The front office of Allen Community College plays a huge role in the operation of student services and faculty assistance. The work that is being implemented on a daily basis behind these walls supports the entirety of administrative, business, financial aid and academic aspects of college functionality.

Situated near the Barclay Lecture Hall at the north end of the main academic building, The front office consists of the three main departments: Business Office, Financial Aid Office and Academic Affairs. Besides these divisions, it also includes the offices of the college president and dean.

The Business Office, which occupies Room A-21, is represented by the director, Roberta Nickell. Her squad includes two assistants, Patty Latta and Lynn Heskett. The main responsibility carried out by these women is the supervision of payments for tuition and other academic expenses made by the students. Nickell also takes care of the necessary procedures in order to enroll students for the semesters and gets them ready for the issuance of ID numbers.

Nickell said, “We always welcome students to answer their questions about their billings, bank statements, employment checks or any other issues bonded with the financial situation.” The office is open weedays and doesn’t require signing up for a visit in advance.

The office of Financial Aid, A-34, also deals with fiscal services for students, but from a different angle. Vicky Curry, the director of the department, gave an insight of the department’s main duties and functions. Consisting of one assistant, Kim Murry, and two work-study students, the Financial Aid Office takes care of scholarships, accounting of financial aid, processing of FAFSA (Free Application of Financial Student Aid) and loans/grants usage. Curry and her team are also responsible for the students’ employment and the arrangements of work hours.

Having so many ongoing processes, the department came up with the new technique to work with the financial aspects of FAFSA students. The workers divided the time into four sessions, during which each student will receive precise attention to the fulfillment of their FAFSA requirements and federal aid assistance forms. The advice that the Financial Aid Office gives to transferring students is not to procrastinate the application process for financial assistance in their four-year universities, but seek help and guidance as soon as possible.

The last part of the front office is the Academic Affairs branch. This part of the office consists of three vice presidents and the dean of the Iola campus.

Cynthia Jacobson, the vice president for student affairs, coordinates students’ learning and social environments. From her office in Room A-16, Jacobson oversees campus activities, students’ concerns and special needs. Being the only one responsible for this position, she supervises both Iola and Burlington campuses. Her position is also responsible for campus housing and registrar processes, such as students’ transcripts and academic registrations.

Since Jacobson’s work schedule keeps her very busy, she wishes to get to know more Allen students in person. So far, she said, “I get a chance to know student leaders closer, since they are always on the hot spots, or students with struggles who need special attention.” Currently she is working on a plan to bring all student services in one common are so Allen personnel could get to know the students better.

Jon Marshall is vice president for academic affairs. His primary responsibilities are programming of the students’ degrees, courses and classes. His supervision helps students to understand what classes and credit hours are required for completion and transfer to the higher institutions. He is also in a charge of faculty matters and the courses’ content, both on the Iola and Burlingame campuses and online.

Marshall said, “As students are growing every day of their college lives, our department keeps growing too.” He is proud to share that the area of academic affairs is progressing strongly,, which will definitely impact the quality of education presented to the students. Marshall’s office is in Room A-7.

Steve Troxel is another vice president in the front office, and he is responsible for finances and operations of the college.

To summarize the work implemented by the front office, Tosca Harris, the dean of the Iola campus, emphasized that all is done to help students be successful. She believes that availability of so many services and people who can assist students makes it easier for students to deal with the financial and academic processes. Harris is deeply involved in the organization of college curriculum and student life, and she prioritizes students’ comfort above anything else. Harris’ office is in Room A-15.

John Masterson, the Allen president, gave his perspective on the work of the front office. “I encourage students to use all available services presented on campus. The departments are designed for the purpose to eliminate any issues standing in the students’ way to success,” he said.

As president, Masterson connects all parts of Allen together, keeping track and reporting the performances of each department to the Board of Trustees. He also consistently attends meetings at the regional and state levels for the purpose of keeping Allen updated on any changes in state government and the associations of community colleges. He believes the front office, which also includes many administrative assistants and other specialists, is doing an incredible job, which is visibly proven by the students’ ease in dealing with financial and academic matters.