Podcasts about nasfaa

This week on "Off the Cuff," Melanie is joined by Rachel, Hugh, Sarah, and Nalia to dive into how the congressional budgeting process could impact student financial aid. To kick things off, Melanie and Hugh discuss the latest developments in the reconciliation process, where a House committee recently advanced portions of the package that would make some drastic changes to programs housed within the Department of Education (ED). Sarah then provides members with a recap of three deep dive explainers that the policy has been working on to fully analyze the proposal. Rachel and Nalia then walk through more of the dynamics of the reconciliation process and outline how NASFAA members can make their voices heard by contacting their members of Congress. Nalia then catches listeners up on the president's “skinny” budget request, and the team wraps things up with some additional news out of ED concerning staffing hours and the start of a new Negotiated Rulemaking (NegReg) session.

This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Beth is joined by NASFAA's new president and CEO Melanie Storey to answer questions submitted from NASFAA members. Melanie answers several questions, ranging from challenges with FAFSA simplification, the state of federal student aid, the current political climate, the future of the financial aid profession, and much more. Join us in welcoming Melanie to the NASFAA team!

This week on "Off the Cuff," Jill and Sarah discuss NASFAA's submitted comments on the upcoming 2026-27 FAFSA and an updated resource, NASFAA's R2T4 decision trees. Jill highlights several key points NASFAA made in its submitted comments on the 2026–27 FAFSA, including the importance of the intended use of FAFSA data, FA-DDX working for contributors without a Social Security number, and more. Sarah then walk listeners through the latest R2T4 regulations, which were published in early January under the Biden administration. Sarah highlights NASFAA's updated R2T4 decision trees as a resource for members. 

This week on "Off the Cuff," Beth is joined by Jill and Hugh to discuss some of the latest headlines impacting student financial aid. Kicking things off on an exciting note, Beth provides some background on NASFAA's new President & CEO, Melanie Storey, who will be joining the team on May 1. Jill then shares some breaking news concerning ED's planned negotiated rulemaking session focusing on regulations that would streamline current federal student financial assistance programs with a focus on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Income Contingent Repayment (ICR). Hugh then debriefs listeners on President Trump's executive order seeking to dismantle ED. Jill wraps things up with more updates on the application status of IDR plans that ongoing legal challenges have impacted.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Allie and Karen are joined by Megan and Nalia to discuss the latest news reports that President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that would seek to dismantle the Department of Education. Karen and Megan debrief listeners on what NASFAA knows so far and walk through the complex roadmap that would be required to actually terminate ED. From there, Nalia updates listeners on a special budget tool known as the reconciliation process, which Congress is currently in the beginning stages of drafting, and how that legislation could impact higher education policies. 

This week on “Off The Cuff,” Hugh and David are joined by Tonya Hsiung, NASFAA U Program Manager, to discuss and answer some common questions, misconceptions and topics that catch some members by surprise in various NASFAA U courses. Topics discussed include loan fees, cost of attendance (COA), professional judgement (PJ), the Pell Grant recalculation date and more. David and Tonya provide a variety of examples and scenarios throughout the conversation and remind listeners that they can sign up for specific courses that spend weeks diving into a given topic through our NASFAA U course schedule.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Beth, Jill, Rachel, and Nalia discuss FAFSA updates and how the 2024 election may shape financial aid policy for the next administration. Jill kicks things off by debriefing listeners on several fixes the Department of Education (ED) has made to issues in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 FAFSA cycles. Then, Nalia and Rachel lead a discussion on what a Harris or Trump presidency could mean for financial aid policy. The team also briefly discusses how NASFAA develops its advocacy positions as a nonpartisan organization and how NASFAA advocates on the Hill. The team ends the episode discussing what we're keeping an eye out for in the upcoming 119th Congress. 

This week on "Off the Cuff," Sarah and Hugh discuss 2024-25 changes in documentation requirements related to Jay Treaty students and dig into the background of this guidance within the FSA Handbook. From there, Sarah debriefs listeners on several resources both NASFAA and the Department of Education (ED) have for institutions that were impacted by recent natural disasters. Sarah then explains some timely electronic announcements and Dear Colleague Letters that can help students and schools affected by these recent disasters.  

