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At your fingertips, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and other school personnel have access to a centralized source of information and financial aid guidance concerning ISAC's programs, processes, and resources.

FAA Message Board

The FAA Message Board is updated each week.  New messages for the week are identified by the Items under the More section, located toward the bottom of the page, provide links to information on topics that were recently listed on this Message Board.   

 In observance of the Lincoln’s Birthday holiday, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, February 13, reopening on Tuesday, February 14. Access collegeillinois.org/faa anytime, or send an e-mail message to a School Services Representative for questions or inquiries. 

 A January 2012 Dear Colleague Letter (DCL GEN-12-02) from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announces the approval of an "Employment Certification for Public Service Loan Forgiveness" form for use by borrowers in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.

In addition, ED has released an Employment Certification Package to help borrowers track their progress toward qualifying for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Specific details, including downloadable copies of the documents that make up the Employment Certification Package, may be accessed via the Public Service Loan Forgiveness page at Student Aid on the Web

A January 31 e-Message announces training opportunities for financial aid administrators that will be offered by ISAC during the months of February and March. Included are a February webinar [focusing on upgrades being made to MAPnet and 2012-13 Monetary Award Program (MAP) Start-up], Financial Aid 101 Workshops, and Financial Aid 201 Workshops. Specific details - such as dates, locations and how to register/participate - are provided in the e-Message.

The FY13 (2012-13) Monetary Award Program (MAP) start-up formula was approved at the January 27 meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Details regarding the FY13 MAP start-up formula are provided in Agenda Item 7, which is available to download, view and/or print via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission area at collegeillinois.org.

As a reminder, a January 20 e-Message provides preliminary information regarding  an updated version of MAPnet that will launch with the implementation of 2012-13 MAP start-up. In order to allow colleges to prepare for 2012-13 processing, the message highlights changes that will be part of the new MAPnet system. In addition, the 2012-13 MAP 160 Byte File Layout Specifications document is available to download, view and/or print.

A January 27 news release announces that Mapping Your Future now offers 2012-13 verification worksheets to assist colleges in collecting the information they need from students in order to complete the financial aid verification process. College can choose from three separate worksheets: family information, tax information, or family and tax information.

The Commission Meeting Schedule page at collegeillinois.org reflects the projected meeting schedule through November 2012. A listing of specific agenda items will be available prior to each meeting via the 2012 Agenda Books page, which is located within the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission area.

A January 20 electronic announcement from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) indicates that ED began sending 2012-13 Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) reminder notifications to students on January 18, and will continue to do so through
February 10. Further details are provided in the electronic announcement.

Remind your students who plan to teach in Illinois after completing their college degree that March 1, 2012 is the priority consideration date to apply for the 2012-13 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship and Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) programs. Students may access the applications for each of these programs at the collegeillinois.org website.

Attention Illinois 2- and 4-year public colleges: remind your current-term students who are Illinois National Guard members that the interactive application for the 2011-12 Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program, used to apply for the 2012 spring term (or spring and summer terms), is due to ISAC on or before March 1, 2012. Applications received after March 1 will be considered for summer term only awards.

Remind your students that March 1, 2012 is the spring- and summer-term award priority application consideration date for the 2011-12 Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire or Correctional Officers. Applications received after March 1 will be considered for summer term only awards. Students may access the application for these programs at the collegeillinois.org website. 

A January 18 electronic announcement from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announces implementation of the online application period for the Special Direct Consolidation Loan opportunity that is being offered through the Direct Loan Program. The four federal loan servicers will be contacting all potentially eligible borrowers about Special Direct Consolidation Loans, which will be available through June 30, 2012. For further information regarding Special Direct Consolidation Loans, refer to earlier electronic announcements (dated
January 13, 2012 and December 28, 2011), and follow the corresponding links under the “More” section at the bottom of this page. 

The proposed omnibus rules and amendments for ISAC-administered programs for the 2012-13 academic year, as published in the January 13, 2012 Illinois Register, can be accessed from the e-Library's ISAC Administrative Rules page at collegeillinois.org. Also included are emergency rules for the John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program. In addition, a summary of the proposed omnibus rules and amendments may be accessed from the same page. Note that, while the Illinois Register cover and Table of Contents list proposed changes for other agencies, only information pertaining to ISAC-administered programs is included in the e-Library posting. Details regarding the public comment period (which ends on Monday,
February 27, 2012) are also included. The 2012-13 proposed omnibus rules and amendments have an anticipated effective date of July 1, 2012.

A January 10 e-Message announces that the 2011-12 MAPnet system has been updated to allow for the submission of second- and third-term Monetary Award Program (MAP) claims.

In addition, the message provides information regarding the release of MAP grants from suspended status for students whose Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) receipt dates were March 26, 2011 through (and including) April 8, 2011. Colleges are encouraged to identify those students who are impacted by the limited release of 2011-12 suspended MAP awards and submit their payment requests (including for the first term) as soon as possible.

Also, ISAC is allowing MAP payment processing for initial first term claims received through April 1, 2012.

The "Important Message" documents (available online for both colleges and students) will continue to be updated, if needed, as new information becomes available throughout the year.

More

2012-13 State Scholar Announcements

“Pay-As-You-Earn” Proposal (at Student Aid on the Web)

Information for FAAs and Students on Special Direct Consolidation Loans

2011-12 ISAC Administrative Rules

State Legislative Update

Outreach Calendar/Events

FAFSA Completion Information

Important Reminders calendar

Most Recent ISAC Update:

January 2012

 

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