PODCAST · education
NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast
by NASFAA
Hosted by NASFAA staff, this podcast offers an unscripted view of hot financial aid and higher education-related topics. The hosts discuss what's happening inside the Beltway to give you an insider's perspective.
Episodes
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Sorting Through Title IV Credit Balances
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh is joined by David to discuss some of the basics around Title IV credit balances, or instances when the amount of Title IV funds credited to a student's ledger account for a payment period exceeds the total amount of allowable charges for that payment period.…
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Growing With Purpose: Brandi Blanton's Financial Aid Journey
This week on "Off the Cuff," Natalie is joined by Brandi Blanton, director of financial aid at Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University, to discuss her journey as a first-generation college student who explored several different paths before finding her way in the financial aid...
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Making Sense of the New Cohort Default Rate
This week on "Off The Cuff," Maria is joined by Jill and Sarah to discuss the new cohort default rate (CDR) released by the Department of Education (ED) last week. Jill explains what this CDR means in context to borrowers returning to repayment after the Covid-19 payment pause. From there, Jill...
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Live From FSA, It's the 2027-28 FAFSA
This week on "Off The Cuff," Hugh is joined by Jill and Sarah to discuss the launch of the 2027-28 FAFSA and highlight some important developments and deadlines impacting financial aid offices. After Sarah catches listeners up on helpful FAFSA resources, Jill details the latest implementation...
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Putting the Financial Aid Office at the Center of Institutional Conversations
This week on "Off the Cuff," Natalie is joined by Kerline Eglaus Ed.D, MBA, FAAC®, assistant vice provost of financial initiatives & chief financial aid administrator, and Daniel Matamoros, Ph.D, MEd, MFT, CEPF®, FAAC®, director of financial aid scholarships, both of the University of Tennessee,...
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Summer Catch-Up: Funding, Repayment, FAFSA, and More
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen catch listeners up on several financial aid developments from the summer. Karen kicks things off with the latest congressional activity impacting funding for the Department of Education (ED), Title IV eligibility, and student loan repayments. The…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Let's Play the NASFAA Quiz Show
This week on "Off the Cuff," David and Maria are joined by Kochie for a special episode to test your financial aid knowledge. First, David and Kochie explain the origin of the NASFAA Quiz Show – which just concluded its sixth season – and detail how the quiz show works. From there, the team…
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Making Sense of OBBBA Lawsuits and the House's FY 2027 Budget Proposal
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie is joined by Karen and Nalia to discuss the two active lawsuits against the Department of Education's (ED) final rule on loan programs. Karen explains what the lawsuits entail, where states, nursing and physician assistant organizations argue against ED's...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Understanding Comment Code 352 and Best Practices to Prevent Student Aid Fraud
This week on "Off the Cuff," Jill, Sarah, and Maria discuss questions regarding 2026-27 reprocessed ISIRs, and best practices for institutions to prevent student aid fraud. Jill starts by noting that reprocessed ISIRs recently started arriving in financial aid offices with comment code 352 and a...
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OTC From The Field: Discussing NASFAA's PEP Work with Sheila Meiman
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie is joined by Rachel and Sheila Meiman, NASFAA's prison education specialist, to discuss the landscape of prison education programs (PEP). Sheila, who is retiring this month, details how PEP has changed in recent years and how her professional journey led her to...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Diving Into Schedule of Reductions (SOR)
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh is joined by David Tolman, David Futrell, and Norma to discuss more details concerning the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). During the conversation, NASFAA's Training and Regulatory Assistance team focuses on issues related to Schedule of...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: RISE Final Rules and the Latest on NSLDS Post-Screening
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh is joined by Jill and Sarah to provide some updates on where things stand with final rules from the negotiated rulemaking committees focusing on implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and some updates to the NSLDS post-screening process. Jill...
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Working Through OBBBA Guidance With Blue Icon
This week on "Off the Cuff," Melanie is joined by David Page, Blue Icon's senior business development specialist, Renee Armentrout, a Blue Icon consultant, and Rachel Andersen, Cuyamaca College's director of financial aid & scholarships, to discuss how schools are sorting through the latest...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Understanding the New R2T4 Regulations
This week on "Off the Cuff," David Tolman and Maria are joined by Tonya and David Downing for a discussion on the new Return of Title IV funds (R2T4) regulations, which will become effective this July. The team walks listeners through the five areas that will be impacted by new R2T4 regulations…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Graduate PLUS Loans Will Now Count Toward New Lifetime Borrowing Limit and Other OBBBA Updates
This week on "Off the Cuff," Jill, Sarah, and Maria discuss the breaking news this week that, in a reversal of guidance, the Department of Education (ED) is now including Graduate PLUS loans in the new $257,500 lifetime borrowing limit established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)....
