Region 1 Minutes
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Submitted by Sarah Izzo, Secretary
Attendance:
AFC Rachel Barker
AMS Shane Rauh
Bank of
Bryant & Stratton Caprice
D’Youville Stephanie Atti
ECC Sarah Izzo
Great Lakes
HSBC Sherrie Sheppard
Key Bank Jerome Moss
M & T Bank Kathleen O’Connell
Nelnet Carrie Newman
NYSHESC Jack Rafferty
Student Capital Corporation Dan Dunn
UB Brent McEnroe, Kevin Ryan & Amanda Wirth
Welcome & Introductions (Kevin Ryan)
Thank you to Julie Lanski and the Hilbert staff for hosting the October meeting.
Treasurer’s Report (Brent McEnroe)
Brent presented a brief summary of the Treasurer’s Report, full details appear below:
Balance as of 08/08/06 Equals: $2,980.60
8/14/06
Minus: Check #494 $1,775.00 Classics V (Admissions Workshop)
Equals: $1,205.60
8/28/06
Plus: Deposit $950.00 NYSFAAA Share draft
Equals: $2,155.60
9/7/06
Plus: Deposit $10.00 (June Meeting payment)
Equals: $2,165.60
Minus: Check Image Fee $2.00
Equals: $2,163.60
9/19/06
Minus: Check #481 $34.01 (Office Max Admissions Workshop Certificates)
Equals: $2,129.59
10/11/06
Minus: Check Image Fee $2.00
Equals: $2,127.59
Ending Balance as of 10/11/2006 Equals: $2,127.59
NYSFAAA Conference
Region I members have registered
for the conference in large numbers. The
bus will depart Region I (
http://www.ecc.edu/admissions/directions.asp
A 5-K run to benefit the Bruce L. Cleary Foundation is being held at the conference at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 7th. The event is for runners and walkers and will be held rain or shine. Participants should meet at the entrance to the Best Western Golden Arrow.
Reminder – Election day is Tuesday, November 7th and falls during the conference. There is still time to request Absentee Ballots. Please contact your local election board if you will be out of your local voting region on Election Day or go online at http://www.elections.state.ny.us – Select Absentee Voting Deadline for more information.
Voting for an Amendment to the NYSFAAA Constitution will be held at the Business meeting on Thursday, November 9th at the NYSFAAA Conference. The proposal is available for review at: http://www.nysfaaa.org/ebox/CoYDgcTRFRrNyj4o.doc
Other NYSFAAA News
Thank you to Laura Worley for posting the most recent issue of the webletter The NYSFAAAA Connection online at http://www.nysfaaa.org/docs/newsletters/2006/Fall.pdf
NYSFAAA/EASFAA Training was held recently at SUNY Brockport on the ACG & SMART Grants. Attendance was limited; however the training began very well. The trainers were well-prepared and open to questions from the participants. One important clarification on ACG is that in order to accommodate Advances Studies students, new guidance allows the institutions to override the credits attempted/earned with weeks/years enrolled for determining year in school.
NASFAA/NYSFAAA – Learn Student Aid Partnership
Judi Miladin sent out the
following information in an e-mail at end of September on this training
partnership. The training is offered at
a discount to NYSFAAA members.
NYSFAAA is pleased to announce a new partnership with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and its Web-based training program, LearnStudentAid.org. One of NASFAA's primary missions is to provide training to financial aid administrators at all experience levels. Since September 2004, LearnStudentAid.org has been offering on-line courses for those who are new to the profession. We recognize that many of you already benefit from state, regional, and other training. However, NASFAA's LearnStudentAid.org fills the gap when there is no money in the budget to send someone away to training, and when someone new begins and there is no planned training in the state at that time.
This new benefit of state association membership will provide you with the opportunity to train online at prices that are 10% lower than the price of the same course package that is available to those who do not participate through a state partnership. If your institution is a NASFAA member, individuals will pay $216 for the four-course 'Financial Aid Fundamentals' package (currently priced at $240). If the institution is not currently a NASFAA member, individuals will pay $306 (off the current non- member price of $340) for the four-course package. These prices are good through June 30, 2007.
Benefits to You
* Courses begin the first of each month, so there is very little wait time for training.