This week on “Off the Cuff,” Hugh and Jill discuss the latest news surrounding the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, and income-driven repayment (IDR) plans in general. Jill kicks things off with a background discussion on how the SAVE plan came to be through the negotiated rulemaking process and then catches listeners up on the legal challenges that have threatened the program. The conversation then highlights how financial aid administrators can help borrowers navigate through the current repayment landscape and discusses some NASFAA resources that listeners should be on the lookout for.

This week on "Off the Cuff," Karen, Jill, and Hugh discuss the latest news surrounding Gainful Employment (GE) and Financial Value Transparency (FVT) regulations, as well as NASFAA's advocacy campaign to request that Congress take action to require the Department of Education (ED) to delay upcoming institutional reporting requirements. The team then debriefs the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the "Chevron deference" and how it could impact higher education policy. From there, Karen and Jill update listeners on the latest news with the FAFSA – including when batch corrections will be available and new guidance from ED. The team also discusses new legislation in Congress – the FAFSA Deadline Act – and updates with the appropriations process.

This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin, Karen, and Allie are joined by former OTC podcast hosts, Stephen Payne, executive director of external relations at Muhlenberg College, and Megan Coval, interim president of Butler County Community College. Karen kicks off the episode by debriefing listeners on several NASFAA letters. The first letter was sent to the Department of Education (ED) on the 2025-26 FAFSA cycle, and a second letter was  sent to Congressional leaders requesting their assistance in securing a delay until July 2025 of the GE/FVT institutional reporting requirements (5:27-14:02). After the policy team update, the whole group reminisces on the early days of the podcast and share special memories as Justin departs from his role next week. 

The last year has been a hellish one for many college financial aid directors – and, not surprisingly, for the head of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, who's leaving his role after 14 years. This episode of The Key features a conversation with Justin Draeger, who recently announced that he would soon wrap up his work as president and CEO of NASFAA for a new role leading Strada Education's efforts to make higher education more affordable. In the conversation, he discusses the impact of the FAFSA mess, possible approaches to make college more affordable, and the state of the financial aid workforce, among other topics. The Key is hosted by Inside Higher Ed Co-founder and Editor Doug Lederman. This episode is sponsored by Mongoose.

This week, on the 300th episode of “Off the Cuff,” Justin, Karen, and Allie discuss the most up-to-date FAFSA news, and preview the unique sessions being offered at the NASFAA National and Virtual Conferences. Karen kicks things off with an update on the Department of Education's (ED) FAFSA reprocessing work and outlines additional guidance that should be available in the days and weeks ahead. Justin then recaps a recent community letter that a number of higher education groups sent to Congress urging for policies that will strengthen the FAFSA process moving forward. Allie wraps things up with a preview of NASFAA's conferences and covers a few sessions she is most looking forward to.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by NASFAA Executive Vice President Beth Maglione and Director of Research Charlotte Etier to discuss Justin's announcement this week that he plans to step down from his role as NASFAA's president and CEO in June. From there, Karen debriefs listeners on more FAFSA updates, including where we stand with institutional corrections. Plus, Charlotte shares the results of NASFAA's latest poll on when institutions plan to send financial aid offers to students and what their disbursement timing may be. 

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations and national engagement, to discuss the latest FAFSA updates of the past week, including news on the Department of Education's reprocessing of affected Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs). From there, Karen walks through the results of this week's NASFAA poll which asked members about their institutions' plans to send financial aid offers to students. Plus, Jon debriefs listeners of the Biden administration's proposed rules on student debt relief, and where the congressional appropriations process stands.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Karen, Rachel, and Tim discuss Justin's testimony this week before the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on the Department of Education's (ED) rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA. Karen also debriefs listeners on the latest NASFAA poll asking members about which first-year undergraduate student populations, if any, they plan to send aid offers to by May 1. From there, the team discusses the latest FAFSA updates from ED on the status of reprocessing ISIRs, student corrections, and new guidance from the department. Finally, Rachel informs listeners on the latest news on the Biden administration's student debt relief plan. 

