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TG Updates

Shoptalk Online 486, January 13, 2009

TG Updates

Join the dialogue: TG to host lender workshop in Austin

TG offers a strong set of application and loan products to its lender customers as well as a commitment to investing in more products that offer efficiency and cost-effectiveness. TG's upcoming Austin lender workshop provides a great opportunity for learning more about each of these benefits.

TG will hold its 2009 Lender Workshop on February 12 at the Marriott Courtyard across from the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. TG invites interested lenders and servicers to attend the one-day workshop, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., CST. There is no charge for attending the event.

The workshop offers a series of short discussions on a variety of topics, including the financial challenges in today's market, TG's business profile, its focus on helping lenders and schools through effective service and potential cost-cutting, and TG's newest financial literacy products.

"TG works to enhance the service of our lender associates in any way we can, and the lender workshop offers an opportunity for showing how we can do that," said Kevin Harris, TG director of lender relationships. "Financial literacy is a growing area of concern for all those working in the industry. We have launched several exciting and innovative tools to help educate students about their financial obligations."

TG recently unveiled a series of new financial literacy tools designed to help teach students the principles of money management. TG also expanded its academic and financial skills workshop program, Positive+Balance™, to offer sessions on building effective campus financial literacy initiatives.

To learn more
Lenders and servicers can find out more about the workshop agenda as well as register for the program by going online to www.tgslc.org/training/lender/index.cfm, or by calling (800) 252-9743, ext. 4507.

Set your training sights on 2009 TG Annual Training Conference

Planning your spring training? Looking for a conference that sheds light on a changing financial aid industry and that offers a firm grasp of policy and regulations? Consider the 2009 TG Annual Training Conference. For the last 17 years, TG's conference has presented a well-designed menu of workshops on industry and regulatory topics that earns consistently high marks from participants.

This year's event will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin, Texas, from April 22-24. The 2009 conference theme, "Stepping Up for Students — The Rhythm of FFELP," focuses on the energy and momentum of the financial aid industry — the "rhythm of the FFELP" — which propels so many students on their way to school. TG recognizes the contribution that financial aid professionals at schools from across the country make to the success of that 'rhythm.'

Conference information
To help you plan for attendance at TG's conference, read through this short information summary on particular expenses.

Hotel accommodations
All conference activities will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in northwest Austin.

Online Reservations and Rates
Single/Double Rate — $174.00/223.00
Triple/Quad Rate — $243.00/$263.00
Govt. Single/Double Rate — $85.00/$140.00
Rates are valid through March 31, 2009.
Registration fee
The 2009 early conference registration fee is an affordable $50 per person for all attendees, including higher education participants as well as attendees representing lending institutions. After March 20, 2009, the registration fee will be $75 per person.
Sponsorship note
TG does not solicit or accept sponsorship donations from the student lending community for this training event.

Offer your training suggestions
Your input about potential session topics and speakers is important to TG. Feel free to include your suggestions when you register. If you prefer to speak with someone directly, contact Judith Cunningham at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2905, or send an e-mail message to judith.cunningham@tgslc.org.

To register
Visit TG Online at www.tgslc.org/tgconference/register.cfm to register and to find out more about the 2009 TG Annual Training Conference.

Product training: TG to offer webinars on Integrated Default Assistant™

TG's Integrated Default Assistant™ (IDA™) offers schools and lenders a versatile tool for tracking and managing their TG cohort default rate. Using IDA, customers can access reports, pre-formatted letters, and a comprehensive database of borrower information as they monitor their institution's cohort default rate for TG loans. IDA is designed to provide special support for schools working with students at risk for default.

TG is presenting two webinars for schools to learn how to best use IDA in managing their cohort default rate (CDR). During these trainings, participants will find out how to calculate the CDR, determine which students are included in the calculation, and learn how to integrate IDA into existing default management strategies.

Webinar times

Wednesday, January 21, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., CST
Thursday, January 22, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., CST

To register
Listen in and ask questions by registering to attend the webinars at http://tgslc.na4.acrobat.com/f79913243. Please note that, on first logging into TG's webinar tool, users will be asked to create a password that can then be used for all future TG webinars.