* There is no time out of the office required and no travel time or associated travel costs.
* Training is reasonably priced, PLUS learners receive a discount on the full four- course package because they are a member of your state association.
* Trainees get access to the NASFAA Web site and the NASFAA Encyclopedia for the duration of their training, whether or not their institution is a member of NASFAA.
* Each participant is assigned an individual account and gets individual credit for completing the courses in the form of
certificates of completion from NASFAA.
How to Participate
* Go to www.LearnStudentAid.org and review the courses available through the four-course "Financial Aid Fundamentals" package. These courses are:
Please note that the reduced price is only available for the four-course package.
* Go to the LearnStudentAid Web page at www.LearnStudentAid.org
Review "How to Enroll," which includes a link to the LearnStudentAid.org registration form.
* Complete the LearnStudentAid.org registration form. Indicate whether your institution is a NASFAA member or not, enter the discount (coupon) code of NY0607 and sign up for the four-course package.
* Submit your confirmation with payment information by fax or mail to NASFAA.
* Once you have registered, NASFAA will confirm your registration and send you by e-mail all the information you need to get started on the first day of online classes.
If you have questions about registration or other matters relating directly to LearnStudentAid, contact LearnStudentAid@nasfaa.org.
Judi Miladin
NYSFAAA President
Verification training was held
in
December Meeting
The December meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2006 at Shanghai Red’s Skyline Room. Details will be forthcoming. Executive Council will vote on a policy regarding how to provide the regions with funding for these events. We will not at this time be asking lenders for their support. Region I will collect toys from members in support of the Toys for Tots Annual Toy Drive again this year. We were very successful in collecting donation last year, we will again institute a $10 limit on donated toys.
Committee Updates
High School Counselor Workshop (Kathy Michalski) - Registrations are coming in a good pace. We currently have 81 participants registered for the November 16th workshop at Classics V and 33 counselors are registered for the November 17th workshop at St. Bonaventure University. Vendors sending items for the participants should have them shipped directly to Stephanie Kindzia at home (e-mail Stephanie at KINDZISL@BuffaloState.edu if you need the address) please plan for 125 participants. HESC wraps will be shipped to Kathy Michalski. Troy Martin will assist with workshop registration at St. Bonaventure.
SCHOOL COUNSELOR WORKSHOP
AGENDA
Registration & Country breakfast buffet at Classics V 8:15 – 9:00
Registration & Breakfast at St. Bonaventure 8:30 – 9:00
Welcome
Federal Update
Scholarships & Scams
Break
ACG and Smart Grant
CAAN
State Update
Break
NYSFAAA Presentation
Packaging and the Award Letter
Open discussion
Raffles
Evaluations
Membership (Carrie Newman) - Currently Region I membership stands at 172, we are up approximately 10 members from the previous month. According to the website access (which is still overlapping with 2005-2006) we stand at approximately 215 members.
Admissions Advisor Workshop (Kevin Ryan) - Will start planning in January. Holly Z suggested applying for NASFAA grant for this workshop. Kevin will stay on as chair, seeking co-chair(s) and volunteers.
Training Committee (Lisa Morrison) - Recently a message was sent to the Region to request that members complete the training survey on Survey Monkey. The survey is very short and should take only seconds to complete.
Region I 2006 Service Award (Presented by Mary Koehneke)
The Awards Committee is proud to present the 2006 Region I Service Award to Stephanie Kindzia from SUNY Buffalo State College. Stephanie received multiple nominations for this award, please read the nomination text for more information about the contributions that Stephanie has made to Region I and NYSFAAA overall.
Nomination compilations for Stephanie Kindzia for the Region 1 Service Award
Stephanie Kindzia is the embodiment of what it means to be of service to NYSFAAA. She has been instrumental in making Region 1’s Support Staff Workshop the one to look forward to each and every year. She has co-chaired the even with Abbey, and has been an integral part of the committee before and since. She has many great ideas to keep the workshops both informative and entertaining and has willingly taken on more than her share of the workload each year. She has graciously allowed the committee to invade her home to stuff participant folders and goody bags for the past few years, and is always willing to go the extra mile for Region 1.
Stephanie has also been an important member of the School Counselor Workshops, and attends the workshops without fail through rain, sleet, snow and everything else in the far reaches of Region 1.