Justin Draeger, President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, joins the ALP to share what colleagues in admissions, enrollment, student success, presidents' offices, etc. can do to support their financial aid colleagues, who are about to do 6 to 9 months of work in about 4 to 6 weeks. A deep thinker, reader, writer and speaker, Justin also shares a bunch of excellent leadership lessons, including how, as Bertrand Russell wrote, "Fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people full of doubts." Special shout-out to the Lawrence University financial aid team, "the finest team in all the land."ReferencesWhy I Choose the Harder Commute, July 2020Finding Motivation in Tough Times, August 2020Off the Cuff, NASFAA's podcastRapid DescentWalkout song: Walk This Way, Run DMC and AerosmithBest recent read: Uncultured: A Memoir, Daniella Mestyanek Young and Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van PeltEager to read next: Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl (the cost of reading a new book is not rereading one of the best books you've already read) Favorite podcast: The Gray AreaFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: simple recipes with a chef's kiss, like fried eggs and bacon with a latte.Taking and keeping notes: a complex system of handwritten notes, Evernote and Roam Research.Memorable bit of advice: "Anyone who says he has finished a canvas is terribly arrogant. 'Finished' means 'complete, perfect.'" (Claude Monet)Bucket list: walk the Camino de Santiago.The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Hosts Jon and Mushtaq are joined by special repeat guest Justin Draeger, president and CEO of NASFAA, to talk about the Education Department's flawed rollout of the new FAFSA form and the implications for students and colleges as well as what happens next. They also dive into the proposed legislation that would extend Pell Grants to short-term career training programs.   Tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation or podcast@acenet.edu.  House Committee Approves Bills on Short-Term Pell, WIOA Reauthorization American Council on Education | Dec. 18, 2023 Department of Education Announces Steps to Make Better FAFSA® More Readily Accessible Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | Feb. 13, 2024 Education Department Says FAFSA Fix Is Coming for Social Security Issue USA Today | Feb. 20, 2024 OPINION: Every FAFSA Delay Puts College Further Out of Reach The New York Times (sub. req.) | Feb. 8, 2024 Extending Enrollment and Financial Aid Deadlines American Council on Education

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Hugh to recap NASFAA's 2024 Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo, and discuss the Department of Education's (ED) new "FAFSA College Support Strategy." Justin debriefs listeners on the new initiative, explains what NASFAA's partnership entails and how it will aim to help severely under-resourced institutions get ready to receive, and review, Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) in March. Additionally, the team discusses the latest news around the 2024-25 FAFSA rollout, including ED's commitment to release test versions of ISIRs by February 16, and this week's announcement that ED will significantly reduce verification requirements. 

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to discuss this week's news that institutions and states will begin receiving Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) in the "first half of March." The team breaks down the announcement from the Department of Education, answers frequently asked questions, and shares NASFAA's efforts to advocate for financial aid offices. Additionally, the team debriefs two recent pieces of legislation, Rep. Virginia Foxx's College Cost Reduction Act and Rep. Bobby Scott's Roadmap to College Student Success.

This week on “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Karen and NASFAA's Tim Maggio to discuss the biggest financial aid news so far in 2024 — the soft launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA. Justin and Karen discuss the current state of the launch, issues and outages that have impacted the form's availability, and what updates they are looking for from the Department of Education in the weeks ahead. Tim then highlights some chatter from the financial aid community, as well as some social media posts that have highlighted applicant experiences with the rollout and the form itself. The team then dives into some known issues that ED has flagged and the department's communications campaign.

This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss updates with the negotiated rulemaking process for student debt relief and unpack a new FAFSA term – family size. Jill kicks off the podcast by debriefing listeners on the latest negotiated rulemaking session on student debt relief, including which provisions the committee reached consensus on and where they disagreed. David then goes into the intricacies of family size, including answering different "what about" questions from NASFAA members. This is the last "Off The Cuff" episode for 2023 and NASFAA wishes everyone a happy 2024! 

This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin is joined by Karen and NASFAA's Sarah Austin to recap Federal Student Aid's (FSA) 2023 virtual training conference. The team discusses a number of sessions held throughout the four-day event and highlights their biggest takeaways from the conference, including updates on FAFSA simplification, the FAFSA partner portal, new data-sharing guidance, FSA enforcement, topics and conversations brought up in the NASFAA Slack community, and more.

This week on “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Karen and Rachel to dig into the Department of Education's (ED) latest announcement concerning the rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA. The team discussed ED's pledge to release the FAFSA by December 31 and highlighted how the delayed delivery of Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) could impact schools. Justin and Karen then discuss what this compressed timeline could mean for financial aid professionals and detail the ways in which NASFAA is urging the department to support financial aid offices and stakeholders. Rachel then highlights the latest developments on federal spending negotiations and how the process could unfold in 2024.

