The Elusive Answer Researching the answer to a policy question.

1. The Elusive Answer Researching the answer to a policy question. WASFAA Federal Issues CommitteeFall 2013

2. Agenda • Getting Started • Policy & Regulations • When to Ask • Phrasing Your Question • Do some research • Who To Ask • Everyone!

3. Getting Started Where Do Policy Regulations Come From • Types of Legislation • Laws, Regulations, Guidance, Policy • Negotiated Rulemaking • Code of Federal Regulations • Spending Bills and Other Legislation

4. Types of Legislation

5. Laws, Regulations, Guidance, Policy

6. Rulemaking Traditional Rulemaking: • Department of Ed publishes NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking). • The public is allowed to comment during a specified timeframe. • Final regulations are issued after the comment period.

7. Rulemaking Negotiated Rulemaking: • The NPRM is developed in conjunction with significantly affected parties through a series of meetings with representatives from various constituencies. • The public is allowed a period to comment. • Final regulations are issued after the comment period.

8. Code of Federal Regulations • Title 34 CFR is Education • Part 600-699 Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education (668 Student Assistance General Provisions) • Subparts 668.34 Satisfactory Progress 34 CFR 668.34 OR § 668.34 • § 668.34(a)(3) The policy provides that a student's academic progress is evaluated— • (i) At the end of each payment period if the educational program is either one academic year in length or shorter than an academic year; or • (ii) For all other educational programs, at the end of each payment period or at least annually to correspond with the end of a payment period;

9. Appropriations Subcommittees make FY budget proposal Appropriations committee vote Full Senate/House vote Each has different draft. New committee created with members of house and senate to reconcile bill. Full Congress votes on bill.

10. When to Ask • Know when you need help • Not 100% sure of answer • Course of action being committed to by advisor, office, or school • Will a student’s eligibility be impacted by the decision? It is always ok to ask questions!

11. Phrase Your Question • What’s the broad category for the question? • School eligibility • Student eligibility • Awarding • Disbursement • Individual aid programs • Write out your question to avoid “research creep” (distractions)

12. Institutional Type • Know your sector • Public/Technical/Private/Proprietary • 2year/4year • Know your term type (2014 FSA 3-44) • Standard • Semesters/trimesters/quarters • Nonstandard • Credit hour/clock hour • Non-term • Know your Pell formula (2014 FSA 3-47) UW-Whitewater is a 4year, public, standard term, formula 1 institution.

13. Key Words • Census date – search “disbursement” or “recalculation” • Undocumented students – search “citizenship” • Independent students – search “dependency status” or “independence criteria”

14. Do Some Research • IFAP ifap.ed.gov • NASFAA nasfaa.org • IRS irs.gov • Dept of Ed ed.gov • Finaid.org • HEAB heab.state.wi.us

15. Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) • FSA Handbook • iLibrary • Reference guides • Code of Federal Regulations • Web based training • FSA Assessments • And more!!

16. FSA Handbook • Click on “Current Handbook” on the right side of the screen. • Application and Verification Guide, plus 6 volumes. • Which volume do you select? Use the FSA Handbook Cheat Sheet to help you! • If the volume you need is not available, check last year’s handbook. . . But BE CAREFUL, information may not be current.

17. Searching the Handbook Be careful how you phrase your search! Searching the AVG: “Simplified” 38 hits vs. “Simplified needs” 6 hits Searching Volume 3: “aggregate” 77 hits vs. “aggregate limit” 13 hits Even with this knowledge, you might still have searches with too many hits. . .

18. Searching the Handbook cont’d • USE the Table of Contents Each volume has a separate PDF table of contents Volume 5 • “post-withdrawal” – 218 hits • “post-withdrawal disbursement” – 210 hits • Searching table of contents, “post-withdrawal disbursement” 7 hits, all in the same section – best to go to that section!

19. iLibrary • Current and archived publications related to Federal Student Aid • Sorted by: Program Type (i.e., Pell, Perkins) Functional Type (i.e., Verification, PJ) Document Type (i.e., DCL, ISIR Guide)

20. NASFAA • Members of NASFAA can access resources on their website: www.nasfaa.org • AskRegs Knowledgebase • Student Financial Aid Research • Compiled Title IV Legislation • Policy & Procedure Guide • Self-Evaluation Guide

21. IRS.gov • Not just for ordering a transcript • Forms and Pubs • 1040 forms • Tax tables • Wage statements • Wondering what that code on the 1099-R means? • http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099r_12.pdf

22. Other Search Tips • Check out IFAP “Hot Topics” and Information Pages for issues such as Gainful Employment • Check out NASFAA “Publications” for Monographs on specific financial aid topics such as SAP • State issues? Go to HEAB site “Information for Financial Aid Administrators” for the Monthly Memo and Policies and Procedures Manual

23. Start Asking Questions • Your institutional colleagues • WASFAA members • NASFAA AskRegs • Finaid-L listserv • Department of Ed Trainers • NSLDS • COD • Loan servicers

24. Federal Resources • COD problems (loan origination, promissory notes not matching up) • NSLDS problems (transfer monitoring files, help reporting an overpayment) • Loan Servicing problems (student ret’d funds to both school & loan servicer) • FAA Access issues (log in problems, support for ISIR Analysis Tool & R2T4 on the web) All numbers found here: http://ifap.ed.gov/docs/CallQRef.pdf

25. Federal Resources • Federal TrainersJamie Malone (312) 730-1528 Jamie.Malone@ed.govAngela Smith (312) 730-1552 angela.smith@ed.govByron Scott (312) 730-1534 byron.scott@ed.govRegion VOffice location: Chicago, ILStates: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin(312) 730-1700 • Dept of Ed phonebook: http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/employee_locator/index.cfm

26. Organize your findings • Keep emails in folders to refer back to later • Start a file for each type of policy question • Add notes to your Policy & Procedure Manual

27. Converse with Colleagues Network with WASFAA members! • WASFAA meals – sit with someone new • Interest sessions – ask your neighbor • Receptions and activities – strike up a conversation • Email or call WASFAA colleagues

28. Converse with Colleagues Network with Financial Aid Administrators and other higher ed professionals! Follow @theFAchat And join the #FAchat First Tuesday every month, 12-1 CST Other hashtags to follow… #WASFAA #finaid #SAchat#EMchat#MASFAA

29. Federal Issues Committee • Susan Johnson, UW-Whitewaterjohnsosm@uww.edu • Kate Sopha, Madison College kdsopha@madisoncollege.edu • Julie Waldvogel-Leitner, MPTC jwaldvogelleitner@morainepark.edu