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TG Updates

Shoptalk Online 489, February 3, 2009

TG Updates

Update to TG's notice on new encryption software

Until recently, TG secured outbound e-mail messages through Tumbleweed®, a software product that identifies and encrypts TG e-mail based on specific criteria. On January 31, 2009, TG switched to a new e-mail encryption software service developed by Cisco Systems®. All TG customers, including schools and lenders, should be aware that e-mails will be deleted from any Tumbleweed account 30 days after TG terminates its Tumbleweed service. School and lender business customers may want to save — that is, copy and paste — any important e-mails they've received through Tumbleweed before that 30-day period is over.

Registration and use
Encrypted e-mail comes as an attachment to a regular e-mail, which registered users can print, save, or copy/paste into a new e-mail for forwarding. Users can also reply to the TG sender using the secure Cisco process.

To read encrypted e-mail, recipients will register with Cisco Systems. An invitation to register will come with the first encrypted e-mail. The e-mail will contain a link to a registration page, where the recipient can enter personal information, choose a password, and select a security question, which serves as a prompt in case a password is forgotten or lost. Users will then receive an e-mail from Cisco with a link to finish the registration process.

The Cisco product can "remember" login information, which means that users won't have to provide their password each time they receive an encrypted e-mail.

TG's new encryption service offers several other features that users will like. Recipients can keep encrypted e-mails as long as they want. E-mails are not automatically deleted after a certain period of time. Passwords can also be easily reset if necessary, and the Cisco product provides easy prompts for changing a password or receiving help in case a password is forgotten.

Questions
For questions about TG's new encryption software, contact TG customer assistance at (800) 845-6267, or send an e-mail message to cust.assist@tgslc.org. Customers will also find information about the new software on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/security/securemail.cfm.

Cisco Systems is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. Tumbleweed is a registered trademark of Tumbleweed Communications.

Reauthorization resource updated

TG is pleased to announce that the Higher Education Opportunity and Access Act (HEOA) resource available on TG Online has been updated to include information from Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) GEN-08-12.

Based on a matrix created by the NCHELP Program Regulations Committee, this document notes the topic of each HEOA change, the section of the Higher Education Act (HEA) where the change is located, the respective DCL page number, a summary of the provision, and its effective date.

Accessing the resource
The document, titled "Summary of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA)," is available on TG Online under "More Resources" at www.tgslc.org/policy/hea.cfm. We also recommend that customers download the integrated version of the HEA, from the same Web page, as an additional reference tool.

More information
For questions about the HEOA, contact TG customer assistance at (800) 845-6267, or send an e-mail message to cust.assist@tgslc.org.

TG Public Benefit Grant Program now accepting proposals for AY 2009-10

TG's Public Benefit Grant Program has begun accepting proposals for AY 2009-10 from educational and nonprofit organizations seeking funds for projects focused on improving student access to, and participation in, higher education. TG has designated grant awards for the 2009-10 academic year to be given in three public benefit areas: need-based financial aid, education research, and direct services to students and families.

The Public Benefit Grant Program, which began in 2005, is a part of TG's philanthropic initiative and has awarded more than $16 million in competitive grants to projects and initiatives that directly benefit families and students who aspire to pursue a postsecondary education.

"The Public Benefit Grant Program is the actualization of TG's vow to support services and strategies that help students achieve their higher education dreams," said Sue McMillin, TG President and CEO. "The program aligns our goal with those projects that have similar interests. These objectives include improving opportunities and removing barriers that face individuals interested in a higher education degree or certification."

Last year, grant funding was particularly targeted to help, either directly or indirectly, students from low- to moderate-income families. Priority also was given to proposals that addressed the needs of first-generation college students and/or students who are under-represented in higher education. A complete list of the 2008-09 grant recipients and geographical distributions is available online.

To apply
Applications are due by March 5, 2009. TG's Public Benefit Grant Program is administered based solely on merit and need, and without regard to the business of TG or any form of quid pro quo consideration. For more information on the program, please call (800) 252-9743, ext. 4518, or e-mail public.benefit@tgslc.org.

New Positive+Balance™ training helps students understand their financial aid options

Fifty-five percent of undergraduate students in the U.S. receive financial aid to help pay for college, but many who would qualify don't apply or assume incorrectly that they are not eligible for aid. To educate students about their payment options, TG offers some in-person support with its comprehensive program on financial literacy, Positive+Balance™.

Recently, TG launched a new Positive+Balance training module, Paying for College: Know Your Options. The session identifies the various types of financial aid and helps students understand the nuts and bolts of scholarships, grants, Federal Work-Study, and federal and private student loans. The session also examines the advantages and disadvantages of each form of student aid and provides the repayment and loan limit details for federal student loans.

Learning the necessary skills
Participants in a Paying for College: Know Your Options session consider recent college cost trends and the different factors that contribute to college costs; for example, education at a private versus public institution. They also learn the basis for determining financial need.

"It's important for students to understand their choices and obligations when it comes to student loans so they are prepared to handle repayment," said Margie Harvey, TG's financial literacy program manager.

Many young students have a rudimentary grasp of basic financial skills like setting a budget, applying for credit, and handling student loan payments. "Positive+Balance training programs like Paying for College: Know Your Options help students master these skills," said Harvey.

