Shoptalk 544, March 16, 2010

TG Report

Sharon Cabeen joins TG as director of financial literacy operations

TG has named Sharon Cabeen its director of financial literacy operations. Cabeen comes to TG with more than 25 years of management and program development experience. She will oversee TG's financial literacy services and the development of a recognized, best-in-class financial literacy program.

"My goal is to provide young people an 'aha' moment when learning how to practice good money habits," Cabeen said. "I'm eager to expand and enhance TG's already considerable reputation in the financial literacy arena, both at the state and national levels. TG will work collaboratively with more organizations whose mission and values support the teaching of good money management to our high school and college students."

Cabeen's prior experience includes more than 25 years in credit counseling management and financial education. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Tennessee Temple University, and has been a certified credit counselor since 1985. She also holds the designation of Accredited Financial Counselor with the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE), and currently serves as a board member and president-elect of the AFCPE Board of Directors for 2011.

"We are extremely pleased to have such an experienced professional come to TG," said Sue McMillin, TG President and CEO. "Sharon is an invaluable asset to our team, and we look forward to implementing her ideas and plans on educating students in effective money management."

To learn more
To find out more about TG's financial literacy services and products, visit "Managing Your Money" resource page on TG's Adventures In Education (AIE™) website. AIE is a public service website designed to help students plan for college and career.

Plan your 2010 TG Annual Training Conference experience

The 2010 TG Annual Training Conference offers three days of training on subjects important to schools, including the transition to the Federal Direct Loan Program, financial literacy, default prevention strategies, and regulatory developments. Set to debut on Wednesday, April 7, at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin, the conference provides attendees a chance to ask the financial aid questions that matter to them.

To help you plan your training experience, TG has placed the complete conference agenda online. The agenda offers a day-by-day breakdown of sessions according to subject and time. Use the agenda to choose workshops, learn more about keynote speakers, and schedule time at TG's Cyber Café. Conference participants should be aware of a few event details in order to make the most of their attendance.

Registration — TG will offer a daily registration fee for this year's event. Participants can attend a full day of sessions on Thursday, April 8, for $50. Half-day programs are available on Wednesday, April 7 and Friday, April 9, at $25 per day. A $75 discount registration fee is offered for attending all three days. Early registration ends Friday, March 19. After this date, a $25 late registration fee will be applied.
Accommodations — A few hotel rooms are still available in the TG regular block at $149 per night. The block expires on Tuesday, March 16. For more information, contact the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center Hotel by calling (877) 744-8822 (toll free) or (512) 404-3600 (local). Ask for the group code TGCONF0410 (for the group rate of $149). Unfortunately, the government rate block has been sold out.
Thursday night reception — Plan to attend the "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" reception on Thursday, April 8, 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Central Time. Come relax with colleagues and enjoy music and refreshments with colleagues on "island time." Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Cyber Café — TG offers Internet and computer connections through the Cyber Café, a room where attendees can enjoy refreshments, take a few moments to check their email, print flight itineraries, visit with other attendees, and collect material from kiosks on TG products for default aversion, financial literacy, and college outreach.
Sponsorship note — TG neither solicits nor accepts sponsorship donations from the student lending community for this training event.

To register
Visit TG Online to register for the 2010 TG Annual Training Conference. If you prefer to speak with someone directly, contact TG's event planning coordinator Judith Cunningham at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2905, or send an email message to judith.cunningham@tgslc.org.

Join TG at Mississippi regional training

TG will offer a full-day workshop on industry topics on Wednesday, March 17, at the Old Oxford Depot at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. The training, which runs from 9:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Central Time, provides a great opportunity for schools and lenders to learn more about federal and regulatory topics as well as TG's financial literacy and default management strategies, product offerings, and more. Presenters stress an interactive approach, inviting audience questions and participation.

Training topics will include:

Income-Based Repayment Basics — Find out how Income-Based Repayment (IBR) can benefit certain borrowers by minimizing monthly payments. This segment of the program describes how borrowers qualify for IBR, outlines the benefits IBR provides to the borrower and the school, and offers ideas for educating borrowers about IBR.
Transitioning to a 3-year Cohort Default Rate — During this session, participants will learn how a school's cohort default rate (CDR) is calculated and how the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) has affected CDRs. Discussion will focus on the shift from a 2-year to a 3-year calculation. Participants will also learn about the benefits for schools with low default rates and the consequences of higher default rates. In addition, the session will highlight default prevention initiatives to help schools manage their CDR.
What Do You Say? — This highly interactive program answers the question "What Do You Say?" when faced with challenging encounters with students or parents. Often the first few moments — and words — in such situations determine the likelihood of a positive outcome. Attendees will learn key words and phrases needed to handle tough customer service moments. They'll also discuss specific techniques for defusing tension, including listening and communication skills.
TG's Electronic Resources — TG provides online resources to help financial aid offices in a variety of ways, including professional training and financial literacy support. This session will offer an overview of a few of these tools. TG's online modular series, "Financial Aid for Rookies," supplies ready-made help in training staff new to the world of financial aid. The series covers the history and basic concepts of financial aid, including determining federal aid eligibility, computing the cost of attendance, and learning about the verification process. In addition, TG's Positive+Balance Community℠ is a social media website through which financial aid professionals can share insights and experiences in developing financial literacy programs.

Register
To register for the Mississippi regional training, visit TG Online.

To learn more about TG trainings
To find out more about TG's varied training offerings, visit TG Online to browse the TG Speakers Bureau catalog. Keep in mind that TG can adapt training sessions to meet the needs of your campus. To find out how, contact your account executive at (800) 252-9743.

TG puts financial literacy workshop for grad students, "Money Management 601," online

Free time outside studying and teaching is a scarce commodity for graduate and professional students. To accommodate the busy schedule of a graduate or professional student, TG has placed one of its core financial literacy training sessions online for easy viewing — "Money Management 601: Personal Finance for Graduate Students."

This session provides practical personal-finance tips to help graduate and professional students manage their money and minimize the financial impact of pursuing a graduate degree. The presentation guides students through the process of creating a personalized budget. It also offers details on how to track spending and create a funds and expenses worksheet to better distinguish between necessary and nonessential expenses. In addition, the workshop features:

tips for being a smart borrower;
information on creating a savings plan; and
methods for keeping accurate financial records to simplify budgeting and make tax preparation easier.

"Money Management 601" forms part of TG's extensive financial literacy program for students. Other sessions focus on effective credit card practices, budgeting for expenses, and saving for a secure financial future.

To view the presentation
View "Money Management 601" through TG's Adventures In Education (AIE™) website, an online resource for students planning for attending college and preparing for a career.

TG products compatible with Internet Explorer 7.0

Schools, servicers, and lenders can now use Microsoft^® Internet Explorer^® 7.0 (IE 7.0) with many TG products, including AdvanTG Web™, TG Loans By Web™, Integrated Default Assistant™ (IDA™), and List Assist℠. Download IE 7.0 from the Microsoft website.

TG's Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) service will be enhanced with IE 7.0 compatibility in April.

Questions
For any questions about TG products, please contact TG's product support team at (800) 332-1455, or send an email message to product.support@tgslc.org.