January 26, 2010 - Edition 537 TG
Shoptalk

TG Report

TG and THECB to host fifth annual financial aid telethons
For the fifth year, TG and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) are producing a series of telethons on financial aid. Their objective is to reach out to students and families in key viewing markets throughout Texas.

TG offers flexible registration for 2010 annual training conference
This year's conference will include subject matter tracks related to college awareness, industry topics, financial literacy, default management, professional development, and TG tools.

TG offers blanket notification for default aversion assistance requests filed on current or former students
In accordance with 34 CFR, Section 682.404(a)(4), schools can request to be notified whenever any of the school's current or former Stafford loan borrowers are the subject of a default aversion assistance request (DAAR). There is no charge to the school or school's agent for this blanket notification.

Provide students with an interactive primer on credit reports with TG's Adventures In Education
TG's Adventures In Education (AIE™) offers various financial literacy tools, including an interactive credit report "reader" to help students and parents understand the details of a credit report.

Five ways to use TG's financial literacy resource, the Postive+Balance Community℠
The Positive+Balance Community℠ combines features of a social networking site with a more traditional Website. The great advantage of the site is that it provides schools with multiple forms of assistance as they design and develop financial literacy programs, including the advice of peers engaged in the same work.

Industry Update

Update on IRS data retrieval process
ED has been developing a process that will enable Title IV student aid applicants and parents of dependent applicants to transfer certain tax return information from an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Web site to the 2009-10 FAFSA on the Web application. ED announced that the data retrieval process for initial and renewal applications on the 2009-10 FAFSA on the Web site will be available beginning January 28, 2010.

Current poverty guidelines extended
In the Federal Register dated January 22, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the 2009 HHS poverty guidelines will remain in effect until updated 2010 poverty guidelines are published, which will not take place before March 1, 2010.

Smart Solutions
TG's Adventures In Education offers convenient, online access to one of the essential documents for securing financial aid in Texas — the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, or TASFA. AIE provides a link to the current academic year application in both English and Spanish.
News Briefs

Communication technology is changing the way students socialize — at least according to various surveys, including a recent one conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Not surprisingly, the survey finds that a majority of young Americans spend time online each day chatting with friends, Web-surfing, or blogging. However, the amount of time young adults spend online has risen dramatically. Media devices have become literally the constant companions for many students aged 8 to 18, greeting them with text messages when they wake up and offering them instant video just before bed. The rise in use has its implications for colleges and universities, especially those designing an outreach and education campaign on college, financial aid, and career issues. Learn more about media trends among young adults in the online edition of the New York Times.