As a result of Hurricane
Katrina, many financial aid offices in the affected areas are in the process
of assessing and repairing damage to data and systems. Both the Central Processing
System (CPS) and Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) have help desks that
are ready to provide any additional technical assistance that may be needed.
CPS/SAIG Technical Support
at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TYY 800/511-5806), 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time
(or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov) can assist
you with the following services:
If you are missing ISIR
data, we can restore files to your SAIG mailbox that are less than 180 days
old so that you can download them again;
Walk you through making
ISIR requests from the ISIR Datamart (part of FAA Access to CPS Online) for
data files that are older than 180 days, for the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 award
years (requests can be made for a specific date range or for the entire award
year);
Help you import Pell
Grant year-to-date files into EDExpress to rebuild your Pell databases;
Help you rebuild your
Direct Loan databases by importing rebuild files into EDExpress using the DL
Tools software;
Help you download, install,
and set up EDESuite software, such as EDExpress, from the Department's FSA Download
Web site, located at http://fsadownload.ed.gov;
Help you install and
use EDExpress as a temporary measure for processing student financial aid information,
if your third-party software or mainframe system is unavailable;
Help you with Student
Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) enrollment issues, such as enrolling new users for
FAA Access to CPS Online to assist you with processing;
Provide information regarding
minimal and optimal computer requirements, if the purchase of new hardware or
software is necessary.
COD School Relations
at 800/848-0978, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or by e-mail at CODSupport@acs-inc.com)
is also ready to assist you in the following ways:
Help track document/batch status of COD data files as well as corresponding
responses;
Assist with ad-hoc report
requests and data requests for existing information on the COD System. We can
also help request Pell Grant year-to-date files or Direct Loan rebuild files
to rebuild your database;
Provide assistance with
the COD Web site or with processing information on the Web, if batch submissions
are not feasible;
Assist with setting or
changing school processing options on the COD Web site. For example, you can
change your master promissory note (MPN) print option so that COD prints your
school's MPNs until printing functionality is restored;
Assist with credit check
processing, as well as providing the status of credit checks or credit appeals;
Assist with closeout
for Pell Grant and Direct Loan, including administrative relief or extended
processing requests;
Assist with ordering
new Direct Loan materials, such as counseling guides.
Please let us know how
we can help. Hurricane Katrina information is also available on the Information
for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site at http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/katrina.html.
If you have general questions
about disaster relief or specific questions about policy issues, contact the
FSA Customer Service Call Center at 800/433-7327 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time.
Posted September 12, 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
