ISAC Student PortalISAC Update
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Update |
Welcome to the June 2022 ISAC Update for financial aid administrators and business officers. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout June.
The articles in this Update have been organized according to the FAA subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this ISAC Update can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov. 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.
Why Delay? Register Today!
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools - Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 28, 2022.
If you haven't already registered for the conference, register today. If you have registered, thank you, and we ask you to invite a colleague. The success of our Illinois students requires partners across all sectors and stakeholders throughout the state coming together and examining how we can work together better in helping students achieve success and our state reach its Goal 2025. The 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference provides the occasion for you to hear from colleagues as they share their latest experiences, knowledge, and lessons learned to inform your own planning and efforts. The conference also gives you the opportunity to step back from your daily routine and engage with a diverse group of like-minded peers and provides you opportunities for professional and personal development.
Whova Network Tables – Meet Your Conference Colleagues
The conference is being hosted on the Whova event platform, and we'll be using Webex to deliver the live stream sessions. While nothing can replace meeting in-person, Whova provides several ways for conference participants to interact and engage with other attendees via community board topics and other interactive features, such as the Speed Networking Table sessions. Every day, Monday through Thursday of the conference, attendees can join a Speed Networking Table with a small group (up to 3) of other attendees on video chat within Whova, helping make connections that carry on during and after the conference. After 5 minutes at one table, participants are "shuffled" to join another table to meet different attendees. Be sure to add Speed Networking Table sessions to your personal conference agenda. You can learn more about how to get the most out of Whova by downloading the Whova App and reviewing the Whova Attendee User Guide. Register now and build your own custom agenda of sessions. We look forward to your participation in the conference.
Please share this e-Message with your colleagues so they can register, too. There is no registration fee. More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
2022-23 MAP Recompute Implemented
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 27, 2022.
Unless otherwise noted, all links in this message may be accessed via the Financial Aid Administrators area at isac.org.
The following information is being shared by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) in order to assist colleges in the administration of the Monetary Award Program (MAP).
2022-23 MAP Recompute Implemented – MAP System Available
ISAC staff has completed verification of system changes related to implementation of the recompute formula, and the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal (including all program systems, such as MAP) and the ISAC Student Portal are again available.
All 2022-23 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data received from the Central Processing System (CPS) through (including) Wednesday (June 22, 2022) is reflected in the MAP system, and we have returned to daily processing of ISIR data.
As a reminder, the recompute formula:
- increases the maximum 2022-23 MAP award from $5,496 to $7,200;
- uses 2021-22 reported tuition and fees*; and
- uses the 2021-22 Pell Grant Payment Schedule.
* While the recompute formula that was implemented over the weekend utilizes the "main" tuition and fee rate (i.e., the freshman base/general rate; for many colleges this rate is typically what the majority of students at the college are charged), some institutions may want to use differential rates if they charge different (typically higher) tuition and fee rates for certain programs, to maximize students' awards. ISAC staff is developing procedures regarding the process of – when applicable for an institution – designating/updating differential codes, and will share this information with colleges when available.
Online Resources
The 2022-23 MAP Formula section (located in the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area) and the "MAP Estimator" (which may be accessed by students via the Toolbox area of the ISAC Student Portal) have been updated to reflect the recompute formula.
Colleges may also want to visit the Calculating MAP Awards section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area to access the 2022-23 Hand Calculation Forms – Recompute, as well as instructions on how to calculate awards for semester or quarter terms.
Reminder: Submit 2022-23 Budget Data by July 8
The annual reporting of postsecondary institutions' budget information is underway, and colleges are to submit 2022-23 budget data to ISAC no later than Friday, July 8, 2022. A June 17 e-Message provides a list of upcoming training opportunities during which the 2022-23 budget data collection process will be discussed.
Watch for Future Updates
As updated information becomes available throughout the year – including details about reporting 2022-23 differential rates – it will be shared with you via our usual methods of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News area, the FAA Message Board and this e-Messaging service).
2022-23 MAP Recompute Formula Approved
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 22, 2022.
Summary of June 16 Commission Meeting
The following highlights some of the agenda items included at the June 16, 2022 meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), and any action taken. Details regarding several of the topics discussed at the meeting are provided in the June 16 Agenda Book, which can be accessed from the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area at isac.org.
FY23 (2022-23 Academic Year) MAP Recompute Formula Approved – Agenda Item 4
Each year, ISAC is responsible for adopting an allocation (or, "start-up") formula for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and then – once the state operating budget has been signed into law – the Commission approves a recompute formula based on the MAP appropriation. At its September 16, 2021 meeting, the Commission approved a start-up formula to enable financial aid administrators to calculate eligibility for applicants planning to attend college in the 2022-23 academic year.
