 |
Volume 19, Number 1
July 2009 - September 2009
Welcome to the July - September 2009 electronic ISAC Communiqué, which is a quarterly compilation of e-Messages sent through College Zone’s e-Messaging service throughout July, August and September. This e-Messaging service has replaced both printed newsletters and special e-mail lists as ISAC’s primary means of communicating information to you.
The articles in this electronic Communiqué have been organized according to the Counselor Zone subscription groups to which the messages were distributed via College Zone’s e-Messaging service.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this electronic Communiqué can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at schoolservices@isac.org. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
Multiple Subscription Groups
Earn Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) and Professional Counselor/Clinical Counselor Continuing Education (CE) Credit at ISAC's Professional Development Opportunities for Counselors
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, IllinoisMentor Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on September 29, 2009.
At the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Division of College Access and Outreach, we know that one of the most pressing concerns for counselors is learning all there is to know and knowing where to find current and reliable information to be conveyed to students and parents. Hence, we are continually looking for ways to provide a professional development curriculum that is interactive, inclusive of real life situations experienced by students and families, and in tune with your training needs.
In our ongoing effort to provide you with high quality and no cost services, we are pleased to announce that ISAC's Professional Development Opportunities are approved for Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) as authorized by the Illinois State Board of Education and for Professional Counselor/Clinical Counselor Continuing Education (CE) credit as authorized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations. CPDU and CE credit is awarded to participants at a rate of one per contact hour.
Plan to join us at a location near you in October, November, December, January or February.
Locations, dates and campus maps
Session descriptions
For your convenience, this year you will have the ability to attend 3 workshops per date and site.
Developed as an intensive line-by-line review of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2010-11. Participants will gain insight about current intricacies of the FAFSA and anticipated changes. Special emphasis is placed on dependency questions, financial aid worksheets, issues of student eligibility, and how to avoid common mistakes.
Note: This session will be presented at 20 locations during the months of October, November, December, January and February.
Participants will build on information presented in "FAFSA Made Easier." Complex tax, asset, eligibility and need analysis questions are discussed. Using case studies that reflect real life situations, participants will complete guided calculations of the Federal Need Analysis Methodology and learn how the information reported on the FAFSA impacts a student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of January and February.
- "Consumer Economics of Higher Education"
At this highly rated session, participants are introduced to key elements for understanding financial aid options and to comprehensive consumer education information. You will gain insight to help students identify their best college options, decipher award letters, and prepare for the responsibilities associated with financing college.
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of January and February.
- "Guide to Conducting a Financial Aid Presentation" – in English
Designed to enhance your helping relationship with students and parents, this interactive session introduces financial aid concepts and strategies for maximizing on limited resources. Participants will learn to speak "financial aid" and to prepare interactive financial aid presentations for parents, students, and multilingual audiences. Ready-to-use presentations and tools will be made available to complement your next financial aid event.
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of October, November and December.
- "Guide to Conducting a Financial Aid Presentation" – in Spanish
Spanish is the second-most popular language in the country and the primary language spoken in more American homes than any other foreign language. This interactive session was created to help participants speak "financial aid" and to prepare a financial aid presentation in Spanish. You will be provided with ready-to-use presentations and Novelas EducativasTM - a series of short films created in the style of popular Spanish-language telenovelas.
**Note: Fluency in Spanish is required to attend.
Note: This session will be offered at 3 locations. It will be presented in October at Elgin Community College and in November at Malcolm X College and Oakton Community College.
An introduction to major functions of WhatsNextIllinois.org, an interactive online tool of ISAC. Participants will learn how this tool can support student achievement and integrate career development and college planning into academic activities. Emphasis will be placed on how it can be customized for your community and tailored to enhance your counseling efforts, reporting mechanisms, and lesson plan development.Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of October, November and December.
Questions
For more information about the 2009-10 Professional Development Opportunities presented by ISAC, visit the Training Calendar for Partners within the e-Library at collegezone.com or send an e-mail to OutreachTraining@isac.org.
Return to Top
Submit School-Generated HSSP Data
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on September 21, 2009.
