Federal Updates

Reauthorization outlook: Concentrate and ask again
If you’ve been tracking HEA extensions, it’s time to add another entry to your tally sheet. With the current extension set to expire on October 31, the House has just approved the eighth extension in this reauthorization cycle — not counting the automatic one-year extension provided for in the General Education Provisions Act.

ED releases final rules for ACG and National SMART Grant programs
On October 29, ED published final rules for the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) programs in the Federal Register.

Disaster guidance reminder
TG wishes to express its heartfelt sympathy to those who have been affected by the recent wildfires in Southern California. The fires have brought devastation to untold thousands. In the wake of this tragedy, we would like to remind our readers of guidance from ED regarding certain special provisions for affected individuals.

Trends and Issues

Five ways to enhance your default aversion efforts
Have you been tasked with implementing a default aversion plan for your campus? Then you're probably aware how complex the issue can be: Managing default with your borrowers, training your staff on the basics of default aversion, and creating a comprehensive default aversion practice for your school requires quite a bit of research and preparation. Fortunately, there are number of things you can do to supplement the plan you put in place and ensure the best service for your students.

Make the student financial aid connection: Raising awareness on your campus
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the next academic plan year isn't available until January 2008. However, if you're considering ways to ensure your students understand the importance of financial aid and the particular value of the FAFSA, you might start planning now.

Question of the week
ED recently announced a change in the FAFSA distribution process for the 2008-09 award year; the announcement states that the 2008-09 paper FAFSA will not be available for ordering via FSAPubs. Has there been any more news about this change in distribution strategy?

This, That, and the Other...

This weekend, people across the country will move their clocks back one hour, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST). The Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandates that DST start on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday in November. In 2007, the start and stop dates are March 11 and November 4, respectively. The change occurs at 2 a.m., though other countries may push back their time at a different hour depending on their time zone. You'll find an interesting compendium of facts and history on DST online at a site called "Webexhibits."

The site describes when and why DST was first promulgated — Benjamin Franklin actually had the idea though it wasn't put into effect by any country until England passed laws in 1916. Originally, the change was met with resistance. Today, however, DST is recognized as a useful energy saving measure. You can read more about DST at http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html.