The fiscal year 2023 (FY23) state operating budget was approved and signed into law by the governor in April, and includes a historic high MAP appropriation (approximately $601 million, which is $122 million more than had been appropriated for 2021-22 MAP awards). Combined with lower application volume, the increased appropriation creates a long-overdue opportunity to improve college affordability for low-income students by restoring some of the MAP grant tuition and fee coverage that has declined over the past twenty years. In addition, HB 4700 [the budget implementation bill (BIMP)] expands MAP eligibility to the estimated 18,000 students currently enrolled in credit bearing certificate programs (less than one academic year in length) at public institutions. Over 2,000 such programs are offered in Illinois, primarily at community colleges. An estimated $15 million will be required to serve the new population of MAP recipients enrolled in credit bearing certificate programs, leaving $574 million for providing MAP grants to the current population (compared to $470 million in FY22).
As a result, ISAC staff recommended – and the Commission approved – a recompute formula that increases the maximum 2022-23 MAP award from $5,496 to $7,200, uses 2021-22 reported tuition and fees, and uses the 2021-22 Pell Grant Payment Schedule. If determined necessary after first-term claims are received, release some suspended applications and/or adjust second- and third-term claims to maximize claims without exceeding the appropriation.
The approved recompute formula is outlined in Table 3 of Agenda Item 4, and the 2022-23 MAP Formula section of ISAC's website has been updated to reflect "recompute."
The 2022-23 MAP recompute formula is anticipated to be reflected in the MAP system on Monday, June 27, 2022.
Temporary System Outage Starting June 23
In order to prepare the system for the implementation of the 2022-23 recompute formula, we anticipate the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal (including all program systems, such as MAP) and the ISAC Student Portal being unavailable beginning around noon (12 p.m. CT) on Thursday, June 23, 2022.
A follow-up e-Message will be sent when the MAP system is again available and reflecting the 2022-23 recompute formula (anticipated to be around noon on June 27). At that time, all 2022-23 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data received from the Central Processing System (CPS) through (including) Wednesday, June 22, 2022, will be reflected in the MAP system and daily processing of ISIR data will resume.
Continue to monitor our established methods of communication (i.e., MAP Program News, the FAA Message Board and this e-Messaging service) for operational updates, including any changes to the anticipated timeframe in which the recompute formula will be reflected in the MAP system.
Other Items
The following items were also presented to the Commission:
- FY23 Budget Review and Approvals – Agenda Item 5
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program Investment and Program Updates – Agenda Item 6
Next Meeting
The next Commission meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 22, 2022.
2022-23 Budget Data Due July 8
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 17, 2022.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The annual reporting of postsecondary institutions' budget information to ISAC is underway.
While – as in prior years – colleges will submit their 2022-23 budget data online via the "School: Budget" area of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal, this message highlights important changes regarding the budget reporting process for colleges participating in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant programs.
What's New for Submitting 2022-23 Budget Data
The process of submitting 2022-23 budget data is similar to last year's procedures, except that colleges will report "main" tuition and fee rates (i.e., the freshman base/general rate; for many colleges this rate is typically what the majority of students at the college are charged), rather than the highest rate as had been reported in prior years (for some colleges the main and highest rates are the same because there is only one rate that all students are charged).
When reporting tuition and fee rates, remember that – anticipated to be effective on July 1, 2022 for the 2022-23 academic year – proposed amendments to Part 2700 (General Provisions) of ISAC Administrative Rules expand the "Mandatory Fees" definition to include fees for students studying though distance education (in addition to previously-included on-campus students).
In order to provide colleges with time to report 2022-23 rates, the submission deadline (which would typically be June 1) has been extended to July 8, 2022. As indicated in a May 25 e-Message, future program reviews will not cite colleges for late submissions after June 1 as long as all required 2022-23 tuition and fee data is submitted by July 8.
If a school's annual budget is not final by July 8, the 2022-23 budget data is to be submitted with estimated figures, followed by an e-mail from the financial aid director to ISAC's School Services Department that provides the approximate date by which the final budget will be submitted (must be on or before August 1, 2022).
Upcoming Training Opportunities
The 2022-23 budget data collection process will be discussed during the following upcoming training opportunities:
- Wednesday, June 22 at 2 p.m. - Budget Completion Webinar
- Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. – Budget Completion Webinar
- Wednesday, June 29 at 2 p.m. - ISAC Operational Update and Program News Webinar
- Wednesday, July 6 at 10 a.m. – Budget Completion Webinar
- Wednesday, July 6 at 2 p.m. – Budget Completion Webinar
All Webinar information, including the links to access the trainings, will be available on the e-Library Partner Training page on the day of the sessions.
