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Volume 16, Number 3
January - March 2007
Welcome to the January - March 2007 electronic ISAC Communiqué, which is a quarterly compilation of e-Messages sent through College Zone’s e-Messaging service throughout January, February and March. This e-Messaging service has replaced both printed newsletters and special e-mail lists as ISAC’s primary means of communicating information to you.
The articles in this electronic Communiqué have been organized according to the Counselor Zone subscription groups to which the messages were distributed via College Zone’s e-Messaging service.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this electronic Communiqué 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
Narrated Financial Aid PowerPoint Available at collegezone.com
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers and Community Organizations on March 14, 2007.
A narrated PowerPoint presentation - Financial Aid for a College Education - has been added to collegezone.com. Convenient for those times when you and your staff are not available to do in-person financial aid sessions, the presentation includes information about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the expected family contribution (EFC), deadline dates, award packages, scholarship, grant and loan programs, and more.
Students and their families can access the presentation through the Quick Links of the Student Zone, and the narrated version, as well as a downloadable version with talking points, is also available to partners through College Zone's e-Library, #7 - Presentations. Both presentations contain information specific to the 2007-08 academic year.
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New Test Preparation Tools in IllinoisMentor
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers and College Admission Counselors on March 9, 2007.
IllinoisMentor at collegezone.com now includes a free, comprehensive, Web-based test preparation course to help students prepare for the ACT, SAT and GRE college entrance exams.
Student Friendly Services
The course allows students to reinforce the academic skills tested by the ACT, SAT and GRE exams through a series of tutorials, practice sessions and vocabulary drills. In addition, high school students can take advantage of other options like e-mail reminders with tips, word-of-the-day and question-of-the-day features, and even elect a parent, teacher or counselor as a "coach" to mentor them throughout the test preparation process. The course gives students an added advantage when it comes to preparing for their college entrance exams and raising their scores. The student must have an IllinoisMentor login to access the Test Preparation area of the site.
Dynamic Vocabulary Builder
A 2,000 word vocabulary builder makes learning words easy and enjoyable and automatically adapts to the student's ability level. The Vocabulary Builder presents words based on its assessment of the student's vocabulary skills. When the student gets a word right twice, it is added to their personal list of the mastered words and stored on an electronic flashcard for subsequent review.
Self-Paced Tutorials
User-friendly, in-depth tutorials are available for each subject area and/or question type covered on the entrance exams. The tutorials are designed to reinforce relevant academic skills by teaching students how to approach each kind of question, letting them practice questions at their own pace, and monitoring their progress.
To learn more about the new test preparation section of IllinoisMentor, as well as all of the available Modules - including the Career Center, Plan for College, Find a College, Applications & Transcripts and more - access IllinoisMentor through the collegezone.com home page.
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Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on February 14, 2007.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students and their families.
All below links launch pages located at collegezone.com.
College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) Resources Available for College-Bound Students
Remind your college-bound seniors to check out the College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) page for information regarding resources that are available to help families complete the financial aid process. Several events, including FAFSA completion seminars, are taking place across the State of Illinois in the upcoming weeks.
CAP is a comprehensive effort of the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA), Inc., the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) and ISAC. Formerly known as Financial Aid Admission/Awareness Month (FAAM), CAP strives to fulfill its mission through a series of workshops, seminars and statewide support with partners from all sectors of education in the State of Illinois.
February 19th – Presidents' Day
In observance of Presidents' Day, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, February 19th and will reopen on Tuesday, February 20th.
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 (such as those indicated above), ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
A complete listing of 2007 holidays on which ISAC staff will be unavailable is provided at the ISAC Events Calendar.
March 1st - 2007-08 SETTW, MTI Scholarship, and IFTC Applications Due
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to teach in Illinois after completing their degree that March 1, 2007 is the priority consideration date to apply for the 2007-08 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program, Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program, and Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) Program (for college juniors and above). Complete applications received after this date will be considered only if program funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded. Applications for each of these programs (the downloadable paper application for the SETTW Program, and the online interactive application for the IFTC and MTI Scholarship programs) can be accessed via the e-Library's Applications & Forms page.
March 30th - Deadline to Order Listing of 2007-08 State Scholar Finalists
Mailing labels (in ZIP Code order) of 2007-08 State Scholar finalists are available from ISAC, at cost, to Illinois high school counselors, Regional Superintendents, and colleges. Through March 30, 2007, Illinois colleges may also order the listing of names of State Scholars for recruitment purposes. Details and order forms for the 2007-08 State Scholars mailing labels and listing of names are available at the Ordering Lists or Mailing Labels page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area.
March and April - Training Opportunity
ISAC's three-part Professional Development Series concludes in March and April with Understanding Financial Aid Packaging. These sessions will guide you to help your students and their families decipher award letters and compare aid packages, thereby allowing them to identify the best college fit. Details regarding dates, locations and how to register are available in the e-Library's Partner Training area.
