This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Megan, and Jill welcome NASFAA staff reporter Owen Daugherty to the podcast and dive into the state of play for ongoing congressional negotiations over additional coronavirus aid to institutions of higher education. Skip to 8:15 to get straight to the policy discussion where the team recaps Tuesday night’s first presidential debate. Also on this episode, Owen highlights the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid's draft strategic 2020-24 plan and Jill delves into the release of the 2021-22 FAFSA , highlighting what can be expected for the current year. Plus the group reminds members that NASFAA’s Diversity Leadership Program (DLP) application deadline has been extended to Wednesday, October 14  and encourages those who meet eligibility criteria to apply!

This week on "Off The Cuff," the team revisits the latest updates from the Department of Education (ED) regarding the enforcement of guidance restricting emergency CARES Act grants to students who are Title IV-eligible, and fields questions from two members related to the CARES Act. Megan then dives into the latest news in a lawsuit against ED over the Title IV eligibility guidance, and the argument from ED attorneys that the guidance was just preliminary. Justin summarizes a letter from a bipartisan group of senators asking ED to take additional steps to ensure recent changes in a student’s financial circumstances in the wake of COVID-19 are taken into account in the FAFSA application process, which leads to Jill's examination of whether a now-archived Dear Colleague Letter is still applicable. Finally, the team discusses the chances of a veto on Congress's measure to block implementation of the 2019 borrower defense regulations, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) proactively scheduled a vote to override an anticipated veto. Plus, we're still taking your questions! If you'd like to "call in" to the podcast, please leave your name, institution, and question in a voicemail at 202-785-6954.

This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Allie, Jill, and Rachel cover the ins and outs of the newly-released College Affordability Act (CAA), the House Democrats' bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Jill walks the team through all the major proposed changes to Title IV aid programs, while Justin and Rachel discuss the bill's potential to move through Congress, and Allie gives an overview of reactions to the proposals. The team also discusses reported plans for Federal Student Aid to reorganize and expand its staff, as well as commentary from a well-known financial guru who recently encouraged students to pick a college they can afford — rather than shooting for their "dream school." Plus, the team wants to know: What would you do differently if no one was judging you?

In this episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin, Allie, Stephen, and Megan come to you live from the 2019 NASFAA National Conference in Orlando! Holding a live podcast recording at the annual conference has become a tradition and a way for NASFAA staff to catch up with members, and engage in a fun and relaxed conversation after a day full of informative sessions on financial aid regulations and issues. In this year's live podcast, the team decided to settle a few debates that frequently appear in the "informal" portion of the podcast—commuting etiquette, office attire in the summer months, and cats versus dogs. The team also had a few higher education-related games planned, and a heartfelt send-off for Stephen as he heads to graduate school in Boston. Join us next year for a live recording in Las Vegas!

This week on "Off The Cuff," Megan and Allie get into the details of the final education spending bill passed by the Senate. It's the first time in several years, Megan explains, that things could return to "regular order," with the budget getting wrapped up before October 1—a move that could have implications for federal student aid programs. Megan also details comments NASFAA submitted to the IRS regarding a draft proposal for a new tax form, and Allie discusses the findings from TICAS's 13th annual report on student loan debt. The two also examine new data from Federal Student Aid updating the status of thousands of pending borrower defense claims, as well as applications for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Plus, Megan wonders whether a recent event in Virginia could spark the use of fanny packs as a defense mechanism.

This week on “Off The Cuff,” Justin, Megan, and Joelle recap what’s been floating around on the Hill, such as a letter demanding the IRS clarify that it will not tax the forgiven debt of former Corinthian Colleges students, and a bill mandating that institutions certify private student loans. As the start of the school year nears, the group analyzes enrollment declines in higher education, and Justin discusses what often happens to students flagged for FAFSA verification over the summer. Plus, Joelle explains why being financially savvy has nothing to do with understanding the student loan process, and the team shares common life advice they choose to ignore. “Off The Cuff” will be on hiatus for the rest of the summer and will return in September. In the meantime, you can find your favorite episodes here.