Owczarek to serve as interim financial aid director

Beginning June 3, Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar Scott Owczarek will assume the role of interim director of the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA).

Beth Warner, Deputy University Registrar, will serve as Interim University Registrar.

Owczarek will follow Helen Faith, who will be stepping away from her role as director of OSFA.

“I, along with the whole team at the Division of Enrollment Management, thank Helen for her time serving UW–Madison and her pivotal role in guiding OSFA through pandemic challenges with steadfast commitment to access for the most financially vulnerable students and families,” says Vice Provost of Enrollment Management Derek Kindle. “My thanks also to Scott for stepping in during this transition period.”

Faith began her career at UW–Madison in August of 2020 and was engaged in helping expand access to UW–Madison, including the launch of Bucky’s Pell Pathway and the Wisconsin Tribal Education Program which begins this fall.

In addition to her duties on campus, she was the first National Chair of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) elected from the state of Wisconsin in the organization’s over-50-year history.

Owczarek, whose career in higher education spans more than a quarter century, has served as University Registrar since 2011 and assumed the responsibilities of the Associate Vice Provost role in 2020. Before arriving at UW–Madison, Owczarek held positions in the Registrar offices at Michigan State University and Wayne State University.

A nationwide search for the next Executive Director of Student Financial Aid has been launched with a recruitment committee being chaired by Crystal Potts, Senior Director of State Relations & Statewide Outreach. The recruitment committee is working with national executive search firm WittKieffer to identify a strong pool of candidates.