ED Announces Tentative Agenda For Negotiated Rulemaking On Loan Issues

The Department of Education announced the tentative agenda and the participants for negotiated rulemaking on Title IV loan issues. The student loan issues negotiated rulemaking committee will meet Dec. 12 – 14 in Arlington, VA.

The Department will also be establishing a committee to address ACG and SMART Grant issues. This committee is scheduled to begin meeting in January. The Department noted that other committees may also be established.

Loan Committee Tentative Agenda

School Issues:

• Entrance Counseling for Graduate/Professional PLUS Loan Borrowers

• Identity Theft
• Use of Preferred Lenders
• Prohibited Inducements

• Economic Hardship:
  • Income Contingent Repayment Formula and Family Size
  • Other Actions Appropriate Under the Higher Education Act
• Retention of Disbursement Records Supporting Master Promissory Notes
• Certification of E-Signatures on Master Promissory Notes Assigned to the Education Department
• Use of True and Exact Copy of Death Certificates for Death Discharge
• Retroactive Discharge for Permanently and Totally Disabled Borrowers
• Lender National Student Loan Data System Reporting Timeframes

• Assignment of Defaulted Loans
• Eligibility Requirements for Child and Family Service Cancellation
• Definition of "Reasonable and Affordable" Collection Costs

Negotiating Committee for Student Loan Issues

Constituency	Negotiators
Students	Jennifer Pae, United States Student Association Alternate: Luke Swarthout, State Public Interest Research Groups
Legal Assistance Organizations	Deanne Loonin, National Consumer Law Center
Guaranty Agencies	Scott Giles, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Alternate: Rachael Lohman, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
Lenders	Tom Levandowski, Wachovia Corporation Alternate: Ms. Lee Woods, Chase Education Finance
Secondary Markets	Phil Van Horn, Wyoming Student Loan Corporation Alternate: Robert L. Zier, Indiana Secondary Market for Education Loans
Loan Servicers	Robert Sommer, Sallie Mae Alternate: Wanda Hall, EdFinancial Services
Guaranty Agency Servicers	Richard George, Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation Alternate: Gene Hutchins, New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority
Department of Education	To be determined
Institutions of Higher Education
Perkins Loans Schools	Alisa Abadinsky, University of Illinois at Chicago Alternate: Karen Fooks, University of Florida
Direct Loans Schools	Eileen O'Leary, Stonehill College Alternate: Christine W. McGuire, Boston University
Public Two-Year	Darrel Hammon, Laramie Community College Alternate: Kenneth L. Whitehurst, North Carolina Community Colleges
Public Four-Year	Pamela W. Fowler, University of Michigan Alternate: Patricia McClug, University of Wyoming
Private Four-Year	Elizabeth Hicks, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alternate: Ellen Frishberg, Johns Hopkins University
Proprietary	Jeff Arthur, ECPI College of Technology Alternate: Robert Collins, Apollo Group, Incorporated
HBCUs	Shari Crittendon, United Negro College Fund Alternate: Dr. N. Joyce Payne, National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges

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