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VOL. 27, NO. 8IGSL, 8B
February 2010
Welcome to the February 2010 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 February. 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
Don't Forget - National College Access Network Regional Meeting in Chicago on March 17
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on February 24, 2010 We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you that the National College Access Network (NCAN) regional meeting will take place at the University of Illinois - Chicago on Wednesday, March 17, 2010. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) invites you to attend, and looks forward to seeing you there!
The regional meeting will provide an opportunity to network with your colleagues from Illinois and the surrounding region, and to join in discussions regarding college access advocacy, including:
- NCAN's new strategic plan,
- data/evaluation, and
- student success.
Details (including the tentative agenda, online registration, directions and hotel recommendations) are available at the NCAN Chicago Regional Meeting page.
If you are not an NCAN member, you can create an account and enter the code "KH2Go" so that the $50 registration fee can be waived.
The mission of the National College Access Network is
"... to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams."
Executive Briefing Conference Call - Alternative Funding Source for MAP - March 2, 2010
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators and Business Officers on Febrary 23, 2010
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will conduct an Executive Briefing conference call for financial aid and business office staff at the director and upper management levels on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Executive Director Andy Davis will provide information and respond to questions regarding a proposed alternative funding source for the Monetary Award Program (MAP), specifically a capital investment bonding program, which would use revenue bonds to fund the MAP grants provided to community college students. This topic was first presented as an information item at the November 13, 2009 Commission meeting.
To participate in the call, dial in to 877.873.8017 (toll free) and enter the access code 8324962#. There is no need to make reservations to join the call.
MAP, IIA Program and MAPnet Webinar Offered on February 25
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAPnet Users and Business Officers on February 22, 2010
Don't forget that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will offer a Webinar regarding the Monetary Award Program (MAP), the Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program, and MAPnet at 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 25, 2010. The Webinar will include an overview of MAP, IIA, and the MAPnet system used to administer these programs.
To participate in the February Webinar: access the PowerPoint presentation that will be posted on
February 25 at the Partner Training page in the e-Library at collegezone.com; then dial 877.873.8017 (toll-free) and enter code 8324962# to access the audio portion of the Webinar.
Registration Still Open for Financial Aid 101 and Financial Aid 201 Workshops
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 February 17, 2010 There is still time to register for ISAC's Financial Aid 101 and 201 Workshops that begin next week. Following is a summary of the dates, locations and registration information:
Financial Aid 101 Workshops
This free, full-day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Workshop is designed to introduce new financial aid professionals to financial aid concepts, programs and processes. Workshop dates are:
- Tuesday, February 23 at ISAC's Deerfield Office
- Tuesday, March 2 at ISAC's Springfield Office
For more details on the workshop agenda, visit the Partner Training section of the e-Library at collegezone.com.
Financial Aid 201 Workshops
ISAC's Financial Aid 201 Workshop is intended for more experienced financial aid administrators who are already familiar with the basics. This free, full-day (9 a.m. to
4 p.m.) workshop will focus on verification, professional judgment and preparing for audits and program reviews. For a detailed agenda, visit the Partner Training page at collegezone.com. The Workshop dates are:
- Wednesday, February 24 at ISAC's Deerfield Office
- Thursday, March 4 at ISAC's Springfield Office
To register:
If you are interested in attending one of these Workshops, please send an e-mail to Kim Eck, Training Coordinator, at keck@isac.org indicating which session you would like to attend. Details regarding directions, parking, etc. will be provided to registered participants in an e-mail a few days prior to the workshop.
New Awards Announced for 2009-10 Teacher Education Scholarship Programs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on February 17, 2010 A second round of 2009-10 Teacher Education Scholarship Programs (TESP)* awarding took place on
February 16, 2010.
Award notifications have been mailed to eligible students and new eligible award information, including funded or unfunded status, is available to colleges online at My Zone. Award announcement categories for eligible students include:
- Eligible - Funded - students who are eligible for an award;
- Eligible - Unavailable Funds - students who are eligible for the award, but for whom funds are not available; and
- Eligible - Unavailable Funds (IFTC Teachers Only): students who are eligible for an award based on enrollment in a teacher education program, but for whom funds are not available.
Although it is not anticipated that any future rounds of 2009-10 TESP awarding will take place, be sure to continue completing and submitting Initial Certifications throughout the year, in order to ensure that ineligible applicants will receive a Notice of Ineligibility.
A new TESP Payment Request Roster is produced weekly whenever new awards are made. Payment request rosters for students awarded on February 16, 2010 will be available in My Zone on Thursday, February 18th.
* TESP includes the Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) and Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship programs.
Accessing Award Information at My Zone
Now that TESP awards have been made on multiple dates [08/24/2009 (IFTC and MTI Scholarship), 08/25/2009 (MTI Scholarship only) and 02/16/2010 (IFTC and MTI Scholarship)], the filter functionality and pre-defined report that sort by "Status Date" (available within the Teacher Education Scholarship Programs (TESP) area at My Zone) may be used to help identify students that have recently been found eligible for an award.
