ISAC Student PortalISAC Update
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| NESP Schools | |
| ISAC Update |
Welcome to the December 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 December.
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.
2022-23 MAP Claims for 1st & 2nd Terms Due March 10
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on December 21, 2022.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following information is being shared to assist colleges in the administration of the Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Submit 2022-23 MAP Claims for the First and Second Terms by March 10
Starting today (Wednesday, December 21, 2022), ISAC is accepting 2022-23 MAP payment requests (claims) for the second (spring) term. In addition, claims for the first (fall) term continue to be accepted.
- Colleges may submit first- and second-term claims by accessing the MAP system, as well as by File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
- In order to be considered timely, the following 2022-23 MAP claims must be submitted no later than 7 p.m. (CT) on Friday, March 10, 2023.
- For second term:
- initial claims, and
- increases to previously-submitted claims.
- For first term:
- initial claims,
- increases to previously-submitted claims, and
- late claims (i.e., claims submitted after December 9, 2022).
- Results for first-term claims (late claims) that were being held are now available in the MAP system.
- For second term:
- Colleges are encouraged to submit all first- and second-term claims as soon as possible, keeping in mind that claims may be submitted no more than 10 days prior to the start of classes for the term for which they being requested.
- No suspension of 2022-23 MAP award announcements is scheduled at this time.
- ISAC will continue to monitor claim volume and appropriation levels, and will notify the financial aid community should 2022-23 MAP award announcements need to be suspended in the future.
- The disbursement of funds is processed by the State 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.
- More information regarding payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations on ISAC's website:
- MAP Electronic Processing (including the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide)
- 2022-23 MAP Payment (see the What's New section for information regarding a new report – available in the Reports section of the MAP system – that provides payment voucher and warrant information, dependent upon where the payment is in the process)
Watch for Future Updates
You will be notified via ISAC's usual communication methods (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging service) regarding any future 2022-23 MAP updates.
Reminder: FAA Webinar on December 21
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 NESP Schools on December 16, 2022.
Don't forget that the next Operational and Program Update Webinar that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will offer for financial aid administrators (FAAs) is scheduled for 2 p.m. (CT) next Wednesday (December 21, 2022). While ISAC's monthly update webinars typically occur on the last Wednesday of every month, our December webinar has been scheduled a week early due to the holiday season.
The webinar will include an overview of the 2022 Virtual Federal Student Aid Training Conference, which took place in late November/early December.
To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library at isac.org to access the webinar link and presentation materials, both of which will be posted on the day of the session. Registration is not required, and any specific topics or questions you would like the webinar to address may be submitted via e-mail to Kimberly.Eck@illinois.gov prior to the session.
10th Annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network Conference
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on December 15, 2022.
Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois
Register Today!
Success Network Conference: Accelerating Equitable Success
Please join us and register today to attend the tenth annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network Conference. This one day conference will deliver an array of high-quality content and interactive opportunities centered on advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. Join us in person as we celebrate our tenth anniversary as a Network, honoring the work our Leadership Communities have accomplished this past decade and looking toward a shared vision for the future. The conference admission fee is $35. Learn more about the conference and view the preliminary agenda on the conference website.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Amy Loyd
Amy Loyd, Ed.L.D. is the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education and oversees national programs related to career and technical education, community colleges, adult education and literacy, and correctional education. Visit the conference website to learn more about Dr. Loyd's career and to register for the conference.
10th Anniversary Celebration
Conference attendees are invited to join us for a special reception in honor of our tenth anniversary on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 5 p.m. at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn. Hors d'oeuvres will be served. Reservations are required; there is no additional cost for conference attendees.
Hotel Room Block
Limited hotel rooms are available at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn. We encourage you to reserve your room today to secure the discounted rate. The group code is ESCNIU.
The Illinois Education and Career Success Network (formerly the Illinois 60 by 2025 Network) is a growing network of communities in Illinois that are committed to advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. The Network was launched and is organized by: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems), and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
Virtual Commission Meeting Thursday, December 8 – No Executive Briefing
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on December 2, 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, December 8.
Some of the items on the tentative agenda for the meeting are:
- State legislative update
- Proposed administrative program rules and amendments
- ISAC strategic plan update
- Outreach update
- 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.
No Executive Briefing Conference Call
There is no Executive Briefing scheduled following the December Commission meeting.
NESP Transition Updates – December 13 Webinar
Sent on December 8, 2022.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to provide you with updates on the Nursing Education Scholarship Program (NESP). This message covers several different topics, and depending on your school's current status of program participation, may not be of immediate interest to you. Please feel free to disregard any information that does not currently impact you and/or your students.
NESP Webinar – December 13
A general overview of the transition of NESP administration to ISAC, including discussion about the disbursement process and next steps for the program, is scheduled for 1 – 2 p.m., Tuesday, December 13. To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library at isac.org to access the webinar link and presentation materials, both of which will be posted on the day of the session; the link is also listed below. Registration is not required, and any specific topics or questions you would like addressed may be submitted via e-mail to kimberly.eck@illinois.gov prior to the session.
December 13 Webinar link: https://illinois2.webex.com/meet/kimberly.eck
Fall 2022 Term Disbursements
This week, NESP recipients are receiving their Grant Agreement/Promissory Notes from ISAC for signature. The students will access the agreement through the ISAC Student Portal and will be encouraged to sign and submit it online for timely processing. Once ISAC is in receipt of the signed agreement, a payment claim voucher will be issued to the school. For institutions with a small number of recipients, this will be done on a rolling basis as agreements are received. For institutions that have a larger number of students, we will batch the payment claims for ease of review and processing. Following the receipt of payment claims, disbursements to schools will follow the same process as in past years, with funds payable by the State Comptroller's office. Checks will continue to be co-payable to the school and the recipient; stipend payments will be remitted directly to recipients. Fall term disbursements are anticipated to take place shortly after the new year.
2023 – What's Ahead
As we look ahead to 2023, there is much work to be done on behalf of NESP recipients and participating schools. ISAC is preparing to undertake three major activities starting in January 2023: the spring term awarding cycle, the onboarding of this program into our Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal to accommodate schools' administration of the program, and the development of the 2023-24 application. You will receive more details and updates on these activities early next year.
In the meantime, we appreciate your support and collaboration as we continue to work through the details of the transition.
November 2022 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on December 1, 2022.
The November 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 November 2022 ISAC Update include:
- Submit 2022-23 Fall-Term Claims and Benefit Usage Data
(sent November 29, 2022) - October 2022 Electronic ISAC Update
(sent November 1, 2022)
