TG Updates

TG expands customer-focused teams to better serve schools and lenders
TG recently welcomed four new financial aid professionals to its customer services and strategic partnership teams. The four bring extensive experience in financial aid, student lending, higher education, and customer service.

Holiday schedule for the fall semester
As you plan for the upcoming semester, you might want to keep in mind the following holiday schedule.

Federal Updates

ED reminds partners about relief available to those affected by Hurricane Charley
Last week, ED issued an announcement reminding schools and financial partners that certain regulatory relief and flexibilities are available to Title IV participants affected by Hurricane Charley. The announcement instructs schools, lenders, servicers, and guarantors to review Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) GEN-04-04, which provides general guidance for assisting Title IV participants affected by a federally-declared disaster.

ED extends consolidation cutoff as reauthorization stalls
Due to delays in the Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization process — which is expected to address several issues regarding consolidation — ED recently issued Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) FP-04-06. This DCL extends the cutoff date for the continued reinsurance of consolidation loans that do not comply with ED's interpretation of the "single-holder rule" from September 1, 2004 (see Shoptalk Online Edition 253), to the date that the HEA is reauthorized or September 30, 2005, whichever is earlier.

Common Manual

Common Manual Updates
Information on recent updates to the Common Manual.

Legislative Update

The August 25 issue of TG's Legislative Report includes updates on several key Senate races and how their outcomes may affect the balance of power and next year's reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Keep up with the latest developments by reading the full report on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/lege_report/index.cfm.

This, That, and the Other...

Labor Day traditionally represents the last official holiday of summer and is celebrated with parades, cookouts, and picnics. But do you know the history of this holiday? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the holiday is a creation of the labor movement of the late 1800s. It is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers in trade and labor and is an annual tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country.

In celebration of Labor Day this year, ED has partnered with the History Channel to present a youth-oriented documentary "The Story of Labor Day." The documentary explores the origins of the holiday, the history of labor in America, and the ingenuity of workers in the pursuit of the "American Dream." It also includes interviews with students from around the country about what Labor Day means to them and what jobs they would like to pursue when they grow up.

The 30-minute documentary will air nationally on Monday, Sept. 6, on the History Channel at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET/PT. It is part of a series of documentaries jointly produced by ED and the History Channel aimed at making students more aware of national holidays.

For more information visit www.dol.gov/opa/
aboutdol/laborday.htm or www.ed.gov/news/
pressreleases/2004/
08/08252004.html or www.historychannel.com.