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Introducing: “Understanding Financial Aid Packaging” Sessions - Register Now
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers and Community Organizations on February 6, 2007.
Would you like to help your students identify a good financial aid package? This spring, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will wrap up its three part Professional Development Series by offering “Understanding Financial Aid Packaging” sessions throughout the state. These sessions will guide you to help your students and their families decipher award letters and compare aid packages, thereby allowing them to identify the best college fit. The sessions are designed especially for high school counselors, college admission counselors and community organization professionals.
We will offer a general perspective about the components of financial aid packaging. Overall, these sessions aim to provide you the opportunity to participate in comprehensive consumer education about higher education. This training also provides three Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU).
Space is limited so choose from the following dates and locations below and register as soon as possible:
March 13, 2007
Illinois Central College, 1 College Drive
East Peoria, IL 61635
Library/Administration Building, 212C
Campus Map
March 16, 2007
Highland Community College, 2998 West Pearl City Road
Freeport, IL 61032
Room: H201
Campus Map
March 20, 2007
Illinois Student Assistance Commission, 1755 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
Room 3030
Driving Directions
March 28, 2007
Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Road
Springfield, IL 62794
Trutter Center
Campus Map
March 30, 2007
Morton College, 3801 South Central Avenue
Cicero, IL 60804
Jedlicka Performing Arts Center
Campus Map
April 3, 2007
Kaskaskia College, 27210 College Road
Centralia, IL 62801
Room: HB 157-158
Campus Map
April 10, 2007
South Suburban College, 15800 South State Street
South Holland, IL 60473
Performing Arts Center - PAC
Campus Map
Continental breakfast will be provided and registration begins at 8:30 a.m. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming sessions.
How to Register
REGISTRATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED VIA E-MAIL. Please send an e-mail to outreachtraining@isac.org and in the subject line indicate the location you plan to attend. In the e-mail include the following information for every person you are registering:
- Name
- School or Organization
- Phone Number
- E-mail address
A confirmation e-mail will be sent within 72 hours only if all information is provided.
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Still Time to Register for Hands-On IllinoisMentor Training Sessions
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers and Community Organizations on January 16, 2007.
It's not too late to sign-up for one of the hands-on IllinoisMentor training sessions that will introduce you to a series of lesson plans designed to help students actively explore the many FREE tools and services available in IllinoisMentor at collegezone.com.
Choose from one of these three sessions, held from 9 a.m. to noon each day:
Thursday, January 18
Capital Area Career Center
2201 Toronto Road, Springfield
Room: Computer Lab (Main Building, North Entrance)
Thursday, January 25
Shawnee Community College
8364 Shawnee College Road, Ullin
Room: H2086 (Building H)
Wednesday, February 14
College of DuPage
425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn
Room: SRC3687 (Student Resource Center)
Using a train-the-trainer approach, these sessions will guide you through the student materials we have developed. Specifically, our new curriculum outlines each of the main modules in IllinoisMentor and will help you walk your students through each one. A preview of upcoming IllinoisMentor enhancements will also be provided.
Online registration for these sessions is available on the Partner Training page in the e-Library of at collegezone.com.
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Register Today for IllinoisMentor Training Curriculum
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers and Community Organizations on January 8, 2007.
ALL NEW! Introduction to our IllinoisMentor Curriculum: Lesson Plans for the Classroom
You are invited to a hands-on training session that will introduce you to our newly created curriculum designed to help students actively explore the many FREE tools and services available in IllinoisMentor at collegezone.com.
You may choose from one of these three sessions, held from 9 a.m. to noon each day:
Thursday, January 18
Capital Area Career Center
2201 Toronto Road, Springfield
Room: Computer Lab (Main Building, North Entrance)
Thursday, January 25
Shawnee Community College
8364 Shawnee College Road, Ullin
Room: H2086 (Building H)
Wednesday, February 14
College of DuPage
425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn
Room: SRC3687 (Student Resource Center)
Using a train-the-trainer approach, these sessions will guide you through the new student materials that we have developed. Specifically, our new curriculum outlines each of the main modules in IllinoisMentor and helps you walk your students through each one. And, a preview of upcoming IllinoisMentor enhancements will also be provided.
Online registration for these sessions is available on the Partner Training page in the e-Library at collegezone.com. All three sessions will take place in computer labs and space is limited, so you are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
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Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 2, 2007.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students and their families.
College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) Resources Available for 2007-08 FAFSA Cycle
The 2007-08 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) cycle, including FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, and Corrections on the Web, began on January 1, 2007. Because January 2nd has been designated a National Day of Mourning as a mark of respect for Gerald R. Ford, the Central Processing System (CPS) will begin processing 2007-08 FAFSA data on Wednesday, January 3rd. Details regarding the 2007-08 application cycle are provided within the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library.