Host Jonathan Hughes speaks with Justin Draeger, President and CEO of NASFAA, about what NASFAA is, how they operate, how they help shape financial aid policy with Congress, and the future of financial aid policy.

This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Chazz Robinson, education policy advisor at Third Way, to discuss his work on Third Way's 2023 Economic Mobility Index (EMI). Chazz explains the methodology for the index, and how some institutions were given high EMI scores. Additionally, Chazz and Justin discuss issues about graduate student debt, and what policy discussions lawmakers are having on the issue. Maria then brings us the news of the week, including new final regulations from the Department of Education, and NASFAA's Professional Judgment survey.

Jim Stroud interviews Jean Eddy, President and CEO of American Student Assistance, about future-proofing the careers of today's college students. Pretty much, why go to college today if AI will be doing the job tomorrow? Other discussion points... The education system needs to redefine what "career success" means for today's learners Students must achieve early access to diverse career paths. Top skills students need to obtain in high school for the jobs of tomorrow Advice for parents who may be concerned about their children pursuing non-traditional educational paths or careers The broader societal impact of reshaping education and career readiness And more... This episode is brought to you by "The Recruiting Life" newsletter: https://jimstroud.beehiiv.com About today's guest: Jean Eddy, President & CEO, American Student Assistance (ASA) Jean Eddy is the President & CEO of American Student Assistance. In 2016, Jean evaluated the organization's purpose to align ASA's strengths with high student impact areas. During Jean's tenure, ASA has pivoted from a 65-year history of helping students with college financing and repayment options to a new focus of helping students discover potential career paths earlier in their education journey. She shifted ASA's focus to help kids–as early as middle school to–know themselves, know their options, and make informed choices about their education and career goals. Jean served on the Board of ASA for 20 years and spent her career in higher education holding numerous senior level positions. Jean is a prior member of the College Board, NASFAA, EASFAA, NACAC & AICAD. Jean served as a trustee for the Providence Foundation & The RI Public Expenditure Council & as president for the RI Assoc. of Student Financial Aid Admin, & Governor Baker's Commission on Digital Innovation & Lifelong Learning. Buy "Crisis Proofing Today's Learners: Reimagining Career Education to Prepare Kids for Tomorrow's World," here: https://www.asa.org/jean-eddys-book/ Visit American Student Assistance here: https://www.asa.org/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Justin Draeger, President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), about financial aid reform and the onslaught of borrower defense claims.They delve into the recent surge of borrower defense claims and how schools nationwide are grappling with them. The conversation explores questions and concerns, such as the lack of sorting at the Department of Education and the impact of these claims on schools. Draeger also discusses NASFAA's role in advocating for reforms in federal student loan programs and the challenges in balancing the desire for forgiveness with the need for systemic changes.To learn more about Career Education Colleges & Universities, visit our website.

This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin and Rachel are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to recap the most recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that struck down race-conscious admissions policies and the Biden administration's student loan debt cancellation program. The group dives into what impact these decisions will have on college campuses and also provides details as to how schools can make sense of both decisions. The team then highlights what comes next for the on-ramp to student loan repayment and interest accrual, which will begin this September. Rachel and Justin also update listeners on NASFAA's 2023 National Conference as well as some timely information from this week's virtual conference.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Dana Kelly, NASFAA's vice president of professional development and institutional compliance, and Kristi Jovell, director of student financial services operations and communications at Middlebury College and NASFAA's 2023 National Conference Program Task Force chair. The group discusses what attendees can expect of the 2023 National Conference in San Diego this month, including what sessions they're looking forward to and what attendees can do for fun in San Diego. Follow along with the conversation from the National Conference online using #NASFAA2023. Can't make it to San Diego this year? You can still register for the NASFAA Virtual Conference, which takes place July 10-14. 

Episode #48. Host Jonathan Hughes and co-host Julie Shields-Rutyna first discuss MEFA's prepaid tuition program, the U.Plan. Then, they go to the MEFA Mailbag and answer a question about letters of recommendation. Finally, Jonathan and Julie talk to Jill Desjean of NASFAA and Philip Levine of Wellesley College about FAFSA Simplification, including the adjustments to the form, the changes in terminology, and what families can expect when the FAFSA is available in December. Timestamp (0:00)

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to discuss the implications of the ongoing negotiations surrounding the debt ceiling and how federal higher education programs could be impacted. The conversation dives into congressional negotiations and how the issue differs from the annual budgeting process. The group then turns to the student loan servicing landscape, the latest on the return to repayment timeline, and a discussion on NASFAA's latest task force providing schools with a toolkit to prepare. Hugh catches members up on some recent news concerning House Republicans' efforts to rescind the administration's debt cancellation program and ED updates on PSLF applications. 

