JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC Update

VOL. 40, NO. 5F
November 2022

Messages sent to:   Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Update

Welcome to the November 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 November.

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.

MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTION GROUPS

Submit 2022-23 Fall-Term Claims and Benefit Usage Data
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, and ECACE Administrators on November 29, 2022.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).

Colleges are reminded to submit 2022-23 fall-term payment requests (i.e., claims) and benefit usage data for the following programs as soon as possible, and no later than the applicable deadline dates listed below.

MAP Claims

In order to be considered timely, 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP) fall-term claims must be submitted – either via the MAP system or by File Transfer Protocol (FTP) – on or before Friday, December 9, 2022.

Processing Reminders

  • Be sure to review the Payment Results/Exceptions report in the Reports section of the MAP system the day after submitting payment requests to see which requests, if any, did not process as expected.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State of Illinois Comptroller's Office. Refer to the State Comptroller's Website page, located within the Processes section of the Financial Aid Administrators area, for information on how to track payment.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to MAP, refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year. Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.

Online Resources

More information, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

ECACE, MTI and Golden Apple Claims

As part of our ongoing efforts to best leverage appropriated funds to award as many eligible students as possible, priority claim deadline dates are being established for each term for the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship, Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship, and Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois programs.

  • The fall-term claim deadline date for the 2022-23 ECACE Scholarship, MTI Scholarship, and Golden Apple programs is Friday, December 30, 2022.
    • Colleges are encouraged to submit fall-term claims as soon as they are able to do so.
    • Timely submission of payment requests and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining funds and award other students, as applicable.

Processing Reminders:

  • Initial payment request records are available online via the ECACE, MTI and Golden Apple systems.
  • ECACE, MTI, and Golden Apple results for payment requests received are available via each program's online system at GAP Access. After payment requests are processed, voucher data is sent via e-mail to financial aid directors.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State of Illinois Comptroller's Office. Refer to the State Comptroller's Website page, located within the Processes section of the Financial Aid Administrators area, for information on how to track payment.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to the ECACE Scholarship, MTI Scholarship, and Golden Apple programs, refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year. Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.

Online Resources

More information, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

ING Grant and IVG Benefit Usage Data

In order to be considered timely, 2022-23 Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant and 2022-23 Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) fall-term benefit usage data must be submitted on or before Friday, December 30, 2022.

Note: Although 2022-23 IVG benefit usage data for the summer term was due on September 30, 2022, colleges that have not yet done so are encouraged to submit summer-term data as soon as possible.

Processing Reminders

  • Benefit usage data for the ING Grant and IVG programs is submitted to ISAC by colleges via the benefit usage functionality within each program's system. Colleges report enrollment hours and dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district benefit usage by students, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data.
  • Although ISAC is not able to reimburse institutions for 2022-23 ING Grant or IVG awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.
  • 160-byte file layout specifications for the 2022-23 ING Grant and IVG programs, describing the file layout to be used to send data for each program via FTP, are available within the Electronic Tools section of the e-Library for Partners.
  • Colleges are encouraged to regularly check their Benefits Results report for each program. Further details are provided in the ING Grant and IVG user guides.

Online Resources

More information, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

GAP Access Reminders

  • Please verify that, for each impacted staff member, the GAP Access Administrator at your college has established the appropriate system access level for all applicable gift assistance programs. Instructions for establishing access to the appropriate system(s) may be found on the GAP Access page.
  • In addition to establishing user access, it is also the responsibility of the GAP Access Primary Administrator to make sure that staff access remains accurate and current.
    • If not already completed for this year, the Primary Administrator at your school should review the GAP Access users as soon as possible and make any changes necessary by updating the user's information on the GAP Access User Administration screen.
    • For instructions on the user verification process, refer to the GAP Access User Verification Guide.
  • A valid GAP Access user ID and password are required in order to submit files via ISAC's Secure File Transfer System (located at https://transfer.isac.org/). As a result, encryption (password protection) of files is not necessary.
  • Functionality to submit claims and benefit usage data, via systems within the GAP Access portal, is available each day between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. (CT).
    • Requests and data submitted by 7 p.m. (CT) will be included in that night's processing, with results available the next business day.
    • Results for requests and data submitted after 7 p.m. (CT) will be included in the following night's processing.

Watch for Future Updates

Future program updates – including details regarding availability and deadline dates for the submission of spring-term claims and data – will be announced via ISAC's usual means of communication (e.g., the FAA Message Board, this e-Messaging system, and/or the MAP, ECACE, MTI, Golden Apple, ING Grant, and IVG "Program News" pages).

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ISAC UPDATE

October 2022 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on November 1, 2022.

The October 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 October 2022 ISAC Update include:

  • Register for ILASFAA's Virtual Fall Workshops
    (sent October 25, 2022)
  • Final Week of the Limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Waiver
    (sent October 24, 2022)
  • ISAC Monthly Webinars for FAAs
    (sent October 21, 2022)
  • Reminder: Final Two Weeks of the Limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Waiver
    (sent October 18, 2022)
  • Teacher Program Enrollment Verification Update
    (sent October 18, 2022)
  • Reminder: Final Weeks of the Limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Waiver Webinars
    (sent October 11, 2022)
  • 2023-24 MAP Start-up Implemented
    (sent October 11, 2022)
  • MAP Advising Data Collection Opens – Due December 9
    (sent October 7, 2022)
  • College Course Materials Draft Report Open for Public Comment
    (sent October 7, 2022)
  • Join ISAC for Free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
    (sent October 4, 2022)
  • 2023-24 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
    (sent October 3, 2022)
  • September 2022 Electronic ISAC Update
    (sent October 3, 2022)

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