The following resources may be accessed from within the Teacher Education Scholarship Programs (TESP) Notifications area at My Zone. The "Status Date" listed on TESP reports generated via My Zone matches the date on the student's award letter.
How to Access a Report
Search All Views
TESP Notifications: Filter Screen
TESP Notifications: Sort Function
Access to My Zone
If your college has not yet signed up to participate in My Zone, which provides online access to student-specific data in a secure environment, access the FAA Zone front page, select the My Zone Quick Link and follow the instructions provided. Or if there's been a change in staff needing to access TESP, the My Zone Administrator for your campus should update access to TESP so staff will be able to view eligible student award notification data online.
2009-10 BIG Program Application Available March 1
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on February 16, 2010 As was originally announced in a January 25th e-Message, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has approved the allocation of funds to make 2009-10 College Savings Bond Bonus Incentive Grant (BIG) Program awards.
Availability of 2009-10 BIG Program Application
The 2009-10 BIG Program application is scheduled to be available to download and print from the Student, Parent, and e-Library "Applications" pages at collegezone.com (the Student and Parent "Applications" pages are located within the Financing sections of the Student and Parent Zones) beginning at 8 a.m. (CT) on Monday, March 1, 2010. Completed applications should be submitted as soon as possible after they become available on March 1.
In order to be considered for an award, all sections of the BIG Program application must be complete, including certification of enrollment from a representative of the college Registrar's Office. Complete applications will be processed according to the date they are received at ISAC, and it is estimated that approximately 350 grants will be funded. Consequently, you are encouraged to notify the Registrar's Office at your college that they may see an increase in requests for enrollment verification on or after March 1, and their prompt response to those requests will greatly assist bondholders and students with the application process.
Specific details regarding the BIG Program are provided in the College Savings Bond Bonus Incentive Grant (BIG) Program section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area at collegezone.com.
Join Us in Chicago on March 17th for a National College Access Network Regional Meeting
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on February 11, 2010 The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) invites you to attend the National College Access Network (NCAN) regional meeting at the University of Illinois - Chicago on Wednesday, March 17, 2010.
Network with your colleagues from Illinois and the surrounding region, and join in discussions regarding college access advocacy, including:
- NCAN's new strategic plan,
- data/evaluation, and
- student success.
Details (including the tentative agenda, online registration, directions and hotel recommendations) are available at the NCAN Chicago Regional Meeting page.
If you are not an NCAN member, you can create an account and enter the code "KH2Go" so that the $50 registration fee can be waived.
We look forward to seeing you!
The mission of the National College Access Network is
"... to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams."
Start-up for 2010-11 MAP and IIA Program Successfully Implemented
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAPnet Users and Business Officers on February 10, 2010
ISAC is pleased to announce that 2010-11 start-up for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and the Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program has officially commenced. Here is a brief listing of scheduled start-up activities and resource availability for the 2010-11 cycle.
2010-11 Processing Effective February 9, 2010, MAP and IIA Program data can be accessed via MAPnet. All 2010-11 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) received by ISAC through (including) Tuesday, February 9th are now available with their accompanying eligibility status information. Daily processing of 2010-11 ISIR and eligibility status information begins today, February 10th.
As a reminder, when applying the 2010-11 start-up formula, the maximum annual award amount for a MAP grant is $4,968.
MAPnet Hours and Processing Schedules
As a reminder, the MAPnet system is available each day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. (CT).
Note that records submitted by 7 p.m. will be included in that night's processing, with results available in MAPnet the next business day. Records submitted after 7 p.m. will be included with processing for the next business day, with results available in MAPnet on the following (second) business day.
For example: Records submitted at 6:45 p.m. on a Tuesday would have results reflected in MAPnet on Wednesday morning, while results for records submitted at 7:15 p.m. on that same Tuesday would appear in MAPnet on Thursday morning.
Information Available at collegezone.com
The MAP and IIA Program areas within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs section of the FAA Zone have been updated with an explanation of the 2010-11 start-up formula. Information regarding calculating a term award for both semester and quarter schools, guidance regarding rounding, and hand calculation forms will be available shortly.
The MAPnet User Guide is being updated to reflect 2010-11 processing information. Be sure to regularly check the MAP and IIA Program News sections for an announcement of when the revised MAPnet User Guide can be accessed within the Processes area of the FAA Zone.
The EFC Calculator, which provides an estimate of MAP and federal aid, also is being updated to reflect the 2010-11 start-up formula. Watch for information on the FAA Message Board as to its availability from the Calculators area within the e-Library.
Notification to Applicants
Samples of 2010-11 acknowledgement letters that ISAC sends to students will soon be available within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area, along with the MAP Rights & Responsibilities form. In order to accommodate the volume of applications submitted since January 1st, ISAC anticipates starting to mail 2010-11 acknowledgement letters to applicants by February 19, 2010. Once all letters for previously submitted applications have been sent, letters will be generated and mailed following a regular schedule.
