| AwardYear: 1997-1998 EnterChapterNo: 1 EnterChapterTitle: Introduction and General Program Information SectionNumber: 2 SectionTitle: References and Resources PageNumbers: 15-34 This section contains important names, addresses, and telephone numbers for both Headquarters and regional office personnel. These contacts include major areas within the Program Systems Service (PSS), which administers the operational aspects of the SFA programs; within the Accounting and Financial Management Service (AFMS), which is responsible for delivering and accounting for SFA funds; and within the Department's regional offices, which implement central office functions in the field. Page 1-17 contains the Automated Data Exchange Specialists. The Automated Data Exchange is within PSS and includes the Recipient Data Exchange (RDE), the Electronic Data Exchange (EDE), and the Floppy Disk Data Exchange (RDDE). Pages 1-18 and 1-19 contain the Pell Grant Financial Management Specialists and Campus-Based Financial Management Specialists, respectively. These specialists are within AFMS. [[ED regional offices]] The next four pages contain contacts for the Department's regional offices. Page 1-20 shows the Direct Loan Task Force Client Account Management, including each region's address, telephone number, and states served. The general addresses for each of the 10 Department regional offices are shown on page 1-21. Page 1-22 contains the regional addresses for the Case Management Teams (formerly listed as the Institutional Review Branches in last year's Handbook), and page 1-23 contains the regional addresses of the Guarantor and Lender Review Branches within the Field Guarantor and Lender Review Division. Next, page 1-24 contains the ED regional map. [[Telephone numbers and glossary]] Pages 1-25 through 1-29 contain important toll-free telephone numbers for various service areas throughout SFAP and ED. A brief glossary of terms starts on page 1-30. Automated Data Exchange Information Recipient (Tape) Data Exchange Pell Grant User Support Hotline . . . . . 202-708-9141 Electronic Data Exchange Paul Mathis . . . . . 202-708-8270 Electronic Applications Institution Student Information Records (ISIRs) Electronic Corrections Floppy Disk Data Exchange Pell Grant User Support Hotline . . . . . 202-708-9141 Electronic Payment Information Pell Grant User Support Hotline . . . . . 202-708-9141 Electronic Statement of Account Software Problems Payment Data Record Rejects [[The following pages are currently unavailable for viewing. 1-18 (Pell Grant Program Financial Management Specialists) 1-19 (Campus-Based Programs State Representatives) 1-20 (Direct Loan Client Account Management) 1-21 (Regional Addresses) 1-22 (Case Management Teams) 1-23 (Guarantor and Lender Review Branches) 1-24 (Regional Map) Please reference your paper document for additional information.]] Important Toll-Free Telephone Numbers Federal Student Aid Information Center The ED student information line (1-800-4-FED AID (1-800-433- 3243) provides assistance to callers in completing the federal application as well as providing information on the federal student aid programs administered by ED. This number serves as a dissemination point for many ED publications and video products. People who are hearing impaired may call 1-800-730-8913. Inspector General's Hotline The hotline to the U.S. Department of Education's Inspector General's Office is 1-800-4-FED AID (1-800-433-3243). Call this number if you have reason to expect any fraud, waste or abuse involving federal student aid funds. Debt Collection Service for Department-held Loans Borrowers who have defaulted loans HELD BY THE DEPARTMENT can call 1-800-621-3115 to find out who is handling their accounts, how much they owe, and where to send payments. If the loan is not held by the Department, it will be held by a school, bank or other lender, or guaranty agency, depending on the type of loan. Customer Support Branch Financial aid professionals may call this number (1-800-4-ED- SFAP--1-800-433-7327) for information about complying with SFA Program requirements through individual inquiry response and through the SFA Bulletin Board System (BBS). Inquiries are usually submitted over the telephone, by fax, or by e-mail. Information is provided through the BBS, an on-line interactive bulletin board that contains SFA publications (such as Dear Colleague letters, Q and A bulletins, handbooks, and Federal Registers). Publications on the BBS are in an electronic Internet format that can be searched, copied, or downloaded. National Student Loan Data System Customer Service Center This number is 1-800-999-8219. The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is a national database of Title IV loan-level information and selected grant data. Enrolling in the NSLDS is required of all institutions that participate in Title IV federal student financial aid programs. The NSLDS includes information on the FFEL, Direct Loan, and Perkins Loan programs; on Pell awards and disbursements, and on Pell and