Publication Date: February 8, 2016
| DCL ID: | ANN-16-03 |
Subject: Training Workshops - Regional Drive-In Workshop Series
Summary: This letter announces a series of instructor-led, in-person training workshops offered by Federal Student Aid. These interactive one-day sessions, held in each of the regional offices and in Washington, DC, will provide information on a single hot topic, including the consumer disclosure requirements, R2T4 calculations for clock-hours, for credit hours, and for modules, as well as verification requirements. Each workshop will include a federal update.
Dear Colleague:
We are pleased to announce the Regional Drive-In Workshop Series, a series of five instructor-led, in-person training workshops, to be offered in April-September 2016 in each of Federal Student Aid’s regional offices as well as in Washington, DC. These interactive one-day sessions will provide information on five hot topics, including the consumer disclosure requirements, Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) calculations for clock-hours, for credit hours, and for modules, as well as changes to the verification requirements. We will present one specific workshop topic in the morning, to be followed by a federal update in the afternoon.
These training sessions are suitable for financial aid and business office staff with some familiarity with the administration of the Title IV federal student aid programs. Participants may register for as many workshops as they wish.
The Regional Drive-In Workshop Series includes the following individual workshops:
Consumer Information – This session will focus on the consumer disclosure requirements that have generated the most attention and questions throughout the past several years, such as the net price calculator and textbook disclosures, as well as a subset of disclosures that are commonly cited in program reviews. In addition to reviewing the requirements, the training will cover the tools and resources that are available to help institutions comply with consumer information provisions.
R2T4 Clock Hour Basics – This session will focus on one of the top 10 program review findings – Return of Title IV Funds. Designed specifically for clock hour programs, this interactive training will guide participants through a Return of Title IV Funds calculation.
R2T4 Credit Hour Basics – Designed specifically for credit hour programs, this interactive training will guide participants through a Return of Title IV Funds calculation. The session will not cover how modules affect the Return of Title IV Funds calculation; modules will be covered in the workshop described below.
R2T4 Term-Based Credit Hour with Modules – This session is designed specifically for credit hour programs with modules. This interactive training will discuss how to determine whether a student is enrolled in a program offered in modules and attendees will calculate a Return of Title IV Funds when such a student withdraws from that program.
Verification – This interactive session will cover changes to verification requirements for 2016-2017, including changes to the Verification Tracking Groups and updates to the verification selection process, particularly updates related to identity verification selection. Attendees will participate in a case study that walks through the verification process, including reviewing an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) and a tax return transcript.
As noted above, each of these five workshops will include a federal update in the afternoon, to provide information on recent regulatory changes.
For a complete list of workshop locations and dates, refer to the attachment to this announcement. The one-day workshops will begin at 9:30 A.M. and conclude by 3:00 P.M.
Advance registration is required for this training and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis as seating capacity is limited. To register for one or more training workshops, log in to Federal Student Aid E-Training with your username and password. After logging in, point your cursor to "Webinars and Workshops" on the main menu bar and select the “Regional Drive-In Workshop Series” option. Select the regional workshop city location of your choice, and follow the instructions to complete your registration. You must complete a separate registration for each workshop that you wish to attend.
Note: If you do not have a username and password for Federal Student Aid E-Training, select "Create new account" from the home page and follow the instructions to create a username and password.
Once registered, you will receive an e-mail confirmation. You should retain this confirmation, as it contains important information, including location and cancellation information. If unable to attend, we request that you cancel your registration so that individuals who wish to attend may do so.
Important Note for San Francisco Participants: The San Francisco regional office will be moving to a new location just prior to its last scheduled workshop (“Verification” on August 25, 2016). If registering for that workshop, please pay careful attention to the location information on the confirmation e-mail that you receive.
We look forward to your participation in this instructor-led training opportunity. If you have questions about the workshops, please contact Kim Wells at kimberly.wells@ed.gov. If you have questions about registration, please contact Scot Davisson at scot.davisson@ed.gov.
Sincerely,
John Brooks
Acting Service Director, Operations
Federal Student Aid