In April, ISAC sent high schools an overview e-Message containing the delivery process and timeframes for the upcoming cycle of the State Scholar, Merit Recognition Scholarship and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program [collectively known as the High School Scholarship Programs (HSSP)]. ISAC gathers information during 2009-10, including sixth-semester data from high schools, that is used in making student awards for the 2010-11 academic year. In order to prevent ISAC from generating a roster in early October, either submit your school-generated sixth-semester data or contact School Services before September 30, 2009. If your school has already submitted the data, an ISAC-generated roster will not be generated.
The preferred method for submitting data is through the HSSP Electronic Delivery process as part of the Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange, although school-generated paper rosters will be accepted. Complete information regarding data submission, including required data and requested disqualification codes, is provided in the Required Sixth Semester Data section that is located within the Counselor Zone's ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area at collegezone.com.
Although submitting the required data prior to September 30th will prevent ISAC from generating a roster, school-generated paper rosters will continue to be accepted through the end of October, and electronic submissions will be accepted through early November. If you plan to submit school-generated data, but are unable to do so until after September 30th, please notify School Services via e-mail or telephone as listed below.
Likewise, if your school is not yet participating in the HSSP Electronic Delivery process, please consider contacting School Services to find out how to sign up.
Return to Top
ISAC Launches Illinois Student Assistance Corps
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, IllinoisMentor Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on September 14, 2009. For over fifty years, ISAC has worked with our partners in education to make college accessible and affordable for Illinois students. In that spirit of collaboration, ISAC is pleased to announce our latest college access and outreach initiative to benefit the entire state – the ISACorps.
Starting this fall, nearly 60 near-peer mentors will be assigned across the state to bolster ISAC's services to help students and families understand the college going process. With the Corps members recruited from the undergraduate class of 2009, their insights on the challenges of going to and paying for college will be very valuable in guiding students on the path to college.
The overview and contact document provides additional information on the ISACorps and why its mission is so vital to creating greater access to higher education in Illinois. It also includes contact information for the ISACorps member located in your community. If you want to learn more about the ISACorps or opportunities for collaboration, please e-mail us at Corps@isac.org.
Return to Top
2009-10 Professional Development Opportunities Brought to You by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors and Community Organizations on September 10, 2009.
You're Invited!
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is pleased to announce that the staff in the Division of College Access and Outreach will once again present a series of professional development opportunities. Scheduled to take place in the fall and winter, these interactive workshops are uniquely designed to help you and other college access professionals in assisting students and families through the process of planning for, applying to, and paying for educational opportunities beyond high school.
| Locations: |
Twenty sites across the state |
| Time: |
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
(welcome desk opens at 8:30 a.m.) |
| Cost: |
None, $0, Zip, Zilch, Nada |
| Note: |
Continental breakfast will be provided.
Lunch is on your own. |
Plan to join us in October, November, December, January or February. For your convenience, this year you will have the ability to attend up to 3 workshops per date and site. At select sites, you will have the option of attending a session in Spanish.
Session descriptions
Developed as an intensive line-by-line review of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2010-11. Participants will gain insight about current intricacies of the FAFSA and anticipated changes. Special emphasis is placed on dependency questions, financial aid worksheets, issues of student eligibility, and how to avoid common mistakes.
Note: This session will be presented at 20 locations during the months of October, November, December, January and February.
Participants will build on information presented in "FAFSA Made Easier." Complex tax, asset, eligibility and need analysis questions are discussed. Using case studies that reflect real life situations, participants will complete guided calculations of the Federal Need Analysis Methodology and learn how the information reported on the FAFSA impacts a student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of January and February.
- "Consumer Economics of Higher Education"
At this highly rated session, participants are introduced to key elements for understanding financial aid options and to comprehensive consumer education information. You will gain insight to help students identify their best college options, decipher award letters, and prepare for the responsibilities associated with financing college.
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of January and February.
- "Guide to Conducting a Financial Aid Presentation" – in English
Designed to enhance your helping relationship with students and parents, this interactive session introduces financial aid concepts and strategies for maximizing on limited resources. Participants will learn to speak "financial aid" and to prepare interactive financial aid presentations for parents, students, and multilingual audiences. Ready-to-use presentations and tools will be made available to complement your next financial aid event.
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of October, November and December.
