Shoptalk is published by Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG). Unless specifically noted, the policies and procedures outlined in Shoptalk apply only to loans made under TG's guarantee and not to loans underwritten by other guarantors.

Shoptalk 99: November 1999

TG Ombudsman Investigates Unresolved Issues
Two recent developments increase the importance of the ombudsman as a tool for enhancing customer service within the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Those two developments are recent changes to due diligence regulations and the establishment of an ombudsman within the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA).

Closed School Corner
The Department of Education (ED) reports school closures.

TG's Holiday Schedule
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) is announcing scheduled office closings and deadlines for information submittal and processing requests by business partners during the months of November and December in order to prepare for upcoming holidays and the Year 2000 rollover.

Paper BCR Eliminated in 2000
Beginning February 2000, Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) will discontinue the paper Borrower Change Report (BCR) and instead supply data as an electronic file. Along with the change to electronic distribution of data, TG will supply PC-based software so lenders and servicers can retrieve files and print reports in-house. At that time, TG also will begin providing enrollment and demographic changes on a weekly basis rather than monthly.

Revised Y2K Claim Payment Schedule
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) will resume claim payments on January 10, 2000, rather than January 18, 2000, as announced in Shoptalk 98, in an article titled "Y2K Claim Schedule."

Product Support Forum

Request for Updated MPN Implementation Information
July 1, 2000, is the mandatory implementation date for the Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN). To help schools and lenders prepare, Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) will be updating the MPN implementation information available on TG Online.

ED Issues Final Rules
During the last week of October, while many were deciding what to wear for Halloween, the Department of Education (ED) was finalizing and issuing the new regulations that reflect changes made by the 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Common Manual Updates

New Federal PLUS Loan NOG Available This Spring
TG's new Federal PLUS Loan Notice of Guarantee/Disclosure (NOG) will be made available in spring 2000 on AdvanTG™.

Entrance Counseling Reminder
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) would like to remind schools that they are required to conduct entrance counseling with each student who is obtaining his or her first Stafford loan for attendance at that school.

ED Revises Total and Permanent Disability Cancellation Request Form
The Department of Education (ED) issued Dear Guaranty Agency Director Letter GEN-99-35 announcing minor revisions to the Total and Permanent Disability Cancellation Request form. ED has revised the form by separating the last sentence of the second paragraph in Section 3 into a new paragraph.

ED Updates Form 799

Release of Loan Information to Consolidating Lenders
The Department of Education (ED) has authorized consolidating lenders to submit Loan Verification Certificates (LVC) to a borrower's loan holder(s) without the borrower's signature on each LVC if certain conditions are met.

Questions about the articles in Shoptalk should be addressed to:
Customer Services
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation
P.O. Box 83100, Round Rock, TX 78683-3100
(800) 252-9743
(512) 219-5700
(512) 219-4560 speech and hearing impaired

Contributors to this month's edition:
Mary Carrillo
Darron Grussendorf
Rinn Harper
Brent Hay
Renee Gilmer
Laura Kowalski
Laura Lavergne
Nancy Miller
Kay Morgan
Kyle Smith
Luanne Smith
Ron Stroud
Alicia Terry

Edited and designed by TG Communications.