DCLPublicationDate: 1/1/96 DCLID: GEN-96-3 AwardYear: Summary: This letter describes the l996-97 Title IV Update Training and the Direct Loan Training for new schools to be conducted in spring l996, and lists the sites and dates for the workshops. Training Announcement January l996 GEN-96-3 SUMMARY: This letter describes the l996-97 Title IV Update Training and the Direct Loan Training for new schools to be conducted in spring l996, and lists the sites and dates for the workshops. Dear Colleague: We are pleased to announce a series of nationwide training workshops sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) Student Financial Assistance Programs (SFAP). Title IV Update Training will take place between mid-March and May l996. The William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan Training for new schools will be in late March and late April l996. Title IV Update Training This training is similar to the Delivery System training held by ED in previous years. This year, however, the training will also integrate information on SFAP electronic initiatives with program and policy updates. Specifically, new information on the Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) and EDExpress, the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and the SFAP Bulletin Board System (BBS) will be presented. Because of budget constraints, seating at some of the l996-97 workshops will be limited. Therefore, ED will confirm workshop registration, which will be on a first come, first served basis. All attendees will need to be registered in advance. We recommend that you review the agenda and register only those staff that will most benefit from the training. The agenda for the Title IV Update Training is as follows: Day One - NSLDS; new features of EDExpress - Changes in Student Assistance General Provisions regulations, including ability to benefit and regulatory relief changes; features of the l996-97 EDExpress application module - Regulatory changes for campus-based programs; Federal Work Study community service; the l996-97 EDExpress packaging module - New Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan requirements; the new Student Status Confirmation Report process; the 1996-97 Direct Loan EDExpress module - Federal Pell Grant overpayments; Pell paperless processing; how to use the EDExpress Pell Payment module Day 2 - Cash Management: maintaining and disbursing funds - Refund and Repayments issues: recent policy interpretations and case studies - Other Regulatory Changes: Student Right to Know; record retention - Overview of new school recertification process - The Quality Assurance Program and Experimental Sites - ED's Customer Support Service and the BBS The workshops will begin each day at 9:00 a.m. and will adjourn at approximately 5:00 p.m. Training teams will consist of two ED trainers and one school financial aid administrator. If you are interested in attending this training, please complete the enclosed registration form clearly marked for the Title IV Update Training and mail or FAX it to the address on the form. You will receive a confirmation by mail or FAX. Participants should bring a calculator and a 3-ring binder for the Trainee Guide, which will be distributed at the workshop site. Direct Loan Training for New Schools Direct Loan Training for schools new to the Direct Loan Program in 1996-97 will be offered in several of our Regional Training Centers in late March and late April 1996. (See the registration information enclosed.) The two-day training session is designed to provide Direct Loan Program staff at your school with programmatic information and hands-on computer training on the Direct Loan module in EDExpress, the PC software provided by ED. Your staff will learn how to make Direct Loans to your students quickly and easily. Staff members from the departments that will implement and administer Direct Loans at your school should plan to attend one of the scheduled training sessions listed in the registration attachment. This includes staff from the financial aid office, business office, and computer services. These training sessions will be conducted by training specialists from the Department of Education (ED), NCS (the Direct Loan software developer), and trainers from the financial aid community who have successfully implemented the Direct Loan Program at their schools. Schools currently participating in the Direct Loan Program should plan to attend the Title IV Update Training for new information on the program as described in the agenda outlined above. This Direct Loan Training is limited to schools newly selected for participation in the Direct Loan program. If you are interested in attending this training, please use the enclosed registration form clearly marked for Direct Loan Training. Your registration will be confirmed. Both the Title IV Update Training and the Direct Loan Training are free. However, participants should arrange and pay for their own transportation, meals, and lodging. If you have questions about the Title IV Update Training, please call the NASFAA Training Project staff at (202)785-0453. If you have questions about the Direct Loan Training, please call the Direct Loan Client Account Manager in your region (see enclosed schedule.) On behalf of the Student Financial Assistance Programs we wish to thank the institutions that are making their facilities available for training this spring. We look forward to your participation in the Title IV Update Training and the Direct Loan Training for new schools. Sincerely, Elizabeth M. Hicks Deputy Assistant Secretary Student Financial Assistance Enclosures* *[Registration forms for 1996-97 Title IV Update Training and Direct Loan Training Registration are currently unavailable on the BBS. Please reference that page in the DCL GEN-96-3 for further information.]* |