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Recent action in the U.S. House of Representatives has led some to believe there may be some hope for the Perkins Loan Program, which will expire without congressional action on September 30, 2015.

Wondering if a school can accept mailed photocopies of citizenship and immigration documents for citizenship status? How about what the difference is between an embedded certificate and concurrent enrollment for Gainful Employment purposes? Take a look back at last month's most viewed AskRegs Q&As. If you have a question that's not on the list, you can find a credible and reliable answer on the AskRegs Knowledgebase site by browsing or searching the answers provided by our Training and Regulatory Assistance staff. You may also submit your own question using the Request Support feature.

There are over 400 first-time attendees who attend the National Conference each year, and this year, we have a special program packed full of fun and opportunities! Join us for all of the First-time Attendee Networking Events, including events in the First-Time Attendee Lounge where you can win fabulous prizes and network with colleagues. If you are attending the conference for the first time and would like a conference mentor, please complete this quick online form.

Do you believe the U.S. is experiencing a student loan crisis? Come lend your voice to a lively debate on this topic, held at the New Orleans National Conference in a 9:00 am General Session on Monday, July 20. Two teams will present vigorous, reasoned arguments on whether student debt has grown to crisis levels for students and the economy. Audience members will play a role in determining the winner by voicing their opinion via text message both before and after the teams make their case. Moderating the debate is ABC News correspondent John Donvan, moderator of NPR's Intelligence Squared debate series.

NASFAA is here to help you stay up to date on the top policy events occurring throughout the week in Washington, D.C. and, when applicable, across the country. Make sure to check back in to Today's News each morning for coverage of some of the events, and email us at [email protected] if you're aware of upcoming policy events that could be of interest to the financial aid community.

Congress:
The House is in session Monday through Wednesday. The Senate is in session Monday through Friday.

Tuesday:

• Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Meeting for Borrower Defense, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET
• State of the Union Address, 9:00 pm ET

Wednesday:

• Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Meeting for Borrower Defense, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET

Thursday:

• Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Meeting for Borrower Defense, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET

"Ohio State may have the hottest football program in the country. ... But there is one thing he can’t offer that some rivals can: a couple thousand extra bucks," the Toledo Blade reports. "Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said several schools have reported that coaches, athletics directors, and trustees are suddenly “far more interested” in how the cost of attendance is constructed."

"The primary trade group for the for-profit sector, the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU), said last week that it will appeal a federal court ruling over the Obama administration-led gainful employment rules, which went into effect this month," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"The federal government will soon start cutting off financial aid to career colleges that saddle students with excessive debt in exchange for worthless degrees or certificates," according to The National Journal.

"When the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) unveiled its strategic plan for 2020 on June 8, the goals it outlined were quite ambitious," according to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

"On Wednesday, Tulsa-based Community Care College converts to a nonprofit entity," The Tulsa World reports.

"Minnesota's attorney general is accusing a Florida company of preying on students with promises of loan forgiveness," The Associated Press reports.

"A business offering student-loan 'debt relief' will close its doors as part of an agreement with New York’s governor, Andrew M. Cuomo," The Chronicle of Higher Education's The Ticker reports.

"Last week, the Department of Education walked back from its plans to develop a comprehensive college ratings system. In its place, the department plans to release 'easy-to-use tools that will provide students with more data than ever before to compare college costs and outcomes,'" Tom Allison, research and policy manager at Young Invincibles, writes in an Inside Higher Ed opinion piece.

"With imminent implications of the student loan crisis affecting many Americans, the immediacy of the student loan crisis warrants it being an issue at the forefront of political discussion," Stephen Dash, founder and CEO of Credible, writes in an opinion piece for Roll Call.

"Education is a key component to unlocking opportunity and advancement in our country today, but for many students, achieving the dream of a college diploma comes with a high price tag and subsequently a large amount of debt. Unfortunately, burdensome regulations and backward-looking policies can only exacerbate these costs and further inhibit students from reaching their full potential," Brad Fauss, president and CEO of the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association, writes in an opinion piece for The Hill.

"Many students attend college hoping that their graduation will result in a higher-paying job and quality of life, but could certain majors be causing students more financial harm than good?" Michael Schramm, a University of Michigan junior, writes in an opinion piece for USA Today.

"The U.S. Department of Education is about to miss its July 1 deadline on three key directives from President Barack Obama regarding fair treatment of borrowers struggling with federal student loans," The Huffington Post reports.

"Washington has done a remarkable thing. The budget passed this week actually cuts tuition at four-year colleges between 15 and 20 percent over the next two years," according to New America's EdCentral.

"With the rising cost of higher education, more and more people have been asking the question lately: How am I going to pay for my child's college education?" according to U.S. News and World Report's The Smarter Investor.

"Few subjects these days are more contentious than education, and rightly so. ... But are we schooling our kids for a future that might not even exist by the time they're ready to transition to the working world?" Daniel Burrus writes in The Huffington Post's The Blog.

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