Hey MUPPS! Did you know that if you work in the public service field after graduation AND you have made 120 payments to your Federal Student Loans, that the government will FORGIVE you of the rest of your payments? No kidding?!
Check it out. More information can be found here
Prepared by Federal Student Aid
U.S. Department of Education
February 3, 2010
The Questions & Answers (Q&As) that follow provide information about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program that is available to most borrowers with loans made through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan ProgramSM). We have grouped the Q&As into four categories: General Information, Eligible Loans, Qualifying Payments, and Qualifying Employment. Following each answer is the date we posted that response. We will include a new date each time we add a question or when we update a previously posted response.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness – General Information
Q1 What is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program?
A1 The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program was established to encourage individuals to enter and continue in full-time public service employment by forgiving the remaining balance of their William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program loans (Direct LoansSM) after the borrower has made 120 qualifying monthly payments (beginning anytime after October 1, 2007) while employed full-time by a public service organization. (February 3, 2010)
Q2 What are the borrower eligibility requirements for loan forgiveness under the PSLF Program?
A2 You must be employed full-time by a public service organization (see Q&A #26) when you made each of the required 120 monthly loan payments on your Direct Loan and at the time you apply for loan forgiveness, after making the last of those 120 payments.
Q3 Are loan amounts forgiven under PSLF considered taxable income?
A3 No. According to the IRS, student loan amounts forgiven under PSLF are not considered income for tax purposes.
Q4 Is income a factor in determining my eligibility for PSLF?
A4 Not directly, but you will not have any remaining balance to be forgiven after 120 payments unless, at some point, your payments have been reduced through your use of the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan or the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan (see Q&A#15).
Q5 If I have student loans through the FFEL Program, the Perkins Loan Program, or private non-federal student loan programs, can I take advantage of PSLF?
A5 Although PSLF is available only for Direct Loans, borrowers with FFELSM or Perkins loans may qualify for PSLF by consolidating those loans into the Direct Loan Program. Payments made on the FFEL or Perkins loans before they were consolidated into the Direct Loan Program are not counted toward the required 120 monthly payments. Non-federal student loans are not eligible for either consolidation into the Direct Loan Program or for PSLF. For more information about consolidating into the Direct Loan Program, go to www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov, or call 1-800-557-7392.
Q6 Will my interest rate change if I consolidate my FFEL or Perkins loans into the Direct Loan Program to take advantage of PSLF (see Q&A #5)?
A6 The interest rate on a Direct Consolidation Loan is a fixed rate that is based on a weighted average of the interest rates of the loans that you consolidate, rounded up to the next higher one-eighth of one percent. Because of this rounding up, the new fixed interest rate may be slightly higher.
Q7 Are loans that are in default eligible for PSLF?
A7 No. However, a borrower with a defaulted loan may be eligible for PSLF by consolidating the defaulted loan (see Q&A #5) or by rehabilitating the defaulted loan. Rehabilitation includes the making of at least nine on-time payments on the defaulted loan. Specific information on the rehabilitation of a defaulted loan is available from the holder of the defaulted loan.
Q8 Are joint Direct Consolidation Loans (consolidation loans made jointly to married borrowers) eligible for PSLF?
A8 Yes. However, if only one of the two borrowers meets the eligibility requirements for PSLF, the forgiveness after 120 qualifying payments applies only to the remaining balance of the joint consolidation loan that is attributable to the loans originally received by the borrower who performed the qualifying employment.
Q9 My spouse and I have a joint FFEL consolidation loan and we both work in public service jobs. Can we consolidate our joint consolidation loan into the Direct Loan Program to take advantage of PSLF?
A9 No. Because the law no longer permits joint consolidation loans to be made, you cannot reconsolidate an existing FFEL joint consolidation loan into the Direct Loan Program.
Q10 Are PLUS loan borrowers eligible for PSLF?
A10 Grad PLUS borrowers can benefit from PSLF by working in public service employment and making at least some of the required 120 payments under the IBR or ICR plans (see Q&A #13).
