TG Updates

NASFAA countdown: TG partners with financial aid offices to share best practices
On your way to the NASFAA Conference in Minneapolis next month? As you plan your itinerary, consider the following sessions for some fresh insight and proven strategies on issues affecting financial aid offices. TG has been working with several of its school customers and other financial aid professionals to prepare presentations highlighting best practices that can benefit any institution.

TG brings together alternative loan processing, EFT, AdvanTG Web™, and you
When alternative loans first started to emerge on campuses, most financial aid offices considered them a last resort. Higher interest rates, cosigners, and credit checks made them less attractive than federally guaranteed loan options. However, the realities of static loan limits in the federal loan programs and tuition increases have made alternative loan funding not only more attractive, but more often a necessity for families and students funding a higher education.

TG launches online financial aid awards system with University of Houston-Victoria
TG has successfully implemented an online financial aid award packaging system that is helping financial aid professionals at pilot school University of Houston-Victoria operate more efficiently and provide more convenient access to financial aid information for their students.

Federal Updates

Additional interest rates announced
There are two categories of interest rates that are announced at the end of June, as mentioned in Shoptalk Online 256. Interest rates for older PLUS and SLS loans are based on the weekly average of the one-year constant maturity Treasury yield for the last calendar week ending on or before June 26.

ED releases another volume of 2004-2005 FSA Handbook
ED had released a new volume on campus-based programs for its 2004-2005 Federal Student Aid Handbook (FSA Handbook), which is undergoing significant revisions this year. The new volume 6 joins three others released in April.

Legislative Update

The June 25 issue of TG's Legislative Report reprints a letter on the status of reauthorization from House Education and Workforce Committee Chair John Boehner and 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee Chair Howard McKeon. Also provided are updates on the likelihood of a lame duck session of Congress after the November election to address unfinished business, the fourth bi-annual Regional Leaders Issues Conference hosted by U.S. Representative Rubén Hinojosa of Texas, and a Texas Senate subcommittee hearing on the state's "Top 10 Percent" law on college admissions. Keep up with the latest developments by reading the full reports on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/lege_report/index.cfm.

This, That, and the Other...

TG wants to catch you at NASFAA. If you’re making the trip to Minneapolis, mark your calendars now and come join TG for a special reception!

Unwind after a long day of sessions by joining your colleagues and TG for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, music, and prizes. The TG reception will be held at the conference hotel, the Hilton Minneapolis, from
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20.

If you plan to attend, drop us a line by visiting www.tgslc.org/
nasfaa2004/rsvp.cfm.

We hope you can join us.