of California system had to rely on institutional funding while they worked through their system updates, UCR kept operations running smoothly.
By ensuring that financial aid funds were disbursed on schedule, Fernando and Hak helped prevent potential financial anxiety and academic disruptions for thousands of students.
Kathleen expressed deep appreciation for the team's partnership and dedication:
I wanted to extend my sincere gratitude to our central campus partners for their outstanding work implementing the new One Big Beautiful Bill federal guidelines and ensuring that federal funds were successfully disbursed on time. This accomplishment highlights the exceptional work of our team. We sincerely appreciate your partnership, dedication, and support throughout this process. Your efforts have made a meaningful difference for our students and institution.
Jose also praised the team's agility and dedication in the face of late federal updates:
[The] OB3 regulation and guidance came super late from the [Department of Education] but I am super proud of the stellar team, we couldn't have done it without them!
Through their collaborative effort, Fernando and Hak managed a complex, late-breaking transition and successfully delivered optimal results. They balanced the regulatory requirements with the urgent needs of the campus, ensuring that critical financial aid systems were updated without interrupting daily university functions.
Congratulations to the Financial Aid Functional Support Team on this well-deserved recognition!
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