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Debriefing ED's New FAFSA Fraud Prevention Measures
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen are joined by Aaron Lemon-Strauss, the Department of Education's (ED) FAFSA program executive director, to discuss new FAFSA fraud prevention measures announced by the department this week. Aaron kicks off the discussion by explaining the technical...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Understanding Retroactive and Late Disbursements
This week on "Off the Cuff," David and Maria are joined by Norma and Tonya for a discussion on retroactive and late disbursements. First, the team defines what retroactive and late disbursements are, along with the different conditions and deadlines for each type of disbursement. From there, the...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Borrower Defense Claims and FAFSA Preview Comments
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh and Sarah highlight some updates concerning borrower defense and preview comments for the 2027-28 FAFSA. Sarah kicks things off with a background on borrower defense and a recent trend in which some schools have seen an increase in claims. Sarah then provides...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Working Through Some Professional Judgment Scenarios
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh and David kick off a broader discussion on what is and what isn't a professional judgment. Last week, David was at the Nebraska State Association conference, where he did a session on professional judgment and, based on some questions that came up, decided to…
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Unpacking New Student Aid Fraud Prevention Legislation
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen discuss three new House bills focused on preventing fraud in the student aid programs, all of which were advanced by the House Education and Workforce Committee this week. Karen explains what each of the three bills would do and how they would impact...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Recapping the FSA Training Conference and More OBBBA Updates
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh, Jill, and Sarah share some takeaways from last week's Federal Student Aid (FSA) training conference, where officials from the Department of Education (ED) provided policy updates geared towards financial aid professionals. Jill provides updates on FAFSA, Pell...
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Pell Grant Shortfall Widens and the Draft 2027-28 FAFSA Opens for Public Comment
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie is joined by Karen to discuss what attendees can expect with the upcoming in-person Federal Student Aid (FSA) conference next week. From there, the team debriefs the Congressional Budget Office's new projections of a funding shortfall in the Pell Grant…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Understanding Student Marital Status Changes
This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim is joined by David and Norma to do a deep dive on what financial aid professionals should do if a student's marital status changes. The team first discusses how and why a student's marital status would change from when they first filed their FAFSA. David then…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Debriefing Data Analyses of OBBBA's New Accountability Metrics
This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim is joined by Jill and Sarah to discuss additional member resources and analyses regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Jill begins the discussion by unpacking analyses that evaluate how OBBBA's new accountability framework could impact institutions.…
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Funding Deal for ED Enacted and NASFAA's New OBBBA Resources
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie is joined by Karen and Nalia to discuss the latest news in the appropriations process. The team first discusses what attendees can expect at NASFAA's 2026 Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo next week. From there, Nalia walks listeners through the last...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Working Through Clock-Hour To Credit-Hour Conversion
This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim and David provide an overview of clock-hour to credit-hour conversion, and its impact on aid eligibility. The team kicks things off by walking listeners through FSA Handbook terminology. David goes on to explain how the term is used to determine the eligibility of...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Tracking OBBBA's Implementation Timeline
This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim is joined by Jill and Sarah to catch listeners up on where things stand with the implementation timeline for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Jill kicks things off with some background on the negotiated rulemaking (neg reg) process and how the committee's...
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Looking at the Year Ahead for Higher Ed
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen give an overview of what could be in store for higher education this year. Melanie kicks things off with an overview of the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and its impact on aid offices, and also highlights recent comments…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Working Through Mid-Term Processing
This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim is joined by David Tolman, David Futrell, and Norma Robinson to discuss some frequent and common questions that come up at the tail end of the year and the transition from the fall to the spring term. The team specifically works through student withdrawal…
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Previewing the AHEAD Committee
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen give a preview of what's to come for the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee, which is set to meet for its first negotiated rulemaking session next week. Melanie begins the conversation...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Defining a 'Professional Student' and NASFAA's Recent Public Comments
This week on "Off The Cuff," Tim is joined by Jill and Sarah to recap some of the latest negotiated rulemaking (neg reg) developments and NASFAA public comments. Jill kicks things off with details from how the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee worked to define a...
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Continuing Resolution Reopens ED, 60th Anniversary for the HEA, and NegReg Reaches Consensus
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen explain how the end of the government shutdown will impact the Department of Education (ED) and outline what comes next in the federal spending process. The team then highlights the Higher Education Act's (HEA) recent 60th anniversary and discusses…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Unpacking Cost of Attendance
This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim and David do a deep dive into the cost of attendance (COA). David begins the conversation by discussing the purpose of COA, and its different categories. From there, Tim and David discuss multiple aspects of COA, including how institutions build their COA and...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Unpacking the RISE Neg Reg Committee
This week on "Off The Cuff," Tim and Jill do a deep dive into the Department of Education's (ED) recently held negotiated rulemaking (neg reg) session for the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) committee. Jill explains the committee's goal to implement multiple provisions of the…
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Updates from the Government Shutdown
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Nalia provide an update on where things stand with funding for federal student aid programs due to the ongoing government shutdown. Nalia begins by debriefing listeners on what has happened with the government shutdown so far, which began on October 1....
