the abc’s of being a dfa

The ABC’s of Being a DFA

Pam McCafferty

Director of Financial Aid

Fitchburg State College

Today’s Agenda

To cover the basic requirements that must be done by the Director of Financial Aid

To provide resources for future reference To make you feel better about being a DFA

Alphabet Soup

PPA ECAR E-APP FISAP ACA FCC ICC IPEDS

PPA

Program Participation Agreement

PPA: Why?

Required to participate in the following financial aid programs: Pell SEOG Perkins FWS Direct Loans FFEL

PPA: What?

Agreement between the Department of Education and a School

School is agreeing to comply with the laws, regulations and policies governing FSA programs

PPA: When?

Initial Application Recertification Reinstatement Updates

PPA: How?

E-App (Electronic Application for Approval to Participate)

www.eligcert.ed.gov User Ids

“ED” + 8 digit OPEID Number “ED” + 9 digit Taxpayer Identification

Number

Recertification

Notice sent to school six months prior to expiration of PPA

School submits complete application 90 days prior to expiration of PPA

School cannot continue to participate with expired PPA

Approval

If approved, two copies of PPA sent to school

School signs both copies and returns to DOE DOE signs and returns one copy to school

along with ECAR Approval good for six years

ECAR

Eligibility and Certification Approval Report Summary of the Approval

FSA programs Highest academic degree Locations Officers

Updates

Ownership Address Name Phone number Officials

President, CFO, DFA

Updates…

New Location Increase Program Level New Program Apply to participate in an additional Title IV

program

Only report for programs and locations that receive Title IV aid

…Updates

Change in Accreditor Change in State Authorization Third Party Servicer Change in Educational Measurement

Ex: semester to clock hour

Report all updates within 10 days!

Locations

If 50% or more of the program will be offered at that sight

Cannot disburse aid at new location until approved

Submission

Submit online Print Signature Page Mail

Signature Page Accreditation Documentation Licensing Documentation

As a new DFA…

Find the current PPA/ECAR Find your User ID’s Login and add yourself Check accuracy of other data and make

updates as needed

FISAP

Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate

FISAP: Why?

“The school is responsible for ensuring that eligible students receive funds according to the laws, the regulations and the PPA…”

FISAP: What?

Fiscal Operations Report

Report what you did with last year’s funds

and…

Application to Participate

Request funds for next year

FISAP: What?…

Campus Based Funds SEOG Perkins FWS

FISAP: When?

Each award year Available August 1st

Submit Reallocation in August Submit by October 1st

Corrections by December 15th

FISAP: How?

Submit online www.cbfisap.ed.gov TG# and PIN required Mail Certification

Signature Page Drug-Free Workplace, Anti-Lobbying, and

Debarment Forms

ACA

Administrative Cost Allowance

Taken out of your annual authorization for FWS and SEOG.

FCC

Federal Capital Contribution Perkins Loan Annual Federal Allocation May be zero

ICC

Institutional Capital Contribution School’s matching share Required Must equal 1/3 of federal share (1/4 of

combined FCC and ICC)

Campus Based Statement of Account

Award year specific SEOG Award FWS Award Perkins LOE

Level of Expenditure

www.cbfisap.sfa.ed.govLogin, select the Self Service tab

As a new DFA…

Check the FISAP timeline Who is responsible for filing it? If it’s you.. Find the TG# Assign yourself as the TG Administrator

www.fsawebenroll.ed.gov

Get a PIN

What about Pell?

Electronic Statement of Account Annual Initial Allocation = ½ of prior year’s

expenditure Increase allocation through Pell

disbursement records

Last but not least…IPEDS

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

Annual Campus-wide report Financial Aid section filed April Very time consuming

As a new DFA…

Find the IPEDS coordinator for your campus Maybe Institutional Research

Check the IPEDS timeline

Helpful Hints

Tackle these things ASAP Give yourself plenty of time Attend MASFAA and DOE trainings Be prepared to work with other offices Set deadlines for yourself and others

Resources

www.ifap.ed.gov www.cbfisap.sfa.ed.gov Student Handbook Ask other DFA’s

Congratulations!

You’ve survived

The ABC’s of Being a DFA!