Publication Date: May 19, 2006 Author: G. Kay Jacks, General Manager, FSA Application, School Eligibility and Delivery Services Summary: HERA Operational Implementation Guidance (CPS, COD System, EDExpress Suite)---Updates to R2T4 on the Web and Archival of R2T4 PC Product Due to Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 Posted on 05-19-2006 In early August 2006, Federal Student Aid will release an updated version of our Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) on the Web product to implement changes to R2T4 calculations as a result of the provisions of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (the HERA), P.L. 109-171. R2T4 on the Web is an online, non-year-specific application that calculates the earned and unearned portion of Title IV program assistance in accordance with section 484B of the Higher Education Act. The HERA changed R2T4 calculations for students whose withdrawal date is on or after July 1, 2006. The HERA extended from 30 days to 45 days the maximum amount of time an institution has to complete an R2T4 calculation and return any Title IV funds for which it is responsible. The modified version of R2T4 on the Web will prompt users to indicate the student's withdrawal date. Based upon that information, either the existing R2T4 on the Web calculation will be performed (for students who withdraw prior to July 1, 2006) or the revised, HERA-compliant R2T4 on the Web calculation will be performed (for students who withdraw on or after July 1, 2006). New R2T4 and post-withdrawal disbursement worksheets are also being developed by Federal Student Aid to accommodate the revised calculations and will be available before July 1, 2006 on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site (http://ifap.ed.gov). Use and Archival of PC Version of R2T4 The PC software version of R2T4 will not be updated to include the HERA provisions. Therefore, it cannot be used for students with a withdrawal date on or after July 1, 2006. We encourage all schools currently using the PC software version of R2T4 to begin familiarizing themselves with R2T4 on the Web, which will be the only automated method provided by Federal Student Aid for performing calculations for students withdrawing on or after July 1, 2006. Schools may wish to determine a point in time (such as the beginning of the summer semester) to cease use of the R2T4 PC product in order to logically group students by product. On June 1, 2006, we will relocate the PC version of R2T4 to an archival section of the Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) Web Site (http://fsadownload.ed.gov). The R2T4 PC software will still be accessible through FSAdownload's "Site Map" feature. Enrollment Requirements for R2T4 on the Web R2T4 on the Web is accessible through the FAA Main Menu of the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site (fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/faa/faa.jsp) and from the View menu in the EDExpress for Windows software. Financial aid administrators need to be enrolled for both FAA Access to CPS Online and Return of Title IV Funds specifically to access the R2T4 on the Web site. The destination point administrator (DPA) or secondary destination point administrator (SDPA) of the TG number currently used by the school to send and receive Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) corrections has access to the FAA Access to CPS Online Web by default and can add or modify rights. The DPA or SDPA can easily sign up additional staff members for FAA Access to CPS Online and R2T4 on the Web on the SAIG Enrollment Web site, located at fsawebenroll.ed.gov. Signature pages are not required for FAA Access to CPS Online or R2T4 on the Web enrollment. If You Have Questions As we get closer to July 1, we will post a reminder to schools not to use the R2T4 PC software for students withdrawing on or after July 1, 2006. We will also post additional information about the changes to the R2T4 on the Web site for the HERA provisions when the updated R2T4 on the Web site is available. Please watch for these additional communications. If you have any questions regarding R2T4 on the Web or the R2T4 PC software, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov. |