Stephanie is a can-do person who always pitches in. Even when work at the college required her to scale back on volunteering, she still found ways to help in her personal time. She motivates people to work hard, yet they have a lot of fun doing it.
Stephanie also organizes the Jet
Boat ride at
Legislative Committee – The issue of legislative visits was
raised. There is interest in possibly
getting some training in Region I and going down when the executive council
meeting in February occurs. The Region
is seeking volunteers to meet with representatives. Warren Hoffman indicated that it is a very worthwhile
experience. It’s our responsibility to
advocate for our students. The attendees
found the idea interesting. Logistics
would be worked out a week or so before to train for the protocol. At one point, it was mentioned, students came
in with the schools and the representatives really felt the impact of the
issues on the students. They (
Region Meetings – Still need to determine date and location for February meeting.
HESC Update (Jack Rafferty)
HESC Update-October 2006
New TAP Credits Earned Reporting Requirement
As summarized in HESC Bulletin 2206-013, a new state law requires the president of HESC to prepare and submit an annual TAP report to the governor and Legislature by February 2007.
The annual report will include statistics regarding TAP recipients, including the number of:
· students receiving TAP in each term;
· students who were granted waivers by their institution;
· students decertified for not meeting good academic standards;
· credits earned by TAP recipients.
HESC collects most of the information needed for the annual report except the number of “credits earned by TAP recipients.” HESC will collect this data from each school.
Starting in December, HESC will
provide each school with a file of their undergraduate students certified for
each term of the prior year. This new outgoing TAP file, HE8501 Listing of
Students who Receive TAP at a
Schools will be required to submit TAP credits earned to HESC using one of the following three file format options:
HE8502 Credits Earned Reporting for Students Receiving TAP--Detail Reporting (Incoming) This file format will be used to report the number of credits earned for each student by term and academic year.
HE8503 Credits Earned Reporting
for All Students at a
HE8504 Credits Earned Reporting For Students Receiving TAP-- Summary Reporting (Incoming) This file format will be used to report the total number of students who received a certain number of credits by term and academic year.
The City University of New York (CUNY) central administration will submit the number of TAP credits earned by recipients for all students at CUNY schools
HESC will soon announce an upcoming Web conference to discuss the reporting of TAP credits earned.
Questions regarding the new TAP Reporting Requirements can be directed to HESC TAP Policy at 1-518-474-3552 or at tappolicy@hesc.org
NYS Math & Science Teaching Incentive Program
The NYS Higher Education
Services Corp. announces the “NYS Math & Science Teaching Incentive
Program”. This is a competitive award
program to increase the number of middle and secondary math and science
teachers in
Eligible recipients may receive annual awards for not more than four academic years of undergraduate and one academic year of graduate full time study while matriculated in an approved program leading to permanent certification as a secondary education teacher in mathematics and science. For more information, see HESC’s Financial Aid Services Bulletin #2006-012.
HESC’s Loan Symposium
We would like to take this
opportunity to thank all that participated and attended in HESC’s
2nd Annual Loan Symposium. Even with a
few last minute cancellations, we had 202 attendees, with 123 college personnel
and 79 lender personnel. Mark your
calendars for next year. The 3rd Annual
Loan Symposium will be held September 19th and 20th in
Administrative Workshop
Save the date. HESC’s Administrative Workshops will be help on the following dates:
Dec, 4th –
Dec. 6th –
Dec. 7th –
Workshop topics and registration information will be posted shortly on HESC’s website.
Loan Processing Changes
HESC recently moved the following changes to production:
Some schools require their borrowers complete a new MPN for each loan. Schools indicate this by sending a “N” (New) in the Serial Loan field in the CommonLine (CL) Application Send file. Schools are finding borrowers are completing a new MPN before the schools sends their certifications in the Application Send file. Since the school has indicated these records required a new MPN, the borrower is contacted to complete a new MPN.
To assist schools and borrowers, HESC changed the loan processing program to find the new MPN the borrower has already completed. The system can be set up to look back a specific number of days to find an MPN completed by the borrower.
