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NASFAA’s proposal to simplify the FAFSA would have a taxpayer cost lower than most other FAFSA simplification proposals, according to a report from The Urban Institute.

The Department of Education (ED), along with California Attorney General Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced the results of a joint investigation into misleading job placement rates of Corinthian Colleges’ Wyotech and Everest programs, which could lead to debt relief for more former students of the large for-profit college chain.

 An institution that qualifies as eligible for Title IV purposes must meet further requirements pertaining to administrative capability and financial stability in order to participate in the student aid programs. Do you know how an institution’s financial responsibility is measured? Check out NASFAA’s Student Aid Index for resources on financial responsibility, including Department of Education references and a list of related subtopics. Financial responsibility of institutions is just one of more than 30 topics the Student Aid Index can guide you through. Start using the Index today to discover all the information that’s available right at your fingertips.

Do you know a former student who received financial aid and went on to graduate and do something special with his or her life? If so, please submit that story for possible inclusion in the next Student Aid Success Stories publication, which is being compiled as part of NASFAA's 50th Anniversary Celebration. One or two stories will be selected from every state for publication. Up to five individuals will be invited to speak at the 2016 NASFAA Conference to share their stories with conference attendees. Submissions are due by February 1 - share your story today.

In this announcement, the Department reminds schools of the general disbursement reporting, excess cash, and reconciliation requirements for all Title IV programs. Because these requirements apply to disbursement and financial data, both the Financial Aid Office and Business Office should review the information provided below.

The Department announces the posting of the complete version of the 2016-2017 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference. 

The Department announces the posting of the 2016-2017 SAR Comment Codes and Text reference guide.

The Department announces the availability of an updated version of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Gainful Employment User Guide, now available on the NSLDS User Documentation page on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site.

FSA is initiating a formal assessment program of the Guaranty Agencies that will ensure the continued confidentiality and integrity of data entrusted to FSA by students and families.

"Few things will make the real world more real for a new college graduate than that first student loan bill. And for many in the class of 2015, that reality check is fast approaching as the six-month grace period available to federal student loan borrowers runs out," according to MarketWatch.

"Students are entering community colleges with the goal of earning a four-year degree, but most don't succeed," Inside Higher Ed reports. "... Solving this dilemma is at the heart of the Edvance Foundation's call to create a national college transfer partnership. The foundation has outlined, in a report released today, five core components to establishing a smooth transfer pathway that encourages more community college students to transfer and helps them to actually graduate with a bachelor's degree."

"My distinguished former colleague Neil Cavuto, host on the Fox Business network, got into an entertaining back-and-forth on air last week with student protest organizer Keely Mullen. The subject: How to solve our country’s student debt crisis — and who should pay for the solution," Brett Arends writes in an opinion piece for MarketWatch.

"Once again, the razor-thin veil between political correctness hyperbole and absurdity is being removed. A coalition of Illinois universities and other groups are hoping to change the law against providing financial aid to college students who are 'undocumented' immigrants," according to an editorial from The Telegraph.

"Recently a couple of statements from people I know inside the debt relief industry have struck me. It seems there is a general lack of understanding why it is getting harder to sell debt relief services," Steve Rhode writes in The Huffington Post's The Blog.

"More than 40 million Americans have student loan debt. On average, 2015 graduates left their campus with more than $35,000 in debt that they are responsible for paying back," according to Credit.com's blog.

"Two-year colleges have been identified by many experts, including President Obama, as crucial to improving the economy and rescuing millions of Americans from dead-end jobs and lives," according to The Washington Post's Grade Point.

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