CONTACT US
AlaskAdvantage Programs

PFD/Resource Rebate Garnishment
Information on PFD Garnishment and the One-Time Resource Rebate

Pursuant to recent legislative authorization, the 2008 Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) has been increased by $1,200, representing a one-time resource rebate for each qualified PFD recipient. The addition of the resource rebate to this year’s PFD amount makes it subject to all statutory garnishment authorities and regulatory processes that apply to the annual PFD. 

Accordingly, the full amount of the 2008 PFD, including the resource rebate portion, is subject to garnishment by state agencies when the PFD recipient owes a debt to the state. In the case of Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) borrowers, garnishment occurs when a borrower defaults on their state loan obligation. 

The garnishment of PFDs of borrowers who do not voluntarily repay their loans assists ACPE in prudently managing Alaska’s education loan programs to ensure funds are repaid and low-cost loans will continue to be available to Alaska’s students. Application of this payment to a borrower’s loan account additionally reduces the borrower’s total costs of the debt over the life of the loan. 

The law does provide for borrowers to assert that ACPE is not entitled to garnish their PFD on certain terms specified in statute, and to request a hearing on the matter. A notice regarding an appeal process was mailed to the PFD address on record for each borrower scheduled for garnishment. You should note that there is a specific deadline for appeals, a records research fee, and a requirement that the appellant demonstrate that ACPE did not have legal authority to garnish their PFD in order to have the full PFD refunded. Claims of financial hardship are not a basis for PFD refund and will not be considered. Filing an appeal does not stop the PFD garnishment. 

Links:



The Success Center has moved to the Dimond Center!


The AlaskAdvantage Success Center, ACPE’s Anchorage office, has relocated to the Dimond Mall, second floor near the Regal Dimond Center 9 Theater. The new office hours and location are: 
  

 M-F, 10:00am-6:00pm
 800 E. Dimond Blvd, Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99515


Making Alaska More Competitive

Anchorage, AK – May 7, 2008 – Today the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) has released a report entitled Making Alaska More Competitive by Preparing Citizens for College and Career. The report contains Alaska’s recent high school dropout rates related to ninth graders, as well as the percentage who successfully complete a collegiate program of study within 150 percent of the regular time to complete. These statistics show Alaska at the bottom in educational performance indicators in the nation. For every 50 ninth graders, 31 graduate from high school; 14 go to college; nine return for their sophomore year; and only three receive a degree within six years.

The report was written by Dr. Ron Phipps of the Institute for Higher Education Policy in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the report’s development, ACPE partnered with the National College Access Network to survey various stakeholders to better understand the postsecondary access and success climate in Alaska. The major findings of this research are:  1) a college-going culture does not exist in Alaska; and, 2) the relationship between Alaska’s workforce needs and postsecondary education is not widely recognized.

Making Alaska More Competitive provides compelling evidence that improving access to and participation and success in postsecondary programs, both collegiate and vocational, is key to a strong future for Alaska and her citizens. It also outlines several recommendations and potential strategies for improving educational outcomes in Alaska, and helping students acquire the knowledge and ability to succeed in postsecondary education and in their careers. 

For More Information Contact:

Lora Jorgensen, Outreach Officer, (907) 269-7591



FFELP Consolidation Suspension


ACPE is suspending our FFELP consolidation program, effective May 1, 2008. We expect to revisit the suspension at the end of calendar year 2008. The suspension is designed to ensure that we have sufficient internal cash to fund new 2008/2009 loans because the “credit crunch” is expected to continue into the new academic year. All other ACPE financial aid programs are available. Please see our FFELP consolidation suspension FAQs
for more information.



Information for Sheldon Jackson College Students

Updated August 1, 2008

Sheldon Jackson College Closure:  Complaint Investigation and Draft Report of Findings

Pursuant to the complaint investigation process outlined in 20 AAC 17.145, the Commission staff have completed their examination and associated research relating to individual student complaints and to the Commission’s October 11, 2007 complaint arising from the June 30, 2007 suspension of operations at Sheldon Jackson College (SJC). Details of the staff findings and recommendations to the Commission are presented in the Complaint Investigation and Draft Report of Findings and supporting documents, which were mailed to parties to the complaint the week of July 28, 2008.

Please note that the report is considered confidential until such time as it is formally adopted by the Commission, and therefore may not be distributed to individuals who are not parties to the complaint.

Any party to the complaint may submit a request for reconsideration of a finding or recommendation contained in the report, by sending a written request to ACPE’s Executive Director, at the address above. The request must: 1) be postmarked within 30 days of the date of the report distribution, 2) clearly state each objection to the report, and 3) include the justification and any documentation to substantiate each objection. Absent any requests for reconsideration, staff will request that the Commission formally adopt the report, at which time it will become final and become a public document. 

Parties to the complaint may also request a hearing before the Commission. Further description of the reconsideration and appeal process can be found in the Complaint Investigation and Draft Report of Findings or in the statutes and regulations governing institutional authorization.

The applicable statutes and regulations, as well as the appendices to the Complaint Investigation and Draft Report of Findings, are all public documents and are available for download by clicking on the links below:

Institutional authorization statutes and regulations

Appendices to the Complaint Investigation and Draft Report of Findings

Any questions from the public should be directed to the Commission’s executive office at (907) 465-6740. 

Contact Numbers for Sheldon Jackson Students:

Students with questions specific to their options available to complete degrees through SJC should call Kathy Newman, SJC Registrar, at (907) 957-1640.  If she is away from her desk, please leave a message.  Your call will be returned within one business week.
 
Transcripts can be obtained by submitting a Transcript Request Form to ACPE.
 
Students with questions regarding Institutional Recommendation for the AK Initial Teacher Certification Form may contact Kathy Newman, SJC Registrar, at (907) 957-1640.  If SJC is not able to provide institutional recommendation you may need to contact EED Teacher Certification (see contact information below) for further infromation.
 
Students with questions about the Alaska law governing institutional cessation of operations may contact the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education at 800-441-2962 (465-2962 in Juneau).

Other Contact Numbers:

Alaska Department of Early Education and Development -  Teacher Certification
801 West 10th Street, Suite 200
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811-0500
Telephone: (907) 465-2831
Fax:(907) 465-2441
Email: tcwebmail@alaska.gov

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
8060 165th Avenue NE
Redmond, Washington 98052
www.nwccu.org
425-558-4224

United States Department of Education – Federal Financial Aid
800-4-FED-AID (800-433-3243)

University of Alaska Southeast Contact Number for SJC Students
796-6294

Perkins Loan Payment Address:
U.S. Department of Education
National Payment Center
P.O. Box 4169
Greenville, TX 75403

Questions related to 1098-T issued by SJC should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service
http://www.irs.gov/contact/index.html



 

red trees