NASFAA News RSS
NASFAA Provides Sample Letter To College Presidents
Many of the changes in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) will directly affect operations in other areas of your campus outside of the financial aid office. To help your institution to prepare for these changes, NASFAA has developed a sample letter that you can adapt and use to apprise your institution's president and others about the possible impact of the HEOA on your institution and its students. If your institution has a legislative relations department, you should run this correspondence through this department first.
Students Win And Lose Under Private Loan Provisions
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) includes several provisions that will affect how students, schools, and lenders work with private student loans. Title X of the HEOA, dubbed "The Private Student Loan Transparency and Improvement Act of 2008," makes changes to the Truth in Lending Act and the Higher Education Act. This article summarizes the private student loan certification process outlined in the law.
ED Corrects Email Address For FAFSA Comments
The Department of Education has informed NASFAA that the correct email address for submitting comments on the draft 2009-10 FAFSA is FAFSA.comments@ed.gov. ED will be correcting its IFAP notice. Please submit a copy of your comments to NASFAA at FAFSAComments@nasfaa.org.
The American Council On Education Releases Summary Of New HEA
The American Council on Education (ACE) has compiled a 10-page summary and analysis of the new Higher Education Act (P.L. 110-315) which President Bush signed into law on Aug. 14. The ACE summary highlights selected key new provisions and is not comprehensive. The summary focuses on programs and provisions with broad application to all aspects of higher education. It intentionally excludes programs and provisions that have a narrower or more targeted reach. The summary is available online in PDF format.
Reminder: Submit Your 2009-10 FAFSA Comments To NASFAA
The Department of Education has posted a draft of the 2009-10 FAFSA. This article summarizes some of the significant changes to the FAFSA due to recent legislation effective for the 2009-10 award year. We encourage you to review the draft and the summary of changes in this article and submit your comments and suggestions to the Department of Education at FAFSAComments@ed.gov. In addition, please submit a copy of your comments to NASFAA at FAFSAComments@nasfaa.org so that we can represent the interests and concerns of our member institutions.
National Chair Blog: The Thrill Of Victory, The Agony Of Defeat
"The Christian Science Monitor ran an editorial on August 20th proclaiming that Congress has flunked in the passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act," writes NASFAA National Chair Dave Gruen. "Their premise is that taxpayers know little concerning the return on their investment in awarding billions of taxpayer dollars to institutions. (Funny - I thought the dollars went to the students.) But their basic premise speaks to accountability for the billions of dollars spent and that schools and teachers should be measured on the results of their core mission - education."
Borrowers With Joint FFEL Consolidation Loans Miss Out
NASFAA recently received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that married couples with a joint FFEL Consolidation Loan are unable to qualify for public service loan forgiveness. As a result of recent legislative changes, it is impossible for borrowers with a joint FFEL consolidation loan to reconsolidate their loan into the Direct Loan Program for any reason, including qualifying for public service loan forgiveness. ED would need additional statutory authority to reconsolidate a joint FFEL Consolidation Loan.
NASFAA Newsletter For Aug. 25, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The Aug. 25, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
NASFAA's First Reauthorization Webinar Is Now Available Online
Last week, NASFAA held its first Webinar on the HEA reauthorization bill that was signed into law earlier this month. More than 1,300 NASFAA members tuned in to watch and participate in the live Webinar. The event addressed a number of the immediate implementation issues of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), including student consumer information and disclosures, provisions that impact veterans and military personnel, the most significant changes to need analysis and student eligibility, and the most important changes to the individual Title IV programs. A recorded version of this Webinar has been posted online for NASFAA members.
Bulk Orders Are Now Being Accepted For NASFAA's "Cash for College" Booklet
The Cash for College booklet is distributed year-round to prospective students, at high school financial aid information nights, and as a primer for institutional colleagues, trustees, legislators, and community leaders. The design allows institutions to add their name and contact information on the back cover. Cash for College is updated each fall and is available to NASFAA members for bulk ordering once or twice a year.
Video: Department Of Education Update At NASFAA National Conference Posted
The closing session of the 2008 NASFAA National Conference has been posted to the NASFAA Web site. The closing session includes the Department of Education's federal update, remarks from Dave Gruen, the 2008-09 NASFAA National Chair, and closing remarks from Dr. Phil Day, NASFAA President & CEO.