Parent PLUS loans are not eligible to be repaid under IBR or ICR. However, a parent PLUS borrower could consolidate the PLUS loans and then choose ICR for the new Direct Consolidation Loan. While a Direct Consolidation Loan that repaid a parent PLUS loan may not be repaid under IBR, it can be repaid under ICR. Note that if you are a parent PLUS borrower, your eligibility for PSLF is based on your own public service employment, not the employment of the student on whose behalf you obtained the PLUS loan.
Q11 What are the specific loan repayment requirements for loan forgiveness under the PSLF Program?
A11 You must have made 120 separate monthly payments (beginning after October 1, 2007) on the Direct Loan Program loans for which you are requesting forgiveness. Each of the monthly payments must have been made for the full scheduled installment amount within 15 days of the due date for the payment.
Q12 I have been making payments on my Direct LoansSM since before October of 2007. Will these payments count towards the required 120 payments for PSLF?
A12 Under the law, only payments made after October 1, 2007 may be counted towards the required 120 payments for PSLF.
Q13 What Direct Loan Program repayment plans qualify under the PSLF Program?
A13 The 120 required monthly payments must be made under one or more of the following Direct Loan Program repayment plans –
•The Income Based Repayment (IBR) Plan;
•The Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan;
•The Standard Repayment Plan, with a 10 year repayment period; and
•Any other Direct Loan repayment plan, but only payments that are at least equal to the monthly payment amount that would have been paid under the Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period may be counted toward the required 120 monthly payments.
Q14 What other Direct Loan repayment plans would give me a monthly payment that is at least equal to the payment that would be required under a 10-year Standard Repayment Plan?
A14 In some cases, payments made during the later portion of the repayment period under the Graduated Repayment Plan may equal or exceed the payment amount that would be required under a 10-year Standard Repayment Plan. Under the Graduated Repayment Plan, payments start out lower and then gradually increase, generally every two years.
Q15 Is it true that, while payments made under the Standard 10-Year Repayment Plan are eligible for PSLF, if I make all required payments under a 10-year plan, there will not be any remaining balance to be forgiven?
A15 Yes. The Standard Plan is included because some borrowers may have made payments under a Standard Plan for a portion of the 120 months and made the remaining payments under either IBR or ICR, leaving them with a remaining balance after 120 payments have been made. While payments under certain other repayment plans may be counted toward the required 120 payments, to receive any forgiveness under the PSLF Program it is likely that you must make at least some of your loan payments under IBR or ICR.
Q16 Must the 120 required payments be consecutive?
A16 No. You must make 120 separate on-time, full monthly payments while you are employed by an eligible public service organization, but the payments do not have to be consecutive.
Q17 If I pay more than the required amount of my monthly student loan payment, can that be counted as more than one qualifying payment for PSLF? For example, if I make a single payment that is equal to three monthly payments, will that be counted as three payments toward the required 120 monthly payments?
A17 No. You must make 120 separate monthly payments. There is a limited exception to this requirement for Peace Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers – see Q&A #19.
Q18 What happens if I can't afford to make the required monthly payment under IBR? Are other repayment options available if I want to qualify for PSLF?
A18 Payments made under certain other Direct Loan repayment plans may be counted toward the required 120 payments for PSLF (see Q&A #13), but the IBR Plan will generally provide you with a lower monthly payment than you would be required to make under any of the other plans. Therefore, changing from IBR to one of the other repayment plans that qualifies for PSLF would most likely increase your required monthly payment amount. If you cannot afford to make your required IBR payment, contact the Direct Loan Servicing Center to discuss deferment or forbearance options that would allow you to temporarily stop making payments
or, in the case of a forbearance, to temporarily make smaller payments. However, the months when you are in a deferment or forbearance do not count toward the 120 on-time, full monthly payments required for PSLF.
Q19 I’m thinking of serving as a Peace Corps or AmeriCorps volunteer and plan to request a deferment or forbearance on my loans, since I won’t be able to afford to make loan payments while I am serving. If I’m not making payments during my service period, can my Peace Corps or AmeriCorps service count for PSLF?
