ISAC Update

Welcome to the July 2004 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 July. 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. 

Governor Signs FY2005 Budget Into Law
Sent to Financial Aid Administrators and Business Officers on July 30, 2004 

Governor Blagojevich signed the fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) budget into law on Friday, July 30, 2004. The FY2005 budget provides for the administration of ISAC's programs for the upcoming year.

College Zone's ISAC State Legislative Updates page will be updated early next week to reflect bills signed by the Governor, including the public act number assigned to each. Be sure to periodically access the ISAC State Legislative Update, as well as Program News pages within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area, to follow the impact of the implementation of the budget and other new legislation affecting our programs.  

ISAC State Legislative Update:  General Assembly Passes State Budget
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, and Business Officers on July 26, 2004

A July 26, 2004 ISAC State Legislative Update provides information regarding the fact that the Illinois General Assembly has adjourned, having agreed upon a budget plan for fiscal year 2005 (FY2005). All bills that have passed both houses, including the budget, are with Governor Blagojevich for action. The Governor is expected to take action on the budget within a few days since the current interim budget will expire July 31st. Please be aware that none of the items included in the budget are final until the Governor has acted.

As the Governor signs bills impacting student financial aid, including the FY2005 budget, we will continue to share information via the ISAC State Legislative Update. Be sure to periodically access College Zone's ISAC State Legislative Updates page, and the Program News pages within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area, to follow the progress of pending legislation.

Important Reminders: Operational Dates for ISAC Gift Assistance Programs, Training Events, and Holiday Processing Schedules
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAPnet Users, and Business Officers on July 21, 2004

"Printable Version" Option Now Available at College Zone

Have you located information at College Zone that you want to keep for your records? Take advantage of the printer-friendly option that appears at the bottom of all College Zone content pages. Simply scroll down to the bottom of any College Zone content page, select the "Printable version" link, and then click on the "Print Page" option at the top of the new page. Once you've successfully printed the information, click on the "Close Window" option at the top of the page to return to College Zone. For your convenience, the date on which a printer-friendly page is created will appear at the bottom of the printed copy.
 

Close-out Date for 2003-04 ISAC Gift Assistance Programs – July 31st

As you finalize your close-out of the 2003-04 processing year for ISAC-administered gift assistance programs, please remember that July 31, 2004, is the deadline date for submitting payment requests (including initial claims, supplemental claims, cancellations and/or adjustments) to ISAC. All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. (CT) on July 31st, with the exception of MAPnet [MAP and IIA submissions may be made via MAPnet on July 31st until the site becomes unavailable at 7 p.m. (CT)]. Submissions on tape or cartridge media must be received in our Springfield office, and those on paper and disk must be received in our Deerfield office.

Any 2003-04 payment requests/claims received after the deadline date and time that would result in an amount owed by ISAC must be filed through the Court of Claims, and will only be considered to the extent that program rules and resources allow.

Remember that effective August 6th, the MAPnet application for 2003-04 will be available only for historical view.
 

2004-05 MAP Conference Call Special Update Sessions Scheduled – August 3rd, 4th, and 5th

Conference call special update sessions, each regarding processes for 2004-05 MAP such as recompute, suspension, and payment, have been scheduled for August 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Plan to participate in the hour-long session that best fits your schedule. Details regarding specific times and phone numbers for connecting to the conference calls are available at College Zone's Outreach and Training page, which can be accessed from the Training Calendar link that appears at the bottom of the FAA Quick Links menu on the FAA Zone front page.
 

IVG CD-ROMs Will Be Mailed - Early August

ISAC anticipates mailing CD-ROM versions of the Master File for the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program to participating schools during the early part of August.
 

Student Loan Default Prevention Chat Event – August 10th

The next Mapping Your Future online Chat Event, “Student Loan Default Prevention,” will take place on August 10, 2004 from 2 to 3 p.m. (CT). Watch for more information to be posted to the Message Board on the FAA Zone front page as this date approaches.
 

2003-04 Performance Reports for STS Due - August 15th

Student to Student (STS) Program of Matching Grants Performance Reports for 2003-04 are due to ISAC on or before August 15, 2004 from participating institutions. Also, each institution desiring to participate in the STS Program for 2004-05 must complete the Participation Information Update Form, which is also due by August 15, 2004.
 

