Department of Education Regulatory or Process Issues or Other Executive Branch Departments
On this page you will find comments or requests for action on established regulations, policies, processes, or other issues concerning student financial aid or other related areas of higher education.
NASFAA Submits Comments on GE/FVT Reporting Requirements June 17, 2024-On Monday NASFAA submitted to the Department of Education (ED) its response to ED’s second request for comments on its Gainful Employment (GE) and Financial Value Transparency (FVT) institutional reporting requirements.
NASFAA Asks ED to Delay Implementation of FVT and GE Reporting Requirement March 15, 2024-NASFAA signed onto a letter urging ED to delay reporting requirements, beyond the July 31, 2024 deadline, associated with the implementation of the department’s final rule for gainful employment (GE) and financial value transparency (FVT) framework.
NASFAA Submits Comments on ED Process for FSA ID Without SSN February 26, 2024-NASFAA submitted comments to the Department of Education (ED) related to its authentication process for individuals without a Social Security number (SSN) applying for an FSA ID.
NASFAA Asks ED for Burden Relief Due to Delayed FAFSA Rollout December 12, 2023-NASFAA sent a latter requesting the U.S. Department of Education (ED) reduce administrative burden on financial aid administrators during this final implementation phase of the FAFSA Simplification Act.
NASFAA Comments on Proposed Federal Work-Study Reporting July 12, 2023-NASFAA submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on ED’s proposed
information collection on institutional reporting of Federal Work-Study (FWS) wages for
Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation.
NASFAA Submits Written Comments on ED’s Intent to Establish Negotiated Rulemaking April 25, 2023-NASFAA submitted written comments to ED in response to a recent notice of intent to establish a negotiated rulemaking committee to cover topics such as return to Title IV funds (R2T4), third-party servicers, accreditation, cash management, and more.
NASFAA Submits Comments on Updated Third-Party Servicer Guidance March 30, 2023-NASFAA questioned ED’s decision to change the regulatory definition of third-party servicer through guidance, and warned that the inclusion of so many new outside entities in the definition risks essential service providers leaving the marketplace.
NASFAA Signs Letter to ED on Third-Party Servicers March 29, 2023-NASFAA signed onto a letter to the Department of Education (ED) addressing the Dear Colleague Letter that outlines ED’s proposed expansion of the definition for when an outside contractor is a “third-party servicer."
NASFAA Submits Comments to ED on Proposed New IDR Plan February 10, 2023-NASFAA acknowledged the need for a strong safety net for student loan borrowers but cautioned that back-end loan forgiveness should not be a substitute for up-front grants.
NASFAA Signs Letter to VA on Enrollment Management System Transition December 13, 2022-NASFAA signed on to a letter sent by the American Council on Education urging the Department Veterans Affairs (VA) to delay the transition to a new enrollment management system for certifying GI bill benefits. The Education Service announced earlier ...
NASFAA Submits Comments to FSA on Draft Strategic Plan September 29, 2022-On Wednesday NASFAA submitted comments to Federal Student Aid (FSA) Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray on FSA’s Draft Strategic Plan for 2023-27.
NASFAA Letter to ED on Partnership Challenges September 7, 2022-NASFAA in a letter to both ED and FSA is calling on the department to meet with NASFAA’s leadership to better coordinate on partnership initiatives that will address ongoing operational challenges that are negatively impacting schools and students.
NASFAA Comments on ED’s Affordability and Student Loans Regulatory Package August 12, 2022-NASFAA submitted comments to ED on its proposed regulatory changes to borrower defense to repayment; pre-dispute arbitration and class action waivers; student loan interest capitalization; loan discharges for total and permanent disability...
NASFAA Comments on ED's Datasets RFI June 3, 2022-NASFAA's comments on the request for information regarding datasets by the U.S. Department of Education, urging FSA to publicly share more available data at more predictable intervals.
NASFAA Joins Community Letter Raising Concerns Regarding Changes to 85-15 Rule March 22, 2022-NASFAA joined a letter along with more than a dozen organizations raising concerns regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ recent announcement of key changes to the 85-15 rule, specifically changes in the requirements for a 35% exemption.
