Coordinators

ICN Financial Aid Consortium Agreement between Member Institutions

Introduction

Since its inception in 1992, the Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education (IPSE) has contributed significantly to the planning and delivery of distance education opportunities throughout Indiana. At least as important has been the willingness of the member institutions to work together for the common good of all learners. Working especially through the Indiana College Network (ICN), student services professionals have worked tirelessly with the understanding that student support services are vital if distance education students are to have the same high-quality educational experiences and levels of support as our campus-based students.

Home Institution

A fundamental principle that provides the foundation for the concept of the Indiana College Network is that each distance education student will have a designated home institution. By definition, the home institution is the institution that records enrollment; records course grades and grants credit; provides financial aid services; issues billing and collects (its own) tuition and fees; certifies enrollment; and provides other student services. In short, the home institution is the institution of record for the student. It is the institution at which the student has applied and has been accepted, whether degree or non-degree status.

Originating Institution

The originating institution provides the instructional origination (via technology) and management for a course. The instructor/professor for such a course is responsible for the content and statewide delivery of the course and will deliver the course to all students enrolled through ICN regardless of home institution. This includes notifying home institutions promptly of apparent withdrawals or last dates of attendance. Thus, the originating institution provides the statewide instruction for a given course on behalf of all the ICN participating institutions which elect to enroll students in that course.

Policy

Institutions who participate in the Indiana College Network (ICN) program will allow students receiving financial aid to use their award towards the cost of attendance at their institutions. The members of the Indiana College Network (ICN) concurrently adopt the following policy concerning the awarding and disbursing of financial aid funds to students enrolled in courses via the ICN pre-registration process.

For purposes of this agreement, the HOME institution (as defined by ICN) is considered to be the school from which the student will receive his/her degree. The non-degree granting school is considered to be the ORIGINATING (HOST) institution.

• The HOME institution will specify the enrollment period beginning and ending dates for Title IV student aid purposes.

• The HOME institution will define enrollment status (e.g. full-time, half-time, less than half-time) for Title IV student aid purposes.

• Students must be degree-seeking at their HOME institution to be eligible for Title IV student aid.

• The HOME institution will process and disburse all financial aid and process enrollment verifications under Title IV, state and institutional guidelines.

• The HOME institution will report enrollment information to NSLDS and ICHE.

• The HOME institution will establish Cost of Attendance per Title IV guidelines.

• The HOME institution agrees to secure authorizations relating to cash management regulations 34CFR 668.165.

• The HOME institution agrees to include the student on the FISAP.

• The HOME institution agrees to make available required student consumer information, including satisfactory academic progress policy requirements and applicable refund and repayment policy.

• Student financial assistance will be processed by the HOME institution for classes taken at the ORIGINATING institution only if the coursework taken at the ORIGINATING institution is applicable to degree requirements at the HOME institution as determined by the appropriate ICN academic advisor.

• The HOME institution will accept from the ORIGINATING institution the credits and grade for each class a student completes at the ORIGINATING institution.

• The HOME institution will monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress using all courses taken both at the HOME institution and the ORIGINATING institution.

• The HOME institution will define the refund and repayment policy and calculate, if necessary, any Return to Title IV funds calculations.

• The ORIGINATING institution will provide enrollment documentation to the HOME institution prior to the disbursement of any student financial assistance.

• Students may be eligible to receive financial aid for classes that they are enrolled in at the ORIGINATING institution.

• The ORIGINATING institution agrees not to award financial aid nor will they process enrollment verifications.

• The ORIGINATING institution agrees to notify the HOME institution of any changes in enrollment and/or non-attendance.

• The ORIGINATING institution agrees to release the student’s grade to the HOME institution at the completion of the term.

• The ORIGINATING institution will provide a last date of attendance to the HOME institution in cases of official or unofficial withdrawal.

• The ORIGINATING institution agrees to forward information about cost of attendance components to the HOME institution upon request.

This ICN Financial Aid Consortium Agreement will be reviewed every five years or upon changes to the Higher Education Act, whichever comes first, that would necessitate any updates to this agreement.

By signing the attached signature page, the institutional financial aid director (or designee) represents the institution and agrees to the terms outlined above concerning this ICN consortium agreement between member institutions through the Indiana College Network. Further, the financial aid directors agree to share this document as appropriate with staff from their institution to insure compliance.