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Campus Partners

Update Newsletter
March 2004

Download a printer-friendly Update here!
   

Archive Reminder
Disaster Recovery Test
Update Publication Changes
Exit Interviews
Workshop Update
Teleconferences
Regional Meetings
   

 

Inside Campus Partners
Vicki Vogler
Senior Systems Analyst

New Company to Focus on NEW Products and Services


As we transition to a new company under new ownership, our focus is to provide new and improved products and services to complement our broad range of service offerings. We created a solid foundation with the implementation of two Web-based products last year – myamsloan.com for borrower access to accounts, and System 3i for customer access to loan portfolio information. Beginning this year, and continuing into 2005, we will implement additional products to enhance service delivery, improve quality, and increase efficiency.

In short, we are going to give you the products that you have asked for! E-Billing, Web Exits, Master Prom Notes, and E-Signature will be available to you in the coming months.

We are excited about this opportunity to better serve you, and are committed to delivering operations and technology solutions that meet your needs. Through our strong, long-standing relationships with school customers and student borrowers, our goal is to forge successful campus partnerships.

Highlights of our plans for new product development are included with this issue of Update. We will keep you informed of our progress in upcoming issues of our Web-based customer newsletter.

Attachment: Highlights of Product Development Plans

 

 

Changes in 2005-2006 FISAP for Perkins, FSEOG, and FWS


The Department of Education (ED) recently published Dear Colleague Letter CB-04-03 to announce plans to make data collection changes to the Fiscal Operations Report for 2003-2004 and Application to Participate for 2005-2006 (FISAP). These changes include statutory/regulatory updates and suggestions received from schools. Although these changes require Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval, schools are being advised of them in advance of the FISAP distribution in July so they may plan accordingly. Campus Partners is in the process of updating the changes based on this guidance. To view this Dear Colleague Letter, go to http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/CB0403.html.

The FISAP instructions are available on the ED’s Information Collection Systems (EDICS) Web site (http://edicsweb.ed.gov) and can be viewed by clicking on “Browse Pending Collections” and clicking on IMG number (2426).

You are also invited to comment on the proposed revisions on or before April 14, 2004. See the Federal Register announcement for additional information at http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2004-1/031504e.pdf.

General Guidance for Title IV Participants Affected by Disaster


Dear Colleague Letter GEN-04-04 conveys guidelines to help Title IV participants - including students, borrowers, institutions, lenders, and guaranty agencies - that may be affected by a federally declared disaster. You may view this letter at http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0404.html.

 


NSLDS E-mail Address Changed


On March 8, 2004, the e-mail address for NSLDS Customer Service was changed to NSLDS@pearson.com. It was changed to ensure that all inquiries are routed to the correct support team. It replaces both of the former e-mail addresses.


Notice of the 2004-2005 Award Year Deadline Dates

ED recently published 2004-2005 award year deadlines for post-secondary institutions to submi t requests and documents for campus-based programs. Institutions must meet the established deadline dates to ensure consideration for funding or a waiver, as appropriate. You may view this Federal Register announcement at http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2004-1/031504g.pdf.

 


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2004-2005 Federal Student Aid Handbook Update

ED just posted Volume 2 of the 2004-2005 FSA Handbook: School Eligibility and Operations. By the end of March, the complete Handbook will be available in PDF format. To view the changes to Volume 2, go to http://www.ifap.ed.gov/IFAPWebApp/currentSFAHandbooksYearPag.jsp?p1=2004-2005&p2=c.

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DHCDD Campus Based Branch’s New Branch Chief

Debra Beals is the new Branch Chief for Campus-Based programs in the Division of Health Careers Diversity and Development of the Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources & Services Administration. She is taking over Mary Farrington’s position since she recently retired.

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2004-2005 Renewal FAFSA Application Available as PDF

ED has published the 2004-2005 Renewal FAFSA Application in PDF format. It is available at http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fafsa/attachments/0405RAPP.pdf.