Changes effective August 2006:
PLUS Credit Check and eMPN
HESC changed the PLUS Credit Check and e-MPN process to allow borrowers to complete an e-MPN when their credit check is denied. If the borrower requests a “second look” and credit is subsequently approved, the loan may be processed since an e-MPN is on file.
Higher Education Law Extended
Saturday, September 30, President Bush signed into law the extension of the HEA through June 30, 2007 and also includes two substantive provisions relating to the Act:
1. 9/11 Loan Forgiveness – student loan forgiveness will be extended to the spouses and parents of those who died or became disabled in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The Department of Education will establish procedures for this loan forgiveness by December 29, 2006.
2. Eligible Lender Trustee Restrictions – places restrictions on the ability of lenders acting as trustees for institutions of higher education (or organizations affiliated with those institutions) to make or hold loans.
HESC will provide more information about these provisions as more information becomes available.
As recently summarized in HESC Bulletin 2006-012, HESC announced the availability of the
New York State Math &
Science Teaching Incentive Program, a competitive award program to increase the
number of middle and secondary math and science teachers in
Eligible recipients may receive annual awards for not more than four academic years of undergraduate and one academic year of graduate full-time study while matriculated in an approved program leading to permanent certification as a secondary education teacher in mathematics or science.
The maximum amount of the award
is equal to the annual tuition charged to
Students receiving a New York
State Math & Science Teaching Incentive award must agree to teach math or
science for five years on a full-time basis at a secondary school located
within
A New York State Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program Supplement form must be completed and postmarked by a deadline to be set by HESC. This form will be available on our Web site in January 2007.
Selected recipients must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application by May 1 of each academic year they seek payment under this program.
Additional information on this program can be found by visiting hesc.org's, "College Administrators and Lenders" link, and by clicking on "Transaction Support" and "Recent Financial Aid Bulletins"
Any questions regarding the new Incentive Program can be directed to the HESC Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372.
New HESC Preferred Lender List
HESC has added the ability for
schools to create a separate preferred lender list for
For information on how to add or change your school’s preferred lender lists, visit the "College and Lender Transactions" link on hesc.org's College Administrators and Lenders page, or contact HESC's Priority Services Unit at priorityservices@hesc.org.
HESC Web Site
HESC will soon announce improvements to the HESC Web site, which will include three links on our homepage for Students/Families, College Administrators, and Lenders. These portals will lead to areas of interest depending on the link chosen. Students and Families will be able to click on a link, which will bring them directly to the page that will allow them to easily choose the required task, such as the e-MPN process, completing TAP on the Web, or login to HESC to check the status of their TAP or loans, etc.
To avoid any confusion for the schools and students, HESC will insert a new flyer with the school or HESC loan wrap indicating the HESC Web screens have changed and may be different from the instructions printed on the enclosed wrap.
The bookmarks used by schools and lenders to send borrowers to the HESC e-MPN process will also change. These bookmarks will be available with the formal announcement of the new Web site.
Roundtable Discussion
Debra Eddy announced that USA Funds is offering some free web casts - 11/28-30 2-3 pm - register at www.usafunds.org. Training for New FA staff will begin in December.
Interns are available for
schools from Buffalo State College Student Personnel programs. It was noted that Brent McEnroe was a former
intern through that program. Generally
Dan asked who has drawn down ACG/Smart and paid their students. Banner schools are having some problems with their student modules. Data cannot be submitted to COD until 12/16/06. We’re advancing money prior to originations. Setup screens working in test but not live. George Chin & Dan Tramuta will present on ACG & Smart at the NYSFAAA conference.
School, Lender, & Guarantor News
Katrina DelGrosso has joined Student Capital Corporation (per Dan Dunn).
Archie Cureton had knee replacement surgery this week. Doing well - should be going home shortly and cards and well-wishes may be sent to him at:
Archie Cureton
585-243-3575
Leigh Fiorenzo (M & T Bank wedding is this Saturday, October 28th. Congratulations Leigh!
Training – (Lisa Morrison introduced Lisa Larrison
from
The Ins and Outs of NSLDS
Lisa has worked for
If any Region members would like a copy of the presentation, please e-mail Sarah Izzo at sizzo@ecc.edu and I will be happy to forward it to you.
November – No Meeting (NYSFAAA Conference 11/6-11/9/06)
Next Meeting:
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Details to follow in separate e-mail