Federal Updates

Spellings sworn in as ED Secretary
Yesterday, Margaret Spellings was sworn in as the eighth Secretary of Education after the Senate confirmed her selection on January 20, 2005. President Bush nominated Spellings for ED Secretary after former secretary Rod Paige resigned last November.

Extended education benefits target reservists and National Guard members
The recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act of 2005 (Act) implements a number of provisions that improve benefits for certain activated reservists and National Guard members. Included in Chapter 1607 of the Act is an extension of educational benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill.

Financial aid programs no longer high-risk
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced last week that ED's federal student aid programs have officially been removed from its list of high-risk areas, 14 years after the programs made the list. The GAO designates as high-risk areas those within the federal government that it determines to be most vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement.

TG Updates

TG hosts media event to promote FAFSA completion
This week and next, TG and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) are working together on the FAFSA Telethon. The goals of the event are to promote February as Financial Aid Awareness Month and to remind college-bound students and parents to complete the FAFSA.

Trends and Issues

College and financial aid questions to be answered during online chat
Students, high school counselors, and parents can get answers to their college and financial aid questions and receive assistance with federal financial aid forms during a Tuesday, February 8, 2004 live chat event at www.mapping-your-future.org. Financial aid experts from all over the country will answer questions during the chat event, scheduled for 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CST.

This, That, and the Other...

ED has announced the schedule for a series of one-day workshops titled Managing Edits and Program Reviews: Paths for Success, a program that includes a combination of interactive case studies, group exercises, and lecture to provide participants with an understanding of the program review and external audit processes. These workshops are primarily designed for financial aid administrators and business officers of postsecondary institutions that participate in the federal student aid programs. Presidents of proprietary institutions as well as representatives from third-party servicers are also encouraged to attend.

To view the schedule and to register for a workshop, visit www.ed.gov/offices/
OSFAP/training/index.html.