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Proposed Changes to the 2005-2006 FAFSA

The first draft of the proposed 2005-2006 FAFSA is available for comment. A Federal Register Notice announcing a 60-day public comment period was posted on March 12. You can view this notice at http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2004-1/031204a.pdf.

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FSA Releases EDExpress Basics Training Modules


For the 2004-2005 year, computer/web-based software basics training for EDExpress and EDConnect will be available through the Internet to all schools. As with the 2003-04 training, EDExpress Basics will focus on providing users with the basic skills required to access and navigate the software. The initial training will be on global functions and application processing. You can view ED training announcement at http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/ann0402.html.

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McKeon Decides to Drop Punitive Measure in H.R. 3311

According to a report from NASFAA, Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) formally announced on March 3 that he will drop the most controversial provision of his Affordability in Higher Education Act. The provision punished institutions that rapidly increase tuition rates by revoking their eligibility for campus-based and other Title IV student financial aid programs. “NASFAA Members, like Congressman McKeon, are concerned about rising college costs and we pledge our support in finding reasonable solutions to help address the issue,” NASFAA President Dallas Martin said. “However, we cannot support sanctions being imposed upon institutions that in turn prevent qualified students from receiving need-based aid.” The complete text of this article can be found athttp://www.NASFAA.org/publications/2004/ghr3311dropped030404.html.

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Santa Clara University Joins Family


This month we welcome Santa Clara University (SCU) to our family of customers. Founded in 1851, SCU is located in Santa Clara, CA. According to the school’s Web site, the private Jesuit university has an undergraduate enrollment of 4,551 students and offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Commerce degrees. SCU also offers graduate degrees in Law, Business, Engineering, Counseling Psychology, Education, and Pastoral Ministries. For more information about Santa Clara, please visit their Web site at www.scu.edu.

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Archive Reminder and Selection Criteria

We will archive loans on the weekend of April 16. The selection criteria for 90 status (paid out) loans will be changed from twelve months (12) to twenty-four (24) months. The complete selection criteria for archiving loans are listed below.

 1.

For loan status 91 (disability cancellation), 92 (bankruptcy cancellation), or 96 (death cancellation) where the reprocessing date, paid-out date and the last monetary activity date are all over two years in the past.

2.
For loan status 94 (automatic write-off) or 95 (manual write-off) where the reprocessing date, paid-out date and the last monetary date are all over five years in the past.
3.

For loan status 90 (paid-in-full) where the reprocessing date, paid-out date and the last monetary date are all over twenty-four months in the past.

4.
All year to date paid fields are equal to zero.
5.
Calendar year interest paid is equal to zero.
6.
Calendar Year Capitalized Balance Paid must equal 0.00 before a loan can be archived.
7.

TRA Prior Year Interest Paid must equal 0.00 before a loan can be archived.

8.

Prior Year Interest Paid must equal 0.00 before a loan can be archived.

Note: Loans are archived at the borrower level. Therefore, all loans for a borrower must meet the above criteria before any loans for that borrower can be archived. This includes loans that a borrower has with different lenders or loans that a borrower has with the same lender.

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Did We Pass Our Test?

This is the question we ask ourselves after every disaster recovery test. We perform a disaster recovery test twice a year on the technology we use to provide you information. On February 19 through 21, we tested the Disaster Recovery Plan to see if we could connect our Web sites to the recovered mainframe. We were successful in doing this while continuing to provide you with the level of service you expect from us. As with any test, we find new ways to ensure our level of service to our customers will continue, even if a disaster strikes. These tests are an ongoing commitment we provide our customers in maintaining reliable, effective processing services.

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On-line Update

Starting this month, the Update will be an on-line publication only. If you routinely access the Update on-line, please remind other staff members in your office of its availability. If you prefer to read a paper copy, you can download the PDF file and it will look just like the Update that you formerly received in the mail each month.

