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TG Updates

Shoptalk Online 516, August 11, 2009

TG Updates

TG to release enhanced List Assist℠

Creating tools to help improve student loan processes is a priority for TG. That work doesn't stop once a product is released. TG reviews its products to make sure they work as intended and to add changes that improve performance. List Assist℠ offers the latest example of those efforts.

List Assist provides schools and lenders with an online tool for generating, communicating, and tracking surveys used in creating a FFELP lender list. For schools, List Assist simplifies information-gathering. For lenders, it streamlines the survey process and can help in prioritizing work. On August 14, TG will launch an enhanced version of List Assist, which includes a variety of processing efficiencies, many of which were suggested by users.

Enhancements for schools
The latest release of List Assist is designed to provide a more user-friendly way to communicate and customize surveys. Enhancements allow users to:

Update contact information and survey end dates, and communicate those changes to survey recipients.
Send and resend survey requests more efficiently.
View a distribution list for a specific survey from the List Surveys and Send Surveys list pages.
Re-order question categories and questions within each category. To further customize a survey, users can choose other questions from List Assist's library of questions, or create their own questions.
View the number of characters available in some free-form text boxes. Visual alerts will let users know if they have exceeded the maximum limit and by how many characters.
View "Other Answer" as one option for multiple choice questions; "Other Answer" replaces "No Answer" for surveys created after August 14, 2009. Lenders that select "Other Answer" can also provide a brief text response. In evaluating responses, schools will be able to view the lender's text explanation.
Rate surveys on a new response rating scale of 0-5.

Enhancements for lenders
The newest version of List Assist strives to make the response process more efficient for lenders. Enhancements are designed to allow users to:

View the survey invitation with the school name and code in the subject line.
Access the school's survey end date, which will display on the School Information page in the survey.
View the number of characters available in some free-form text boxes. Visual alerts will let users know if they have exceeded the maximum limit and by how many characters.
Select "Other Answer" as one option for multiple choice questions; "Other Answer" replaces "No Answer" for surveys created after August 14, 2009. Lenders that select "Other Answer" can also provide a brief text response. In evaluating responses, schools will be able to view the lender's text explanation.
Open multiple survey requests at the same time. This feature allows users to work on multiple requests by toggling between surveys. Note that only one user at an institution can access a specific survey at a time. In the event that another user tries to access an open survey, a validation message will display. The message will note that the survey is being used by another user.

Upcoming training webinars
TG will provide training webinars on List Assist enhancements to both schools and lenders following the implementation date. To accommodate peak season schedules, the training sessions will be repeated in September.

To learn more about the latest enhancements, schools and lenders can register for one of the following training sessions.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009; 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Central Time
Tuesday, August 18, 2009; 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Central Time (repeat)
Monday, September 28, 2009; 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Central Time (repeat)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009; 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Central Time (repeat)

User Guide and online help
Information on the latest enhancements will also be provided through List Assist's User Guide and online help. Users will be able to access this information via List Assist after the August 14 release date. The User Guide is located on the List Assist Main Menu under the Resources section.

To learn more
If you have questions about the latest changes, or would like to register to use List Assist, please contact your TG account executive at (800) 252-9743. You can also send an message to relationship.management@tgslc.org.

Plan to attend TG's webinar on IBR

If you haven't registered for TG's upcoming webinar on the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, there's still time. The webinar will be held Thursday, August 20, from 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Central Time.

IBR, available to FFELP and Direct Loan borrowers, will benefit eligible borrowers by minimizing monthly payments and by providing loan forgiveness in some cases. Educating borrowers about this repayment plan will be vital to realizing IBR's potential benefits. This session provides a high-level introduction to the IBR plan, including how borrowers qualify for IBR, the forgiveness component of IBR, the advantages IBR provides to the borrower and the school, and ideas for educating borrowers about IBR.

To register
Registration information for the IBR webinar is currently available at www.tgslc.org/training/webinars/industry.cfm. Schedules for additional webinars will be published quarterly. Watch Shoptalk Online for notification of registration availability for future webinars.

TG sets dates for 2010 Financial Aid Leadership Symposium

TG has set training dates for the 2010 Financial Aid Leadership Symposium, which will be held February 8-12, in Round Rock, Texas. TG's Symposium is a week-long professional development workshop designed to enhance the leadership skills of mid-level managers in college and university financial aid offices. Participants study key leadership principles and consider how to apply these concepts to current financial aid office issues.

