Publication Date: June 26, 2006 Author: G. Kay Jacks, General Manager, FSA Application, School Eligibility and Delivery Services Summary: HERA Operational Implementation Guidance (CPS, COD System, EDExpress Suite) -- Reminder: R2T4 PC Product Archived Due to Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 Posted on 06-26-2006 On June 2, 2006, we relocated the PC version of Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) to an archival section of the Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) Web site (http://fsadownload.ed.gov). As communicated in our May 19, 2006 electronic announcement, the PC software version of R2T4 will not be updated to include provisions of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (the HERA), Pub. L. 109-171. Therefore, we would like to remind you that the R2T4 PC product cannot be used for students with a withdrawal date on or after July 1, 2006. In early August 2006, Federal Student Aid will release an updated version of our R2T4 on the Web product to implement changes to R2T4 calculations as a result of the HERA. The updated 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 being developed to accommodate the revised calculations, and will be available by July 1, 2006 on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site (http://ifap.ed.gov). Please use these worksheets for students who withdraw on or after July 1, 2006 until the updated R2T4 on the Web site is available in early August. The R2T4 PC software is still accessible through FSAdownload's "Site Map" feature. However, all schools currently using the PC software version of R2T4 should familiarize 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. 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 (http://www.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 http://www.fsawebenroll.ed.gov. Signature pages are not required for FAA Access to CPS Online or R2T4 on the Web enrollment. If You Have Questions We will 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 this additional communication. 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. |