NASFAA Urges Department of Education to Extend Verification Waiver February 15, 2022-NASFAA, NCAN, and TICAS in a letter to President Joe Biden requested that the Department of Education extend, for the 2022-23 award year, the verification waivers granted for the 2021-22 award year.
NASFAA Urges ED to Not Require Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment for All Schools December 8, 2021-In a letter to Department of Education (ED) Undersecretary James Kvaal this week, NASFAA asked the department to consider making the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement (ASLA) available to institutions for voluntary adoption.
NASFAA Joins Higher Ed Organizations in Letter to FSA on FAFSA Technical Issues November 23, 2021-In a letter to Richard Cordray, the chief operating officer at the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), NASFAA raised concerns about repeated and increasing reports of technological challenges that are impacting the FAFSA filing process for students.
NASFAA Submits Comments to Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on 90/10 Rule November 3, 2021-NASFAA submitted comments to the Department of Education (ED) on Student Assistance General Provisions — Non-Title IV Revenue Requirements (90/10) in response to its recent notice announcing upcoming negotiated rulemaking on this topic.
NASFAA Submits Comments to ED on PSLF program September 24, 2021-In this letter response to a recent request for information from ED, NASFAA shared results of a recent survey of financial aid administrators who found Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) outreach, publicity, and communication to be inadequate.
Verification Letter to Department of Education September 7, 2021-Written on behalf of NASFAA and NCAN, this letter expresses disappointment in the Department of Education’s (ED) failure to extend, for the 2022-23 award year, the verification waivers granted in GEN-21-05 for the 2021-22 award year.
NASFAA Joins ACE in Submitting HEERF Annual Reporting Comments August 23, 2021-NASFAA joined ACE and several other higher education associations in a letter to the Department of Education this week on its proposed revision to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) annual data collection form.
NASFAA, NCAN Urge ED to Implement Changes to FAFSA Swiftly March 2, 2021-NASFAA joined a letter with NCAN urging the Department of Education and newly appointed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressing the importance of implementing the changes made to the FAFSA in an efficient and timely manner.
Request for Meeting on Section 117 Reporting Requirements February 11, 2021-NASFAA joins a letter to Acting Education Secretary Philip Rosenfelt requesting a meeting to clarify the obligations of colleges and universities under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, which deals with foreign gift and contract reporting.
NASFAA Joins Community Comments on Section 117 December 14, 2020-NASFAA joined a group of higher ed associations in submitting comments & a legal memo. to ED in response to the notification of interpretation & request for comments on ED's enforcement authority for failure to adequately report under Section 117.
NASFAA Signs on to Letter on Proposed Changes to Public Charge Policy December 11, 2018-NASFAA joined more than two dozen other organizations in signing on to a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security, raising concern over the proposed rule on inadmissibility of immigrants and non-immigrants on public charge grounds.
NASFAA, ACE Urge ED to Delay a Recall of Perkins Funds and Reimburse Cancellations October 11, 2018-NASFAA and the American Council on Education (ACE) wrote to the Department of Education (ED) last week urging it to publicly announce its intentions to resume reimbursing institutions for cancelled Perkins Loans, which it has failed to do since fisca...
NASFAA Submits Bankruptcy Comments May 23, 2018-NASFAA submitted comments to the Department of Education (ED) in response to a Request for Information concerning ED's guidance pertaining to student loan bankruptcy filings.
NASFAA Submits Letter on PTAC Data-Sharing Guidance March 9, 2018-Last year, ED's Privacy and Technical Assistance Center released verbal guidance on the sharing of FAFSA data. This new guidance prohibits students from authorizing financial aid offices to release FAFSA information to approved entities.
NASFAA Urges ED to Resolve & Issue Privacy Guidance Quickly November 17, 2017-NASFAA, along with several partner organizations, sent a letter to the Department of Education (ED) about verbal guidance given by ED's Privacy and Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) that has upended many years of common practice.
