According to Houston, the deadline for initial submission of information on Perkins loans is Aug. 31 and Pell grants must be reported to the department by Jan. 1 of next year.

While most of the information in the system is coming directly from other agencies of the federal government responsible for releasing financial aid funds, the individual universities are responsible for reporting the information about Perkins loans, according to Houston.

The universities can choose whether to submit the information themselves or ask their loan servicer to do it, she said. But the university is ultimately responsible for making sure the information gets reported.

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SIUC Bursar Charles Bernardoni said the University is letting University Accounting Service, the University’s loan servicer, handle the data transfer, and the transfer will be completed by the deadline.

It is going to happen, he said. We are depending on the servicer. The reason we use a servicer is that they give us their assurance that they will comply.

Bernardoni said the number of loans being processed in the transfer is still being compiled by the servicer, and should be available sometime in August.

Houston said students can also use the system to receive an update of their financial aid situation from the department.

Information about outstanding loans in good standing as well as loans that are in default is available, she said.

Requests for information should be submitted in writing to the Federal Student Aid Information Center at P.O. Box 84, Washington, DC. 20044-0084.

Houston said because of the confidential nature of student loan information, requests should include the student’s name, date of birth, social security number, the date and places the loans were issued.

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