2008 Fall Training: Stay One Step Ahead
NASFAA has posted information about its Fall 2008 Workshop Series, Aspects of Student Eligibility. This information-packed workshop will help keep you one step ahead on changes to database matches, documenting veteran status, the drug conviction question, changes to Federal Methodology effective for the 2009-10 award year, changes to the construction of the cost of attendance, and the impact of institutional policies on student eligibility. Each topic will include a discussion of changes made by the recently passed Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, as appropriate.
National Chair Blog: Dog Days - Part Deux
Well, I am writing this on 8-8-08 (the start of the Olympics) and the craziness of this summer's Dog Days continues. Consider the following: Governor of Massachusetts, Deval L. Patrick, brings Mr. Cuomo's investigations full circle, as shown in a Chronicle of Higher Education article. The Chronicle article indicates that the Governor has asked Massachusetts colleges to invest in the state-owned Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) so thousands of the state's students can continue to receive student loans. MEFA recently suspended its federal and private student loan operations. The Governor's request appears to be a clear violation of Mr. Cuomo's conflict of interest guidelines established last year. Nevertheless, the Governor's actions are considered commendable by many.
NASFAA Newsletter For Aug. 11, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The Aug. 11, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
We Want To Hear from You! Submit Your 2009-10 FAFSA Comments To NASFAA
The Department of Education has posted a draft of the 2009-10 FAFSA. This article summarizes some of the significant changes to the FAFSA due to recent legislation effective for the 2009-10 award year. We encourage you to review the draft and the summary of changes in this article and submit your comments and suggestions to the Department of Education at FAFSAComments@ed.gov. In addition, please submit a copy of your comments to NASFAA at FAFSAComments@nasfaa.org so that we can represent the interests and concerns of our member institutions.
NASFAA To Hold First HEA Reauthorization Webinar Aug. 21 At 1:30 PM
Join the NASFAA staff for a Higher Education Act Reauthorization Webinar on Thursday, August 21st from 1:30 - 3:30 PM (Eastern Time). The Higher Education Opportunity Act (reauthorization legislation currently pending the President's signature) is enormous and makes numerous changes that affect your office operations, your students, and other offices on your campus. This Webinar will focus on the topics that are most pressing to your institution. What changes have the most immediate impact? Which new requirements need long-range planning? How might students be impacted?
NASFAA July 2008 Monthly Status Report Now Available
The NASFAA July 2008 Monthly Status Report is now available on the NASFAA Web site. The monthly status report contains a monthly summary of NASFAA activities, future plans, and highlights from NASFAA President and CEO Dr. Phil Day. The report is first released to the NASFAA Board of Directors and is then made available to NASFAA members. The July 2008 Monthly Status Report is now available to members online.
Get To Know The 2008-09 NASFAA Board Of Directors
In an effort to "put a face" on NASFAA and encourage mentoring and volunteering among members, NASFAA is creating profiles of the 2008-09 board of directors. This page is a work in progress and we will continue to add profiles as they are submitted by the board. NASFAA's board of directors is the executive body of the Association. It plans, organizes, and directs the associations' activities and priorities. It must be alert to the purposes of the association and direct NASFAA's attention and efforts to substantive issues and decisions. NASFAA members are encouraged to view these profiles on the NASFAA Web site and contact board of directors in their region or from similar institutions to share any questions, comments or concerns.
NASFAA Summary Of The Higher Education Opportunity Act
NASFAA has compiled a general overview of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, legislation passed by Congress on July 31 that reauthorizes and makes several changes to the Higher Education Act. The summary focuses on issues of interest to financial aid administrators and federal student aid issues. Some information and titles that have little to no impact on financial aid and financial aid offices have been left out. While this legislation passed by wide margins in both the House and Senate, it has not yet been signed into law by President Bush. NASFAA will continue to monitor the bill and send out an update through Today's News on the bill's final outcome.
Additional IPEDS Reporting Requirements
While we are still waiting to see regulations on reporting changes in the HEA reauthorization, institutions face additional Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) reporting requirements in the near future. The changes or additions will be optional in the first year (2008-09) and mandatory in subsequent years. The chart included in this article tabulates changes in IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) Report.
Users Of EDI And XML High School And College Transcripts Converge To Launch Transcript User Group
The Board of Directors of the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) announced the launch of an inter-organizational User Group that will focus on utilization and development of standardized, electronic transcripts. Many colleges, universities, and software and systems providers are using the EDI versions, but many are also either currently using the XML versions or plan on implementing them in the very near future. Use of both the high school and college transcript standards can be tracked throughout the United States and into Canada.