- "Guide to Conducting a Financial Aid Presentation" – in Spanish
Spanish is the second-most popular language in the country and the primary language spoken in more American homes than any other foreign language. This interactive session was created to help participants speak "financial aid" and to prepare a financial aid presentation in Spanish. You will be provided with ready-to-use presentations and Novelas EducativasTM - a series of short films created in the style of popular Spanish-language telenovelas. **Note: Fluency in Spanish is required to attend.
Note: This session will be offered at 3 locations. It will be presented in October at Elgin Community College and in November at Malcolm X College and Oakton Community College.
An introduction to major functions of WhatsNextIllinois.org, an interactive online tool of ISAC. Participants will learn how this tool can support student achievement and integrate career development and college planning into academic activities. Emphasis will be placed on how it can be customized for your community and tailored to enhance your counseling efforts, reporting mechanisms, and lesson plan development.
Note: This session will be offered at 10 locations during the months of October, November and December.
Locations, dates and campus maps
OCTOBER
October 8, 2009
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby, IL
campus map
October 20, 2009
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Deerfield, IL
map
October 22, 2009
Elgin Community College (S)
Elgin, IL
campus map
October 27, 2009
John Wood Community College
Quincy, IL
campus map
October 29, 2009
Danville Area Community College
Danville, IL
campus map
NOVEMBER
November 03, 2009
Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield, IL
campus map
November 06, 2009
Malcolm X College (S)
Chicago, IL
campus map
November 13, 2009
Rend Lake College Market Place
Mt. Vernon, IL
campus map
November 20, 2009
Oakton Community College (S)
Des Plaines, IL
campus map
DECEMBER
December 11, 2009
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Deerfield, IL
map
JANUARY
January 21, 2010
Kaskaskia College
Centralia, IL
campus map
January 22, 2010
Lincoln Land College
Springfield, IL
campus map
January 27, 2010
Black Hawk College
Moline, IL
campus map
January 29, 2010
Malcolm X College
Chicago, IL
campus map
FEBRUARY
February 3, 2010
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Deerfield, IL
map
February 5, 2010
Host site to be announced
Sugar Grove, IL
February 10, 2010
Lake Land College
Matoon, IL
campus map
February 11, 2010
Illinois Central College
East Peoria, IL
campus map
February 19, 2010
Kankakee College
Kankakee, IL
campus map
February 26, 2010
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Deerfield, IL
map
How to register
- Online registration starts September 10, 2009 for "FAFSA Made Easier," "Guide to Conducting a Financial Aid Presentation" and "What's Next Illinois."
- Online registration starts December 1, 2009 for "FAFSA Made Easier," "FAFSA Expert" and "Consumer Economics of Higher Education."
Registration details, including dates and locations, will be available online from the Partner Training area of the
e-Library in the Counselor Zone at collegezone.com. For your convenience, we will send e-Messages with the latest information and updates about this series of professional development opportunities.
How to earn CE and CPDU credit
ISAC Professional Development Opportunities are approved for Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) as authorized by the Illinois State Board of Education and for Professional Counselor/Clinical Counselor Continuing Education (CE) credit as authorized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations. We will award CE and CPDU to session participants at a rate of one per contact hour.
How ISAC links you to NT4CM and KnowHow2HELP
The ISAC Professional Development Series is part of the National Training for Counselors and Mentors (NT4CM) and the statewide KnowHow2Help initiative.
Questions
For more information about the 2009-10 Professional Development Opportunities presented by ISAC, visit the Training Calendar for Partners within the e-Library at collegezone.com or send an e-mail to OutreachTraining@isac.org.
A complete schedule of sessions - including descriptions, dates and locations - is also available to view and print as a PDF file.
Return to Top
Save Illinois MAP Grants
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on September 8, 2009. Today, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), in partnership with numerous other higher education entities, kicked off a campaign aimed at rallying public support to urge state lawmakers to restore full-year awards made under the Monetary Award Program (MAP) for the 2009-10 academic year.
A severe revenue shortfall has resulted in approximately 138,000 MAP grant recipients receiving only half of the amount originally announced. The available funds will be distributed for the fall term only; no funds are currently available for spring term awards. That could change with action by the State Legislature to restore funding.
