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Federal Updates
Closed school corner
The Department of Education announces two new closures.
ED publishes notice of proposed rulemaking
ED released an unofficial Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) addressing many topics of great interest to the financial aid community.
Slight increase in variable interest rates announced for 2007-08
Last week, ED announced a slender increase in the variable interest rates for slightly older Federal Stafford and PLUS loans. The new rates, which will be effective from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, will increase by 0.08 percent.
TG Updates
U.S. House higher education subcommittee holds hearing in Austin on HEA reauthorization
The U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness held a field hearing on Monday, June 4, at the Eastview campus of Austin Community College to solicit testimony about funding issues related to Title III and Title V grant programs authorized under the Higher Education Act (HEA).
NSLDS access restored at TG
TG has recently had access to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) restored. TG is performing the same functions and services, and has implemented the same process flows that existed before the industry's NSLDS access was suspended.
TG and Mapping Your Future™ announce new archive policy for Online Student Loan Counseling records
TG and Mapping Your Future (MYF) wish to remind schools that a new archive policy for MYF's Online Student Loan Counseling (OSLC) records will be implemented, effective July 1.
Reminder: Call for papers for TG publication on enrollment management
The deadline for submitting manuscripts for the first edition of a new TG publication on enrollment management is approaching. Contributors are encouraged to send in their papers by June 15; however, manuscripts may be accepted after this date.
Trends and Issues
Getting the word out about financial aid on your campus
Effective communication that keeps your students informed about financial aid timelines and requirements — along with your offices deadlines — can turn them into more active participants in the financial aid process. That, in turn, could help your office run more efficiently.
Question of the week
I have a student whose biological father remarried. The student has been reporting his father's and step-mother's information on the FAFSA for years. The student's father just passed away. Can the student report only the step-mother's information on the FAFSA?
Common Manual
New training brief provides information on Policy Committee's summer activities
A new training brief from the Common Manual Policy Committee explains the Common Manual Policy Committee's focus during the summer months.
Legislative Update
The 80th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature adjourned at midnight May 28, leaving several pieces of business uncompleted. Among other things, the Legislature failed to pass legislation to consolidate — and increase the eligibility requirements for — the state's student financial aid programs, as proposed by the governor; amend the state's "top 10 percent" statute to limit the program's number of eligible applicants; and establish a state statute to govern school and student loan lender relationships. Several studies concerning student financial aid will take place during the legislative interim on these and other topics. To learn more about these latest developments, read the full report on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/lege_report/index.cfm.
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