NASFAA Newsletter For Aug. 4, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The Aug. 4, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
Kanjorski Sets Hearing To Focus On "Failed" ECASLA Implementation
Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), Chairman of the House Financial Services Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee, believes the Department of Education hasn't gone far enough to fix problems in the auction rate securities market for student loan originators. On Sept. 18, Kanjorski will hold a hearing to focus on how regulators can solve these financing issues. Some argue that the Department's current liquidity plan only helps lenders who already have enough capital to make loans this coming academic year and does little for lenders that have already dropped out of the program. But not all legislators share that point of view. In an open letter to Massachusetts' students and families last week, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) sought to reassure families that ECASLA is working, by pointing to stronger lender-of-last resort provisions and schools' ability to move into the Direct Loan program.
Congress Overwhelmingly Passes HEA Reauthorization Bill
The full House overwhelmingly approved legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act by a 380 to 49 vote today. Hours later, the Senate easily passed the bill, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, by an 83 to 8 vote. Today's action by the House and Senate clears the bill for President Bush to sign into law and will be the first complete reauthorization of the HEA since 1998.
Order Your 2008 NASFAA Conference Session DVD Today
This is your chance to own a piece of the NASFAA Conference! For the first time, NASFAA has video recorded five popular Conference interest sessions. So, if you missed the Conference, or you attended in-person but want to own the recorded sessions, you can purchase the Conference DVD to watch at your leisure, and share them with colleagues and staff. To pre-order the five-session Conference DVD, please submit the attached order form, with payment, to NASFAA by August 15, 2008.
National Chair Blog: The 'Dog Days Of Summer' And Reauthorization
Everyone has heard of the 'dog days of summer.' Officially the dog days fall between July 3 and August 11 when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere. It is also known as a period of stagnation or inactivity. I'm trying hard to not make any comparisons to Congress and that last quote, but during an election year August is normally a time for our legislators to be 'languid' (but maybe still hysterical). However, bucking the historical nature of 'dog days,' could it be that our decade long wait for Reauthorization is over? The final details of the compromise bill passed on Tuesday evening. Dubbed the Higher Education Opportunity Act, it has since been passed by both the House and the Senate. I certainly hope that our legislators are not experiencing fevers, hysterics and frenzies, but in my cursory look at the bill, I may experience some of those characteristics.
House, Senate Expected To Consider HEA Reauthorization Bill Today
The House and Senate are expected today to consider the Higher Education Opportunity Act, legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The HEA hasn't been reauthorized since 1998. Negotiators from the House and Senate reached an agreement on a Conference Report that reconciled the two chambers' versions of the bill late Tuesday and it appears they will pass this compromised version of the bill before adjourning for August recess. This would clear the bill for the President's signature this month.
NASFAA Summary Of New GI Bill
On June 20, 2008, the President signed into law the Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-252) to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also incorporates the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, which contains a host of new benefits for GIs who have served in the military since the 9/11 terrorist acts. The enhanced educational benefits, which the new law compares to those provided to World War II veterans, are payable for a total of 36 months, the equivalent of four years of college, and remain available for up to 15 years after a veteran’s last discharge or release from active duty. This article outlines provisions in the bill and how students may take advantage of them.
Conference Committee Approves HEA Reauthorization Compromise, House And Senate Votes Expected This Week
The Senate formally appointed conferees on legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (H.R. 4137) yesterday and Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), who is filling in for Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) as lead Senate negotiator, held a conference meeting on the legislation last night to hammer out final details. The compromise bill, dubbed the Higher Education Opportunity Act, next heads to the House and Senate floors where it is expected to pass before Congress begins its August recess at the end of this week. NASFAA will provide a complete summary of the final bill in the near future.
Brazos Says Not Enough Time To Implement ECASLA
First they were out, and then they were in. Now they're back out. Yesterday Brazos Higher Education Service Corporation, Inc., the fourth largest holder of guaranteed student loans and the largest nonprofit loan provider, signaled another shift in policy by announcing that it would once again suspend participation in the federal loan programs. In another sign of instability in the loan markets, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) said yesterday that it too will not be able to provide any students with loans this fall.
Progress On HEA, But Passage Before August Recess Unlikely
A House education committee press release announced that Senate and House negotiators would "likely" meet this week to sign off on a final version of HEA reauthorization legislation (H.R. 4137, S. 1642), but Senate leaders have cast doubts that HEA legislation will be passed by both chambers before Congress' August recess. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has indicated that the House could vote on a final HEA bill before the August recess if a final version is ready in time, according to Congressional Quarterly. However, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL) said there was virtually no chance the Senate would consider HEA reauthorization before September.
