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VOL. 26, NO. 6IGSL, 6B
December 2008
Welcome to the December 2008 ISAC Update for financial aid administrators and business officers. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent through College Zone’s e-Messaging service throughout December. This e-Messaging service has replaced ISAC’s use of printed newsletters, the ILASFAA ListServ, and special e-mail lists as our primary means of communicating information to you.
The articles in this Update have been organized according to the FAA Zone subscription groups to which the messages were distributed via College Zone’s e-Messaging service.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this ISAC Update can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at schoolservices@isac.org. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTION GROUPS
Happy Holidays from ISAC
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools - participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAPnet Users, Business Officers and FFELP Participants on December 17, 2008 Our entire organization would like to wish all of our college partners a safe and very happy holiday season.
We appreciate having the opportunity to serve you, and look forward to working with you throughout the next year.
Best wishes for a healthy and peaceful 2009.
Holiday Schedules
Due to the holidays, ISAC staff will be unavailable on the following dates:
- After 2 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday,
December 24, 2008
- All day on Thursday, December 25, 2008
- After 2 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday,
December 31, 2008
- All day on Thursday, January 1, 2009
Note that ELM Resources will continue to process and transmit files on all of the dates listed above.
Processing Schedules
Click on the appropriate link(s) to access holiday processing schedules for loan records [CommonLine and Common Account Maintenance (CAM) files] and/or Monetary Award Program (MAP) and Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program records.
Remember that you can access collegezone.com anytime, or send an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department. With the exception of holidays, ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
2009-10 Teacher Program Applications Available - Due on or before March 1, 2009
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on December 12, 2008 2009-10 TESP Interactive Application Launched
The interactive application for 2009-10 Teacher Education Scholarship Programs (TESP), used to apply for the Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) Program and the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program, is available at collegezone.com. This online application offers such benefits as providing program information at the applicant's fingertips, performing online edits to prevent errors, allowing faster delivery time, and generating immediate confirmation that the application has been received.
As a reminder, only applicants with a valid digital ID from the State of Illinois will be able to access the online application. Applicants who obtained a digital ID for a previous year's TESP application process will use that same digital ID this year. Detailed information regarding the IFTC Program and the MTI Scholarship Program and the application process, including 2009-10 teacher shortage disciplines for the IFTC Program, is available within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area. These resources will assist you with questions you receive from students regarding the TESP application process.
The Student Zone provides applicants with direct access to details about the IFTC Program and MTI Scholarship Program. Applicants have access to information regarding the application process, including instructions for specific application fields, once they access the Teacher Education Scholarship Programs area and launch the application.
2009-10 Illinois SETTW Program Application Available
The 2009-10 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Application is now available to print, complete and submit. Students pursuing a degree in special education who are willing to commit to teaching in Illinois after completing their degrees may be eligible to apply. Details about this program, including eligibility requirements, are provided in the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area.
2009-10 Nurse Educator Scholarship Program Application Available
The 2009-10 Nurse Educator Scholarship Program (NESP) Application is now available to print, complete and submit. Graduate-level students pursuing a career in professional or practical nursing education who are willing to commit to teaching in Illinois after completing their degrees may be eligible to apply. Details about this program, including eligibility requirements, are provided in the Nurse Educator Scholarship Program (NESP) section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area.
December Webinar to Feature High School Scholarship Programs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on December 8, 2008 The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will present a Webinar on the High School Scholarship Programs (HSSP) on Wednesday, December 17th from 1 - 2 p.m. for financial aid administrators. The session will begin with an overview of each of the programs that make up HSSP [the State Scholar Program, the Merit Recognition Scholarship (MRS) Program and the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program], followed by more specific information on the role of the colleges in administering them. Time will be allotted for questions. If you have specific questions that you would like the session to address, please send them to Kim Eck at keck@isac.org by Tuesday,
December 16th.
To participate in the Webinar: access the PowerPoint presentation on the Partner Training page in the e-Library at collegezone.com (it will be posted on the morning of
December 17th), then dial 877.873.8017 and enter code 8324962# to access the audio portion.
