Federal Updates

Closed school corner
The Department of Education announces one new closure.

TG Updates

Register today for golf tourney, 4K run during TG Conference
"Breakthrough! Higher expectations in higher education" is less than a month away — have you registered and arranged your travel for the 2005 TG Conference yet? Event registration is at an all-time high!

This Thursday: TG's free RT4 telephone conference
TG's telephone conference on the return of Title IV funds, "RT4 Basics and Beyond," will be held this Thursday, March 17, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (CT).

Trends and Issues

TG produces animation to promote financial aid awareness among middle school students
To encourage middle school students to explore financial aid as a necessary and important component of pursuing a higher education, TG, along with the Council for the Management of Educational Finance, has released an online animated feature titled The Great College Mystery. Available for viewing on Adventures In Education (www.AIE.org), TG's education awareness Web site, this resource can serve as the first step in encouraging middle school students to consider pursuing a higher education.

Legislative Update

The March 15 issue of TG's Legislative Report includes a congressional update detailing FY 2006 Budget Resolutions adopted by the House and Senate Budget Committees that will be combined into a single document which will be the "blueprint" that the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will use in setting specific spending levels for federal programs within the 13 individual appropriations bills. Also included is a Texas legislative update on proposed appropriations for higher education programs for FY 2006-07, summaries of higher education/student financial aid related bills pre-filed for consideration before the next session, and the status of TG's Sunset Advisory Commission Review. This report is available in its entirety on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/lege_report/index.cfm.

This, That, and the Other...

This month, approximately 35,000 students are participating in alternative spring break programs that emphasize good works over good times. The programs match U.S. students with community service projects across North and Central America.

Under the programs, students volunteer to spend their spring breaks working on short-term projects addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness, literacy, and the environment. The commitment often extends beyond the spring break week; many students attend planning and training sessions to prepare for their trips.

The alternative spring break movement began with loosely organized, student-driven initiatives at Vanderbilt University and the University of Pennsylvania. Over the last 15 years, alternative spring break programs have spread to hundreds of public and private campuses nationwide. Many of the programs are affiliated with Break Away, a national nonprofit that trains, supports, and connects campuses with community-based service organizations. For more on alternative spring breaks, visit Break Away's Web site at www.alternativebreaks.org.