NASFAA Newsletter For July 28, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The July 28, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
Department Seeks Aid Administrators' Help With The Loan Crunch
The Department continues to work with the lending community to refine terms and conditions under which they will provide lenders with additional liquidity to meet upcoming loan demand. Already hundreds of lenders have signaled their intent to participate in the loan purchase programs authorized by the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA), according to a letter from the Department to financial aid administrators sent last Thursday. This most recent correspondence comes only days after NASFAA released survey results showing that nearly half of all aid administrators surveyed are very concerned about the student loan crunch with another 45 percent somewhat concerned.
New NASFAA Charts Help Schools Meet TEACH Counseling Requirements
Final TEACH Grant regulations require higher education institutions to counsel TEACH Grant recipients about their obligations under the program and the consequences for failing to meet those obligations. NASFAA has developed the attached charts to help members determine what counseling they need to provide to comply with TEACH Grant regulations. These charts provide an excellent benchmarking tool to ensure that you are in compliance, as well as an assessment tool to use when evaluating the capacity of vendor products you may use to help you meet the requirements.
Casey Family Program Aims To Improve Higher Education For Foster Youth
College has always been a means for youth to maximize their education, secure a good job, and grow independently. For some youth - like those in foster care - college can mean freedom from their past and a future rich with possibilities, according to Casey Family Programs. To help youth from foster care access and succeed in higher education, the Casey Family Program has implemented a new framework, Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education Outcomes for Students from Foster Care. This publication provides program development information and tools for college student support services, administrators, advisors, financial aid counselors and advocates to help foster care youth succeed in higher education.
Archived Recording Of Webinar On TEACH Final Rules Now Available
The archived recording of the July 22 Webinar on the TEACH Grant final rules provided by NASFAA and AACTE will be available the afternoon of July 23 (later today). Visit NASFAA's Webinar Center for the July 22 event and click on "Register and View Webinar." If you have already registered, enter the email address you used for registration. If you haven't registered, you may do so now, and you will have access to the recorded Webinar for the next several months.
Bring Counselor Training To Your State Through NT4CM
National Training for Counselors and Mentors (NT4CM) planning is currently underway for academic year 2009-10, and NT4CM would like to confirm your state's interest and/or commitment by July 30, 2008. Early enrollment will ensure your state can take full advantage of the resources we will be offering this year. NT4CM works with states to help provide free training and support for those who assist students and their families in preparing financially for college. NT4CM is brought to you by the U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), and the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP).
Getting Students The Facts On College And Financial Aid Early And Often
Students and families need ample information and time to properly prepare, plan, and pursue their higher education goals, according to a recent report, Early and Often, by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. As the title suggests, the report recommends that students and families be given the proper information early and often so they can develop a good understanding of their higher education goals and what it will take to achieve these goals.
NASFAA Newsletter For July 21, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The July 21, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
Financial Aid Administrators' Views Of The Loan Crunch
The vast majority (90 percent) of student financial aid administrators said they are concerned about the student loan crunch and more than half (52 percent) believe that the recently enacted Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA) does not do enough to ensure future loan access for students, according to a recent survey, Financial Aid Administrators' Perspectives on the Student Loan Crunch and Preferred Lender Lists, conducted by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). New discriminatory lending practices by student loan providers are a chief concern for the 1,078 aid administrators who completed the survey.
ED Warns Schools About Noncompliance In NASFAA Conference Session On FWS Community Service
Community service requirements in the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program are infamous for their complexity. At the 2008 NASFAA Conference, representatives from the U.S Department of Education (ED) reviewed the requirements for the community service components of FWS, and offered a grave reminder to the audience about the consequences of not fulfilling the requirements.
Additional NASFAA National Conference Interest Session Handouts Posted To Web Site
Several NASFAA Conference interest session handouts, including presentations from the U.S. Department of Education, have been posted to the NASFAA Web site. We will update the list of presentation handouts as we receive additional handouts from presenters. Conference session presenters are encouraged to submit handouts in PDF or Power Point format to web@nasfaa.org. NASFAA will post presentation material as we receive it.
