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today’s news for Thursday, July 16, 2015

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The College Board. For more than six decades, the College Board has been a leader and innovator in financial aid. College Board’s fully integrated financial aid solutions are designed to help your institution develop equitable, effective, and efficient financial aid policies and processes. Visit us at collegeboard.org

NEWS FROM NASFAA

Student loan debt isn’t just a problem for new college graduates – the financial burden creates several long-term ramifications that prevent many borrowers from achieving their full potential, according to panelists at an event hosted by New America.

Wealthier families are more likely to financially prepare their children for college before they enter kindergarten and current policy efforts to encourage college savings may further exacerbate the inequalities, according to a new study published in TCRecord that examines how families pay for college.

Clarification on 2016-17 Verification Signature Requirements for Tax Filers with Amended Returns

On July 1, we reported on verification documentation changes for the 2016-17 award year, but received confirmation from the Department of Education (ED) that one of our interpretations was incorrect. ED clarified that applicants who file amended tax returns must provide signatures on both the copy of the original tax return filed and the 1040X. We have updated our original article, and the related article published on July 15 reflects the correct guidance. If you have further questions regarding verification, please visit AskRegs or submit your questions online. The verification requirements are also listed in the Federal Register and Dear Colleague Letter GEN-15-11.

NASFAA is committed to ensuring the highest ethical standards among our membership. As such, the Board of Directors moved in fall 2014 to institute a process for enforcement of the association's Code of Conduct. Per the Enforcement Procedures, members of the public may now submit complaints to NASFAA's Ethics Commission about alleged or perceived infractions of the Code. The goal of NASFAA's enforcement procedures is to first and foremost help institutions come into compliance with the Code. Complainants must be prepared to provide details about any allegation, along with substantiating evidence, if possible. The Commission will not review anonymous complaints.

Special Conference Editions of Today's News Coming to You Next Week

An abbreviated version of Today's News will be coming to you live from San Diego Monday - Thursday next week with exciting updates about all that is going on at the 2017 NASFAA National Conference. Readers can expect the daily issue of Today's News to reach their inboxes later than usual while staff are in California for the conference. But remember, you don't have to wait for Today's News to keep up with what's going. NASFAA staff will be posting frequent updates and brief highlights from select sessions throughout the conference, on the Conference Summaries page—check back frequently.

The newly updated NASFAA.org is mobile-optimized. That means if you're reading Today's News or looking at the site on your smartphone, tablet or other mobile device, the display will automatically resize to best fit your screen. It's also possible to login on multiple devices so you don't have to log in every time you switch from using a mobile device on the go to your computer at the office. Stay tuned to Today's News in the coming weeks for short videos and other tips to help you make the most of the website's new features.

NASFAA U

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants credential test is a Part 2 exam that specifically assesses comprehension of the TEACH Grant program. This nationally recognized credential focuses on institutional and student eligibility, awarding funds, the Agreement to Serve, and counseling requirements. Begin the process of earning your TEACH Grant Credential today.

x - HEADLINES

National News

"For some students, plans to attend college take shape during high school. But according to researchers, high school can be too late to start planning -- financially and academically," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"To many institutions, veterans seem like ideal students: They’re seen as hardworking and driven, and they bring guaranteed tuition money through federal benefits. It’s that last fact, many observers say, that has made service members so attractive to for-profit colleges," according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

"A growing number of companies are providing education loans to students who have no intention of earning a degree," MarketWatch reports.

"...Growing demands placed on working adult learners can make higher education seem unattainable, inflexible, and unrealistic. For too many people today, time is the barrier to college completion. ... Credit for Prior Learning has emerged as an effective pathway to help more learners today, with busy lifestyles, to achieve their higher education goals," eCampus News reports.

"Perhaps not surprisingly, grad students tend to take on more debt when going into fields where the pay is higher. Students studying medicine and law typically borrow more than a hundred thousand dollars to get through school, and many go on to high-paying careers," NPR reports.

State News

"Shortly after securing what they saw as a major victory for young immigrants without legal status, Arizona immigrant advocates are facing an attempt to wipe away the victory awarding in-state college tuition," NBC News reports.

"Connecticut has become the first state to create a Student Loan Bill of Rights in an effort to help reduce the burden of debt most students acquire once they graduate," WTNH reports.

Opinions

"...It has become nearly de rigueur for high performing, "no excuses" charter schools to add four years to the graduation date for each departing class. It marks the year departing scholars are scheduled to graduate from college, an endearing aspirational quirk and one last dose of high expectations before commencement," Robert Pondiscio writes in U.S. News & World Report

Blogs & Think Tanks

"Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal bemoaned rising tuitions at colleges and universities in an appearance on the Fox News Sunday TV show, according to a report in The Hill — even as he has presided over a state with one of the worst records in the nation on moderating tuition increases on his watch," Gregory Roberts writes in The Advocate's politics blog.

x - INDUSTRY NEWS

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