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Yesterday NASFAA published a general summary of the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) released early this year by the Department of Education (ED) and provided details on the dispute resolution processes. The last two articles in the series, published today, cover the NPRM's repayment rates and financial responsibility. All four articles in this series can be found on NASFAA's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - 2016 page. The deadline for commenting on all of these proposed rules is August 1, 2016.

NASFAA President Justin Draeger kicked off the 2016 National Conference with a few words about about how he got his start in financial aid and the importance of the work financial aid administrators do. "Like many of you, I didn't set out to work in financial aid," Draeger told conference attendees "…Why I got into financial aid isn't as important as why I stayed,” he said, adding “For me, and I know for many of you, helping students succeed is one of the most fulfilling things we can do." Watch the full video to hear his remarks.

A potential new community service partner would require mentors who are Federal Work-Study (FWS) students to submit to a background check in order to be hired. Can FWS funds be used to pay for this cost the student would incur? Read on to see if you got the answer right.

In this conference session, Rene Tiongquico and Aaron Washington, both representing the U.S. Department of Education, reviewed information on the topic of citizens and eligible noncitizens as it relates to eligibility for Title IV aid. Although statutes and regulations are unchanged in this area, there continue to be many questions brought forth. Read on for a brief summary of the session.

What happens when a student changes schools or academic programs within an academic year? How are you utilizing transfer monitoring on NSLDS? How do student transfers impact tracking loan periods and academic years? In this Q&A style webinar, we will test your knowledge on the many aspects of dealing with transfer students. Join us for the next installment in the 2016–17 NASFAA Webinar Series, Transfer Student Mashup: Test Your Knowledge, January 17, 2017, 2 pm ET as we explore these questions and others submitted by your peers using our AskRegs service. Register now.

The Department has posted the complete version of the 2017-2018 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference.

The eCampus-Based application for the Fiscal Operations Report for 2015-2016 and Application to Participate for 2017-2018 (FISAP) is now available on the eCampus-Based (eCB) Web site.

The Secretary proposes to amend the State authorization sections of the Institutional Eligibility regulations issued under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

"Why can't kids today just work their way through college the way earlier generations did The answer to that question isn't psychology. It's math. A summer job just doesn't have the purchasing power it used to, especially when you compare it with the cost of college," NPR reports.

"Colleges and universities should rethink the way they distribute institutional aid in order to matriculate more students who lack the means to pay, several scholars said Thursday at a discussion on enrollment management," Diverse: Issues in Higher Education reports.

"Making college more affordable is a focus of the Democratic Party's platform for this year's convention, which marks a significant shift from the past. But what may be missing is a feasible plan to get more low-income students beyond simply enrolling, through to graduation," according to The Hechinger Report.

"Access Group, a nonprofit organization composed of nearly 200 law schools, has released a new student loan calculator for law school. The free tool is aimed at helping students determine the cost of law school and the federal student loan repayment options they may qualify for after graduation," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"Wells Fargo and Amazon are teaming up to offer borrowers a discount on private student loans in an unusual partnership that one analyst describes as 'baffling,'" according to U.S. News & World Report.

"It’s prom night at Browning High School on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, and the first cars are just starting to pull up in front of an angular entrance that was built to resemble a teepee. ... In many ways, Browning is a microcosm of Indian country, its struggles repeated on reservations nationwide. Those challenges — poverty, joblessness, addiction, and abuse — are at the heart of the worst educational outcomes in the country," according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

"LooLoo Amante had nowhere to live after her freshman year of college, so she bought a Scion with tinted windows and, at just 19 years old, slept in the driver's seat. She had little money for food, let alone a costly meal plan, so she sometimes asked friends to grab her a banana or apple from the dining hall," the Bay Area News Group reports.

"Commentators, politicians, and journalists have thrown themselves –– and, in turn, the public –– into a state of persistent panic about the future of higher education with scary talk about spiraling student-loan debt, worthless degrees, and reckless spending by colleges," William Bowen and Michael McPherson write for Vox.

"After walking across the commencement stage, student-loan borrowers typically receive a little break from their lenders," according to CNBC. "Most student loans come with a six-month grace period that gives borrowers time to get on their feet before they have to start paying their debts."

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