Possible Suspension of 2004-05 MAP and IIA Award Announcements - Early- to Mid-August

ISAC anticipates that the suspension of 2004-05 MAP and Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program award announcements will take place in early- to mid-August. As specific details become available, we will keep you apprised via standard College Zone communications (e.g., Message Boards, e-Messages, and/or Program News updates).
 

2004-05 Payment Processing for MAP and IIA - Anticipated for Week of August 23rd

ISAC anticipates that 2004-05 MAP and IIA Program payment processing will be available for MAP and IIA during the week of August 23, 2004. Participants in the MAP and IIA programs will be notified via standard College Zone communications when they can process payment requests in MAPnet and submit claims for processing.
 

Labor Day Holiday – September 6th

Due to the Labor Day holiday, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, September 6, 2004, and will reopen on Tuesday, September 7th.

Loan records received at ISAC on September 6th, as well as disbursement records received at the National Disbursement Network (NDN), will be processed the following business day. This means that CommonLine or Common Account Maintenance (CAM) files received on September 6th will be processed on September 7th, with results available September 8th (or the next available day for any schools opting to receive NDN files on specific days of the week). Note that ELM Resources will continue to process and transmit files on September 6th.

Although ISAC’s offices will be closed on September 6th, MAPnet will be available during regularly scheduled hours and will reflect records processed by the Central Processing System (CPS) through Friday, September 3rd.

College Zone is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week - even when the ISAC offices are closed. Also, questions or inquiries may be submitted at any time by sending an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services staff. With the exception of holidays (such as Labor Day), ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
 

2004-05 IVG Summer Term Payment Request Deadline - September 15th

All 2004 summer term Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program payment requests must be received at ISAC on or before September 15, 2004 in order to be processed as timely.
 

Online Registration for 2004 Fall Seminars for Partners - Early October

The 2004 Fall Seminars for Partners begin on November 16th - mark your calendars now! Online registration is anticipated to be available at College Zone in early October. Be on the lookout for College Zone communications around October 1st, indicating when online registration is available.

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Governor Signs FY2005 Budget Into Law
Sent on July 30, 2004

Governor Blagojevich signed the fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) budget into law on Friday, July 30, 2004. The FY2005 budget provides for the administration of ISAC's programs for the upcoming year.

College Zone's ISAC State Legislative Updates page will be updated early next week to reflect bills signed by the Governor, including the public act number assigned to each. Be sure to periodically access the ISAC State Legislative Update, as well as Program News pages within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area, to follow the impact of the implementation of the budget and other new legislation affecting our programs.

Reminder: Executive Briefing Conference Call Scheduled for August 2nd

Executive Director Larry Matejka is offering an Executive Briefing on Monday, August 2nd to provide an overview of the state legislative and budget plan for FY2005 and its impact on ISAC-administered programs.  This conference call is directed toward financial aid staff at the Director or upper-management level.

Conference Call, Monday, August 2nd
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Telephone Number:  866.537.9659
Passcode:  9555202#

There is no formal registration process for this conference call; the above information will allow you to connect.

July 30th Commission Meeting Cancelled & Executive Briefing Conference Call Set for August 2nd
Sent on July 22, 2004

The meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) scheduled for Friday, July 30th has been cancelled.  The next Commission meeting is currently scheduled for Friday, September 24th.

In anticipation of the 2004 Spring Legislative Session coming to a close, Executive Director Larry Matejka is offering an Executive Briefing on Monday, August 2nd to provide an overview of the state legislative and budget plan for FY2005 and its impact on ISAC-administered programs.  This conference call is directed toward financial aid staff at the Director or upper-management level.

Conference Call, Monday, August 2nd
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Telephone Number:  866.537.9659
Passcode:  9555202#

Questions?

There is no formal registration process for this conference call; the above information will allow you to connect.  Questions should be directed to a School Services Representative by calling 866.247.2172, or by sending an e-mail message to schoolservices@isac.org.

(As a reminder, you can stay current with state legislative news by reading the ISAC State Legislative Updates posted within the e-Library at collegezone.com. Please be aware that the Governor has up to 60 days in which to take action on any bill once it has passed both houses.)