FSEOG overawards. Application Ordering System You can reach ED's automated Application Ordering System (AOS) by calling 1-800-284-2788. Through AOS, financial aid offices may order bulk quantities of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Spanish version of the FAFSA, and the Student Guide. You may also call this number using a touch tone telephone to check the status of orders and to enter new orders. When you call this number, the automated voice system will prompt you for your school's mailing list number. You may also check on the status of previous orders. Institutional Access System Hotline Schools calling the Institutional Access System (IAS) Hotline (1-800-4-PGRANT--1-800-474-7268) may access their Pell Grant Systems Division Representative or their Pell Grant Financial Management Division Representative. They may also be transferred to the Pell Grant Users Support Hotline that provides electronic payment information. Title IV Wide Area Network The customer service number for the Title IV Wide Area Network (known as TIV WAN or Title IV WAN) is 1-800-615-1189. Title IV WAN is ED's vehicle for electronically transmitting and receiving data on financial aid programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, as amended. Title IV WAN transmits Data from ED's Electronic Data Exchange (EDE),*1* the Direct Loan Program, and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). If your school is completing the enrollment agreement to participate in Title IV WAN services or if you have questions on operating on TIV WAN in a mainframe environment, you may call this number. Central Processing System Automated Customer Service Line The Central Processing System (CPS) Automated Customer Service line is 1-800-330-5947. CPS Customer Service can assist you with Renewal Application Data (RAD) requests. It is also the customer service number for the Institution Applicant Data Service (see footnote below). ED makes electronic Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) containing student financial aid applicant data available to institutions on tape or cartridge up to 40 times during the processing year. FAFSA Express Customer Service Line The FAFSA Express customer service line (1-800-801-0576) provides support to applicants using FAFSA Express software. Applicants who use FAFSA Express complete their applications electronically and have their application information transmitted directly to the central processor. Applicants use an automated system to order the software or to check the status of their applications. Customer service representatives are available to assist with the installation and setup of the software, to provide answers for modem and printer problems, and to answer application status questions. Closed School Information The closed school information hotline is 1-800-CLOSE-IN--1-800- 256-7346. Students may call this hotline and automatically have a closed school fact sheet mailed to them. Schools and state licensing agencies may also use this number to contact their assigned closed school specialists for assistance relating to a Title IV school closing William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program--Loan Origination Center The Loan Origination Center (School Relations) can be reached at 1-800-848-0978. Direct Loan schools may call this number if they have questions on promissory note processing, alternative origination processing, reconciliation issues, Acknowledgments, or Testing. Direct Loan schools may also call this number to order bulk forms/publications, such as 1997-98 promissory notes and related materials. Schools may also fax their orders to the Loan Origination Center at 1-800-557-7396. Direct Loan Consolidation Department Borrowers trying to consolidate their loans under the Direct Consolidation Loan Program may call the Consolidation Center of ED's Loan Origination Department at 1-800-557-7392. The TDD number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-557-7395. Direct Loan Custom/Combo School Technical Support The Direct Loan Custom/Combo School Technical Support line can be reached at 1-800-756-4220. It provides support to Direct Loan users who are creating their own Direct Loan processing system or a Direct Loan interface with the EDExpress software. The technical support staff can explain the Direct Loan Technical Reference, provide Direct Loan process "walkthroughs," and help users develop files to import into EDExpress. Users who receive error or warning messages when trying to import these files should contact the technical support staff for troubleshooting advice. Direct Loan Servicing Centers The Direct Loan Servicing Centers maintain records of individual borrower accounts and payments made on those accounts. Borrowers may also obtain information on deferment and repayment options. The address and appropriate telephone numbers of the borrower's servicing center will be printed on that borrower's loan documentation. Direct Loan Servicing Center (Utica, New York) Borrower Services . . . . . 