NASFAA Submits Comments on Burdensome Regulations September 19, 2017-NAFSAA submitted to the Department of Education (ED) comments on areas of regulation that need revision, per a June 22 request in the Federal Register.
NASFAA Letter Encourages ED to Improve Efficiency, Accountability August 4, 2017-NASFAA in a letter sent on Friday encouraged the Department of Education (ED) to take steps to improve its efficiency, efficacy, and accountability with key stakeholders, including looking at new ways ED could engage with institutions and financial a
Higher Education Community Comments to the Agency Reform Taskforce August 4, 2017-NASFAA joined comments led by the American Council of Education submitted to the Department of Education's Agency Reform Taskforce in response to a request for feedback on how to improve ED's efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.
NASFAA Requests Reprieve and Review of VONF Requirements, Data in Letter to ED July 28, 2017-NASFAA urged the Department of Education to press pause on the “burdensome” Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Verification of Nonfiling (VONF) requirements for independent students and families that do not file a federal tax return.
NASFAA Requests School, Borrower Protections in Perkins Wind Down June 12, 2017-NASFAA on June 12 sent a letter to the Department of Education asking for certain procedures to assist institutions and borrowers during the wind down of the Federal Perkins Loan Program.
NASFAA Submits Year-Round Pell Implementation Letter May 5, 2017-NASFAA, on May 5, submitted a letter to the Department of Education expressing support and excitement for the reinstatement of year-round Pell and offering assistance with the interpretation and implementation of the program.
NASFAA Urges ED to Restore DRT, Ease Administrative Burdens Caused by Outage March 14, 2017-NASFAA on Tuesday sent a letter to the Department of Education urging the Department to take immediate steps to ease application and verification burdens caused by the sudden outage of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).
NASFAA Requests Relief on Verification of Non-Filing Requirement December 15, 2016-NASFAA sent a letter requesting a waiver of the Verification of Non-Filing requirement for non tax filers who are selected for verification if the applicant does not meet the registration requirements for the IRS Get Transcript Online functionality.
NASFAA Sends Public Service Loan Forgiveness Letter to ED October 25, 2016-NASFAA sent a letter to the Department of Education requesting information about Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and the number of borrowers expected to benefit from forgiveness of their remaining unpaid balances in 2017.
NASFAA Comments to FCC on TCPA Rulemaking June 21, 2016-NASFAA submits comments to the FCC regarding rulemaking on a recent TCPA amendment regarding debt collection and autodialing.
NASFAA Letter Urges ED, White House, to Facilitate Burden Reduction December 17, 2015-NASFAA on December 16, 2015 sent a letter urging policymakers to allow institutions to redirect resources that may be freed up by burden reduction to best address the needs of their students.
NASFAA Joins NACUBO Letter to Halt Implementation of VA Tuition Offset Policy April 9, 2012-NASFAA joined NACUBO and 12 other associations in signing onto a letter urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to halt the reinstatement of a policy that would offset veteran debts against Post-9/11 G.I. Bill tuition and fee payments.
NASFAA Urges Action on Student Health Insurance Regulations March 2, 2012-NASFAA joined the American Council on Education (ACE) to urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately issue the final version of student health insurance coverage regulations or delay the regulation.
NASFAA Letter to ED on 12 Semester Pell Grant Limit February 23, 2012-NASFAA President Justin Draeger urges Education Secretary Duncan to hold schools harmless for any inadvertent Pell Grant overpayments made to students who the Department of Education doesn't properly identify as having reached the new 12 semester ...
Letter Opposing Federal Definition of a Credit Hour February 18, 2011-NASFAA joined more than 70 other higher education associations, including accreditors, to urge the U.S. Department of Education to rescind the federal definition of a credit hour included in the program integrity final regulations.
NASFAA Asks ED to Encourage Sufficient Resources for Aid Offices August 5, 2010-NASFAA writes U.S. Department of Education Undersecretary Martha Kanter to request assistance in ensuring campus financial aid offices have sufficient resources to effectively serve students.