A19 Yes, Peace Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers were afforded special treatment under the PSLF regulations to recognize their service. Peace Corps volunteers receive a transition payment after completing their period of service, and AmeriCorps volunteers receive a Segal Education Award after a year of service. If you use some or all of your Peace Corps transition payment or AmeriCorps Segal Education Award to make a lump sum payment on your Direct Loans, your service will be considered PSLF-eligible service and you will receive credit for up to 12 qualifying payments for PSLF. The number of payments that you receive credit for will be determined by dividing the amount of your lump sum payment by your scheduled full monthly payment amount, not to exceed 12 payments.
Q20 If my monthly payment under IBR or ICR is zero, does each month during which my calculated payment is zero count towards the required 120 payments?
A20 Yes. Any month when your calculated payment under IBR or ICR is zero will count toward your required 120 monthly payments.
Q21 How do I know if my employer is a “public service organization” that is an eligible employer for the PSLF Program?
A21 The term “public service organization” covers a broad range of employers, including any federal, state, or local government organization or agency and most charitable non-profit organizations.
Q22 What public (government) employers qualify as eligible employers for the PSLF Program?
A22 Any federal government, state government, local government, or tribal government entity (including the military, public schools and colleges, public child and family services agencies, and special governmental districts) is an eligible employer for the PSLF Program.
Q23 What private non-profit employers qualify as eligible employers for the PSLF Program?
A23 Eligible non-profit employers include those that have received a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS. These include most private schools, colleges, and universities, as well as thousands of other organizations, agencies, and charities. Your employer will easily be able to tell you if it has the required IRS designation. The IRS has a searchable database of 501(c)(3) organizations at http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/.
Q24 Can a private employer that has not received a 501(c)(3) designation qualify as a public service organization for the PSLF Program?
A24 Yes, if the employer is a non-profit organization that meets certain requirements (see below) and provides one or more of the following public services:
•Emergency management,
•Military service,
•Public safety,
•Law enforcement,
•Public interest law services,
•Early childhood education (including licensed or regulated childcare, Head Start, and state-funded pre-kindergarten),
•Public service for individuals with disabilities and the elderly,
•Public health (including nurses, nurse practitioners, nurses in a clinical setting, and full-time professionals engaged in health care practitioner occupations and health care support occupations),
•Public education,
•Public library services, and
•School library or other school-based services.
In addition, the employer must not be a labor union, a partisan political organization, or an organization that is engaged in religious activities (unless the qualifying public services it provides are unrelated to religious instruction, worship services, or proselytizing).
Q25 What types of public service jobs will qualify me for loan forgiveness under the PSLF Program?
A25 The specific job that you perform does not matter, as long as you are employed by a public service organization. For example, if you are a full-time employee of a public school system, your employment would meet the requirements for PSLF, regardless of your position (teacher, administrator, support staff, etc.).
Q26 What is considered full-time employment for PSLF?
A26 Generally, this means you are working an average of at least 30 hours per week or the number of hours the employer considers full-time. For more detailed information about what is considered full-time employment for PSLF purposes, see the definition of “full-time” in the PSLF regulations at 34 CFR 685.219(b).
Q27 Will the Department of Education track my qualifying employment and payments while I am working toward meeting the 120 months of required payments for PSLF?
A27 It is the borrower’s responsibility to have documentation that supports a request for loan forgiveness under the PSLF Program. This includes documentation from the borrower’s employer or employers. Based on this employment documentation, the U.S. Department of Education will be able to identify qualifying employment and payments. The U.S. Department of Education is developing a PSLF application that borrowers may use to document their qualifying employment while they are making the required 120 payments.
Q28 What kind of documentation do I need to keep to show that I worked for a qualifying employer while making the required 120 payments?
A28 A PSLF application form that may be used to document qualifying employment is being developed. Until the form becomes available, you should keep records that clearly identify your employer, show that your employer meets the definition of a public service organization (see Q&As #23 and #24), show your dates of employment, and demonstrate that you are a full-time employee.
Q29 Does Peace Corps service qualify as public service employment?
A29 Yes, if you are serving as a full-time Peace Corps volunteer. (See Q&A #19)
Q30 I am employed full-time by a private company, doing work under a contract with a state government agency. Does this employment qualify for PSLF?
