ISAC Udpate

Messages sent to:	Multiple Subscription Groups
	Financial Aid Director
	Financial Aid Administrator
	ISAC Update Group

Welcome to the September 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 September. 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. 

Reminder Regarding Illinois Veteran Grant and Illinois National Guard Grant Program Update Sessions
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and  Financial Aid Administrators on September 22, 2004

This is a reminder about the conference call sessions being offered to provide information on recent changes to the Illinois Veteran Grant and Illinois National Guard Grant Programs. Sessions will be held September 23 at 2 p.m. and September 27 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

To participate in the conference call, dial 888.767.9380 and enter passcode: 9767339#.

No registration or preparation for the session is necessary, however, it is suggested that you print the materials that have been made available for the session and have them on hand during the conference call. The handouts can be found under the Conference Call Materials and Presentations section on the Presentations page in the eLibrary of College Zone.

ELM Workshop Rescheduled
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and  Financial Aid Administrators on September 22, 2004

The ELM Resources Fall Client Workshop, to be hosted by ISAC in our Deerfield office on Thursday, September 23rd, has been rescheduled.  The new date is Tuesday, October 12th.

The location for the meeting remains the same, and all other registration information can be found on the ELM Web site at http://www.elmresources.com/s-meetings.php.

Please mark your calendars with this new date.

Conference Call Training Sessions to Provide Information on IVG and ING Grant Program Changes
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and  Financial Aid Administrators on September 15, 2004

ISAC will offer three conference call training sessions to provide financial aid administrators with an update on recent changes to the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Programs. 

One session will be offered on Thursday, September 23 at 2 p.m., and two sessions will be offered on Monday, September 27 (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.).

More details on these sessions, including dial-in information, can be found on the Outreach and Training page in the eLibrary of College Zone.

Several Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) Loan Processing Options Available for Schools
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on September 1, 2004

With peak loan processing season upon us, it seems a good time to review the many processing options available for schools using the ISAC guarantee.  With the FFELP industry's move to a standardized method for data exchange via CommonLine, ISAC is able to support the "school choice" approach for loan processing.  Among the loan processing software/systems supported by ISAC are ELM Resources, Laureate, OpenNet*, ScholarNet, Nteract, as well as any other that adheres to the CommonLine standards.

Another aspect of loan processing which concerns us all is default prevention. The consequences of default have a negative impact on a student's present and future financial health, as well as the school's ability to participate in federal aid programs. We encourage you to take advantage of the default prevention outreach and services that ISAC provides.  Information about ISAC's default prevention resources and materials can be found at the following links:

http://www.collegezone.com/faazone/766.htm

http://www.collegezone.com/faazone/766_1660.htm 

For assistance with loan processing issues, and/or questions regarding any ISAC-administered program, contact one of our dedicated School Services staff at 866.247.2172.  Best wishes for a successful start to the school year.

*ISAC has completed testing with OpenNet, but Sallie Mae continues in an internal validation pilot for OpenNet.

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Calculating MAP Payment Requests According To Credit Hours: Use Fraction, Not Decimal
Sent on September 17, 2004

As you know, for 2004-05 the manner in which Monetary Award Program (MAP) payment amounts for students are being calculated is by enrolled credit hours.  With the payment cycle now underway, it's important to remember that the methods used to calculate each MAP-eligible student's term award and the actual payment amount according to his/her credit hours are very specific.

The method to calculate each term's award for semester schools and for quarter schools can be found on the 2004-05 MAP Payment page in the Gift Assistance section of College Zone.  As you review this information, please note that the method of calculating the actual payment amount per student is done by applying a fraction and not a decimal to the student's term award amount.  This information, which was previously shared on collegezone.com in July and during the MAP Conference Calls held in early August, is being provided to assist schools in submitting accurate payment claims.

Commission Meeting and Public Forum to be held on September 24th; Executive Briefing Conference Call to be held on September 27th
Sent on September 15, 2004

On Friday, September 24th, ISAC Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. The tentative agenda includes: items specific to IDAPP and College Illinois!; FY 2005 Monetary Award Program (MAP) and Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Program Payment Claim Deadline Dates; Discussion of College Affordability in Illinois: FY 2006 MAP Budget Implications; Proposed Rules Governing Grievance Procedures under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and Emergency and Proposed Rules Amendments for the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program.

The Commission Meeting Agenda Book, providing a full description of each agenda item, will be available on College Zone five to seven days prior to the meeting.  To access this information, visit the eLibrary in College Zone and select the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission page.

Public Forum

Following a brief adjournment after the September 24th Commission Meeting, ISAC will hold a public forum focusing on college affordability issues and the current student aid environment. The public forum is expected to start no earlier than 12:30 p.m.

Building on last year's efforts, the Commission is hosting an open discussion on ideas to improve MAP so that the program provides adequate economic incentives to improve the overall affordability of a college education in Illinois.  ISAC welcomes testimony from all interested persons.  A letter of invitation was sent to presidents of MAP-participating postsecondary institutions on September 8th. 