As part of the Save Illinois MAP Grants campaign, a new Web site, http://www.saveillinoismapgrants.org/, was launched to serve as the overall hub for campaign-related activities. Not only will the site announce all scheduled events in which concerned citizens can participate, there are also resources available for use in calling, writing or visiting your legislators to encourage their pursuit and support of restoring funding for MAP.
The site will also contain media coverage event details, an online petition, and resources for students, parents, educators and communities participating in this effort.
We very much look forward to your support throughout this extremely worthwhile campaign. Please share your concern about the reduced MAP funding with your legislators, family, friends and other higher education advocates. Use the resources available on the Save Illinois MAP Grants Web site to make your voices heard. Also, be sure to visit the Web site on a regular basis to stay up-to-date on the activities and events as the campaign progresses.
Return to Top
Constitution Day Resources Available at College Zone
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on September 4, 2009. Educational institutions that receive federal funding are required to hold an educational program about the United States Constitution on September 17th of each year, commemorating the September 17, 1787 signing of the Constitution. The purpose of Constitution Day is to ensure that students in our country are gaining an increased knowledge and appreciation for this valuable and important document of freedom.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides resources to help develop programs for the annual observance of Constitution Day. Access the Student Zone's Constitution Day Resources page via the Constitution and Citizenship Day document that is located in the e-Library's Job Aids & Reference Materials area at collegezone.com.
Return to Top
ISAC Launches WhatsNextIllinois.org: A Comprehensive Resource for Statewide College and Career Planning
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, IllinoisMentor Counselors, Community Organizations, and Public Libraries on August 31, 2009.As part of our ongoing mission to make college accessible and affordable for all Illinois students, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is pleased to announced the launch of a new Web site: WhatsNextIllinois.org. Encourage your students and their families to check out this comprehensive, fully integrated, interactive one-stop career and college planning resource and find the tools needed to improve college opportunity and lifelong success. Included - at no cost to the user - is information on college and career planning, college applications, electronic high school transcript processing, and test preparation.
The new WhatsNextIllinois.org online resource incorporates the best features from the site it replaces (IllinoisMentor.org), including easy access via ISAC's collegezone.com Web site. Current links from College Zone to IllinoisMentor are in the process of being updated to the corresponding areas of WhatsNextIllinois.org, and existing student accounts in IllinoisMentor will automatically be transferred over to WhatsNextIllinois.org.
WhatsNextIllinois.org represents the combined strengths of XAP Choices® Planner career exploration modules, IllinoisMentor college planning and financing tools, and the Choices® Explorer career exploration suite for middle schools. In addition, it adds transcripts and high school application functionality specific to Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which has joined the partnership aimed at moving to a single statewide solution that provides these free services to high schools, students and families.
Return to Top
Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, IllinoisMentor Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on August 7, 2009. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students and their families.
Sign Up for HSSP Electronic Delivery System
As was announced in an April 21st e-Message, ISAC encourages high schools to participate in the High School Scholarship Programs (HSSP) Electronic Delivery System for the upcoming HSSP processing cycle (determining eligibility for 2010-11 college freshmen). In order to avoid receiving an ISAC-generated paper roster in the fall, high schools must submit their school-generated sixth semester data on or before September 30, 2009. Further information is provided within the HSSP section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area at collegezone.com.
2009-10 ISAC Administrative Rules Available
ISAC Administrative Rules, which have been adopted for the 2009-10 academic year, are available within the
e-Library at collegezone.com.
August 14th through August 23rd: Illinois State Fair
Visit with ISAC staff in the Governor's Tent at the 2009 Illinois State Fair in Springfield. The Governor's Tent is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the fair, which runs from August 14th through August 23rd. The theme of this year's fair is "An All American Fair."
August 20th: 2009-10 Byrd Scholarship Eligibility Certification Forms Due
In April, ISAC sent qualified applicants eligibility letters, the Eligibility Certification forms and Information and Student Responsibilities documents for the 2009-10 Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program. ISAC will continue to accept Eligibility Certification forms until August 20, 2009. Applicants who do not return the Eligibility Certification form to ISAC by that date will be sent a Notice of Disqualification.