Preparing For The TEACH Grant Webinar On July 22
NASFAA and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) will present a third Webinar in a series on the TEACH Grant Program on July 22, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. This Webinar will focus on implementation of the final rules for the TEACH Grant program that were published on June 23, 2008. Since this is the third in the series, you are strongly encouraged to review the archived handouts and recordings on this topic from the April 7 and 9, 2008, Webinars. You will find these at NASFAA's Webinar Center
Participate In NASFAA's 2008 Financial Aid Simplification Survey
Does financial aid process need to be simplified? In order to be driving this discussion rather than reacting to it, it is important that NASFAA learns as much about its members' beliefs as possible as this topic inevitably moves forward among lawmakers, students, parents, economists, and educators. NASFAA is conducting a survey, created by the Federal Issues Committee, that seeks to gather information and opinions from membership on simplification: whether or not it's needed; if so, where it's needed; how it might work; and what impacts or unintended consequences simplification could have. Please take a few minutes to review and complete this survey and encourage your staff at all levels to do so as well.
National Chair Blog: Cowboy Up!
"Those of you attending NASFAA's National Conference this past week possibly heard my remarks at the Business Meeting, but I thought I would share some of them again," writes 2008-09 NASFAA National Chair Dave Gruen in his first blog post. "I come from the Cowboy state of Wyoming and have lived and worked in Oklahoma - another Cowboy state. So, I'm warning you now that we are going to 'Cowboy Up!!' this year. For those who have never heard this phrase, the simplest explanation for 'Cowboy Up!!' is that it's the 'Cowboy Spirit' - to give it all you've got; don't give up; do the best you can with the hand you're dealt."
Additional NASFAA National Conference Interest Session Handouts Posted To Web Site
Several NASFAA Conference interest session handouts, including presentations from the U.S. Department of Education, have been posted to the NASFAA Web site. We will update the list of presentation handouts as we receive additional handouts from presenters. Conference session presenters are encouraged to submit handouts in PDF or Power Point format to web@nasfaa.org. NASFAA will post presentation material as we receive it.
NASFAA Newsletter For July 14, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The July 14, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
NASFAA's Recent Accomplishments And Future Goals
Dr. Phil Day has been working to renew, restructure, and re-energize NASFAA since his first day as president and CEO of the Association. At NASFAA's National Conference last week in Orlando, Day highlighted the Association's recent accomplishments and outlined goals and priorities for the future. These goals include increasing member benefits, expanding communication and advocacy efforts, and realigning the association and its processes to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
Reminder: Register For The July 22 TEACH Grant Webinar
Registration for the upcoming Webinar on TEACH Grants: The Final Rules, which takes place on July 22, 2008 at 1:30 PM EDT, is now open. Visit the NASFAA Webinar Center for more information and to register. Under "Upcoming Live Webinars," click on the link for "additional information" and the "to register click here" link. Read through the description of the July 22 Webinar, and then select Register and View Webinar. Complete the registration form and you are registered for the Webinar.
PESC Members Elect Incumbents To Board Of Directors And Board Appoints Officers
At their Annual Membership Meeting held April 28, 2008 during the 5th Annual Conference on Technology and Standards, the Members of the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) elected incumbents Brian Allison of USA Funds representing the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP), Ron King of Nelnet Business Solutions, Francisco Valines of Florida International University representing that National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), Andy Wood of Oracle Corporation and newly elected Doug Falk of the National Student Clearinghouse to PESC's Board of Directors. All were elected for two years terms which run July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2010.
National Conference Concludes With U.S. Department Of Education Update
NASFAA's National Conference concluded Wednesday morning with a broad update from the U.S. Department of Education on the many new laws, regulations and pending legislation. A webcast of this update and the slide presentation that accompanied it will be posted to the NASFAA Web site in the near future. With the gavel officially passed from 2007-08 National Chair Michael Bennett to the 2008-09 National Chair David Gruen, director of Student Financial Aid at the University of Wyoming, Bennett assumed he could relax, but he will still be expected to stay active. NASFAA President and CEO notified Bennett that NASFAA would call on him to stay involved even though his term was over.
NASFAA Leaders Review Lessons Learned And Outline Future Plans
Past and present NASFAA leaders reviewed lessons learned from over the past year outlined the goals and direction for the association in coming years during the annual business meeting at NASFAA's National Conference in Orlando, FL. Outlining the association's future plans, NASFAA President and CEO Dr. Phil Day formally announced the launch of NASFAA's "National Conversation on Access and Aid for Student Success." This "major new initiative" was unanimously approved by the NASFAA board and will explore drastic ways to overhaul the student aid system so it accommodates the realities and requirements of today's students.
