<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="MS Exchange Server version 6.5.7654.12">
<TITLE>2009-10 OTAG Award Information</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<!-- Converted from text/rtf format -->
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">The Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG) Award Payment Schedule for 2009-10 is attached for your information. The State Regents approved this schedule at their meeting held on May 22. Eligible students meeting the awarding criteria listed below can be claimed for payment of their OTAG awards in 2009-10 upon the institution's submission of a successful and timely award claim:</FONT></P>
<UL>
<UL>
<LI><FONT FACE="Arial">EFC<B> 1700</B> or lower</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT FACE="Arial">FAFSA receipt date 4/30/09 or earlier</FONT> </LI>
</UL></UL>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">The Award Payment Schedule reflects 4,617 as the maximum<I> eligible</I> EFC, which is consistent with Pell in 2009-10. The maximum EFC primarily serves as a means to identify the total number of eligible students who could be awarded if sufficient funds were provided. With no increase in OTAG funding provided for the 2009-10 award year, the EFC cutoff for awards is expected to remain 1700 for the entire 2009-10 award year. </FONT> </P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Also attached is a list of institutions that participate in the OTAG program and their flat-rate award amounts for 2009-10 (one amount for full-time undergraduates and one amount for part-time undergraduates). The amounts shown are for the full award year, and one-half can be paid to eligible students in each the fall and spring disbursement cycles.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Important dates/deadlines that institutions and the State Regents' office must meet are listed in the attached Timelines and Procedures for 2009-10. These have been established in an effort to maximize the efficiency of the administration of the OTAG program to best benefit students statewide. All institutions are expected to adhere to the schedule, and everyone's cooperation is appreciated.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">These documents are being added to the OTAG information section of the Financial Aid Resources for Institutions website </FONT><A HREF="http://www.okhighered.org/admin-fac/FinAidResources/"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial">http://www.okhighered.org/admin-fac/FinAidResources/</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Arial">. If you do not already have this site bookmarked, we encourage you to do so, since it is a quick reference regarding information about all of the financial aid programs administered by OSRHE.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">We are currently awaiting 2009-10 OTAG database and reporting system start up. Based on the latest information provided by our IT staff, we anticipate that pre-populated OTAG Award Claim Forms for use by campus financial aid staff as "work copies only" will be available in mid-June. We will make an announcement when institutions can submit requests for these work copy reports. The actual Award Claim Form process for fall semester disbursements will begin closer to the beginning of the fall semester, and more information in this regard will be forthcoming.</FONT></P>
<P><U><B><FONT FACE="Arial">Important Reminders:</FONT></B></U><B></B><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT FACE="Arial">OTAG does not send award notices to students. We are relying on institutions to include OTAG award information in their student award notices. Please realize that if institutions do not include OTAG awards in their student award notification process, the students will receive no confirmation that they are receiving an OTAG award. We're counting on institutions to be the messengers. </FONT> </LI>
<LI><FONT FACE="Arial">Other than OTAG's Oklahoma residency requirement and the statutory limitations on the types of institutions that are eligible to participate, student eligibility requirements for OTAG are the same as student eligibility requirements for Pell. If you cannot award Pell funds to a student, you cannot award OTAG funds to the student.</FONT></LI>
</UL>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">As always we appreciate your assistance in delivering OTAG funds to Oklahoma's students. If you have questions regarding the OTAG program or the attached documents, please contact our office.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<OTAG Award Payment Schedule_2009-10.doc>> </FONT> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<09-10 Award Flat Rate_052209.xls>> </FONT> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<2009-2010 OTAG Timelines & Procedures.doc>> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=6 FACE="Script MT Bold">Shiela Joyner</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Director, Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant Program</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">PO Box 108850</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Oklahoma City, OK 73101-8850</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Internet: sjoyner@otag.org</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Voice: 405.225.9378 or Toll Free 877.662.6231</FONT>
</P>
</BODY>
</HTML>