Students will need to address their financial aid, scholarship and veteran’s services questions in a new location starting March 14, due to a temporary move for remodeling.

The Financial Aid Office and Veterans Office will begin the move March 12. Both offices should be fully relocated to the Holmes Student Center, Room 114, across from the Capital Room and Duke Ellington Ballroom, by March 14.

“We’ve been looking forward to renovating the Student Financial Aid Office for a number of years,” Jane Jordan, a student financial aid counselor, said.

Jordan also said this is seen as a much-needed face lift, which will make customer service better for students.

The plan is to get rid of the cages separating students from financial aid representatives and make the offices more modernized to better serve students.

Some worry this move may be an inconvenience, but financial aid officials assured the temporary move might actually be more convenient due to the new location.

“We will continue to service students and parents at our current location until we are ready to be operational at the [Holmes] Student Center. It will be a relatively seamless transition,” Jordan said.

Ideally, the renovation project will be complete before the start of the fall 2007 semester, so that customer service can relocate back to the fully remodeled Swen Parson Hall.

“We will have updates on the NIU Financial Aid Web site, www.fa.niu.edu, and also link to ‘Resources for Students’ page at www.niu.edu/students.shtml on NIU’s home page so we can keep the students informed. We will update as necessary,” said student financial aid adviser Manette J. Cook.

All contact information will stay the same in all departments, including mailing and e-mail addresses and telephone numbers.

“The university is very excited for the renovation project with the Student Financial Aid Office,” Jordan said. “Our goal is to streamline services, particularly in the customer service and scholarship departments.”