A30 No. You must be directly employed by the public service organization.
Q31 I know that employment with a public school qualifies for PSLF. What about employment with a private school?
A32 Most private schools, colleges and universities are not-for-profit entities that are tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Therefore, they would qualify as public service organizations for PSLF purposes.
Q33 May I hold several different qualifying jobs while making the required 120 payments for PSLF and still be eligible for forgiveness?
A33 Yes. As long as you can provide documentation verifying that you were employed full-time by a public service organization (or by a combination of public service organizations) at the time you made each of the 120 required payments, and also at the time you applied for and received the PSLF benefit.
Q34 If I receive my pay in the form of a stipend, will my employment qualify for PSLF?
A34 The determining factor for PSLF eligibility is whether you made each of the required 120 payments while you were employed full-time by a public service organization. The form of payment you received from the public service organization does not matter.
Additional information on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is available at: http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/LoanForgivenessv4.pdf
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
APA Conference: Last Day to Register at $100 Student Rate
A reminder that today is the last day to take advantage of the student registration price of $100 before it increases to $120. Register today to save money and don’t forget to submit a copy of your receipt to UPPSAINFO@gmail.com to be eligible for reimbursements. Thanks to all who have already sent in their receipts!
Some extra tidbits of information that may help you plan your trip follow:
1. Some transportation options to and from New Orlean’s Louis Armstrong Int’l Airport and the city centre are:
· Deluxe Shuttle If you want a little more leg room at an affordable price. They provide transportation between the airport and any downtown location for $25 each way. Contact us at 1-877-546-8788 or at www.deluxeshuttle.com
· Jefferson Transit: The Airport-Downtown Express (E-2) Bus picks up outside airport Entrance #7 on the upper level.
o Bus Fare: The fare for Airport-Downtown Express (E-2) is $1.10. The fare boxes will accept $1, $5, $10, $20 dollar bills and all U.S. coins. The fare boxes will provide change in the form of a value card that can be used for future fares.
o About the Airport-Downtown Express (E-2) Route: The Airport-Downtown Express (E-2) provides service from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Kenner, down Airline Drive into New Orleans. The Airport bus stop is on the second level of the Airport, near the Delta counter, in the median (look for the sign and bench). At Carrollton at Tulane it connects with RTA's 27-Louisiana and 39-Tulane buses. (Visit the RTA website to check their current schedules.)
o For more information on public transit in the area, visit the Jefferson Transit website, www.jeffersontransit.org, or the RTA website www.norta.com.
· Taxicabs: A cab ride costs $33.00 from the airport to the Central Business District (CBD) for one or two persons and $14.00 (per passenger) for three or more passengers. Pick-up is on the lower level, outside the baggage claim area. There may be an additional charge for extra baggage.
2. The location of the Conference will be at the Morial Convention Centre (900 Convention Center Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70130.) http://www.mccno.com/ The Centre is located just south of the Vieux Carre and downtown (walking distance for some).
3. Through Kayak.com, the lowest airfare from Friday 4/9 through Tuesday 4/13 is $236 on Delta Airlines (via Atlanta).
o Alternatively, Amtrak.com has published roundtrip fares for 4/9 – 4/13 of $220 per reserved coach seat. Greyhound.com has fares for the same dates, roundtrip at $154.
4. For those less selective as to which hotel they stay at, Hotwire.com is offering a three-star hotel room at $98/night pre tax.
o For hostel accommodations in New Orleans, visit http://www.hostels.com/new-orleans/usa . Nightly rates range roughly in the neighborhood of $16-20.
o A hotel thread has been started on UPPSA’s Blogspot under the February 7th post. Feel free to make a posting should you need a roommate or have a hotel room already with extra space @ http://uppsa.blogspot.com/2010/02/hotel-pool-and-information-board.html
5. Finally, volunteer applications are still being accepted through March 9th. http://planning.org/conference/registration/pdf/studentvolunteerform.pdf
6. Lonely Planet’s thorough website has great reviews on where to eat and what to see while down in the “Crescent City.” http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-orleans
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
APA Conference - Sessions v Mobile Workshops
The APA Conference website, and organization of the conference in general can be a bit confusing to those who have not attended. Here is a response to a recent student question outlining the difference between sessions, mobile workshops, and training sessions and how you sign up for them. Enjoy! ~ Katie
At the conference there are several kinds of activities - sessions (or could be called panels), mobile workshops, and training sessions.
