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Joe Cooper is the current Dean of Students at Northland College. Joe has over 12 years of experience in financial aid administration, student counseling, and recruitment. Joe has worked at Michigan Technological University since May 2009, where they are currently the Executive Director of the Student Financial Services Center. In this role, they oversee all operations of the center, including student billing/cashiering and financial aid counseling, disbursement, and compliance. Joe also manages a $41 million general fund student aid budget, oversees the administration of $83 million of total financial aid for the university, and administers an $850,000 department operating budget.

Leading a team of 14 full-time staff members, Joe has been able to create possibilities, inspire learning, and exceed expectations. Joe has also supported enrollment, financial, and retention goals while maintaining a focus on student access, equity, and inclusion for all students. Some of their other accomplishments include awarding over $3 million of sponsored scholarships in an imaginative and strategic process and researching and completing federal, state, and institutional reports, audits, data requests, institutional surveys, and requests for funding as needed.

In addition to their work at the Student Financial Services Center, Joe also serves on various committees including the Scholastic Standards and Satisfactory Academic Progress committee, NCAA Compliance committee, the Betty Chavis Emergency Fund, and the Graduate School Emergency Fund. Joe also provides leadership for scholarship competitions such as Leading Scholars, the Create Your Success Scholarship, Husky Innovation Leaders, and the School of Business and Economics Impact Scholarship. As the lead compliance officer for all Title IV, NCAA, State of Michigan, Institutional and donor funded financial aid, Joe ensures conformity to policy and regulation. Joe also chairs the tuition and financial aid review committee.

Collaborating with the Admissions Office and University Marketing & Communications, Joe has been able to create a comprehensive communication plan to better recruit and communicate with prospective and current students and their families. Joe also serves as the University Relations and Enrollment representative on the University Diversity Committee. Lastly, they counsel and advises prospective and current students on-campus and at regional/national admissions events to support recruitment and retention.

Joe Cooper has a Doctor of Education from Edgewood College, a Master's Degree from South Dakota State University, and a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Michigan University. Joe is certified by LinkedIn in Communicating Across Cultures, Communicating about Culturally Sensitive Issues, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging for All, Confronting Bias: Thriving Across Our Differences, Skills for Inclusive Conversations, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and Unconscious Bias. Joe is also certified by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service in Senior Officials Workshop for All-Hazards Preparedness and by Academic Impressions in Title IX Investigator Training Certification.

Their manager is Karl Ivan Solibakke, President. Some of their coworkers include Dawn Rivard - Chief of Staff, Sherri Venero - Chief Business Officer, and David Ullman - Faculty Council President.