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[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61227-61228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23183]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan, 
Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, 
Federal Family Education Loan, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan, 
Federal Pell Grant, and Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership 
Programs

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice extending institutional and applicant filing and 
reporting deadlines.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces the extension of the deadline dates 
for specific filing and reporting activities, including those published 
in the Federal Register on March 10, 2004 (69 FR 11403) and March 15, 
2004 (69 FR 12136). The Secretary takes this action as a result of the 
damage and disruptions caused by the recent hurricanes and tropical 
storms in the southern and eastern parts of the United States, 
including Puerto Rico. The new dates or requested extensions apply only 
to (1) institutions or third-party servicers that are located in a 
federally-declared disaster area and that were adversely affected by 
these severe weather conditions, and (2) applicants that are adversely 
affected by these severe weather conditions.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 21, 2004 the Department 
published a ``Dear Partner Letter'' announcing the intention of the 
Secretary to extend certain deadline dates. That letter is available 
at: http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0409.html.
    In this notice, the Secretary officially establishes these new 
deadlines, as set forth below.

Activities Related to Institutional Reporting

    FISAP Filing Deadline: For an affected institution or third-party 
servicer that is unable to meet the previously published deadline of 
October 1, 2004, the Secretary announces the extension to October 30, 
2004 of the date by which the institution's FISAP (Fiscal Operations 
Report for 2003-2004 and Application to Participate for 2005-2006) must 
be submitted. If the institution or servicer is unable to meet this 
extended deadline, it must contact the Campus-Based Call Center at 1-
877-801-7168. An institution or servicer that submits a FISAP after 
October 1, 2004 must maintain documentation of the hurricane-related 
reason why it did so.
    2003-2004 Federal Pell Grant Reporting Deadline: For an affected 
institution or third-party servicer that is unable to meet the 
previously published deadline of September 30, 2004, the Secretary 
grants administrative relief and announces the extension to October 22, 
2004 of the date by which the institution or servicer must report 
Federal Pell Grant payments (and adjustments) for the 2003-2004 award 
year to the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System. An 
institution or servicer that submits Pell Grant payment information for 
the 2003-2004 award year after September 30, 2004 must maintain 
documentation of the hurricane-related reason why it did so.
    Submission of Federal Pell Grant Disbursement Records: The 
Secretary announces the extension to 60 days (instead of the normal 30 
days) of the time within which an affected institution or third-party 
servicer must submit a Federal Pell Grant disbursement record to the 
COD System. If the institution or servicer finds that it cannot submit 
the record within this 60-day period, it must contact the COD School 
Relations Center at 1-800-4PGRANT (1-800-474-7268). An affected 
institution or servicer that does

[[Page 61228]]

not submit Pell Grant payment information within the current 30-day 
timeframe must maintain documentation of the hurricane-related reason 
why it did so.
    Submission of Federal Direct Loan Records: The Secretary will not 
enforce the current 30-day submission requirement against an affected 
institution or third-party servicer that is unable to submit Direct 
Loan promissory notes, loan origination records, and disbursement 
records (including adjustments) to the COD System. Instead, the 
institution or servicer has 60 days to submit these records. If an 
institution or servicer finds that it cannot submit these records 
within this 60-day period, it must contact the COD School Relations 
Center at 1-800-848-0978. An affected institution or servicer that does 
not submit Direct Loan information within the current 30-day timeframe 
must maintain documentation of the hurricane-related reason why it did 
so.

Activities Related to Applicant Filing

    FAFSA Correction Deadline: For an affected applicant, the Secretary 
announces the extension from September 17, 2004 to October 8, 2004 of 
the date by which the Department's Central Processing System must have 
received the following items:
     Paper corrections (including address changes and changes 
of institutions) made using a SAR;
     Electronic corrections (including address changes and 
changes of institutions) made from FAFSA on the Web, FAA Access to CPS 
Online, or EDExpress;
     Changes to mailing or e-mail addresses, changes of 
institutions, and requests for a duplicate SAR made by phone to the 
Federal Student Aid Information Center; and
     Paper signature pages and electronic signatures.

Activities Related to Documents Received by an Institution

    Receipt of SARs and ISIRs: For an affected applicant, institution, 
or third-party servicer, the Secretary announces the extension from 
September 17, 2004 to October 8, 2004 of the date by which the 
institution or servicer must have received a SAR from a student, or an 
ISIR from the Department, for the student to be considered for a 
Federal Pell Grant for the 2003-2004 award year. An institution or 
servicer that pays Federal Student Aid on a SAR or ISIR that was 
received after September 17, 2004 must maintain documentation of the 
hurricane-related reason why the SAR or ISIR was not received by that 
date.
    Receipt of Verification Documents: The Secretary announces the 
extension from September 17, 2004 to October 8, 2004 of the date by 
which an institution or third-party servicer must have received all 
requested verification documents to consider an applicant for Federal 
Student Aid for the 2003-2004 award year. An institution or servicer 
that pays Federal Student Aid based on verification documents received 
after September 17, 2004 must maintain documentation of the hurricane-
related reason why those documents were not received by that date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions, John Kolotos, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., (UCP room 
113F1), Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 377-4027, FAX: (202) 
275-4552, or by email: [email protected].
    For other questions or requests for extensions, contact the 
appropriate call center as previously noted or the Customer Service 
Call Center at 1-800-433-7327.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a, 1070b-1070b-4, 1070c-1070c-
4, 1071-1087-2, 1087a-1087j, 1087aa-1087ii, 1094, and 1099c; 42 
U.S.C. 2751-2756b. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers: 
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) 
Program; 84.032 Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Programs; 
84.033 Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program; 84.038 Federal Perkins 
(Perkins) Loans; 84.063 Federal Pell Grant (Pell) Program; 84.069 
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Programs; and 
84.268 William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Programs.

    Dated: October 12, 2004.
Theresa S. Shaw,
Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. 04-23183 Filed 10-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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