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This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Megan, and Joelle recap what’s been floating around on the Hill, such as a letter demanding the IRS clarify that it will not tax the forgiven debt of former Corinthian Colleges students, and a bill mandating that institutions certify private student loans. As the start of the school year nears, the group analyzes enrollment declines in higher education, and Justin discusses what often happens to students flagged for FAFSA verification over the summer. Plus, Joelle explains why being financially savvy has nothing to do with understanding the student loan process, and the team shares common life advice they choose to ignore. "Off The Cuff" will be on hiatus for the rest of the summer and will return in September. In the meantime, you can find your favorite episodes here.

Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee chairman, last week submitted a letter asking the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to provide detailed information on federal student loans currently in Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans. "We are troubled by the financial state of IDR plans," the letter said. "Any system that lends more than is repaid will surely become a liability to federal taxpayers, and we request that CBO estimate the date when this will eventually occur, absent changes," they wrote. The senators noted they would use the information to help inform their decision making during the looming Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization process. 

In an era where young people are glued to their devices, the way students communicate is constantly shifting. In a recent Today’s News article, 2017-18 NASFAA National Chair Billie Jo Hamilton said it’s important for financial aid offices to meet students where they are: on their phones. We want to hear from you! What is your most effective strategy for communicating with students? How do you stay ahead of trends? 

"This week has been a nice combination of learning and application. My internship with NASFAA allows me to do a lot of listening, which I think is the best way to learn. Over the last several days, I’ve attended education funding meetings with K-12 and higher education stakeholders, a Veterans Affairs congressional hearing about GI Bill implementation, multiple NASFAA staff discussions around legislation review and policy research, and joined Forward50 calls on higher education accountability and transparency," McCall writes in her latest blog post. Read on to see what else she's been up to this week.

NASFAA’s Training and Regulatory Assistance team is excited to welcome its newest team member, Cheryl Hunt. Cheryl lives and telecommutes from Eugene, Oregon. Her previous experience as a financial aid administrator, as well as her background in developing and presenting financial aid training, will be a great asset to NASFAA. In her role, Cheryl will serve as a NASFAA U Instructor where she will share her expertise as she leads NASFAA U course participants through their online course experience. Please join us in welcoming Cheryl to the team.

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