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by NASFAA Policy Analyst Megan Walter and Scott Cline, senior vice president of enrollment management and auxiliary services at California College of the Arts. The group discusses the mission and goals of the cand its efforts to improve college financial aid offers. Megan then shares initial responses to the initiative's drafted principles and standards, glossary, and aid offer examples. NASFAA members can submit their own comments to these documents by June 1, 2023. 

This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss highlights from NASFAA's FAFSA Simplification Implementation Working Group and cover some important details concerning late disbursements and retroactive payments. Jill dives into a pair of recent NASFAA surveys that capture financial aid offices' preparedness for the impending rollout of FAFSA simplification changes, and also highlights a recent poll digging into the implications of a FAFSA housing question that will no longer be asked in 2024-25. David then follows up with discussion on late disbursements, and how they can impact institutions and student eligibility. Hugh catches members up on some initial topline numbers from President Joe Biden's budget request and updates listeners on a new lawsuit challenging the administration's freeze on federal student loan repayment and interest accrual.

David Hawkins, Chief Education and Policy Officer at NACAC, joins Nikolas Huot, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Transformation to discuss the work that NACAC is involved with, including their report, “Roadmap for Change”. They dive into equity, the impending supreme court decision which will likely limit race as a factor in the admissions process, how purpose first fits into this equation, the importance of data, and more. To view the report from NACAC and NASFAA, please click here.

This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin is joined by NASFAA's 2022-23 National Chair Brad Barnett, FAAC®, associate vice president for access and enrollment management/director of financial aid and scholarships at James Madison University, to kick off our new Voices From the Aid Office series. The discussion focuses on Brad's professional and personal background and provides a glimpse into the ways in which his experiences have shaped his commitment to helping students pursue their postsecondary goals. In upcoming episodes, we'd like to talk to our members about issues that touch on all facets of our lived experiences and highlight equity in financial aid, impacts of staffing shortages, personal experiences with financial aid as a student, and more. Interested in joining us on a future episode? Be sure to fill out our interest form located in the resources section.

Host Jonathan Hughes talks with Anthony Erwin of NASFAA and Anne McDermott, President of EASFAA and Director of Financial Aid at Salve Regina University.

This week on a special edition of “Off the Cuff” Justin is joined by Karen, Jackie Cottom, NASFAA's instructional content specialist, and Tony Erwin, FAAC®, Blue Icon's principal consultant, to break down their impressions of Federal Student Aid's (FSA) annual training conference. The team highlighted their main takeaways from a number of sessions and impressions of updated guidance coming out of the department on a host of regulatory issues. Plus, the team dives into some outstanding questions for FSA concerning FAFSA simplification implementation and also highlights their general experience with the virtual conference platform. Have a question or general comment about the conference? Be sure to submit them through our feedback form below.

