Shoptalk 534, January 5, 2010

TG Report

Register for TG's upcoming Texas regional trainings

If you're looking for a forum on the latest legislative and regulatory changes, consider TG's regional trainings. These trainings provide a collegial environment in which to discuss regulatory developments as well as consider trends and events in the student financial aid industry. TG offers several day-long workshops in February, one in Austin on February 18, and one in El Paso on February 19 at the Western Technical College. Trainings begin at 8 a.m. and wrap up about 3 p.m. The agendas for both trainings are similar with the exception of one session noted below. Here is a summary of subjects offered at both events.

Federal update: Learn about recent activities that may affect the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and other federal student aid programs. The session will offer updates on various issues including federal common forms, Dear Colleague/Partner letters issued by ED, proposed and final federal regulations, and pending legislation.
Life of the loan — From delinquency prevention to surviving the consequences of default: Review the life of the loan and learn more about TG's default prevention process. Participants will hear about the activities that occur during each phase of delinquency and discuss the consequences of default.
TG update: Hear about TG's FY 2010 product plans, as well as possible future products and services.
IBR basics: Learn how Income-Based Repayment (IBR), the new student loan repayment plan, could benefit certain borrowers by minimizing monthly payments. This session presents a high-level introduction to the IBR plan, including how borrowers qualify for IBR, the forgiveness component of IBR, the benefits IBR provides to the borrower and the school, and ideas for educating borrowers about IBR.

Austin's regional training offers a unique session titled "Motivation in financial aid." In this interactive session, participants learn how to use an "eidetic variations" exercise for identifying specific characteristics of highly motivated people. Attendees then discuss how to help develop and promote these characteristics in the financial aid office.

The El Paso regional training offers "Leading your team through challenging times," which provides tips on how to help your team manage multiple priorities with a sometimes limited budget and fast-paced schedule. The session features various exercises for individuals and small groups.

Register
To register for these regional trainings, visit TG Online at www.tgslc.org/training/regional/register.cfm.

To learn more
TG offers a variety of training opportunities through its Speakers Bureau. Visit www.tgslc.org/speakers/index.cfm to browse the training catalog. Keep in mind that TG can adapt a training session to meet the needs of your campus. To find out how, contact your account executive at (800) 252-9743.