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Financial aid in flux for a third of students By Katerina Vincent kovincen@my.loyno.edu

Loyola addresses financial aid delays affecting students As the fall 2026 semester begins, some Loyola students are still waiting for their financial aid packages to be finalized. Approximately one-third of Loyola students remain in different stages of the financial aid process as classes begin, according to Vice President for Enrollment Management Anthony Jones. Jones said new federal financial aid requirements, university processing procedures and outstanding requirements for individual students have contributed to the delays, while Loyola’s Office of Financial Aid is working with affected students to finalize their aid. The university has processed more than 3,700 financial aid packages for the fall 2026 semester, totaling more than $80 million in financial assistance, according to Jones. Jones said recent federal changes affecting student lending have introduced new requirements and implementation guidance that colleges and universities are working to navigate. He said the changes have been particularly complicated at the graduate level, where loan limits and other implications can vary depending on a student’s program and individual circumstances. Loyola’s Office of Financial Aid has

been working with graduate programs and affected students to interpret the federal guidance, address individual circumstances and ensure financial aid is administered in compliance with federal requirements, Jones said. The delays come as students face university payment deadlines. Students whose financial aid is still being processed will not be dropped from their fall courses or assessed late fees, according to Jones. However, students who have not already done so must establish a payment plan for the fall semester by Friday, Aug. 21. Jones said the university recognizes that some students may still be completing the financial aid process as the deadline approaches and that flexibility will be considered for students actively working with the Office of Financial Aid. “Students with pending financial aid are encouraged to remain in close contact with the Office of Financial Aid so their individual circumstances can be reviewed and appropriate next steps can be determined,” Jones said. The university is also dedicating additional resources to addressing the delays. Jones said those efforts include strengthening the technology supporting financial aid awards, streamlining coordination among offices involved in the process and improving communication and customer service for students and families.

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Loyola students wait in line to talk to the financial aid counselors at the Fall 2026 service fair on Aug. 11, 2026. Students have been facing various problems with the financial aid department at the start of the semester. Carlos Andrade/The Maroon

“A New Era of Wolf Pack Athletics Gulf South Conference,” sign showcased at the Wolf Pack Athletics Division II announcment on June 9, 2026. Loyola sports officials and athletes weigh in on how this transition will affect them going forward. Dimah Ahmad/The Maroon

The transition to the NCAA How will the Wolf Pack adjust to new competition? By Amari Winchester abwinche@my.loyno.edu

As of early June, Wolf Pack Athletics was officially accepted into the Gulf South Conference (GSC), a sports conference within division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). This new journey will be led by the new Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Administration, Chad Leblanc. The GSC has taken a number of schools under their wing located in various states, including Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee. “Loyola

is currently the only Louisiana based school in the conference, and only one out of two Jesuit schools in the conference.” Brett Simpson, Assistant Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics, had this to say about the division shift. “What excites me most is the opportunity this creates for Loyola and our student-athletes.” Says Simpson. “The NCAA carries a tremendous level of national recognition and prestige, and becoming a Division II institution elevates the profile of our athletics

See PROGRAM, p.2

By Alana Frank anfrank@my.loyno.edu

As Loyola University New Orleans prepares to make the jump to NCAA Division II athletics, Wolf Pack athletes are already thinking about what it will take to compete at a higher level. Loyola will begin competing in the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference in fall 2027, making the upcoming season one of the final opportunities for current athletes to compete under the university’s longtime NAIA identity. For some athletes, the transition brings excitement. For others, it comes with uncertainty about unfamiliar op-

ponents, tougher competition and what their own place in Loyola athletics will look like by the time the move is complete. Sophomore women’s tennis player Presha Shanthamoorthi said she sees the transition as an opportunity to challenge herself. “Moving to a higher division is a huge step for our program, and I feel ready to step up and compete at that level,” Shanthamoorthi said. But before Division II competition begins, Shanthamoorthi said she is focused on making the most of Loyola’s remaining time in the NAIA. “Since this is our final NAIA season

before making the leap, I’m super hungry and focused,” she said. “I want to make sure we finish it with a blast.” Shanthamoorthi said she has already mapped out specific tournaments and matches she wants to target this season. She is also focusing on physical conditioning and the mental side of her game to prepare for the increased level of competition. For incoming students, the transition means entering a program that will look significantly different by the time they become upperclassmen.

See FRESHMAN, p.4