For decades, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms were processed electronically by the legacy Central Processing System. In 2021 the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) initiated a system development effort and in December 2023 deployed a new system to process forms for the 2024-2025 school year. However, student aid…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the entry ramp to federal grants and loans that many students depend on to afford college. Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in 2020 in part to make it easier to apply for federal aid. However, Education's rollout of the new FAFSA has suffered from numerous challenges and delays.…

Computer security and computer privacy issues are discussed. Among the areas addressed are technical and human security threats, security and privacy issues for information in electronic mail systems, the need for a national commission to examine these issues, and security/privacy issues relevant to colleges and universities. (JN)

This report documents the findings of an evaluation of the effectiveness of the information resources management aspects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-511) which went into effect on April 1, 1981. (This law was enacted as a result of concerns that the government must improve its collection, use, and dissemination of…

For the announced purpose of protecting the privacy of individuals identified in information systems maintained by Federal agencies, Public Law 93-579 regulates the collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of personal information by the agencies. The act enables an individual to determine what records are being kept; to have access to them,…

Submitted to Congress by Senator William V. Roth, Jr., of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, this document reports favorably on Senate Bill 786 (the Information Age Commission Act of 1986), legislation designed to establish a commission to study the impact of computer and communications systems on American society. The report provides: (1) a…

These proposed standards prepared by the CD-ROM Ad Hoc Advisory Committee (the "High Sierra Group") specify the volume and file structure of compact read-only optical discs (CD-ROM) for the interchange of information between users of information processing systems. (Author/LRW)

Describes the provisions of the bill and provides comments of information professionals from government, industry, and academia on the proposed Institute for Information Policy and Research. These include a plea for more funding, an expanded role for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and development of a trained…

This advanced training and reference manual is designed to aid investigators and prosecutors in dealing with white collar computer crime. The first five sections follow the typical order of events for prosecutors handling a criminal case: classifying the crime, computer abuse methods and detection, experts and suspects using information systems,…

Migrating from a traditional to a relational database technology requires more than traditional project management techniques. An overview of what to consider before migrating to relational database technology is presented. Leadership, staffing, vendor support, hardware, software, and application development are discussed. (MLW)

This text of Senate Bill 1361, placed before the 93rd session of the United States Congress, proposes a number of revisions in the federal copyright law. The bill defines the terminology of copyright and stipulates exclusive rights in copyrighted works, including print materials; sound recordings; pictoral, graphic, and scuptural works; and…

This manual for local government officials provides a basic introduction to all aspects of records management, including the administration of an archival program. The direct result of two recent projects which have affected State Archives services toward local governments, the manual is intended to introduce and briefly explain the essential…

This manual is intended primarily for libraries that wish to purchase a turnkey automated circulation system and online catalog, but lack the staff, time, and expertise to develop a set of specifications, or the money to hire consultants. Specifications are provided to assist in the selection from several options: (1) development of an in-house…

Presents selected testimonies before a joint congressional hearing on the changing information needs of rural America. Discussions cover information services and systems, recognizing and meeting information needs, advances being made in information and communication technologies, and the Intermountain Community Learning/Information Services…

This report provides an analysis of the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology's hearings on H.R. 3137 (the Information Science and Technology Act of 1981), focusing on major issues discussed and various alternatives for action proposed by witnesses at the hearings. The primary purposes of the act are to provide a forum for considering…