General Institutional Information
Valid responses must be provided for Questions 1 and 2 of the "General Institutional Information" section. If you do not have a valid Program Participation Agreement (PPA), blank is a valid response. If Question 1 is checked, and/or a date is reported for Question 2, responses to all three questions are required before the budget can be certified. For Question 3, one of the buttons ("Yes" or "No") must be selected before the budget can be certified.
- Please check this box to confirm that this institution has a valid PPA with the U.S. Department of Education (ED). [Checkbox will appear here]
- This ED PPA expires: [mm/dd/yyyy field will appear here]
- Has your institution undergone a name or ownership change in the last 12 months? [Yes/No radio buttons will appear here]
Operational Details
- Step-by-step instructions for accessing and navigating the GAP Access "School: Budget" screens are provided on the Gift Assistance Budget Instructions page (and may also be viewed in a separate browser window via a link in the top left corner of the "School: Budget" screens).
- After logging in to GAP Access, only those staff members who have been granted appropriate privileges will be able to access the "Budget" option from within the "School" area of the system.
- On the "School: Budget" screens for all three programs (MAP, IVG and ING Grant), any prior use of the word "base" will now display as "main."
- Budget data must be reported for each approved program (MAP, IVG and/or ING Grant), and each approved school code within a program, before it is certified.
- All previously-reported MAP, IVG and/or ING Grant school codes that currently appear in GAP Access must have values greater than 0 ("zero") entered before the budget can be certified (the field cannot be left blank).
- Functionality allowing colleges to report new codes (with differential tuition and fee rates) is anticipated to be available in July.
- After the budget information for all approved codes and all approved programs has been entered, saved and confirmed and the institution's required tuition refund policy document has been uploaded and saved, the financial aid director will need to submit the data by selecting the "Certify" button.
- If you have questions, contact a School Services Representative at 866.247.2172 or isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov.
Do You Want to Change How Your MAP Awards are Calculated?
The majority of schools calculate term awards by the "cents" option, but if you're interested in switching to the "no cents" option (or vice versa), simply contact ISAC's School Services Department to discuss how to make the change. Any such revisions must be done prior to the start of the payment claim process for the upcoming award year.
Register Today – 2022 CCE Conference: Moving Forward Together
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools - Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers and FFELP Administrators on June 13, 2022.
Don't delay – register today for the online 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – Moving Forward Together. Join colleagues from across the state from July 11th through July 15th as they come together to share and learn how we can work together better in helping students achieve success and our state reach its Goal 2025. Each day of the conference offers a variety of sessions about student college access and success and career readiness. Interest session topics include: programs and services for underrepresented students; educational equity; student wellness and emotional support; leveraging data; partnerships, collaborations, and community stakeholder engagement; and much, much more. The full conference agenda is available on the conference website.
The conference is being hosted on the Whova online event platform, and we'll be using Webex to live stream the sessions. While nothing replaces meeting in-person, Whova provides several ways for conference participants to interact and engage with other attendees via community board topics, Networking Tables, and other interactive features. You can learn more about how to get the most out of Whova by downloading the Whova App and reviewing the Whova Attendee User Guide.
Register now and build your own custom agenda of sessions to attend in Whova. We look forward to engaging with you online!
Please share this e-Message with your colleagues so they can register, too. There is no registration fee. More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
Virtual Commission Meeting Thursday, June 16 - Executive Briefing Tuesday, June 21
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 10, 2022.
The next regular meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be conducted via videoconference and will begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 16.
Some of the items on the tentative agenda for the meeting are:
- FY23 Monetary Award Program (MAP) recompute formula
- FY23 budget review
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program investment and program updates
The Agenda Book, providing the complete listing of agenda items, is posted on the 2022 Agenda Books page. Instructions for connecting to the meeting via WebEx, including the WebEx link, are available on the Commission Meeting Schedule page. Both pages are located within the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area of isac.org. The online Agenda Book will be updated within 1-2 days following the meeting to reflect action taken.
Executive Briefing Conference Call – Tuesday, June 21
An Executive Briefing conference call is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21 from 11 a.m. to noon for institutional financial aid staff. ISAC staff will provide information about activity that took place at the Commission meeting and other ISAC updates.
On the day of the briefing, you can gain access through the below link/information, or by visiting the Partner Training page of the e-Library, where access will also be available.