The sessions are the bread & butter of the conference - they are what is included in your registration fee and there are multiple sessions going on in each time slot throughout the day at the conference. They are basically talks and presentations from practicing planners, etc, about the topic. You do not have to sign up for these sessions and can choose right before you go to them (or even go to one and leave for another one) - open door policy. You can view the session in the conference section by going to Program/ Browse and then clicking on the different tracks (They are the ones that say 0$). There is the tab to add the session to your schedule, though you don't have to. This schedule of sessions that you set up is only for your convenience and you can change it. You will receive a brochure in your registration packet when you arrive that shows all of the sessions for each day and is much clearer.
The mobile workshops and training session are extra (however much noted next to their tab). You do need to sign up (and pay for) these ahead of time. When you register you will be given the option to do this. Once you are signed up for them, you are not able to change the workshop. When you arrive at the conference, your registration packet will include a ticket for this workshop. They may have a bulletin board at the conference where people can put up tickets that they are not using, so you could try to trade out a ticket there.
At the conference there are several kinds of activities - sessions (or could be called panels), mobile workshops, and training sessions.
The sessions are the bread & butter of the conference - they are what is included in your registration fee and there are multiple sessions going on in each time slot throughout the day at the conference. They are basically talks and presentations from practicing planners, etc, about the topic. You do not have to sign up for these sessions and can choose right before you go to them (or even go to one and leave for another one) - open door policy. You can view the session in the conference section by going to Program/ Browse and then clicking on the different tracks (They are the ones that say 0$). There is the tab to add the session to your schedule, though you don't have to. This schedule of sessions that you set up is only for your convenience and you can change it. You will receive a brochure in your registration packet when you arrive that shows all of the sessions for each day and is much clearer.
The mobile workshops and training session are extra (however much noted next to their tab). You do need to sign up (and pay for) these ahead of time. When you register you will be given the option to do this. Once you are signed up for them, you are not able to change the workshop. When you arrive at the conference, your registration packet will include a ticket for this workshop. They may have a bulletin board at the conference where people can put up tickets that they are not using, so you could try to trade out a ticket there.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Last Call: UPPSA Membership!
Ladies and Gentlemen, this semester's episode of Jason Letterman's "Top 10 Reasons to Join or Renew your UPPSA Membership." (where's my drum roll?)
#10... UPPSA does a body good
#9... Our name backwards is ASPPU... wait... forget this one
#8... We put the dungeon... I mean Basement Lounge... to good use
#7... The best part of wakin' uppa is UPPSA in your CUPPA
#9... Our name backwards is ASPPU... wait... forget this one
#8... We put the dungeon... I mean Basement Lounge... to good use
#7... The best part of wakin' uppa is UPPSA in your CUPPA
#6... (a Fall 2009 classic) You're tired of blowing $15 on lattes every week and want it to go to a better cause (i.e., your own professional development)
#5... (another Fall 2009 classic) UPPSA is green, sustainable, LEED Certified, photovoltaic, and the Board Members all wear green collars
#4... $1.25 = parking for one hour, or membership for a whole month!
#3... UPPSA makes it happen! (this one's serious)
#2... Being an UPPSA member makes more sense than the iPad
.
#5... (another Fall 2009 classic) UPPSA is green, sustainable, LEED Certified, photovoltaic, and the Board Members all wear green collars
#4... $1.25 = parking for one hour, or membership for a whole month!
#3... UPPSA makes it happen! (this one's serious)
#2... Being an UPPSA member makes more sense than the iPad
.
.
.
.
.
And the number one reason to join or renew your UPPSA membership...
NOLA 2010!
UPPSA Membership applications are due Monday, February 15!
