[ctcLinkfinaidsupport] IPEDS FA Categories and this week's implementation of keyword1

[Ana Ybarra]

Dear Colleagues,
We would like to announce a new configuration in the Campus Solutions Financial Aid module to support IPEDS Financial Aid reporting.  The IPEDS reporting specifications require the data be reported by IPEDS Category.  SBCTC Data Services aggregates and reports this data to IPEDS on behalf of the colleges each year.  In the Legacy system, the mapping of award code to IPEDS Category was managed by a custom-built web application called Financial Aid IPEDS Crosswalk Coding System (FAICCS).  Financial Aid staff were required to provide the mapping for their college each year.  This process proved to be onerous on both college and State Board staff, but was the only tool at the time.

We needed a new mechanism for this mapping now that all colleges are running Financial Aid through ctcLink, and one that is much less onerous.  SBCTC Data Services staff worked with Financial Aid (FA) and Student Financials (SF) Support teams to determine the new approach.  We will leverage the Keyword1 data element (a characteristic of ITEM_TYPE codes) to assign an IPEDS Category to each FA Item Type as it is created.  This moves the mapping exercise from post- Item Type configuration to pre- Item Type configuration.  This Enhancement Request (#137) was approved by the ctcLink Working Group in May 2022.

This week we will implement a bulk update to the KeyWord1 field to map all currently used FA Item Types to an IPEDS Category in preparation of the 2023 IPEDS Financial Aid Survey.  The update will occur in Production the evening of August 10th, 2023.  This will be a one-time update to minimize the need for manual data entry during the initial configuration phase.  The mapping is based on a combination of Item Type smart coding as well as what has been historically reported.   More information about the smart coding of Item Types can be found in the Financial Aid Item Types QRG<https://ctclinkreferencecenter.ctclink.us/m/92427/l/934116-9-2-financial-aid-item-types>.

Going forward we ask that you associate the appropriate IPEDS Category when submitting requests for new Item Type codes.  SF Support is currently working to update the Item Type request form to include the addition of this information.

What does this mean to you?  College FA staff will no longer be required to provide the mapping of Item Type to IPEDS Category using the FAICCS application, and will be asked to provide the mapping upon request of any new Item Types.  A guidance document to assist in the mapping efforts is posted on the SBCTC IPEDS Reporting<https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/data-services/ipeds-reporting> page under the Resources section.

The ctcLink Reporting Team has developed a query (QCS_FA_IPEDS_KEYWORD_REV) that will provide a full listing of your college's active FA Item Type codes and the assigned IPEDS Category.  This query will be available for your use on August 10th, 2023.  We ask that each college review the query output at least annually before September each year.  Any FA Item Types used by your college that are not associated to an IPEDS Category will be listed first.  If you find these cases, please work with SF Support to update the IPEDS Category.  Any FA Item Types without an IPEDS Category assigned will not be included in IPEDS Financial Aid Survey data.

SBCTC Data Services will be taking a final year-end snapshot of Financial Aid data for the Data Warehouse on October 12th.  This data, including the IPEDS Category, will be used for the upcoming IPEDS financial aid survey collection.  Please review your mapping using the query provided and submit a ticket to SF Support if any changes are needed to the mapping.

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