Brought to you by:

Ellucian. The University of Pittsburgh needed a streamlined scholarship management process that would reduce staff stress and maximize student award dollars. Learn how ScholarshipUniverse helped Pitt's financial aid office enhance the scholarship process for students and staff.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Kevin Carey, vice president for education policy and knowledge management at New America where he also directs the education policy program, for a wide-ranging conversation covering structural reforms needed for higher education, and how policy choices can improve institutional accountability for student outcomes. Justin and Kevin specifically cover hazards surrounding student loan debt and repayment programs, the evolution of those programs, how college accountability has been shaped through regulation, and more. Hugh then breaks down the latest higher education news, covering the Department of Education’s updates on the Second Chance Pell Program, Democrats seeking insight on the department's plans for its “fresh start” initiative, and the latest coverage on congressional appropriators questioning the White House’s budget request for higher education programs.

Congressional leaders are back to sifting through their annual spending bills and on Thursday heard testimony from Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, who walked through the administration's higher education priorities for fiscal year 2023.

Due to documented widespread misconduct, the Department of Education (ED) has announced the discharge of $238 million in student loan balances from borrowers who attended a now-defunct beauty school. Based on borrower defense findings, ED intends to deliver this relief for 28,000 borrowers who attended Marinello Schools of Beauty from 2009 through its closure in 2016. Additionally, the discharge will be extended to those borrowers who have not yet applied for a borrower defense claim.

The most recent certification testing window has closed and the registry continues to grow! The Certified Financial Aid Administrator^® Commission — an independent certifying body of NASFAA — has now certified a total of 313 financial aid professionals across the country who have earned the FAAC^® designation. These individuals now qualify to receive a multitude of benefits. If you’re interested in becoming certified, verify your eligibility using our free, interactive tool. The next testing window opens on May 11, 2020, followed by another testing window beginning June 1, 2022.

This May, NASFAA's webinar line-up starts with a Financial Aid Business Solutions (FABS) Webinar: Swing Wide the Campus Gates With an Improved Financial Aid Experience on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. On Wednesday, May 18 join David Futrell and Norma Robinson for the Your Top Ask Regs Questions webinar. Closing out the month is NASFAA's Annual Business Meeting and Policy Update webinar on Tuesday, May 24, 20022. NASFAA webinars are all recorded and made available to view on-demand. Register now.

VIEW NEXT ISSUE

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