A focus on all the roles of a leader
The Symposium uses a variety of instructional techniques including interactive modules, small-group projects and exercises, individual presentations, mentoring, and roundtable discussions. Throughout, attendees get the feedback of experts in various fields like policy and training.

Besides grooming participants to be more effective leaders, the Symposium also offers a number of other benefits, including an informal network of peers who stay in touch via . Graduates use the network to seek advice or feedback on particular issues.

The Symposium's training focuses on enhancing many leadership traits, including:

Communication;
Building a shared vision;
Trust;
Embracing change;
Motivation;
Performance management and coaching; and
Presentation skills.

How can I attend the 2010 Symposium?
Space for the Symposium is limited to 12-16 participants in order to create a comfortable atmosphere for small-group activities and interactive exercises.

Each applicant will be required to submit:

A letter stating his or her desire to participate in the program;
Two letters of recommendation, including one from the school's director of financial aid; and
A current challenge or issue that the school is facing that can be used in the program as a sample scenario.

To apply, complete an application through TG Online.

The fee for the Symposium is $1,000 per participant and includes a 360-degree assessment, which offers feedback from peers, supervisors, and subordinates. The Symposium fee also includes a full week of classes and materials, as well as hotel accommodations and selected meals.

More information
To learn more about TG's Financial Aid Leadership Symposium, visit TG Online at www.tgslc.org/training/leaders. You can also contact Tom Rebstock at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2835, or send an message to tom.rebstock@tgslc.org.

Updated integrated HEA available on TG Online

TG is pleased to announce the availability of updated integrated portions of the Higher Education Act (HEA) that incorporate changes from the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA, H.R. 4137) and technical corrections to the HEOA (H.R. 1777). The HEOA was signed into law by President Bush on August 14, 2008, and the technical corrections bill was signed into law by President Obama on July 1, 2009. The NCHELP Program Regulations Committee contributed to this resource.

Updated titles of the HEA have been compiled in easy-to-use portable document format (PDF) files. Each PDF shows the language that has been stricken as well as language that has been added. Additionally, each part and section has been bookmarked for easy navigation.

Updated titles include:

Integrated HEA Title IV, Parts B, D, G, and I
- Title IV - Student Assistance
  - Part B - Federal Family Education Loan Program
  - Part D - Federal Direct Loan Program
  - Part G - General Provisions Relating To Student Assistance
  - Part I - Competitive Loan Auction Pilot Program
Integrated HEA Title IV, Parts A, C, E, F, H, I, and J and Title VII, Part E
- Title IV - Student Assistance
  - Part A - Grants To Students In Attendance At Institutions Of Higher Education
  - Part C - Federal Work-Study
  - Part E - Federal Perkins Loans
  - Part F - Need Analysis
  - Part H - Program Integrity
  - Part J - Strengthening Historically Black Colleges And Universities And Other Minority-Serving Institutions
- Title VII - Graduate and Postsecondary Improvement Programs
  - Part E - College Access Challenge Grant Program
Integrated HEA Title I
- Title I - General Provisions
  - Part A - Definitions
  - Part B - Additional General Provisions
  - Part C - Cost of Higher Education
  - Part D - Administrative Provisions for Delivery of Student Financial Assistance
  - Part E - Lender and Institution Requirements Relating to Education Loans

Accessing the bookmarked integrated HEA To access this practical tool, visit TG Online at www.tgslc.org/policy/hea.cfm.

In addition, TG Online provides Integrated Sections of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), which indicates changes made by the HEOA. However, no changes were made to these TILA sections by the technical corrections bill.

Integrated Sections of Truth in Lending Act
- Section 103 - Definitions and Rules on Construction
- Section 104 - Exempted Transactions
- Section 128 - Consumer Credit Not Under Open End Credit Plans
- Section 130 - Civil Liability
- Section 140 - Preventing Unfair and Deceptive Private Educational Lending Practices and Eliminating Conflicts of Interest

More information
For more information about the HEOA, see TG's summary and ED's Dear Colleague Letter GEN-08-12. For more information about the technical corrections bill, see TG's summary. Links to the text for the HEOA and the technical correction are posted on TG's Higher Education Act Legislation pages.

For questions about the integrated HEA, contact TG customer assistance at (800) 845-6267, or send an message to cust.assist@tgslc.org.