- Access this link: https://illinois.webex.com/join/carol.cook
- When prompted, enter the meeting number 806 754 783
For the audio portion, click on the Audio tab at the top of the page and select one of the available options:
- For toll-free participation, select the "Call Me" option, enter your phone number, and you will be called. (This is the recommended option.)
- For "Use computer audio" you will need to have a microphone to be able to interact with the briefing. Without a microphone, you will be in listen-only mode.
- The "Call in" option is not a toll-free number, however, if you are not able to participate through the provided link and the "Call Me" option, but would like to participate only by phone, you can use this toll number: +1-415-655-0002 (USA Toll) and access code 806 754 783.
Join ISAC for free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools - Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators and FFELP Administrators on June 7, 2022.
you might be eligible for a loan forgiveness program!
New temporary changes, including a limited waiver, to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program may benefit public sector and non-profit employees. Some of these changes offer benefits available for a limited time, so you don't want to miss out on this information!
Session Description:
Public service employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the PSLF program. The PSLF program allows Federal Student Loan borrowers to apply for forgiveness if they are employed full time by a government, 501(c)(3) organization, or public-serving nonprofit, and meet other requirements.
If you want to learn more about PSLF, and the new temporary changes, or if you have applied for PSLF and been denied, this is the session for you. In this session, we will discuss the existing PSLF program as well as a new Limited Waiver for PSLF that will allow borrowers to receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for PSLF. The Limited Waiver ends October 31, 2022, don't miss out!
June Webinar Dates:
Tuesday, June 7, 3-4 p.m. (CT)
Friday June 17, 12-1 p.m. (CT)
Thursday, June 23, 8-9 a.m. (CT)
Wednesday, June 29, 4-5 p.m. (CT)
Learn more and register: https://www.isac.org/pslf. For questions on the webinars, contact the Professional Development team at isac.pslf@illinois.gov.
2022 College Changes Everything® Virtual Conference: July 11 – July 15, 2022
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools - Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers and FFELP Administrators on June 2, 2022.
CCE 2022: Moving Forward Together
Please join us and register now to participate in the annual 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – the state's premier college access and success and career readiness event. This virtual conference is offered with no registration fee.
Each day of the conference offers a variety of sessions covering topics such as: programs and services for underrepresented students; educational equity; student wellness and emotional support; partnerships, collaborations, and community stakeholder engagement; and much, much more. In addition, here are three plenary sessions taking place during the week to highlight:
- Monday, July 11 – Conference Kick Off and State Agency Panel: Moving Forward Together in Support of Students
- Wednesday, July 13 – What's Next? Reshaping College Going Student Supports and Services Due to the Pandemic
- Friday, July 15 – Beyond the Pandemic: Learning Renewal and More Initiatives Supporting Our Students
The conference will be hosted on the Whova event platform. While nothing can replace meeting in-person, Whova provides several ways for conference participants to interact and engage with other attendees via its community board of topics, the Network Tables sessions, and other networking features. You can learn more about how to get the most out of Whova by reviewing their Whova Attendee Guide.
Who Should Attend
One of the key strengths of this conference is that it brings together a diverse audience of stakeholders from across the state to create a space of sharing information, ideas, and best practices that promote access to postsecondary education, ensure degree or credential attainment, and provide career pathways. Attendees typically include, but are not limited to:
- high school leaders, counselors, and case managers
- college access practitioners
- college and university leaders and administrators
- leaders from state agencies, non-profits, foundations, and community-based organizations focused on educational opportunity and attainment and career pathways
- business leaders
- policymakers and elected officials interested in higher education and workforce development
The conference also supports the state's Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Don't wait – register now!
Please share this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and other partners so they can register, too. More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
We look forward to engaging with you online!
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
May 2022 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on June 1, 2022.
The May 2022 edition of the ISAC Update is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent to financial aid administrators and business officers via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.
Topics covered in the May 2022 ISAC Update include:
- ECACE Scholarship Updates: 2021-22 and 2022-23 Processing Cycles
(sent May 31, 2022) - FY23 MAP Recompute Formula and Budget Data Collection
(sent May 25, 2022) - Update: 2022-23 ISAC Gift Assistance Programs
(sent May 18, 2022) - Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
(sent May 12, 2022) - Submit Summer Term Claims for 2021-22 ECACE Scholarship
(sent May 12, 2022) - 2022-23 MTI Scholarship Updates
(sent May 11, 2022) - College Course Materials Task Force Upcoming Meeting
(sent May 11, 2022) - Join ISAC for free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
(sent May 3, 2022) - April 2022 Electronic ISAC Update
(sent May 2, 2022)
