LOUISIANA STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Bulletin
TOPS BULLETIN NUMBER: T2001- 22
DATE ISSUED: November 7, 2001
EFFECTIVE DATE: As Indicated
DISTRIBUTION:

Louisiana College and University, Technical College and LAICU Chancellors, Financial Aid Offices, Business Offices, Registrars and Auditors, System Governance, Board of Regents
TOPIC:

TOPS Processing and Web Enhancements

To assure that your Scholarship and Grant Policy and Procedure Manual remains current, please record this document on your TOPS Bulletin index and retain it with your manual.

Beginning immediately, updates to the TOPS Master Roster will be available on the web every Friday, instead of every Monday. All reports normally available on Mondays will now be available on Fridays. No change is being made to submission schedules, only an internal change to our computer run time. Updates will also be available to students via their web portal on the same schedule.

Enhancements to the TOPS Web College Portal have been completed to allow schools to identify special categories of students online to ease the burden of manual reporting for these populations. Categories of special student populations which have been identified are as follow:

Please refer to the attached matrix for specific information and instructions on the use of this function.

The navigation instructions given below will enable users to access the appropriate screen for input:

1. Open the TOPS Portal by clicking "TOPS Portal" found on the left menu on the OSFA web site home page (www.osfa.state.la.us). 2. Select the "College" portal.
3. Enter your logon ID and password (These were mailed to all Directors last year).
4. Under Options, click on "Academic Information Update."
5. Enter student's social security number, affected term/semester* and the appropriate code found on the enclosed matrix or utilize the drop down menu at the box labeled "Standing;" the matrix details if additional information needs to be supplied.
6. Click on "add" to complete task.

Please contact John Bell with questions at jbell@osfa.state.la.us.

*Terms and semesters should be entered using the four digit academic year, i.e., academic year 2001-2002 would be entered for terms as 1T2002, 2T2002, or 3T2002 and for semesters as 1S2002, or 2S2002.

INSTRUCTIONS: Identify student situation in Column 1. Column 2 describes when to use a particular code. School personnel will enter updates on TOPS Web Grade Report Screen using the codes in column 3 & 4. Columns 5 & 6 are to aid you as additional identifiers. Column 7 defines the purpose of using the code.

(1)
Student Situation

(2)
Description
Update by Entering on Grade Report Screen
CURRENT MASTER ROSTER INFORMATION

(7)
Rationale

(3)
Standing
(4)
Other IndicatorsTo Be Entered
(5)
Status CodeCould be..
(6)
OTE(Term Eligible)
First Time/ Full Time Enrollment Enrolls first time as full time at mid year (2S or 2T/3T) within one year of high school graduation
FT
 Semester/Term
00
 1S current academic year Allows staff to determine student is eligible for payment.
Enrolls first time as full-time 1S/1T in year following high school graduation
FT
 Semester/Term
91 (summer)
46
 1S prior academic year
Eligible Part Time Enrollment (formerly Program Full-time)
Must enroll less than full time due to program restrictions.
EP
 Semester/Term
Semester hours registered (Enter under Cum hours)

00
01
42
91

 Current Term
Allows TOPS to pay for part time enrollment and renew student following year w/o 24 credit hours.
Graduating Term May bill for less than full time.
LT
 Semester/Term
01
42
91
 Current Term Allows TOPS to pay for part time enrollment for graduating term. Will not allow payment following this term.
Eligible National Guard Stipend Eligible for Louisiana National Guard Tuition Waiver
NG
 Semester/Term
00
01
42
91
 Current term Identifies student for National Guard TOPS payment of $150.
Change OTE from Semester to Term (Quarter) Transfers from Semester School to Term (Quarter) School Within Same Academic Year
ST
 Term
00
01
42
91
 2S (will change to 3T) Allows system to convert term count for appropriate tracking.
Change OTE from Term (Quarter) to Semester Transfers from Term (Quarter) School to Semester School in Same Academic Year
TS
 Semester
00
01
42
91
 2T (will change to 2S) Allows system to convert term count for appropriate tracking.
Over Awarded Gift aid (excluding TOPS) exceeds Cost of Attendance
OA
 Semester/Term
00
01
 Current Term Allows term count for student not receiving TOPS funding for that specific term due to O/A. May be used in lieu of billing 9999.
Exchange or Study Abroad Student Concurrent or Institution Sponsored Enrollment at exchange or host Institution
EX
 Semester/Term
Cum GPA
Term Hours
Cum Hours
00
01
42
91
 Current Term At end of academic year, student will not be cancelled for lack of hours, but will not be renewed until grades are submitted (see XE code).
Grades Available for Exchange Student Student grades received from host school
XE
 Semester/Term
Cum GPA
Term Hours
Cum Hours
00
01
42
91
 2S or 3T Transfer hours and grades are available to be entered for renewal.
Dual Enrollment Student Institution is submitting term grades for dually enrolled student
DU
 Semester/Term
Cum GPA
Term Hours
Cum Hours
00
01
42
91
 Current Term Student will not renew until grades are received from multiple institutions.
Corrected Grade Report Grade Change that makes student eligible or restores stipend
GR
 Semester/Term
Cum GPA
Term Hours
Cum Hours
01
42
44
2S/3T if Status Code is 42 or 441S next year Status Code is 01 Allows eligibility to be checked against new records.
Professional Student First Semester of Professional School (Student has not obtained Baccalaureate Degree)
PS
 Semester/Term
01
42
91
 1S Allows staff to monitor academic progress and pay appropriately.

It is the responsibility of the institution to retain any and all documentation that substantiates the use of these codes. This documentation may be requested in the case of an audit.