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HURRICANE RITA INFORMATION - ELECTRONIC ANNOUNCEMENT #2
(09-30-05)
From: Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education
Subject: Length of Academic Year for Institutions Affected by Hurricane Rita
The Secretary will
consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests from institutions in Louisiana
and Texas that may not be able to offer at least 30 weeks of instructional
time due to the adverse affects of Hurricane Rita, for a reduction in
the minimum number of weeks in the academic year. Such requests should
be made to Jackie Shipman in the U.S. Department of Education's Dallas
Regional Office at (214) 661-9490, or by email at jackie.shipman@ed.gov.
An institution that
is approved for a reduction in its academic year must still obtain approval
from the appropriate state licensing and accrediting agency before implementing
the reduced academic year.
An institution that
reduces its 2005-2006 academic year must use the reduced timeframe to
determine the minimum length of eligible programs it offers. In addition,
an affected institution should document the reduced academic year definition
in its written policies and procedures.
Determining disbursement amounts and annual loan limits will not change
as a result of these reduced academic year or term lengths. Institutions
that are approved to use a reduced timeframe should use that timeframe
as the definition of its academic year in these determinations.
The statute currently does not permit the Secretary to approve a reduction
in an academic year to fewer than 26 weeks of instructional time, or any
reduction of academic year for institutions that do not offer a two-year
program leading to an associate degree or a four-year program leading
to a baccalaureate degree.
Posted October 3, 2005 on www.NASFAA.org, the Web Site of the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
Please submit Web Site questions or comments to web@NASFAA.org
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