Based on current 2010-11 budget estimates, no IIA Program award information will appear on the acknowledgement letters sent to students by ISAC, nor will students receive the IIA Information Sheet with their acknowledgement letters. Although the MAPnet version released at start-up contains IIA components, no 2010-11 IIA award information is being provided to students by ISAC at this time.
2010-11 MAP and IIA Program Start-up Scheduled for
February 9th
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAPnet Users and Business Officers on February 3, 2010 We anticipate start-up for the 2010-11 Monetary Award Program (MAP) and the Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program, including the launch of the 2010-11 MAPnet system, to be implemented around noon on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. Once we have confirmed on February 9th that start-up has been successfully implemented, we will notify you via this College Zone e-Messaging service.
Please note the following regarding MAPnet availability:
- MAPnet 2008-09 Historical View will no longer be available effective Monday, February 8, 2010 at 7 p.m.
- MAPnet 2009-10 will continue to be available each day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
- MAPnet 2010-11 is anticipated to become available on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 around 12 p.m. (noon).
Information Available at collegezone.com
- The MAP Formula section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area has been updated with 2010-11 MAP start-up information. As a reminder, the 2010-11 MAP start-up formula reflects no changes from the 2009-10 recompute formula.
- The MAP and IIA Program News sections contain up-to-date information for each program.
- The MAP-IIA File Specifications have been updated for the 2010-11 processing cycle. This 160-byte file layout is pertinent to schools utilizing the file extraction features of MAPnet, or sending payment requests for MAP or the IIA Program to ISAC via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). No changes have been made for 2010-11 processing. The 2010-11 MAP-IIA File Specifications are available within the Electronic Tools section of the e-Library.
Schools Encouraged to Submit 2009-10 MAP Payment Requests
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAPnet Users, and Business Officers on February 1, 2010 As was previously announced, on January 26th ISAC released 2009-10 Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants from suspended status for students whose Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) receipt dates were May 15, 2009 through (and including) June 4, 2009. These released records may be viewed in MAPnet, and are available for payment processing.
Submission of Claims Requested
ISAC will continue to monitor the volume of payment requests received, along with the level of available funding, in order to determine whether a second partial release of suspended MAP records can be scheduled. Although second semester/second quarter payment claims for MAP are due to ISAC by 5 p.m. on April 1, 2010 (for those institutions where the second semester begins after February 15th, the claim deadline date is June 1, 2010), the prompt submission of all 2009-10 MAP claims (for applicants whose initial FAFSA receipt dates were on or before June 4, 2009) will greatly assist us in our efforts. You will be notified via the usual communication methods (i.e., the College Zone e-Messaging system, MAP Program News, and/or the FAA Message Board at collegezone.com) if additional records will be released from suspension status.
As a reminder, ISAC is allowing MAP payment processing for all first term claims (including initial claims) through April 1, 2010. Student records released from suspension (full year awards) on January 26th are now eligible for first term payment, even though the January 10, 2010 first term priority payment claim deadline has passed (i.e., they are late claims). Schools may use their standard procedure to request payment for those students. [Note that all late payment requests that were submitted between January 10, 2010 and January 26, 2010 have been automatically reprocessed, and these processed records appear on the Payment Results Report.]
Additional Information
- The following MAP payment processing resources are available at collegezone.com:
- Details regarding how to identify student records that have been released from suspension are provided in a January 22nd e-Message.
- The fiscal year 2010 (i.e., 2009-10 academic year) allocation for Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program grants remains unchanged from what was announced in July 2009. Recipients may receive $250 awards for the fall term only (no awards will be made for the spring term), and grants are not being released for late payment processing.
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FFELP PARTICIPANTS
Latest School DAAR Report Available
Sent on February 3, 2010 and February 18, 2010
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 January 2010 Available at College Zone
Sent on February 1, 2010 The January 2010 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 January via College Zone's e-Messaging service.
Topics covered in the January 2010 ISAC Update include:
- Student Veteran Issues Webinar Offered on January 28th
(sent January 26, 2010)
- 2010-11 MAP Start-up Formula Approved - Summary of January 22nd Commission Meeting
(sent January 25, 2010)
- Limited Release of Suspended Awards for
2009-10 MAP
(sent January 22, 2010)
- Important Information Regarding Log-in Process for Mapping Your Future's OSLC FAO Access Area
(sent January 20, 2010)
- Commission Meeting to be Held Friday,
January 22nd
(sent January 15, 2010)
- FAA Training Opportunities for Spring 2010
(sent January 12, 2010)
- Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
(sent January 4, 2010)
- Latest School DAAR Report Available
(sent January 4, 2010 and January 19, 2010)
- Electronic ISAC Update for December 2009 Available at College Zone
(sent January 4, 2010)
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