Brought to you by:

Student Connections. No matter your scope or budget, you can simplify the complex task of helping students repay their loans and improve your results, whether measured in reduced CDRs or higher repayment rates. Learn more how the industry’s only patented solution is creating real-time transparency for more than 500 campuses, at studentconnections.org.

A technical glitch within Federal Student Aid (FSA) caused some 1,600 PLUS Loan applicants to have erroneously received loan disbursements, the agency said in an email to affected schools Thursday.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Megan, Stephen, and Allie talk about what's on the Republican party's list of legislative priorities for the rest of the year—and what isn't. Meanwhile, as legislators continue to work on the fiscal year 2018 budget, last-minute policy riders could derail the process and lead to another continuing resolution. Justin and Megan dive into the latest proposals for the final negotiated rulemaking session on gainful employment, and Allie discusses a new report looking at the implications of grant program consolidation. Plus, Justin wonders why someone would be stealing dozens of tubas.

Check out the Student Aid Index for recently updated topics. Our list of recently updated topics includes the Draft CDR subtopic of Cohort Default Rate and the Citizenship/Residency subtopic of Student Eligibility. The index provides a unique mix of references, including regulation, the Federal Student Aid Handbook, Dear Colleague letters, and even original NASFAA content. The index can be accessed from any mobile device, so you have your answer anytime, anywhere. We value your feedback. Please use the feedback form to tell us what we're doing well, or what you'd like to see more of.

Last year, the "Off The Cuff" team recorded an episode live at the NASFAA National Conference in San Diego—and we want to do it again! Take this poll and let us know if you'd be interested in attending a live recording of "Off The Cuff" at the upcoming 2018 National Conference in Austin, TX. Meanwhile, if you have suggestions for what you'd like to see and hear during a live recording, use the "Off The Cuff" feedback form to let us know. If you'd like to take more polls, head to our Poll the Pros page.

On March 18, 2018, the Department will implement several changes that will impact financial aid professional users of systems and websites behind Federal Student Aid's Access and Identity Management System (AIMS). These changes include new password requirements, updates to the deactivation process for FSA User IDs and Two Factor Authentication (TFA) tokens, and a new look and feel for the AIMS web pages.

"Even in the best of circumstances, applying for college financial aid can be a daunting task. But this year many students are facing a new obstacle: They're being asked to submit additional documentation before they can get financial aid money," according to Consumer Reports. NASFAA's Karen McCarthy is quoted in this article.

"A new hotel industry pilot program is offering college associate and bachelor's degrees to adult hospitality workers for little to no cost. In partnership with Pearson's AcceleratED Pathways program, the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and its foundational group, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF), announced the program on a press call Wednesday, Feb. 28," Lodging Magazine reports.

"Ever since Republicans in Congress proposed a 1.4 percent tax on endowment revenue for the nation's wealthiest colleges and universities, school leaders have cried foul, saying it will limit their ability to provide financial aid," according to WBUR. "Now that tax is law, but those leaders haven't given up the fight."

"Imagine if prisons looked like the grounds of universities. Instead of languishing in cells, incarcerated people sat in classrooms and learned about climate science or poetry — just like college students. Or even with them," Elizabeth Hinton writes in an opinion piece for The New York Times. "This would be a boon to prisoners across the country, a vast majority of whom do not have a high school diploma. And it could help shrink our prison population. While racial disparities in arrests and convictions are alarming, education level is a far stronger predictor of future incarceration than race."

"Going to school in the summer can be a wonderful way to complete your education more quickly or explore subjects you don't have the time to learn about during the school year. While attending summer school is often a smart move, there's one big catch: You have to figure out how to pay for the coursework," according to Student Loan Hero. NASFAA is mentioned in this article.

"... Proposals to move to one grant and one loan have the potential to attract bipartisan support, especially if funds from eliminated programs are kept within the federal aid programs rather than used for other purposes such as deficit reduction. But the small programs that would be consolidated have their own constituencies, such as the colleges that benefit, which are likely to oppose such efforts," Matthew Chingos writes for the Brookings Institution.

VIEW NEXT ISSUE

Contact us to submit questions, content or to purchase advertisements.