1-800-848-0979 Delinquent Accounts/Collections Department . . . 1-800-848-0981 School Relations*2* . . . . . 1-888-877-7658 FAX . . . . . 1-800-848-0983 TDD . . . . . 1-800-848-0984 At the time this handbook went to print, all loan servicing records were handled through the Direct Loan Servicing Center in Utica. In July 1997, three new servicing centers will begin full operation to handle increased loan volume. These new servicing centers will be located in Michigan, Indiana, and Louisville. Listed below are important contact points for each of these centers. ALL TELEPHONE NUMBERS LISTED BELOW FOR THESE CENTERS SHOULD BE IN SERVICE LATER THIS SUMMER. Direct Loan Servicing Center (Great Lakes, Michigan) Borrower Services . . . . . 1-888-988-2022 Delinquent Accounts/Collections Department . . . 1-888-988-2023 School Relations . . . . . 1-888-988-2024 FAX . . . . . 1-888-998-2025 TDD . . . . . 1-888-998-2026 Direct Loan Servicing Center (Fisher, Indiana) Borrower Services . . . . . 1-888-335-1180 Delinquent Accounts/Collections Department . . . 1-888-335-1181 School Relations . . . . . 1-888-335-1182 FAX . . . . . 1-888-335-1184 TDD . . . . . 1-888-335-1183 Direct Loan Servicing Center (Louisville, Kentucky) Borrower Services . . . . . 1-888-758-9727 Delinquent Accounts/Collections Department . . . 1-888-758-9728 School Relations . . . . . 1-888-758-9729 FAX . . . . . 1-888-758-9730 TDD . . . . . 1-888-758-9731 Borrowers who do not know who is servicing their loans or who have misplaced their servicing center information may call Central Borrower Services at 1-888-447-4460 for assistance. A new Central School Relations number will also be available later this summer. That number is 1-888-445-7745. Glossary ACADEMIC YEAR. A period of time schools use to measure a quantity of study. For example, a school's academic year may consist of a fall and spring semester, during which a student must complete 24 semester hours. Academic years vary from school to school, and even from educational program to educational program at the same school. The school defines its own academic year, but federal law and regulations set minimum standards for SFA purposes. For example, every eligible school, including graduate programs, must have a defined academic year that contains a minimum of 30 weeks of instructional time. AWARD YEAR. Spans from July 1 to June 30 of the next year. For the Federal Pell Grant and campus-based programs, eligible students are paid out of funds designated for a particular award year, such as the 1997-98 award year (July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998). BASE YEAR. For need analysis purposes, the calendar year preceding the award year. For instance, 1996 is the base year used for determining eligibility in the 1997-98 award year. CAMPUS-BASED PROGRAMS. The Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study (FWS), and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) programs are often collectively referred to as the campus-based programs because the funds for these programs are administered directly by the school's financial aid office. CENTRAL PROCESSING SYSTEM (CPS). The Department's application data processing facility, currently located in Iowa. The CPS uses student information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) processors to calculate the student's official Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and creates an Individual Student Information Record (ISIR) and prints the Student Aid Report (SAR). COST OF ATTENDANCE (COA). Includes tuition, fees, the student's living expenses while he or she is attending school, and other costs such as costs related to a disability or for dependent care. The COA is determined by the school, using guidelines established by federal law to determine the figure. The COA, together with the student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC), helps determine the student's need for SFA funds. DEFAULT. Occurs when the borrower fails to repay a loan in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. See Chapter 10. ESTIMATED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (EFA). The amount of student financial aid the student may expect from federal, state, school, or other sources (including grants, loans, or need-based work programs). The school must consider this available assistance when determining a student's eligibility for a Federal Family Education Loan and for a Direct Subsidized Loan. EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC). The amount that the student's family is expected to contribute toward the cost of attendance. This amount is usually based on the family's income and assets. The EFC, together with the student's cost of attendance (COA), helps determine the student's need for SFA funds. FAFSA. See Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA PROCESSORS. Agencies that process the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) under contract with the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, see