| PFD/Resource Rebate Garnishment 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 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!
M-F, 10:00am-6:00pm
800 E. Dimond Blvd,
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
Information for Sheldon Jackson College Students 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: Appendices to the Complaint Investigation and Draft Report of FindingsAny 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 425-558-4224 United States Department of Education – Federal Financial Aid University of Alaska Southeast Contact Number for SJC Students Perkins Loan Payment Address: Questions related to 1098-T issued by SJC should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service
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