Bulletin ID
DLB - 98 - 7
| PublicationDate: 2/1/98 BulletinID: DLB - 98 - 7 February 1998 DLB-98-7 SUBJECT: Dates, Sites, and Registration for the 1998-99 Direct Loan, EDExpress Application Processing and Packaging Training - - April through June 1998 Dear Colleague: The Department of Education (ED) is pleased to announce a training series for new and current participants in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Enclosed is the schedule of training workshops that will begin April 1, 1998. There are four different training opportunities available, so please pay particular attention to the descriptions of each type of training when deciding which will most benefit your institution. TRAINING FOR NEW DIRECT LOAN SCHOOLS (ACADEMIC YEAR 1998-99) - TWO DAYS The training for new schools will be a two-day integrated curriculum, combining both programmatic and policy information with hands-on instruction on the EDExpress software supporting Direct Loan functions. The sessions will cover all policies and procedures required for a school to administer the Direct Loan program, including the exchange and processing of data with the Direct Loan Origination Center. Trainees will be instructed in all areas of the Direct Loan process: - Creating loan origination records, including changes to origination records - Printing and management of promissory notes - Requesting and receiving Direct Loan funds - Reporting disbursement of Direct Loan funds - Managing data and the loan process - Loan servicing issues - Direct Loan consolidation overview The focus of the training will be on using the EDExpress software to perform these functions. These sessions will also aid new schools in understanding the loan process and the procedures for sending and receiving data from the Direct Loan Origination Center. PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE SESSIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR CURRENT DIRECT LOAN SCHOOLS. DIRECT LOAN UPDATE TRAINING FOR CURRENT DIRECT LOAN SCHOOLS - ONE DAY This session is for Academic Year (AY)1994-95, AY 1995-96, AY 1996-97, and AY 1997-98 Direct Loan schools interested in learning new programmatic requirements and the l998-99 version of EDExpress Direct Loan software. Reconciliation/loan detail matching, exercises with live data and problem solving are a part of this training session. An overview of the Direct Loan consolidation process will be presented. This "refresher" session is not intended for new Direct Loan schools. EDEXPRESS APPLICATION PROCESSING - ONE DAY The Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) is the service that allows schools to electronically process Title IV financial aid data, using the Title IV Wide Area Network (TIV WAN). EDExpress is the software developed by ED to aid schools in those processes. To participate in the Direct Loan Program, schools will need to be enrolled in EDE. For schools that have little or no experience with EDE and/or EDExpress, we are offering a one day session, EDExpress Application Processing. This session covers the basic processes of EDE, including how data is exchanged, transmitted and received. The session also focuses on the use and navigation of EDExpress to create, send and receive data and the use of the TIV WAN network in transmitting data. Other highlights of this session include: - EDExpress set up - Computer based training (simulation software) in EDExpress for Windows application processing, including institution set up, entering electronic FAFSAs and retrieving ISIRs. SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT YET ENROLLED OR HAVE RECENTLY ENROLLED IN EDE, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO EDEXPRESS, WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS SESSION. EDEXPRESS PACKAGING TWO DAYS For schools that have little or no experience with packaging in EDExpress, we are offering a two day session, EDExpress Packaging. This session covers the basic processes of packaging. Topics for this session include: - Computer based training (simulation software) in EDExpress for Windows application packaging, including set up for the academic year, budgets, document tracking and financial aid funds - Importing Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) - Award methodologies - Document tracking & user-defined letters - Queries & satisfactory academic progress flag - On Day Two, participants may bring their own school's parameters (budget information, fund types to award, academic year information) or use a provided set of parameters for training. The parameters will be used to complete worksheets for all of the set up functions, enter set up functions into EDExpress, create awards, and print letters and reports based on the data entered. All of these activities will be completed using "live" EDExpress Software. REGISTRATION INFORMATION All training will be held in ED's Regional Training Facilities, as indicated on the enclosed schedule. Class sizes are limited and registration is required. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis; however, participation by any one institution may be limited to four persons if registration demands exceed class capacity. Trainees should register for the appropriate training session using the enclosed form. Registration will be confirmed. Training will begin each day at 9:00 a.m., and will end at approximately 4:00 p.m. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE SESSION FOR WHICH YOU HAVE REGISTERED, PLEASE CALL THE DESIGNATED CONTACT PERSON SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOUR SLOT TO AN INDIVIDUAL ON THE WAITING LIST. Participants should arrange and pay for their own transportation, meals, and lodging. Your regional contacts will be happy to provide information on nearby lodging and directions to the training facilities. The training and workshop materials are provided at no cost to schools. However, you may wish to bring a two-inch 3-ring binder for the Trainee Guide. We look forward to your participation in this training. We hope it will provide you with the information and tools you need to administer the Direct Loan program at your school. Sincerely, Joe L. McCormick Chair Direct Loan Task Force Enclosure A Enclosure B |