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Shutdown Interruptions and an Update on FWS Guidance
This week on "Off The Cuff," Hugh is joined by David to discuss how the lapse in appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2026 is impacting Department of Education (ED) services and programs. David shares some guidance from the department, which outlined how over 80% of ED and Federal Student Aid…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: ED's Proposed Regs for PSLF
This week on "Off The Cuff" Tim is joined by Jill to dive into the latest developments concerning the Department of Education's (ED) proposed regulations for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. To kick things off, Jill provides a brief recap on the recent negotiated rulemaking…
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OTC Inside the Beltway: September Deadlines Are Piling Up
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie, Karen, and Hugh discuss several pertinent September deadlines impacting higher education. First, Hugh catches listeners up on where things stand with the annual appropriations cycle and how Congress is faring with the September 30 funding deadline. Then Karen...
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Verification, Countdown to FAFSA Launch, and a NegReg Roadmap
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie is joined by Karen to catch listeners up on identity verification news, FAFSA beta updates, and a roadmap to the upcoming Negotiated Rulemaking (NegReg) sessions. The team kicks things off with a discussion on the Department of Education's (ED) new initiative...
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Catching Up on August's NegReg and Appropriations Headlines
This week on "Off The Cuff," Hugh provides a brief catch-up of some summer headlines from Congress and the Department of Education (ED). First, Hugh highlights the latest developments in the annual appropriations process with the Senate releasing its spending plan for ED for fiscal year 2026…
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OTC Inside the Beltway: SCOTUS Weighs in on ED's RIF, Reconciliation Becomes Law and PSLF Goes to NegReg
This week on "Off The Cuff," Hugh is joined by Karen, Megan and Sarah to catch listeners up on some of the biggest news impacting student financial aid policy. Hugh kicks things off with a quick update on the Department of Education's (ED) reduction in force (RIF) and how a recent order from the...
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Unpacking the Senate's Reconciliation Bill
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie is joined by Megan, Sarah, and Nalia to discuss the latest updates around the reconciliation process after the Senate HELP Committee released its own portion of the bill this week that could make significant changes to higher education policy. Nalia begins by...
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Reconciliation Hits the Senate, McMahon Visits Congress, and the White House Budget Drops
This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen discuss the latest developments concerning the reconciliation process, which now moves over to the Senate. While the Senate continues to work through the text, Karen provides some background on the chamber's dynamics, and Melanie provides context as…
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Summer Aid Processing
This week on "Off the Cuff," David and Hugh discuss summer aid processing, focusing on rules for crossover payment periods and school flexibilities. The conversation specifically walks through the flexibilities offered to schools when assigning a header or a trailer to the award year and provides...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Let's Talk About Cohort Default Rates
This week on "Off the Cuff," Hugh, Jill, and Sarah discuss how the resumption of student loan repayments and the Department of Education's (ED) planned resumption of collections will impact cohort default rates (CDR). Sarah and Jill provide some important background information on CDR and how the...
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Reconciliation Takes Shape in the House and the White House 'Skinny' Budget
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...
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OTC From the Field: Getting to Know NASFAA's New President and CEO Melanie Storey
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...
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OTC Inside the Beltway: Collections Set to Resume on Defaulted Federal Student Loans, A New NegReg, Lawsuits and More
This week on "Off The Cuff," Maria is joined by Jill, Megan, and Nalia to discuss several issues impacting the world of higher education. First, Megan debriefs listeners on this week's news that the Department of Education (ED) will resume the collections process for defaulted federal student...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Unpacking Late Disbursements and Unofficial Withdrawals
This week on "Off the Cuff," David and Maria discuss two topics associated with end-of-year issues, late disbursements and unofficial withdrawals. David kicks off the discussion on late disbursements by first going through some basic rules and then discussing different scenarios institutions may...
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OTC AskRegs Experts: Unpacking Late Disbursements and Unofficial Withdrawals
This week on "Off the Cuff," David and Maria discuss two topics associated with end-of-year issues, late disbursements and unofficial withdrawals. David kicks off the discussion on late disbursements by first going through some basic rules and then discussing different scenarios institutions may...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast have?
NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast about?
Hosted by NASFAA staff, this podcast offers an unscripted view of hot financial aid and higher education-related topics. The hosts discuss what's happening inside the Beltway to give you an insider's perspective.
How often does NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast release new episodes?
NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast?
You can listen to NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast?
NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast is created and hosted by NASFAA.
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