Don't have a membership form? Download one here:
http://bit.ly/d6Z8Wl
Jason Saavedra
Candidate, Master of Urban Planning and Policy '10
President, Urban Planning and Policy Student Association
And the number one reason to join or renew your UPPSA membership...
NOLA 2010!
UPPSA Membership applications are due Monday, February 15!
Don't have a membership form? Download one here:
http://bit.ly/d6Z8Wl
Jason Saavedra
Candidate, Master of Urban Planning and Policy '10
President, Urban Planning and Policy Student Association
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Beyond Burnham
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 • 5:00 p.m.
Burnham Conference Center at the American Planning Association
122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600
Chicago, IL
Since the publication of Burnham and Bennett's Plan of Chicago in 1909, powerful institutions such as the Chicago Plan Commission and Regional Transportation Authority, among others, have emerged to promote metropolitan goals in the Chicago region. In their new illustrated book on the topic, Joseph Schwietrman and Alan Mammoser show how the human face of planning appears in the interplay between public officials and citizen advocates.
Schwieterman and Mamoser will share how a century of visionary planning for metropolitan Chicago has shaped the region's identity and character. From Daniel H. Burnham and Edward H. Bennett's famed 1909 Plan of Chicago to the push for superhighways and airports to battles over urban sprawl, they will describe the big personalities and the "big plans" they espoused.
Burnham Conference Center at the American Planning Association
122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600
Chicago, IL
Since the publication of Burnham and Bennett's Plan of Chicago in 1909, powerful institutions such as the Chicago Plan Commission and Regional Transportation Authority, among others, have emerged to promote metropolitan goals in the Chicago region. In their new illustrated book on the topic, Joseph Schwietrman and Alan Mammoser show how the human face of planning appears in the interplay between public officials and citizen advocates.
Schwieterman and Mamoser will share how a century of visionary planning for metropolitan Chicago has shaped the region's identity and character. From Daniel H. Burnham and Edward H. Bennett's famed 1909 Plan of Chicago to the push for superhighways and airports to battles over urban sprawl, they will describe the big personalities and the "big plans" they espoused.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Traffic Jams, Crowds and Human Behavior
Date/Time: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 6:15pm - 7:45pm
Location: The Firehouse Grill, 750 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
Early morning traffic jams, real-time traffic alerts, traffic reports, late afternoon traffic snarls, road conditions, accidents, and more cars added to the mix every day! It’s enough to raise your blood pressure just reading those words.
Let’s talk about it with Hani Mahmassani, professor of civil engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern and director of the Transportation Center.
Science Cafe Evanston is an informal event where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology.
For more information, click here.
Location: The Firehouse Grill, 750 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
Early morning traffic jams, real-time traffic alerts, traffic reports, late afternoon traffic snarls, road conditions, accidents, and more cars added to the mix every day! It’s enough to raise your blood pressure just reading those words.
Let’s talk about it with Hani Mahmassani, professor of civil engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern and director of the Transportation Center.
Science Cafe Evanston is an informal event where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology.
For more information, click here.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Hotel Pool and Information Board
As we chatted about at last Friday's conference planning meeting, it might be a nice option for those attending the conference to be able to create hotel pools to split lodging costs. As such, UPPSA is structuring this post on its blog for those who have yet to book a hotel room and are either looking for a hotel partner(s) to split costs with, or just looking for a cheap hotel rate. All you need to do is add a comment to this post to keep the thread alive and other attendees informed.
So if you find a cheap hotel or hostel rate--post it! (along with the date you found it and where online) If you're in need of a hotel buddy, post your contact information.
So if you find a cheap hotel or hostel rate--post it! (along with the date you found it and where online) If you're in need of a hotel buddy, post your contact information.
Friday, February 5, 2010
February APA-CMS Program - Planning for a Sustainable Future: Hot Topics and Cool Examples
Hey MUPPS, here is a great Sustainability event, brought to you by the APA-CMS. Sign up early to reserve your seat!
The AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION – CHICAGO METRO SECTION
and the
CHADDICK INSTITUTE OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
invite you to attend the
February 25, 2010 Program
Planning for a Sustainable Future:
Hot Topics and Cool Examples
and the
CHADDICK INSTITUTE OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
invite you to attend the
February 25, 2010 Program
Planning for a Sustainable Future:
Hot Topics and Cool Examples
Among the skills of an effective and successful planner is the ability to identify sustainable best practices that conserve environmental resources while improving government performance. Join APA-CMS in hearing local experts discuss aspects of planning for a sustainable future. We will hear regional and municipal perspectives about water conservation, energy planning and financing strategies to implement the initiatives of comprehensive sustainable plans
SPEAKERS:
Timothy T. Loftus, Ph.D. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
As a Principal, Tim leads CMAP’s Environment and Natural Resources planning group and is involved with various water resource planning efforts, including the Project Director for the eleven county Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Supply Plan. He will provide an overview of the state-sanctioned three year planning initiative that will be completed in early 2010 and discuss what has been learned from the science and what the region should be doing now.
Grace Rink, Senior Project Manager at AECOM
Ms. Rink will discuss opportunities for funding the development of sustainability plans and securing the funds to put sustainable initiatives into action, including EECBG. As a senior project manager for AECOM, she provides strategic services for clients seeking to improve their environmental performance, including developing and implementing sustainability programs and policies.
Carolyn Collopy, Sustainable Programs Coordinator for the City of Evanston
Ms. Collopy will present the municipal perspective. She will discuss Evanston's sustainability initiatives to create a healthy environment and strong economy by implementing best practices and policies in infrastructure and services. The City’s Climate Action Plan includes recommendations on: transportation, land use, energy efficiency, renewable resources, waste reduction, food production, carbon offsets, as well as research, communication and education.
WHEN:
Thursday, February 25, 2010, 9:00 a.m. to noon
WHERE:
DePaul University School of Public Service
14 East Jackson, Room 1601
Chicago, IL 60604
COST:
$15 paid at the door (or $5 for students that RSVP by February 19). Session fee is
payable at registration. Checks should be made payable to APA-CMS.
RSVP:
Please e-mail apachicagometrosection@yahoo.com by February 19. NOTE: Seating
for this event is very limited, so please RSVP as early as possible.
QUESTIONS:
For information about the program, please contact Laurie Marston, Chaddick Institute Technical Advisor at (847)681-1680 or laurie.marston@comcast.net
CM CREDITS: AICP CM Credits pending.
SPEAKERS:
Timothy T. Loftus, Ph.D. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
As a Principal, Tim leads CMAP’s Environment and Natural Resources planning group and is involved with various water resource planning efforts, including the Project Director for the eleven county Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Supply Plan. He will provide an overview of the state-sanctioned three year planning initiative that will be completed in early 2010 and discuss what has been learned from the science and what the region should be doing now.
Grace Rink, Senior Project Manager at AECOM
Ms. Rink will discuss opportunities for funding the development of sustainability plans and securing the funds to put sustainable initiatives into action, including EECBG. As a senior project manager for AECOM, she provides strategic services for clients seeking to improve their environmental performance, including developing and implementing sustainability programs and policies.
Carolyn Collopy, Sustainable Programs Coordinator for the City of Evanston
Ms. Collopy will present the municipal perspective. She will discuss Evanston's sustainability initiatives to create a healthy environment and strong economy by implementing best practices and policies in infrastructure and services. The City’s Climate Action Plan includes recommendations on: transportation, land use, energy efficiency, renewable resources, waste reduction, food production, carbon offsets, as well as research, communication and education.
WHEN:
Thursday, February 25, 2010, 9:00 a.m. to noon
WHERE:
DePaul University School of Public Service
14 East Jackson, Room 1601
Chicago, IL 60604
COST:
$15 paid at the door (or $5 for students that RSVP by February 19). Session fee is
payable at registration. Checks should be made payable to APA-CMS.
RSVP:
Please e-mail apachicagometrosection@yahoo.com by February 19. NOTE: Seating
for this event is very limited, so please RSVP as early as possible.