TG trainers can present the Paying for College: Know Your Options training to students. However, the workshop slides and accompanying workbook can also be downloaded free of charge from the Positive+Balance Community^SM, TG's online resource for educators and financial aid professionals seeking financial literacy solutions and support.

To learn more
To learn more about Positive+Balance, visit TG Online at www.tgslc.org/PositiveBalance. If you would like TG's assistance in developing, implementing, or improving your financial literacy efforts, contact your account executive, or send an e-mail message to positivebalance@tgslc.org.

To sign up for a free membership to the Positive+Balance Community, visit www.PositiveBalance.org.

TG reaches out to students and families during Financial Aid Awareness Month

Sometimes all it takes to help a student go to college is the answer to a question. Questions such as: How do I get financial aid? What kind of tax information do I need to provide? Can my parents take out a loan out to help me? Each year during Financial Aid Awareness Month, TG team members fan out across Texas with the aim of providing answers to just such questions. Team members will attend key events planned for the month, helping families complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and offering that extra motivation for students aspiring to a college education.

Here's a preview of financial aid events which TG supports. These events are open to all students interested in completing a FAFSA, including students currently enrolled in college or those interested in enrolling.

FAFSA-Made-Easy video program
TG offers an informative program that explains how to complete and submit the FAFSA. The FAFSA-Made-Easy program is available at no cost. Higher education institutions as well as high schools, libraries, community outreach groups, and faith-based organizations can register to receive the program. They in turn can act as host sites, offering the program to students and families. To receive the program, organizations can register at TG's public service Web site, Adventures In Education, at www.aie.org/FAFSAMadeEasy/Register.

Registered organizations will receive a promotional packet that includes the DVD, posters, flyers, a sign-up sheet, and other materials to promote the program. The program, available in English and Spanish, runs approximately 50 minutes. As an added bonus, students who view the program can complete and return a Program Evaluation Form, which enters the student for a scholarship drawing and the grand prize of a laptop or desktop. Winners of the scholarships and computer are under no obligation to obtain student loans from any lending institution or have their loans guaranteed by TG.

For more information, contact Richard Sapp, TG's director of pre-college success, at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an e-mail message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.

Weekend help: Financial Aid Saturdays
TG's team members will be meeting with students and families at events called "Financial Aid Saturdays" hosted by 11 area independent school districts (ISDs), including Austin, Del Valle, Hays, and Round Rock. Held every Saturday from January 17 to March 7, these workshops provide one-on-one help for completing and submitting the FAFSA.

If you'd like to learn more about TG's involvement or the activities planned, contact Bonita Peebles, assistant director of pre-college success, at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4784, or send an e-mail message to bonita.peebles@tgslc.org.

Hispanic outreach
The Houston Hispanic Forum, to be held February 7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, is open to all students but tailored specifically for the needs of Spanish-speaking students and families. TG will manage the financial aid and admissions plaza for the forum, providing about 40 laptop computers for submitting financial aid applications, including the FAFSA and the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, or TASFA, and college admissions applications.

To learn more, contact Bonita Peebles at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4784, or send an e-mail message to bonita.peebles@tgslc.org.

FAFSA Telethons
From February 9 to February 27, TG and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) will be hosting live news telecast programs to inform students and families about the financial aid and admission application processes. Volunteers from colleges and universities, THECB, and TG Ambassadors will manage a phone bank during the live telecasts.

For more information about dates, times, and targeted viewing locations for the telethons, please contact Richard Sapp at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an e-mail message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.

College Goal Sunday
College Goal Sunday is designed to inform students and families about the availability of financial aid and offer expert assistance in filling out financial aid-related paperwork. Held on February 22 this year, Texas' College Goal Sunday offers students and families an opportunity for learning more about the FAFSA and completing an application.

To order publications and other resources
If you'd like to promote financial aid awareness on your college campus, or provide materials in outreach efforts of your own, consider TG's free collateral, including posters, publications, and even a complete program on DVD — the FAFSA-Made-Easy. To order any of these published materials, visit the Online Forms/Publications ordering page on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/order/index.cfm.

TG releases new edition of State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas

TG recently made available the latest issue of the State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas, a publication that offers Texas policymakers, their staff, and members of the student financial aid community an overview of key facts that describe student financial aid in Texas.

The report contains data on college costs for the 2006-07 academic year, the sources and types of financial aid available in the state, and the indebtedness of Texas college students, as well as information on Texas educational attainment levels and the state's rapidly changing demographics.

Changing demographics, changing needs
Texas will experience profound demographic changes in the coming years. The state's population growth is being fueled by a dramatic increase in young Hispanics, a group that historically has been underrepresented in higher education. The economic vitality of the state will largely depend on how thoroughly financial barriers to education are removed. As the largest provider of student aid in Texas, TG plays a significant role in helping students achieve their educational goals.

Both the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress understand the importance of providing access to college and have sought to ensure that qualified students can get a college education. The State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas serves as a resource for those in search of information concerning college costs and student debt.

To learn more
TG's State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas is available for viewing or download at www.tgslc.org/research/index.cfm.