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Financial Aid Scam Warning Issued by the U.S. Department of Education
Sent on July 15, 2004

In an electronic announcement dated July 13, 2004, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a warning regarding an individual or individuals calling students on the telephone and impersonating an ED staff member. The student is asked to provide bank account information so that the individual(s) can charge processing fees for "a program to replace student loans with an $8,000 grant." In reality, no such program exists, and students are not charged fees to receive Title IV federal grants. The electronic announcement includes steps that can be taken by students who have been impacted by this scam.

Students and families should never provide bank account numbers, or any other financial or personal information, to an unknown, unsolicited caller. Additional information regarding how to avoid scams is provided to students at College Zone's Financial Aid Scams page, as well as at the Federal Trade Commission's Scholarship Scams Web site.

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Reminders for MAPnet Users
Sent on July 29, 2004

2004-05 Academic Year

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will present MAP Conference Call Special Update Sessions, each regarding processes for 2004-05 MAP such as recompute, suspense, and payment, scheduled for August 3rd, 4th and 5th.  Plan to participate in the hour-long session that best fits your schedule.  Links to the information that will be discussed during each conference call have been added to MAP Program News at collegezone.com.  It is suggested that you review the materials prior to participating in your selected session.

Details regarding specific times and phone numbers for connecting to the conference calls are available at College Zone's Outreach and Training page, which can be accessed from the Training Calendar link that appears at the bottom of the FAA Quick Links menu on the FAA Zone front page.

2003-04 Academic Year

As you finalize your close-out for the 2003-04 processing year for ISAC-administered gift assistance programs, please remember that July 31, 2004, is the deadline date for submitting payment requests (including late claims, cancellations and/or adjustments) to ISAC.  MAP and IIA submissions may be made via MAPnet on July 31st until the site becomes unavailable at 7 p.m. (CT).

Any 2003-04 payment requests/claims received after the deadline date and time that would result in an amount owed by ISAC must be filed through the Court of Claims, and will only be considered to the extent that program rules and resources allow.  As a reminder, during the period of August 1st through August 5th only MAP payment cancellations and/or adjustments resulting in decreases will be processed.  As of August 6th, the MAPnet application for 2003-04 will be available only for historical view.

2004-05 MAPnet System Available
Sent on July 7, 2004

The 2004-05 MAPnet system is now available. All 2004-05 Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR) records having Central Processing System (CPS) transaction dates on or before July 2, 2004 have now been updated to reflect eligibility using the 2004-05 MAP recompute formula. The system was brought down yesterday afternoon to resolve an issue that was identified during the verification of recompute data. The problem, which resulted in awards being recomputed only for schools listed as the first choice on the ISIR, has been corrected. On Thursday (July 8th), ISIR information will be current through July 7th. At that time we will return to daily processing of ISIR information.

Beginning next week, additional information regarding 2004-05 MAP payment will be made available in College Zone. Guidance regarding rounding and the calculation of term awards will be provided. As always, please refer to MAP Program News for the most up to date information.

2004-05 MAPnet System Unavailable
Sent on July 6, 2004

At this time the 2004-05 MAPnet system is unavailable. It will remain unavailable while an issue that was identified during the verification of recompute data is corrected. Once more information is known about the availability of the 2004-05 MAPnet system, an e-Message will be sent to MAPnet Users. As always, MAP Program News will also be updated.

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Electronic ISAC Update for June 2004 Available at College Zone
Sent on July 1, 2004

The June 2004 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 June via College Zone's e-Messaging service.

Topics covered in the June 2004 ISAC Update include:  

• Results of Special Meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission - 2004-05 MAP Recompute Formula Approved, Awards Impacted
• Illinois Student Assistance Commission: Announcement of June 29th Special Meeting, and Highlights from June 11th Meeting
• Important Dates and Reminders: New Student Loan Interest Rates, Independence Day Holiday, and 2003-04 ISAC Gift Assistance Programs Close-out
• Update on 2003-04 Proration for IVG and ING Grant Programs
• Student Loan Consolidation Chat Event - June 8, 2004
• Electronic ISAC Update for May 2004 Available at College Zone

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