This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Art Coleman about Race Based Admissions and where we are as a country when it comes to this ever-changing landscape.  Art Coleman is a Managing Partner and co-founder of EducationCounsel LLC.  He provides policy, strategic, and legal counseling services to national non-profit organizations, postsecondary institutions, school districts and state agencies throughout the country, where he addresses issues associated with: student access, diversity, inclusion, expression, and success; faculty diversity, inclusion and expression; and institutional quality, accountability and accreditation. Mr. Coleman previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, where, in the 1990s, he led the Department's development of the Department's Title VI policy on race-conscious financial aid, as well as OCR's first comprehensive Title IX sexual harassment policy guidance.       Mr. Coleman was instrumental in the establishment of the College Board's Access and Diversity Collaborative (ADC) in 2004, which he has helped lead since its inception. He was also a member of a thought leadership panel that helped inform the development of the January 2022 report, Toward a More Equitable Future for Postsecondary Access, published by NACAC and NASFAA.  With a focus on issues of diversity and higher education admissions, he has also authored amicus briefs in: Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) & Gratz v. Bollinger (2003); Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (I and II, 2013 and 2016); and in the 2022 SFFA v. Harvard/UNC cases.  His advocacy work also includes the development of a successful federal amicus strategy and numerous federal appellate briefs on behalf of transgender students throughout the United States. Mr. Coleman is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, where he teaches a masters level course on enrollment management law and policy.  In 2022, he received the Rossier School's Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award, with the recognition that as “one of the nation's leading legal voices supporting access, diversity and inclusion,” he “does a masterful job at simplifying complex concepts and highlighting the complexities of seemingly simple concepts.” He has testified before the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.  He is a current Executive Committee member of the Board of Directors of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA); and he is a past member of the Board of Directors of GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network); the Lab School of Washington, which serves students with learning differences; and a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Higher Education Policy. A former litigator, Mr. Coleman is a 1984 honors graduate of Duke University School of Law and a 1981 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia.  Art Coleman shared a few links to examples of things he mentioned in the podcast: https://educationcounsel.com/?publication=engaging-campus-stakeholders-on-enrollment-issues-associated-with-student-diversity-a-communications-primer https://professionals.collegeboard.org/pdf/playbook-understanding-race-neutral-strategies.pdf Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Justin Draeger, President & CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Today we talked to Justin about all of the upcoming Financial Aid and EFC changes that are coming in the next few years.  Justin Draeger serves as the primary voice of NASFAA and as the liaison between the association members, the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and the media. Most of Justin's career has been devoted to assisting disadvantaged populations in achieving their educational goals and better their communities. Since 2002, Justin has been engaged in either administering, interpreting, communicating, or developing student financial aid policy. His prior experiences include working as a financial aid director, regulatory and policy analyst, and spokesperson. He has held senior positions overseeing government relations, communications, and policy work. Justin has testified in multiple Congressional hearings on student financial aid, college access, student loan policy, and the interplay between federal agencies and colleges and universities. He is frequently quoted in the press and has appeared on The Today Show on NBC, National Public Radio, APM's Marketplace, Fox Business News, CNBC, and C-SPAN, and is often quoted in national news outlets. Justin serves on several boards of directors that promote health and education. He earned his undergraduate from Brigham Young University and his MBA from Baker College. Justin lives in Fairfax, VA, with his wife and three children. In the interview Justin regarding FAFSA simplification and federal methodology and you can find that resource here: https://www.nasfaa.org/fafsa_simplification Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Karen, Megan, and Rachel discuss student loan debt reform recommendations NASFAA made with support from a grant provided by Arnold Ventures. The conversation touches on three main areas, which include how to improve student loan servicing practices, rethinking the terms and conditions of student loan repayment, and reforming student loan default. Maria then updates listeners on the latest news, including a preview of President Joe Biden's student loan debt relief application and a new Federal Register notice detailing the Biden administration's authority to carry out the debt relief.

In this episode we unravel President Biden's new student loan debt forgiveness plan and how it will effect families in the short and long term. You'll hear from a current graduate student about the stressors of debt, a financial aid advisor informs us about how important it is to disseminate accurate information, and the President of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators breaks down the history of student loans. --------- Courier Pigeon is a new podcast from WBBM that will highlight trending topics affecting Chicagoans and beyond. Want us to cover a topic you think needs more attention? Tweet at us @WBBMPodcasts and let us know! Sources Used: Buzzfeed NASFAA Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Fact Sheet

This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin is joined by NASFAA Senior Policy Analyst Jill Desjean and NASFAA U Instructor David Tolman to discuss regulatory updates from the Department of Education (ED) that directly impact the Pell Grant program and FAFSA guidance. Jill walks members through the latest news concerning updates coming to the FAFSA, impacts of early implementation provisions, as well as what's coming down the road for the 2024-25 award year. David then provides details on the terminology behind the “Pell Recalculation Date,” and highlights some confusion members have had on the topic. Hugh then shares some recent news from the NASFAA 2022 Virtual Conference and new data indicating that FAFSA completions are on the rise.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's assistant vice president for government relations, to discuss some key takeaways from the NASFAA 2022 National Conference. The team shares their highlights from their time in Austin and discusses their takeaways from NASFAA's first in-person national conference since 2019. Jon then provides an update on Congress' summer agenda with details on the annual appropriations process and how higher education programs are faring in congressional negotiations. Karen then dives into some updates from the Department of Education (ED) concerning the negotiated rulemaking process and some developments related to borrower defense. The team then covers how recent Supreme Court actions could reshape the White House's regulatory authority. Plus, Hugh shares some news coverage from our national conference.