We will also remind you via e-mail when the latest Update is posted to our Web site and include an active link so you can access the Update immediately. If you did not receive an e-mail reminder this month, but would like to add your name to our e-mail notification list, please e-mail your School Relations Coordinator or Debra Pitts, School Relations Assistant at dpitts@campuspartners.com.

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Preparing for Exit Interview Season

As you prepare for exit interviews with student borrowers leaving your institution, we
want to remind you of the availability of our exit interview services. We can provide
complete Exit Interview Packages for scheduled exits and an on-line Exit Interview
feature through DataLink for drop-in students who give little warning that they are leaving school. .

If you are not using our exit interview services or need more information about them, please contact your Customer Service Representative.

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Workshop Update

Student loan administrators from the Art Institute of California-Los Angeles, the Art Institute of New York, Asbury Theological Seminary, Circleville Bible College, Ferrum College, Guilford College, Methodist College, Pfeiffer University, and Winthrop University attended Student Loans 101 held earlier in March.

The workshop, designed for less experienced student loan administrators or those new to Campus Partners, will be offered again on July 8-9, 2004 in Winston-Salem. If you are interested in registering for the workshop, please contact Debra Pitts at 1-800-458-4492, ext. 2272, or via e-mail at dpitts@campuspartners.com.

Other workshops scheduled for the year include Student Loans 202, our training class for more experienced customers, which will be offered on May 13-14, 2004 and October 7-8, 2004. Registration materials are attached.

Attachment: Workshop Flyer and Registration Form

 

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Teleconference Schedule

Thinking about participating in one of our teleconferences, but don’t know how to sign up? Just e-mail Debra Pitts at dpitts@campuspartners.com at least three days before the scheduled teleconference to register. She will notify you of the telephone number that you need to call in a return e-mail. It’s free and is well worth your time to learn more about different aspects of servicing student loans.

Offering this training gives us the opportunity to reach student loan administrators who cannot attend a Student Loans 101 or 202 session in Winston-Salem. Each teleconference is geared towards understanding a particular topic and is an opportunity to gain new insights, ask questions of Campus Partners staff, and hear helpful suggestions from other schools.

We look forward to continuing this service for all our customers.

 

2004 Teleconference Training Schedule

April 12, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
Cohort: What is it? How Do I Manage It?
May 10, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
eXpressReports
June 2004  
No teleconferences are scheduled for June.
July 12, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
FISCOP
August 9, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
Where Do I Start?  A Month-to-Month Checklist
September 13, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
Open Topic
October 4, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
10 Things to Know about Student Loans
November 8, 2004
Open Topic
December 13, 2004 2:00 p.m. ET
What are Perkins Loans and How Campus Partners Helps?

Regional Meetings

Join us at one of our Regional Meetings this year held at campuses across the country. You’ll have a chance to find out the latest information from your School Relations Coordinator and share insights with other student loan administrators in your area. If you are interested in hosting a meeting on your campus, please contact your School Relations Coordinator.

Date
Region
Host

April 26

Virginia

University of Richmond

May

Florida

Rollins College

June

Northern California

 

June

Southern California

 

July

Tennessee

 

July 23

Washington State

Seattle University

August

New York City

 

October

Nebraska

 

October

Arizona

 

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Conference Schedule

Representatives from Campus Partners will attend the conference listed below.

The Colorado Association of Administrators of Student Loan Accounts Receiveable (CAASLAR) Conference will be held on April 22-23 at the Antlers Adam’s Mark Colorado Springs. Please visit www.caaslar.org for more information.

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Cutoff Dates

Cutoff dates for April and May 2004 are presented below:

Transaction
April 2004
May 2004
Last day to receive collection payments
04/27/04
05/25/04
Last day to receive regular payments
04/28/04
05/26/04
Last day for online payments
04/30/04
05/28/04
Date final post begins
04/30/04
05/28/04
Report date used for final post
04/30/04
05/31/04
Last day deposits created for deposit to bank account

04/30/04

05/28/04


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