September 7th: Labor Day
Due to the Labor Day holiday, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, September 7th and will reopen on Tuesday, September 8th.
Remember that you can access collegezone.com anytime, or send an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department. With the exception of holidays, ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
Return to Top
High School Counselors/Teachers
Message from ISAC's Executive Director
Sent on September 15, 2009 Dear Colleagues:
Since January 2007, when I became Executive Director of ISAC, our agency and our industry have experienced significant changes at an unprecedented rate. In working with the Commissioners and ISAC staff, we have been taking steps to make the organization more agile, effective, and efficient to ensure that ISAC fulfills its mission of making college accessible and affordable for all Illinois students well into the future.
To that end, ISAC will be experiencing another workforce reduction of approximately 15 percent by the end of the first quarter of 2010. We currently employ 381 people at our offices in Chicago, Deerfield and Springfield. The position eliminations will come from both the top and bottom of the organization - principal administrative appointments as well as civil service positions will be affected. The reorganization will occur in two phases with the first beginning in mid-September and the second phase taking place during the first quarter of 2010 as ISAC completes restructuring and consolidating IDAPP servicing operations to a single third-party servicer. These necessary measures will save the agency well over
$1 million a year.
Because you are key partners in helping ISAC achieve its mission, I wanted to send this message rather than have you simply read a general press release on the matter. I think it's important for you to know that while these organizational changes are taking place, we understand that the need for our services has never been greater, and these changes will help our agency remain successful in fulfilling our mission efficiently and effectively.
The Commission will continue to focus on five core areas of operations: research, planning and policy analysis; program services (scholarships & grants administration); college access and outreach; College Illinois!® 529 prepaid tuition; and student lending. I'm especially excited about the new offering from our College Access and Outreach division - the ISACorps - as it significantly increases our field presence throughout the state to engage students, parents, and community members in college planning and preparedness programs.
I know many of your own organizations are experiencing fiscal and budgetary issues and making hard decisions as ISAC has had to. In addition to the staff reductions mentioned above, we are also adding three furlough days in which the agency will be closed, beginning with November 25 and December 24 of this year and a date to be determined in the first quarter of 2010. These dates were selected to minimize impact on students and schools, and this additional shared sacrifice will spare approximately six to eight additional jobs.
In addition to our internal issues at ISAC, we are also actively engaged with the Save Illinois MAP Grants campaign. I thank the many partners that have reached out to ISAC to work collaboratively to restore funding for this critically important student assistance program. Please visit saveillinoismapgrants.org on a regular basis for updated information.
Andy Davis
Executive Director
Return to Top
ISAC Communiqué
New ISAC Communiqué Available at College Zone
Sent on July 1, 2009
The latest edition of the ISAC Communiqué is now available for your review within the ISAC Publications section of College Zone's e-Library. This electronic version of ISAC's newsletter is a quarterly compilation of information provided to Counselor Zone partners via College Zone's e-Messaging service during the months of April, May and June.
Topics covered in this electronic Communiqué include:
- Choices® Explorers + Choices® Planner + IllinoisMentor = WhatsNextIllinois.org
(sent June 18, 2009)
- Projected FY2010 Budget Impact On State-Funded ISAC Programs
(sent June 12, 2009)
- Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
(sent May 22, 2009)
- Take Advantage of New Electronic Delivery
Process for Upcoming High School Scholarship Programs Cycle
(sent April 21, 2009)
- Don't Forget - Money Smart Week Chicago
(April 18-25, 2009)
(sent April 13, 2009)
- New ISAC Communiqué Available at College Zone (January - March 2009)
(sent April 1, 2009)
Electronic newsletters are available at the beginning of each quarter (January, April, July, and October), and are the compilation of information announced via an e-Message to any of the Counselor Zone subscription groups during the previous quarter.
Encourage Your Colleagues to Sign Up for e-Messaging
College Zone's e-Messaging service has replaced printed newsletters and special e-mail lists as ISAC's primary means of communicating information to Counselor Zone partners.
Encourage your colleagues to visit the College Zone Counselor e-Messaging Sign-up page today, so that they won't miss any future announcements or updates from ISAC.
Return to Top
|
|
|
|