Check out the College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) page at collegezone.com for information regarding resources that are available to help your college-bound students complete the financial aid process. Several events, including FAFSA completion seminars, will take place across the State of Illinois from now through March. Encourage families to attend the event that best fits their schedule.
CAP is a comprehensive effort of the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA), Inc., the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) and ISAC. Formerly known as Financial Aid Admission/Awareness Month (FAAM), CAP strives to fulfill its mission through a series of workshops, seminars and statewide support with partners from all sectors of education in the State of Illinois.
January 9th: Mapping Your Future Chat Event
On Tuesday, January 9, 2007, Mapping Your Future will offer a chat from 6 to 7 p.m. (CT), providing students with an opportunity to get answers to general financial aid, student loan, and money management questions.
At the time of the event, you can access Mapping Your Future by selecting "Mapping Your Future" from the "Counselor Quick Links" menu that appears along the right margin of the Counselor Zone front page.
Students can use the link on the right side of the Student Zone front page.
Mapping Your Future can also be accessed directly at mapping-your-future.org.
The calendar of upcoming Chat Events - which includes the chat schedule through July 2007 - is in the Outreach Activities section of College Zone, which can be accessed in the center of the College Zone home page. Remember, also, that a poster (in .pdf format) listing 2006-07 Chat Events is available at the Mapping Your Future Web site. You may wish to consider printing (on 8½" x 11" paper, in color or black & white) and displaying this poster, which can be accessed via Mapping Your Future's "Live Chat Events" page, in areas of your school that can be easily viewed by students seeking information about the college process.
Archived Questions and Answers from earlier chats can be accessed by visiting the section entitled "Chat Transcripts" at mapping-your-future.org/services/chatnight.htm.
The above is based on information from a Mapping Your Future E-Update. Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative public service project of the financial aid industry, including ISAC - bringing together the expertise of the industry to provide free college, career, financial aid, and financial literacy services for schools, students, and families.
January 15th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, January 15th and will reopen on Tuesday, January 16th.
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 (such as those indicated above), ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
A complete listing of 2007 holidays on which ISAC staff will be unavailable is provided at the ISAC Events Calendar.
January - February: FAFSA Expert Training
As was announced in December, FAFSA Expert sessions are being held throughout the state in January and February. These half-day sessions (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.) are designed to go beyond the basic line-by-line walkthrough of the FAFSA and delve into the more complex tax, asset, eligibility, and need analysis questions. Space is limited so register today!
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High School Counselors/Teachers
ISAC Executive Director Responds to Chicago Tribune Article
Sent on March 14, 2007.
Many of you may have seen or heard about an article which appeared in the Sunday, March 11th Chicago Tribune which raised questions about selling a portion of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission's (ISAC's) student loan portfolio. In response, ISAC Executive Director Andrew Davis has released a statement clarifying information contained in the article.
In short, although the article implies that ISAC has proceeded with the sale of assets without legislative approval, in point of fact, ISAC was mandated to do so through Public Act 94-1056, approved by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by the governor on July 30, 2006. As required by the legislation, the capital generated by the recently completed sale, as well as through a planned subsequent sale this spring, will fund wholly and in part, the MAP Plus Program ($34.4 million) and the Monetary Award Program (MAP) ($26.8 million), respectively, during fiscal year 2007.
Andy's statement is included in its entirety below.
STATEMENT BY ANDREW DAVIS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ILLINOIS STUDENT ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (ISAC)
IN RESPONSE TO CHICAGO TRIBUNE ARTICLE
ON SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2007
"I appreciate the interest the Chicago Tribune has demonstrated in the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state's premiere agency for helping Illinois students attend college.
"Despite the many interviews and countless hours of investigative research that went into this story, the most significant factual allegation made in the story is simply and glaringly false. In paragraph three, the Tribune writes Governor Rod Blagojevich's ISAC '…commissioners have forged ahead without legislative approval,' to sell part of ISAC's student loan portfolio.
"Public Act 94-1056 - passed by the Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives on May 4, 2006, and signed into law by the Governor on July 30, 2006 – expressly authorizes ISAC to raise the funds appropriated for the financial year 2007 increase in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and to fund the new MAP Plus initiative, by selling assets or restructuring ISAC's business.
"In following the precise instructions of Public Act 94-1056 ISAC has already funded nearly $20,000,000 in MAP Plus grants. These grants have given financial relief to nearly 40,000 middle-income Illinois families with students in college. ISAC anticipates making another 30,000 MAP Plus grants later this spring. To fund these grants we followed the directive of the General Assembly and deliberately and thoughtfully identified the most appropriate portfolio of student loans to sell. ISAC then executed that sale in an open and fair auction. A second sale that we anticipate holding later this spring will provide the financing for the historic increase in our need based MAP program.
