February 1, 2011 - Edition 589 TG
Shoptalk

TG Report

TG to co-host sixth annual College Access and Affordability Telethons
TG and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) will host the sixth annual College Access and Affordability Telethons from February 8 through March 2.

TG's February industry webinars to focus on cohort default rates
To help schools understand, manage, or review their CDRs, TG offers information and resources, including an upcoming webinar — "Challenging Your Cohort Default Rate." The webinar outlines the process for challenging a CDR, emphasizes the importance of an effective default management plan, and considers the 3-year CDR.

Sharpen your leadership skills with TG's 2011 Student Services Leadership Symposium
TG offers a one-of-a-kind training opportunity geared specifically for student services professionals. The TG Student Services Leadership Symposium focuses on the building blocks of leadership within the context of the student services community.

New webinar series to highlight research, successful practices in student persistence and completion
Offered at no-cost, these 90-minute sessions will allow presenters to explain their research and lead a discussion with participants on topics in students persistence and degree completion.

TG supports Financial Aid Awareness Month events throughout Texas
Throughout February, TG will meet with students and families at key awareness events, offering information and resources for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and planning for college.

Smart Solutions
TG's Income-Based Repayment calculator, available through the Adventures In Education (AIE™) website, has been updated to use 2011 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines in its calculations.

News Briefs

Anxiety about job prospects and potential school debt is weighing on the minds of freshmen, according to the most recent college survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI). The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010, a survey of some 200,000 entering college students, reports that only about 50 percent of respondents ranked their emotional well-being high, a drop from last year's number. More than half of students continue to rely on college loans, and about five percent said that their fathers were unemployed while nine percent said their mothers were not working. On the other hand, more than three-quarters of respondents said they had a high drive to succeed and felt strongly about their academic abilities. Read more about the HERI survey findings.