QUESTIONS:
For information about the program, please contact Laurie Marston, Chaddick Institute Technical Advisor at (847)681-1680 or laurie.marston@comcast.net
CM CREDITS: AICP CM Credits pending.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
2010 National Conference Planning Meeting
UPPSA would like to invite all MUPPS to a meeting next Friday, February 5th at 6:00pm, to talk about the upcoming APA National Conference in New Orleans (tentatively scheduled for room 110). We will be hosting a brief presentation outlining the reimbursement process, key dates you should be aware of, as well as sharing the board's previous experiences and recommendations from last year's conference. Please join us!
Mike Sobczak
Treasurer
Mike Sobczak
Treasurer
Saturday, January 30, 2010
UPPSA and APA-CMS co-host Paths in Planning Careers Event
On January 14, 2010 at 6:00pm, UPPSA and the Chicago Metro Section of the American Planning Association (APA-CMS) co-hosted a Paths in Planning Careers event at Jak's Tap near UIC.
Two local planners shared their planning experience, knowledge, and insight into their career paths. Michael Blue, Director of Community Development, City of Highland Park and Brad Winick, Principle Urban Planner, URS Corporation, shared many great stories for practicing planners and students alike. They discussed why they chose planning as a career, the differences between the public and private sectors, their experiences in changing sectors, and what they find to be the most important traits of planners.
Among their many pieces of advice, they emphasized that to be successful planners must have that extra drive and patience. They must learn to incrementally and creatively work in an interdisciplinary and political process. In a competitive professional market, they should highlight their ability to understand the overall community and urban context. They discussed the positive and negative aspects of working in the private and public sectors, emphasizing the ability of public sector planners to work with a community over a long period of time and the ability of private sector planners to develop expertise that can be shared with many different communities. They find that planners can start in either sector and later transfer to the other. Though their role contrasts - with the private sector searching for projects and the public sector managing many projects - they are increasingly working together.
This is the first event co-hosted by APA-CMS and UPPSA, with opportunities for more in the future. Let us know if you have any suggestions/ideas. APA-CMS events are held monthly and are a great opportunity for students to connect with local professionals. Register ahead of time and get the discounted rate of $5!
If you are interested in more planning advice like this, check out the APA Mentorship Program! Many planners are interested in helping you. It is a casual program in which you can meet as often as you like. Go to the UPP website/ Current Students/ Career Development, http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/upp/current_students/cs_career_dev.html, to learn more. For more info and to view mentor profiles, contact Michael Mays at mmays@vil.woodridge.il.us.
Katie Bowman
UPPSA VP
khogan9@uic.edu
Two local planners shared their planning experience, knowledge, and insight into their career paths. Michael Blue, Director of Community Development, City of Highland Park and Brad Winick, Principle Urban Planner, URS Corporation, shared many great stories for practicing planners and students alike. They discussed why they chose planning as a career, the differences between the public and private sectors, their experiences in changing sectors, and what they find to be the most important traits of planners.
Among their many pieces of advice, they emphasized that to be successful planners must have that extra drive and patience. They must learn to incrementally and creatively work in an interdisciplinary and political process. In a competitive professional market, they should highlight their ability to understand the overall community and urban context. They discussed the positive and negative aspects of working in the private and public sectors, emphasizing the ability of public sector planners to work with a community over a long period of time and the ability of private sector planners to develop expertise that can be shared with many different communities. They find that planners can start in either sector and later transfer to the other. Though their role contrasts - with the private sector searching for projects and the public sector managing many projects - they are increasingly working together.
This is the first event co-hosted by APA-CMS and UPPSA, with opportunities for more in the future. Let us know if you have any suggestions/ideas. APA-CMS events are held monthly and are a great opportunity for students to connect with local professionals. Register ahead of time and get the discounted rate of $5!
If you are interested in more planning advice like this, check out the APA Mentorship Program! Many planners are interested in helping you. It is a casual program in which you can meet as often as you like. Go to the UPP website/ Current Students/ Career Development, http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/upp/current_students/cs_career_dev.html, to learn more. For more info and to view mentor profiles, contact Michael Mays at mmays@vil.woodridge.il.us.
Katie Bowman
UPPSA VP
khogan9@uic.edu
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