For help
If you have any questions regarding the upcoming webinars, please contact Lisa Felder, external product training coordinator, at lisa.felder@tgslc.org. If you need technical assistance with TG's products, please contact the TG product support team at (800) 332-1455, or send an e-mail to product.support@tgslc.org.

TG's "Building a Successful Financial Literacy Program" webinar available for free download

Many schools are considering financial literacy initiatives that ground students in the basics of money management. TG recently presented a webinar, "Building a Successful Financial Literacy Program," which offered a variety of strategies for developing campus financial literacy efforts.

Representatives from two higher-learning institutions shared their financial literacy expertise during the event, including Jimmie Wilder, associate director of financial aid at San Francisco State University; Diana Chow, supervisor of university loans and collections at San Francisco State University; and William Spiers, director of financial aid at Tallahassee Community College.

Webinar participants also learned about TG's growing assortment of financial literacy products and services, including the new Positive+Balance Community^SM, a Web site for educators seeking reliable financial literacy solutions and support.

"More than ever, students need strong financial literacy skills to succeed, especially during times of economic challenge," said Margie Harvey, TG's financial literacy program manager. "Judging from the interest in the webinar and the Positive+Balance Community, many schools have made educating their students about finances a priority. Part of TG's mission is to provide support to help these schools with their financial literacy efforts."

To access the webinar
The entire webinar can now be viewed online in the Positive+Balance Community. To access the webinar and other free financial literacy resources, visit www.PositiveBalance.org. New users will have to register with the Web site in order to access information. Registration is free.

TG and Council hold successful "School Dialogue on Student Debt Management"

Helping student borrowers in times of economic change is a priority for everyone working in financial aid. TG and the Council for the Management of Educational Finance recognize the special role that schools play in that endeavor, especially as it relates to managing higher education debt. To help, TG and the Council recently offered a webinar on debt management tools and tips that brought together schools from varying sectors of the financial aid community.

The "School Dialogue on Student Debt Management" webinar, the second in a series of dialogues co-sponsored by the Council and TG, gave schools an opportunity to learn more about TG's default prevention tools, initiatives, and research data concerning the impact of the new cohort default rate calculation.

Offering help in times of change
Council member Robert Sheridan, executive director of student financial aid at the University of Houston-Downtown, opened the dialogue with an overview of challenges that schools face as they help students repay student loans. He focused in particular on the importance of fostering collaborative relationships to overcome some of these challenges.

TG's senior research analyst Matt Steiner followed with a presentation that detailed increasing default and delinquency rates over two, three, and seven years. To help manage such a rise in default, TG representatives — including Shelia Dunlap, TG's assistant vice president of default prevention, and default aversion consultants Joe Braxton and Rett Anderton — provided an overview of TG's initiatives in default prevention. They offered a look at a wide range of default prevention tools available to schools.

The webinar also provided an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and best practices. Council member Melet Leafgreen, assistant director of student loan programs at Texas Christian University, opened the discussion which featured the following topics:

The impact of the new cohort default rate calculation on a school's default rate;
The need for administrators to update default prevention strategies and assess training needs for administrators;
Educating borrowers on proper money management with a particular focus on financial literacy tools; and
Using various methods to determine why students withdraw from school, including coordinated campus efforts, partnerships with servicers and guarantors, and research.

The Council will conclude its series of school workshops with a third dialogue on debt management to be held April 21 in Austin. Watch for details in upcoming issues of Shoptalk Online.

To access webinar materials
Presentations and handouts from the webinar are available for download at www.tgslc.org/council/dialogue/index.cfm. Links to materials are located in the right column.

About the Council
The Council works to minimize student loan defaults by providing the higher education community with innovative leadership, activities, and services that improve the understanding and management of personal and education finance by students and families. For over 10 years, the Council and TG have worked together to address some of the most important issues affecting students' ability to successfully repay their student loans.

To learn more about the initiatives of the Council, visit TG Online at www.tgslc.org/council. You can also contact TG's director of educational finance initiatives Maria Luna-Torres at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4632, or send an e-mail message to maria.luna-torres@tgslc.org.

TG closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

TG will be closed next Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. TG will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, January 20.