USA Funds Update

USA Funds Provides More Than $6.2 Million for College Access and Outreach
USA Funds^® provided a total of more than $6.2 million to support programs that helped Americans pursue higher education during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009. Read more.

Operations Bulletin

Department Announces Final Rules on School-Based Loan Issues
On Oct. 28 the U.S. Department of Education issued final rules regarding school-based loan issues. The announcement is one of several recently issued regarding final rules — related primarily to statutory changes of the Higher Education Opportunity Act and the discussions of those statutory changes that were part of negotiated rulemaking in the spring and summer. Learn more.

New Final Rules Posted on Loans-Lender/General Loan Issues
The Department on Oct. 29 published final rules related to loans-lender/general loan issues. The effective date of new regulatory provisions or clarifications to statutory requirements generally is July 1, 2010. Most of the provisions themselves, however, were effective upon enactment of HEOA on Aug. 14, 2008. Read more.

General and Non-Loan Programmatic Issues Final Rules Announced
The Department issued final regulations governing general and non-loan programmatic issues. The rules specifically address institutional eligibility under the Higher Education Act, Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Work-Study Programs, Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program, Federal Pell Grant Program, and Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program. The regulations are effective July 1, 2010.

October 2009 Integrated Common Manual Available
The October 2009 Integrated Common Manual is available on the USA Funds Web site. View and print the Integrated Common Manual, including the summary of changes approved Oct. 15, 2009, by the Common Manual Governing Board. You will need Adobe Reader to access the documents.