NASFAA Announces 2008 Award Recipients
At this year's Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, NASFAA conferred numerous awards on financial aid administrators and others for recognizable accomplishments and service. NASFAA salutes each of the award recipients for his or her contributions and accomplishments. A list of recipients appears first, followed by details on each award.
Keller Predicts HEA Completion In August, Other Legislation Remains Unlikely
The HEA reauthorization conference report is 99 percent done and should be completed in early August, said Representative Ric Keller (R-FL), ranking member of the House higher education subcommittee, during a general session at NASFAA’s annual conference yesterday. When asked about additional legislation to address the credit crunch, Keller said he did not believe there would be any further legislative action in the near future. Keller also discussed several of his views and positions on financial aid and his appreciation for financial aid administrators. This article also contains links to other media attention on the NASFAA Conference.
ED Outlines Loan Purchase Terms And Conditions In Webinar
Lenders received added guidance about the terms and conditions under which the Department of Education will purchase loans under the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loan Act (ECASLA) during a Department of Education Webinar yesterday. The Webinar occurred the same day that ED officially posted these terms and conditions in the Federal Register. The Department believes that the existence of these terms and conditions, even prior to their official publication in the Federal Register, has already loosened the capital markets enough to allow lenders to continue making loans. As of yesterday, no one has invoked lender of last resort provisions, which were strengthened under ECASLA, according to officials from the Department.
AskRegs Unavailable July 7-9 Due To The National Conference
AskRegs, NASFAA's service to members that answers questions about regulatory and compliance issues, will not be available from July 7-9. NASFAA's Division of Professional Assessment, Training, and Regulatory Assistance (PATRA) will be preoccupied at the National Conference on those dates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Save The Date! TEACH Grant Final Rules Webinar Will Be Held July 22
On July 22, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, NASFAA and the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) will present a third, free webinar in a series on the TEACH Grant Program. The webinar will: Delineate differences between the proposed rules and the final rules, including certain institutional eligibility criteria; Discuss student eligibility; Define TEACH Grant-eligible programs and detail institutional options for declaring programs eligible; Describe counseling requirements.
Policies & Procedures Tools: Updated Regulatory Resources Guide Available
The Regulatory Resources Guide, part of NASFAA's Policies & Procedures Tools, has been updated. The Guide can be used to help ensure that your institution's policies and procedures manual addresses all elements and areas necessary to achieve compliance with Title IV regulations. The Policies & Procedures Tools are a member benefit and require a username and password to access.
NASFAA Newsletter For June 30, 2008, Including The Five Most Viewed Articles From Last Week
The June 30, 2008 NASFAA Newsletter is a compilation of article abstracts published last week in Today's News and includes a list of the top five most viewed articles.
Higher Education Associations Voice Concern About Amendment To Veterans' Benefits Improvement Legislation
NASFAA joined six higher education associations to voice concern about an amendment that is expected to be offered to the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (S. 3023). The amendment, S. 1718, would allow servicemembers who have their higher education interrupted by military service to have their tuition reimbursed, loans deferred, and loan interest rates reduced. While the amendment is well-intentioned, it inadequately compensates service men and women for their service and will be confusing and complicated to implement. This confusion and complexity will cause the amendment to accomplish less than its supporters hope to achieve, according to the higher education associations.
Learn To Use IPEDS Online Data Tools To Perform Peer Analysis At The National Conference
Do you need peer, state or national data for your institution but are overwhelmed by the array of data options that exists? Come to the hands-on training session at NASFAA's National Conference that focuses on IPEDS Data Analysis System (DAS) (session #78 & #79) by Elise Miller, Project Director from NCES. This session will be held on Tuesday, July 8 from 10:15 AM to 2:30 PM and will provide a hands-on demonstration and training on how to use IPEDS data and various online tools, including the IPEDS College Navigator and Peer Analysis System (PAS).
Learn To Use The National Dataset And Tools To Boost Your Financial Aid Research Repertoire At The National Conference
Need benchmark or comparative aid data for your state or region, but having no resources to gather the data yourself? On Tuesday, July from 2:45 PM to 5:30 PM, come to the hands-on training session at NASFAA's National Conference that will focus on the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) (Session #80 & #81) and learn how to navigate the national database. Conducted by Dr. Tracy Hunt-White, Statistician from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this session will provide a hands-on demonstration and training on how to use NCES data to answer your financial aid questions.
