CSAC and the CSU Collaborate To Streamline Cal Grant Distribution Process Using the Boomi Platform

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boomi^TM, the intelligent integration and automation leader, today announced that in collaboration with the California State University (CSU) and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), students now have accelerated access to student aid, giving them peace of mind in knowing the financial resources they will receive to cover books, housing, and fees. Using Boomi’s API capabilities and cloud services from Unisys, CSAC and CSU campuses can now identify, request, package, and process Cal Grants in near-real-time.

“This new process is a huge win, because not only are we able to reduce the time it takes to disburse grants to students, but this cloud-based system also modernizes our overall financial aid process and sets the stage for additional innovative, sustainable, and efficient improvements down the road,” said Nathan Evans, Ph.D., CSU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs.

Approximately 142,500 Cal Grant awards, which are run by CSAC, are distributed to CSU students each year. These grants make educational opportunities in the CSU possible by supplying everything from tuition and books to other education-related expenses based on need. Allocating a Cal Grant was previously a manual, labor-intensive, multi-step process to make sure students were included on the correct campus roster, screened, and qualified appropriately, so money could be distributed prior to the start of a semester.

“Our goal is to prioritize technology projects that ultimately help students attend and graduate from the CSU,” said Ed Clark, Ph.D., Chief Information Officer at the CSU. “This collaboration among Boomi, Unisys, and CSAC accelerates the time of application to Cal Grant money distribution from almost one month to under seven days. For many students, this is the difference between enrolling and dropping out.”

Previously, campuses had to upload files, wait for responses from CSAC, download results, remove holds or mitigate other situations, and upload again to be processed so monies could be distributed. The new process, enabled by the Boomi platform and supported by Unisys cloud services, changes that.

“The California Student Aid Commission has been excited to work with the CSU to help streamline the process to make funding quickly available to students,” said Ken Ketsdever, Chief Information Officer, CSAC.

"Through our innovative platform, Unisys cloud services, and CSAC, students now experience accelerated access to vital student aid, granting them the peace of mind to pursue their educational dreams without financial burden,” said Josh Rutberg, Chief Customer Officer at Boomi. “Our technology streamlines the once labor-intensive process of identifying, requesting, packaging, and processing student aid grants, transforming it into a near-real-time operation. Gone are the days of manual, multi-step processes; campuses can now efficiently distribute funds for tuition, books, housing, and fees, ensuring students receive the support they need when they need it most."

To date, nine of the CSU’s 23 campuses are now live on the new Boomi API-based solution, with the remaining 14 scheduled to transition to the platform in the spring of 2024.

Read the case study to learn more about the Boomi, Unisys, CSU, and CSAC collaboration.

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About Unisys

Unisys is a global technology solutions company that powers breakthroughs for the world’s leading organizations. Our solutions – cloud, data and AI, digital workplace, logistics and enterprise computing – help our clients challenge the status quo and unlock their full potential. To learn how we have been helping clients push what’s possible for 150 years, visit unisys.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About California Student Aid Commission (CSAC)

The California Student Aid Commission currently serves over 400,000 students and administers the state’s $3 billion portfolio of student financial aid programs and services, including the Cal Grant, the Middle-Class Scholarship, and the California Dream Act Application. The Commission serves as a resource for policymakers and the public on college affordability and financing issues, and advocates for policy changes to eliminate cost as a barrier to any qualified California student pursuing a higher education. Visit our website at www.csac.ca.gov or follow us on social media by clicking on our Link Tree.

About the California State University

The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards nearly 130,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.