"This agency has a proud 50-year history of service. It also has a bright future if it accepts the mandate of the Governor and support of the legislature to continue its mission of helping Illinois students overcome financial barriers so that they may start and complete the very best college education for which they are otherwise eligible."
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Special Message from ISAC's Executive Director
Sent on March 7, 2007.
Dear Colleagues:
I'm writing to you today to share my perspective on the commitment of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to the students and families of the State of Illinois. In this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the creation of the entity that is now ISAC, it is appropriate, especially for a new Executive Director, to lead an exercise of self-examination. One place that an organization such as ours should look to fully understand itself is its original and amended enabling legislation. I have done that, and am happy to say that ISAC's fundamental mission remains the same:
- informing students and families on how to overcome financial barriers to access higher education; and
- providing comprehensive, total solutions to meet those needs.
Our value is in an ISAC that increases its focus on need-based assistance programs for Illinois citizens, and in doing so utilizes the strategic advantages that are unique to us as a not-for-profit creation of the State of Illinois. Simply put, we can focus on needs that can best be identified and delivered by a trusted governmental agency that does not have shareholder-driven requirements of profitability. Any withdrawal of ISAC from certain markets, products or services should not be misinterpreted as a sign of diminished commitment to our mission, but rather should be viewed as a strengthening of our focus on programs, products and services providing unique benefits to our core Illinois constituency.
Going forward we will best serve the students of Illinois if we continue to support the Monetary Award Program (MAP) as our flagship need-based grant program, continue as the guarantor for Illinois and revamp our loan offerings to offer unique benefits exclusively to Illinois residents. The current array of ISAC services that focuses on informing students and families on how to overcome financial barriers to higher education, including College Zone and our electronic services such as IllinoisMentor and the Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange, will be maintained in both the short and long terms. At the same time, we intend to continue encouraging Illinois families to participate in the College Illinois! prepaid tuition program.
We will do this as a collaborative effort. The ultimate goal is to offer a suite of financial assistance programs that make up a comprehensive solution to the financial problems that can prevent Illinois students from pursuing and completing the very best college programs for which they are otherwise eligible.
Sincerely,
Andrew Davis
Executive Director
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
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Summary of January 26th Commission Meeting
Sent on January 29, 2007.
The following is a summary of action taken at Friday's meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), impacting our high school and college counselor partners. Details regarding all topics discussed are provided in the January 26th Agenda Book, which can be accessed from the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission page within the e-Library at collegezone.com.
Payment of Federal Default Fee for 2007-08 Approved - Agenda Item 5
For the 2007-08 academic year, ISAC will continue to pay the mandated default fee for ISAC-guaranteed loans, thus reducing the cost to students and parents of borrowing through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). This borrower benefit is made possible using funds from the Student Loan Operating Fund (SLOF).
Resolution for Sale of Certain IDAPP Portfolio Loans Approved - Agenda Item 4
The Commission approved a 2007 Resolution, which provides for the sale of certain student loans within the Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP) portfolio, for the purpose of supporting ISAC-administered student grant programs for which appropriations have been authorized by the Illinois General Assembly and Governor.
Proposed Rules and Rules Amendments - Agenda Item 10
Rules amendments are being proposed for the 2007-08 academic year to four existing Parts, and two additional rules Parts are being added for new ISAC-administered programs (the Grant Program for Child Raised by Grandparent and the Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program). The full text of the proposed rules, amendments and notices will be made available via the e-Library's ISAC Administrative Rules section, following publication in the Illinois Register. The anticipated effective date of these proposed rules and rules amendments is July 2007.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Commission meeting is set for Friday, March 30, 2007 at Millikin University in Decatur.
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ISAC Communiqué
New ISAC Communiqué Available at College Zone
Sent on January 2, 2007
The latest “electronic-only” edition of the ISAC Communiqué is now available for your review within the ISAC Publications section of College Zone's e-Library. This electronic version of ISAC's newsletter is a quarterly compilation of information provided to Counselor Zone partners via College Zone's e-Messaging service during the months of October, November and December.
Topics covered in this electronic Communiqué include:
- Just Added! John A. Logan and Chicago State University - "FAFSA Expert" Sessions - Register Now
- IllinoisMentor Training Curriculum
- Happy Holidays from ISAC
- "FAFSA Expert" Sessions - Register Now
- 2007-08 Teacher Program Applications Available - Due on or before March 1, 2007
- ISAC Names New Executive Director
- Tips to Ensure the Timely Processing of Online Orders for ISAC Publications
- Special Statement from ISAC Chairman McNeil Regarding Opinion from Illinois Attorney General
- Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
- New ISAC Communiqué Available at College Zone
Electronic newsletters are available at the beginning of each quarter (January, April, July, and October), and are the compilation of information announced via an e-Message to any of the Counselor Zone subscription groups during the previous quarter.
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