Posted Date:March 03, 2009
Author: William Leith, Service Director, Program Management, Federal Student Aid
Subject: Upcoming Change to Login Process for the FAA Access to CPS Online and SAIG Enrollment Web Sites
We would like to inform you of an upcoming change to the login process for the FAA Access to CPS Online and Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Enrollment Web sites. As we described at the recent Fall Conferences, users will no longer need to provide personally identifiable information to log in to these Web sites. Instead, a Federal Student Aid User ID (FSA User ID) and password will be used to authenticate a user's identity and to log in to both Web sites. The FSA User ID and password will replace identifiers that are currently used to log in, such as Social Security Number (SSN) and date of birth (DOB).
This change is to address security concerns raised by requiring personally identifiable information to log in to Federal Student Aid Web sites. It is also a step toward our goal of providing a "single sign-on" process for users of multiple systems associated with Federal Student Aid. The goal is to require users to log in just once to access our different systems, rather than multiple times using various authentication methods.
In this announcement, we provide the following important information related to the implementation of this new process:
- What Is Changing
- What Is Not Changing
- Schedule For Implementation
- When Enrollment Begins-Obtaining an FSA User ID and Password
- How To Prepare For the New Process
- Contact Information
Thank you in advance for your assistance with the implementation of this new process.
What Is Changing
The primary change is that FAA Access users and SAIG Destination Point Administrators (DPAs) will no longer provide personally identifiable information, such as an SSN, DOB, last name, and (for FAA Access to CPS Online) a PIN, to log in and access the FAA Access to CPS Online and the SAIG Enrollment Web sites. Instead, each user will be issued a new FSA User ID and will establish a password.
Note for EDExpress Users: The link to FAA Access to CPS Online will remain in the software. However, when using the link EDExpress users will encounter the new login process and will use the FSA User ID and password to log in to FAA Access to CPS Online. To implement this change, EDExpress for both the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 award years will be updated in a future release. Additional information will be provided in forthcoming communications.
There are two additional changes related to the new authentication process. First, an FSA User ID enrollment module will be added to the SAIG Enrollment Web site. This new module will offer a streamlined method to register for a new FSA User ID and create a password.
Second, the Web address (or URL) for FAA Access to CPS Online will change. When the new URL has been finalized, we will notify all users. The impact of this change will be minimal, as the current URL will continue to function for an indefinite period of time.
What Is Not Changing
Access to other Federal Student Aid Web sites such as Common Origination and Disbursement (COD), National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Professional Access, or eCampus-Based (eCB) will not be affected by this change. In addition, there will be no change to the current process for sending and receiving data through the SAIG.
Note for eCB and eCDR Appeals Users: The FSA User ID and password that are currently used for the eCB and eCohort Default Rate (eCDR) Appeals Web sites will be used to access the FAA Access to CPS Online and the SAIG Enrollment Web sites, when the authentication change to those sites is complete. Individuals that currently have an FSA User ID and password for use on the eCB and eCDR Appeals Web sites will not need to take any action.
Schedule For Implementation
In early April 2009 we plan to begin the online FSA User ID enrollment process for all participants that use the FAA Access to CPS Online and the SAIG Enrollment Web sites. We plan to implement the change to the log in process for the two Web sites in mid-May 2009.
After the mid-May 2009 implementation is complete, an FSA User ID and password must be used to access the FAA Access to CPS Online and the SAIG Enrollment Web sites.
When Enrollment Begins-Obtaining an FSA User ID and Password
All current users of the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site (including those who access the site through EDExpress) and the SAIG Enrollment Web site will need to obtain an FSA User ID. Users will receive an e-mail message containing a link to the online enrollment system. During the enrollment process the user will select and respond to several challenge questions and establish a password. Once enrollment is complete, the user will be e-mailed his or her FSA User ID.
Reminder: As stated above, the FSA User ID and password that are currently used for the eCB and eCDR Appeals Web sites can be used to access the FAA Access to CPS Online and the SAIG Enrollment Web sites, when the authentication change to those sites is complete. Individuals that currently have an FSA User ID and password for use on the eCB and eCDR Appeals Web sites will not need to take any action.
Detailed instructions for how to obtain an FSA User ID and password will be communicated in the coming weeks. Watch the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site for further details.
How To Prepare For the New Process
To ensure we have the necessary information to communicate with users in the coming months, Primary DPAs (PDPAs) should verify the SAIG Enrollment contact information for the organization's users, particularly e-mail addresses. If you have questions about how to verify this information, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support. See the "Contact Information" section below.
In addition, the PDPA must also complete active confirmation for the organization's assigned TG numbers and FAA Access users. The active confirmation process was initiated this winter and eighty-four percent of TG numbers and FAA Access users have been confirmed. The accounts that remain unconfirmed risk losing access to the FAA Access to CPS Online and the SAIG Enrollment Web sites when the FSA User ID authentication process is implemented. Only accounts that have been confirmed by the PDPA will be eligible to enroll for an FSA User ID.
For instructions on how to perform active confirmation of your organization's assigned TG numbers and FAA Access users, see the electronic announcement posted on October 17, 2008.
Contact Information
Further information will be provided in the near future on the IFAP Web site. If you have questions, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.