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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>All, ED recently held a meeting regarding award letters and their various designs and ultimately, their intended purpose to communicate effectively to current and prospective students and their families.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Please see below regarding the initiative that NASFAA is leading to gather sample award letters.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>NASFAA is launching an initiative to lead the financial aid community in establishing good practices to improve award letters and we need your help. Please <a href="mailto:policy@nasfaa.org">send us sample award letters</a> (either templates or actual letters with any student identifiers removed) and any materials that accompany your award letter. Then take this brief, <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/92HHJN3">three-question survey</a>.<b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Please send us your materials by Tuesday, Nov. 15</b> by e-mailing them to <a href="mailto:policy@nasfaa.org">policy@nasfaa.org</a>, with “Award Letter Project” in the subject line. Also, let us know if it is OK share your material with members through the NASFAA website. <b>Note: the materials you send us will remain anonymous and the identity of your institution will be removed from all posted material.</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Background<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Department of Education is currently preparing a report for Congress that will offer recommendations to improve award letters. <a href="http://www.nasfaa.org/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=ID&ItemID=6134">Congress has also required</a> the Department to construct a model financial aid offer form, and the law specifies material to be included in that model.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Department held a public meeting in September during which various groups, <a href="http://www.nasfaa.org/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=ID&ItemID=6614">including NASFAA</a>, gave opinions regarding the ideal award letter and debated the concept of required standards vs. voluntary models. These discussions brought to light the different uses and purposes that diverse groups want an award letter to serve.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Since that meeting, ED has collaborated with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to propose a “Know Before You Owe” <a href="http://www.nasfaa.org/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=ID&ItemID=7249">Financial Aid Shopping Sheet</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We believe financial aid professionals are in the best position to design effective financial aid notifications and related consumer information. Help us lead the discussion of models vs. standards and requirements vs. best practices by sharing your award letter materials and taking the short, three-question survey. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i>Thank you for your assistance.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Mendy Schmerer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Office of Student Financial Aid</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>1106 N. Stonewall, Rm 301</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Oklahoma City, OK 73117</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>(405) 271-2118, x 48817 (p)</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>(405) 271-5446 (f)</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:Mendy-Schmerer@ouhsc.edu"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Mendy-Schmerer@ouhsc.edu</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.ouhsc.edu/financialservices/SFA/">http://www.ouhsc.edu/financialservices/SFA/</a> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>