This week in a special edition of “Off The Cuff,” Justin is joined by U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal to discuss the administration's higher education priorities. Kvaal spoke during NASFAA's 2022 national conference in Austin and provided financial aid administrators with key insight into ED's approach to addressing a host of challenges imposed by the pandemic. During the conversation, Kvaal answered questions from NASFAA members related to student loan forgiveness and repayment, forthcoming regulations, institutional quality and gainful employment, college affordability, and more.

New Gnus! FSA posted Volume 5 of the 2022-2023 FSA Handbook. CSAC Special Alerts regarding GSTGP and 2021-2022 year-end reconciliation for Cal Grant and MCS. CSAC Ops memos regarding HS graduation verification and summer term rosters. NASFAA articles about USDE's first Chief Economist and the CFPB taking action against a student loan debt relief company. Inside Higher Ed article about how state higher ed funding rose in 2021. University Business article about Gen Z attitudes towards higher education. "What's Brewing, CCCSFAAA?" is a Studio 1051 production.  Studio 1051 is a creative collaboration of Dennis Schroeder and Dana Yarbrough.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's assistant vice president for government relations, to discuss the latest news from the Department of Education (ED) concerning borrower defense claims against Corinthian Colleges, Inc. The team discusses the Biden administration's efforts to implement targeted loan cancellation and whether the discussion over the potential for broad scale cancellation has overshadowed ED's recent actions to provide relief to defrauded borrowers. Jon then updates listeners on ED's promotion of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and whether enough outreach is being conducted to make borrowers aware of the available limited waiver. The team rounds things out with some questions they would consider asking Under Secretary James Kvaal, who later this month will be at the NASFAA national conference in Austin. Hugh then catches listeners up with a brief news recap concerning ED's updated roadmap for the next generation of federal student loan servicing and details a letter penned by a dozen House Republicans looking for the Department of Justice to intervene in ED's ongoing negotiated rulemaking process.

Just your regular news half-hour: FSA DCL on 2022-2023 verification changes. CSAC Special Alert regarding the verification changes notes above. CSAC Special Alert regarding virtual training events in June. CSAC Special Alert regarding 2021-2022 Chafee grant program updates. NASFAA resource page on FAFSA Simplification. NASFAA Pop Quiz regarding SAP. NASFAA article about a new report on protecting student borrowers. NASFAA article about FAO staffing issues. Update on student loan interest rates for 2022-2023. Higher Ed Dive article discussing student loan system reforms. Inside Higher Ed opinion piece on doubling Pell (and more). Attigo offering free training on students and their money, first generation students, and managing workplace stress.   Find out more about CCCSFAAA at cccsfaaa.org.  Have feedback for Dennis and Dana?  Email us at wbcccsfaaa@gmail.com.   "What's Brewing, CCCSFAAA?" is a Studio 1051 production.  Studio 1051 is a creative collaboration of Dennis Schroeder and Dana Yarbrough.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Allie fills in for Justin and is joined by NASFAA Senior Policy Analyst Jill Desjean and NASFAA U Instructor David Tolman to discuss the latest news out of the Department of Education (ED) concerning verification waivers. David has the latest information members should be aware of and how ED's temporary changes will impact financial aid offices, plus some “verification 101” tips for schools looking to stay in compliance. Jill then runs listeners through the ever-expanding web of decision-making the Biden administration is working through when it comes to potential student loan cancellation and some of the policy implications that will significantly impact how the relief could be administered. Hugh then joins in to update listeners on NASFAA's comprehensive white paper examining the shortcomings of the student loan system.

Not a whole lot of new news out there, but here's what we got: FSA posted Volume 4 for the 2022-2023 FSA Handbook. FSA announced new webinars for their Wednesday Webinar Series running June through September. University Business article on what low FAFSA completion numbers for 2022-2023 may mean for enrollments. NASFAA article and Inside Higher Ed article on efforts to reengage with students who stopped out of college. NASFAA podcast episode addressing the talk on student loan cancellation. FA Director job posting at the International College of Broadcasting in Dayton, Ohio.   Find out more about CCCSFAAA at cccsfaaa.org.  Have feedback for Dennis and Dana?  Got a topic you want us to discuss?  Email us at wbcccsfaaa@gmail.com.   "What's Brewing, CCCSFAAA?" is a Studio 1051 production.  Studio 1051 is a creative collaboration of Dennis Schroeder and Dana Yarbrough.