Federal Updates

Arne Duncan confirmed as 9th U.S. Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan was confirmed by the Senate as the 9th U.S. Secretary of Education. Secretary Duncan previously served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Chicago Public Schools.

Reauthorization DCL: Loan forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge
Today's edition of Shoptalk Online continues coverage of selected topics from Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) GEN-08-12/FP-08-10, which provides a summary of most of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) provisions that amended and reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA).

2009 poverty guidelines released
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated the United States federal poverty guidelines in the Federal Register dated January 23, 2009.

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

TG Updates

TG to begin using new software for encryption
On January 31, 2009, TG will switch to a new encryption software service developed by Cisco Systems®. All TG customers, including schools and lenders, should be aware that s will be deleted from any Tumbleweed account 30 days after TG terminates its Tumbleweed service.

TG launches new training to help schools establish financial literacy programs
How the market may shift over the next few years is anyone’s guess, but more schools are taking no chances and educating students in skills that will prepare them for a lifetime of money management. TG is working to be part of that effort by reaching out to students and schools with an expanded set of offerings for its comprehensive workshop series on financial literacy and default aversion — Positive+Balance™.

Austin workshop to spotlight TG's support for lenders
TG will hold its 2009 Lender Workshop on February 12 at the Marriott's Austin Courtyard Downtown across from the Austin Convention Center. TG invites interested lenders and servicers to attend the one-day workshop.

TG debuts new webinar training series
As part of our continued commitment to meeting our customer's evolving training needs, TG will launch a Web-based, cost-free, monthly training series beginning in February 2009.

Meet Paul Lewis, TG's director of product management
When it comes to application and loan management, TG's director of product management Paul Lewis understands what schools and lenders need. And he's uniquely qualified to provide for those needs. Thanks to early training in a financial aid office, coursework in information systems, work on an industry electronic standards committee, and his broad TG experience, Lewis brings both expertise and a comprehensive view of student loans to his job.

Trends and Issues

Policy potpourri
Is there a quick resource for what documents students and parents need in order to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

This, That, and the Other...

Tax season is here, but there is a silver lining for parents and students who have made an investment in higher education. A number of deductions and a tax credit may be available to eligible consumers. TG offers a summary of tax information for those paying off student loans or paying for college tuition and fees. TG Online's "Tax Benefits of Paying for College" outlines these higher education-related tax benefits for students and parents. Interested borrowers can find the summary at www.tgslc.org/borrowers/tax/index.cfm.