ING Grant Voucher Information Available at My Zone
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Public Schools - Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs on
December 5, 2008 The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is pleased to announce the availability of Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant voucher information at My Zone, which is the latest component of the online ING Grant process.
Details Regarding ING Grant Voucher Information at My Zone
With this new functionality, colleges may view ING Grant voucher details (including each voucher's number and date) on-screen in a secure, electronic environment via the My Zone portal.
- ISAC will continue to mail payment vouchers to colleges. As vouchers are received, colleges should access ING Grant payment rosters at My Zone and then use the voucher number and voucher date on each roster to match payment data for individual student records. Having access to the vouchered rosters at My Zone replaces the photocopies of ING Grant payment rosters that were previously included with the voucher mailings.
- Rosters will remain available online for the entire academic year.
Accessing Voucher Information
Colleges access voucher information through the ING Payment Roster area at My Zone. Select the appropriate term (Fall, Spring or Summer), and open the corresponding payment roster. The open roster will indicate on-screen if records have been vouchered. If colleges choose to document that a record has been included on a voucher, a screen print may be generated (Ctrl + Print Screen).
Note that voucher information is available online for each payment request roster after it has been submitted by the college and a voucher number and voucher date have been entered into the My Zone system by ISAC. Once voucher data has been entered at My Zone, please allow sufficient time for the voucher to arrive at the college via the U.S. postal system.
More Information Available Online
Further details regarding online ING Grant payment information may be accessed by selecting the ING Payment Roster option from the right-margin menu of the Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant section at My Zone.
As a reminder, the ING Grant system at My Zone (including the ING Grant Announcement Roster and ING Grant Payment Roster areas) is available each Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. (CT).
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FFELP PARTICIPANTS
Latest School DAAR Report Available
Sent on December 3, 2008 and December 18, 2008
The Notification of Student Loan Borrower DAAR Status report (School DAAR Report) for your school is now available on College Zone's My Zone.
The School DAAR Report is non-cumulative and is available twice a month to those institutions with students for whom ISAC, as the guarantor, has received a Default Aversion Assistance Request (DAAR) during the reporting time period. Each time a new School DAAR Report is made available online, an e-Message will be sent to the "FFELP Participants" e-Messaging subscription group.
Accessing School DAAR Reports at My Zone
My Zone is a portal available in the FAA Zone at collegezone.com that allows postsecondary schools online access to student-specific data in a secure environment. If you have not yet signed up to participate in My Zone, proceed to the FAA Zone front page and select the My Zone Quick Link.
For complete information and instructions to access your school's DAAR Report, proceed to the FAA Zone front page and select the My Zone Quick Link in the right margin of the page.
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ISAC UPDATE GROUP
Electronic ISAC Update for November 2008
Available at College Zone
Sent on November 3, 2008 The November 2008 edition of the ISAC Update is now available for your review within the ISAC Publications section of College Zone's e-Library. This version of the monthly electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent to financial aid administrators and business officers in November via College Zone's e-Messaging service.
Topics covered in the November 2008 ISAC Update include:
- Commission Meeting Summary - Default Fee Payment Policy Unchanged
(sent November 24, 2008)
- Financial Aid 101: Building a Solid Foundation - December 2008 Workshops
(sent November 20, 2008)
- Delay in Payments from State Comptroller's Office
(sent November 19, 2008)
- November Webinar to Feature Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program
(sent November 17, 2008)
- Commission Meeting to be Held Friday,
November 21, 2008
(sent November 14, 2008)
- College Awareness and Preparation Workshop for Site Coordinators
(sent November 12, 2008)
- ING Grant Payment Request Rosters Now Available at My Zone for 2008-09 Payment Processing
(sent November 4, 2008)
- Latest School DAAR Report Available
(sent November 10, 2008 and November 18, 2008)
- Electronic ISAC Update for October 2008 Available at College Zone
(sent November 3, 2008)
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