the Counselor's Handbook. FINANCIAL NEED. Generally, the difference between the student's cost of attendance (COA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA). The application that the student must file to apply for aid from any SFA program, including the FFEL and Direct Loan Program. The FAFSA is printed and distributed free of charge by the U.S. Department of Education. INSTITUTION. A postsecondary educational institution. In this handbook, the terms "school" and "institution" are often used interchangeably. INSTITUTIONAL STUDENT INFORMATION REQUEST (ISIR). The ISIR and the Student Aid Report, covered later in this glossary, are both federal output documents processed by the CPS. The SAR is sent to the student, while the ISIR is sent to the student's school. SARs and ISIRs contain the same processed student information in different formats. NEED ANALYSIS. The process of using a student's household and financial information (derived from the financial aid application) to calculate the amount the family can be expected to contribute to educational costs. For the SFA Programs, the need analysis calculation is defined by law and results in the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). OVERAWARD. Generally, any campus-based, FFEL, or Direct Loan funds disbursed in excess of the student's financial need. (The overaward concept does not apply to the Federal Pell Grant Program.) OVERPAYMENT. Any payment of a Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Perkins Loan, or SSIG that exceeds the amount for which the student was eligible. An overpayment may be the result of an overaward, an error in calculating the cost of attendance (COA) or the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), or a student's failure to meet any other eligibility criteria, such as citizenship or enrollment in an eligible program. PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT. While the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation is defined by law, the law does provide some flexibility. The financial aid administrator can make individual adjustments, based on his or professional judgment, to override a student's dependency status (from dependent to independent), to adjust the components of a student's cost of attendance (COA), and to adjust the data elements used to calculate the student's EFC. Such adjustments must be made on a case-by-case basis, and the reasons for the adjustment must be documented in the student's file. See the Counselor's Handbook for more information. PROMISSORY NOTE. A legal document that must be signed to obtain a loan. By signing, the borrower promises to repay the loan, with interest, in specified installments. The promissory note also includes any information about the grace period, deferment or cancellation provisions, and the student's rights and responsibilities with respect to the loan. RESOURCES. The amount of student financial aid the student may expect from federal, state, school, or other sources (as defined in the campus-based regulations). The school must consider this available assistance when determining a student's eligibility for campus-based funds. SCHOOL. A postsecondary educational institution. In this handbook, the terms "school" and "institution" are often used interchangeably. SFA Programs. The Student Financial Assistance (SFA) Programs administered within the U.S. Department of Education. These programs include Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Direct Loans, State Student Incentive Grants, and Byrd and Douglas Scholarships. SFA PROGRAMS. The Student Financial Assistance (SFA) Programs administered within the U.S. Department of Education. These programs include Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Direct Loans, State Student Incentive Grants, and Byrd and Douglas Scholarships. STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR). The federal output document printed by the CPS and mailed to the student. The SAR contains the family's financial information and other information as reported by the student on the FAFSA. The student's eligibility for aid depends on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that is derived by the processor and printed on the front of the SAR. Schools that participate in the Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) and other services offered by the Department may receive the information on the SAR through these services. For more information, see the Counselor's Handbook. Students who apply electronically will initially receive a SAR Information Acknowledgments instead of a paper SAR. VERIFICATION. The Central Processing System will select a certain percentage of FAFSAs, some randomly and others based on certain edit criteria, for data verification. Schools must verify certain data reported on these FAFSAs, using documentation provided by the student. (Many schools also choose to verify additional applications beyond those selected during processing.) For more information, see the Verification Guide. |