Executive Briefing Conference Call

On Monday, September 27th at 9 a.m., ISAC Executive Director Larry Matejka will offer an Executive Briefing Conference Call to provide an overview of the Commission Meeting and Public Forum for financial aid staff at the Director or upper-management level. To participate in the conference call dial 888.767.9380 and enter the passcode: 9767339#.

Public Forum on College Affordability Issues and MAP Improvements:  Following September 24th Commission Meeting
Sent on September 8, 2004 

In order to make Financial Aid Directors aware of information sent from ISAC to their schools, the following is text of a letter sent on September 7, 2004 to the President of each MAP-participating postsecondary institution in Illinois.

Dear Colleague:

Like your institution, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has begun preparations for the Fiscal Year 2006 budget development. Given the stagnant economic forecasts for the coming year, it is difficult to expect new funding being available for student aid programs. However, the Commission continues to be concerned with the growing college affordability gap, especially for students in low and lower-middle income families, where affordability has declined since FY 2002. Due to these concerns, the Monetary Award Program (MAP) will again be the focus of ISAC’s efforts in pursuing state funding in FY 2006.

Last year, the Commission put forward several proposals to “stretch” dollars awarded through the Monetary Award Program (MAP). These ideas were developed not only to help as many financially-needy students as possible but also to present an award level that does indeed sufficiently help pay tuition and fees. Some of the proposals have been implemented, including shifting from an eligibility unit-based system of paying MAP to a credit hour-based system. Other improvements need additional input, which the Commission is now seeking from the higher education community.

ISAC will be meeting on September 24 at Northeastern Illinois University. After the regular meeting, the Commission will hold a short executive session and then adjourn for a brief lunch. After that time, ISAC will hold a public forum focusing on college affordability issues and the current student aid environment. Building on last year’s efforts, the Commission would like to host an open discussion on ideas to improve MAP so that the program provides adequate economic incentives to improve the overall affordability of a college education in Illinois. ISAC will welcome testimony from all interested persons.

I write you now in the hopes that you can attend the meeting on the afternoon of September 24. Next week, I will send you a concept paper to provide background information on the current status of college affordability and the shortfalls of MAP. I will also have additional details on the location of the meeting. While I cannot identify a specific time to begin the public affordability discussion, we hope to begin around 1:00 PM, if not shortly before then. If you have any questions, please call me at 217/782-2020.

Sincerely,

Larry E. Matejka
Executive Director

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College Zone Resources Help Students Say:  Yes, I Can Go To College!
Sent on September 22, 2004 

Many factors are considered by students planning to attend a new college in the future, and resources available at College Zone (collegezone.com) provide key pieces of information to assist in the decision-making process.

Several areas of College Zone reflect 2004-05 academic year information. Students will find links to each of the below resources within the College area of the Student Zone.  

• Handbook of Illinois Postsecondary Institutions (located within the Manuals and Handbooks section of the e-Library) - the Handbook is conveniently divided by institutional type, contains up-to-date admission and financial aid information about the Illinois colleges which participate in ISAC's gift assistance (i.e., scholarship and grant) and/or loan programs, and provides links to school Web sites.
   
• Map of Illinois Colleges (located within the Job Aids & Reference Materials section of the e-Library) - this interactive map allows individuals to search for Illinois colleges by geographic region, and provides school addresses, phone numbers, links to Web sites, and current-year costs of education.

• College Costs (located within the College area of the Student and Parent Zones) - provides a listing of current-year tuition and fees for Illinois colleges, broken down by institution type (public universities, private colleges and universities, and community colleges).

In addition, links to launch the Illinois Board of Higher Education's Search Programs in Illinois page have been added to the Student Zone. Encourage students to use this tool to narrow down college choices based on the subject area and/or specific program they plan to pursue. To access the Search Programs in Illinois page, simply select the "area of study" link that appears within the Reputation section at the Finding/Applying front page of the College area.

Along with the above resources, students and their families can find all the college planning, finding and applying, and financing information they need at College Zone, the trusted source for college information.

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Electronic ISAC Update for August 2004 Available at College Zone
Sent on September 1, 2004

The August 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 August via College Zone's e-Messaging service.

Topics covered in the August 2004 ISAC Update include:  

• Mark Your September Calendar (Labor Day Holiday, and Mapping Your Future Chat Event)
• 2004-05 MAP and IIA Payment Processing Available
• Changes in Illinois Veteran Grant Program: Illinois Reserve and Illinois National Guard Members May Qualify
• 2004-05 IFTC and MTI Scholarship Programs Update
• Suspension of 2004-05 MAP and IIA Grant Announcements, and Suspension Status Available in MAPnet
• Electronic ISAC Update for July 2004 Available at College Zone

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