Federal Updates

ED releases updates to R2T4 on the Web
ED has recently made a series of updates to its R2T4 on the Web system, in order to implement changes related to the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (CCRAA).

TG Updates

Join TG at the 2008 TASFAA Fall Conference
The annual fall conference of the Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (TASFAA) is coming soon. From October 8-10 in Houston, Texas, financial aid industry professionals will gather for a full slate of training sessions on industry trends. Key sessions for this year's event focus on industry best practices, student financial literacy, and regulatory updates.

AIE goes mobile
You don't have to be in front of a computer screen to view Adventures In Education (www.AIE.org). Users can now access a mobile version of TG's higher education awareness Web site on the go via their smart phone by going to www.AIE.org/Mobile.

New issue of TG Connection takes a closer look at financial literacy on campus
TG has taken a closer look at how to help students gain a better understanding of personal finance, devoting an entire issue of its magazine, TG Connection, to the topic. This issue, entitled "Helping students get it right on the money," offers perspectives, case studies, and resources for financial aid and higher education professionals serving students. Financial aid staff can use the issue's articles to plan student financial literacy initiatives or to look more closely at their own campuses' processes.

Trends and Issues

MYF announces updates to Online Student Loan Counseling; schools must provide new information
Mapping Your Future (MYF) has announced that updates to the MYF Web site and Online Student Loan Counseling (OSLC) sessions due to the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 are almost complete.

Question of the week
Is a school permitted to limit the number of times a student can borrow at each grade level?

This, That, and the Other...

The U.S. Department of Treasury, along with the Ad Council, has developed a campaign to combat the issue of excessive debt and financial illiteracy. The public service announcements (PSAs) urge young adults to take control of their financial decisions.

One of the entertaining elements of the campaign is an interactive, educational game to explain the importance of having a good credit score and how credit scores can be improved. This site is located at www.controlyourcredit.gov.

To learn more about this campaign, visit the U.S. Department of the Treasury's web site at http://www.treas.gov/offices/domestic-finance/financial-institution/fin-education/psacc/.