NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast

By NASFAA

What's NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast about?

Hosted by NASFAA staff, this weekly podcast offers an unscripted view of hot financial aid and higher education-related topics. Justin Draeger and co-hosts will discuss what's happening inside the beltway to give you an insider's perspective.

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NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast episodes:

04.25.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: New Changes at NASFAA
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by NASFAA Executive Vice President Beth Maglione and Director of Research Charlotte Etier to discuss Justin's announcement this week that he plans to step down from his role as...
04.18.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: More FAFSA Updates and Biden's Proposed Student Debt Relief Plan
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations and national engagement, to discuss the latest FAFSA updates of the past week, including news...
04.11.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: NASFAA Testifies on 2024-25 FAFSA Rollout
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Karen, Rachel, and Tim discuss Justin's testimony this week before the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on the Department of Education's (ED) rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA. Karen also debriefs...
04.04.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: Unpacking the FAFSA Tax Data Issues
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin, Karen, and Tim discuss this week's news that the Department of Education (ED) identified three issues concerning tax data reported on FAFSA applicant records. The team dives into the details of those identified...
03.28.2024
OTC Inside the Beltway: A Big Year for Delays
This week on “Off the Cuff,” Allie, Karen, and Rachel discuss the latest adjustments to the rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA, including a miscalculation in the SAI formula. The team covers a number of other possible FAFSA issues and outlines...
03.14.2024
OTC Inside the Beltway: Storm Clouds on the FAFSA Summit as ISIR Rollout Begins
This week on “Off the Cuff” Justin, Karen, Allie, and Tim are back with the latest news on the 2024-25 FAFSA with recent updates from the Department of Education (ED) about the delivery of Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs). The...
03.07.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: Keeping Track of ED’s Updated FAFSA Timeline
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by NASFAA Community Manager Tim Maggio to discuss the latest news surrounding the 2024-25 FAFSA, with a focus on the Department of Education’s (ED) planned rollout of Institutional Student...
02.29.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: Making Sense of The SAI Formula Update and Latest Federal Budget Negotiations
This week on "Off The Cuff," Allie and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations and national engagement, to discuss an update to the Student Aid Index (SAI) formula from...
02.22.2024
OTC From the Field: Let's Dig Through Some FAFSA Data
This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Bill DeBaun, the National College Attainment Network's senior director of data and strategic initiatives, to discuss the 2024-25 FAFSA rollout. Bill debriefs listeners on...
02.15.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: Debriefing the NASFAA Leadership Conference and ED's FAFSA College Support Strategy
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Hugh to recap NASFAA's 2024 Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo, and discuss the Department of Education's (ED) new "FAFSA College Support Strategy." Justin debriefs listeners on the...
02.01.2024
OTC Inside The Beltway: Working Through the ISIR Delivery Delay
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to discuss this week’s news that institutions and states will begin receiving Institutional Student Information...
01.25.2024
OTC Inside the Beltway: Making Sense of the 2024-25 FAFSA Timeline
This week in a special episode of “Off the Cuff,” the fun with FAFSA never stops! Justin, Karen, and Allie dive into the latest news surrounding the 2024-25 FAFSA timeline that is leading many higher education advocates and students to...
01.18.2024
OTC AskRegs Experts: Are We Still Having Fun With FAFSA?
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David recap the latest negotiated rulemaking session that focused on a number of issues, including cash management, distance education, R2T4, and more. Plus, the team dives into reported issues stemming from...
01.04.2024
OTC Inside the Beltway: Tackling the 2024-25 FAFSA Soft Launch
This week on “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Karen and NASFAA's Tim Maggio to discuss the biggest financial aid news so far in 2024 — the soft launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA. Justin and Karen discuss the current...
12.14.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Debt Relief Neg Reg Updates and Unpacking FAFSA Family Size
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss updates with the negotiated rulemaking process for student debt relief and unpack a new FAFSA term – family size. Jill kicks off the podcast by debriefing listeners on the...
12.05.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Recapping Those Warm and Fuzzy Feelings from the FSA Training Conference
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin is joined by Karen and NASFAA’s Sarah Austin to recap Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) 2023 virtual training conference. The team discusses a number of sessions held throughout the four-day event and highlights their...
11.30.2023
OTC From the Field:Breaking Down Student Loan Programs With Dr. Tisa Silver Canady
This week on a special episode of “Off The Cuff,” Justin is joined by Dr. Tisa Silver Canady, the founder and executive director of the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness, to discuss student loan repayment, including some significant changes...
11.16.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: ED Details FAFSA Release Date and ISIR Delay, While Appropriators Avert a Government Shutdown - For Now
This week on “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Karen and Rachel to dig into the Department of Education’s (ED) latest announcement concerning the rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA. The team discussed ED’s pledge to release the FAFSA by...
11.09.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Updates on Student Debt Relief Neg Reg and the FAFSA 24-25 Contributor
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss updates with the negotiated rulemaking process for student debt relief and new changes with FAFSA simplification and the contributor process. Jill first debriefs listeners on last week’s negotiated rulemaking...
11.02.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Working Through Those FAFSA Fears
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations and national engagement, to discuss the latest fears from the financial aid community surrounding outstanding...
10.26.2023
OTC From the Field: Unpacking Third Way's Economic Mobility Index and Graduate Student Debt
This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Chazz Robinson, education policy advisor at Third Way, to discuss his work on Third Way's 2023 Economic Mobility Index (EMI). Chazz explains the methodology for the...
10.19.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Debriefing Student Debt Relief Neg Reg and Parent of Record for 2024-25 FAFSA
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss the first committee session of the Department of Education's (ED) negotiated rulemaking process for student debt relief and the nuances of the "parent of record" term on the 2024-25...
10.12.2023
OTC From the Field: The College Cost Transparency Initiative
This week on a special episode of “Off The Cuff,” Justin is joined by Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education (ACE), to discuss the College Cost Transparency Initiative (CCT) — a coalition of hundreds of institutions aimed...
10.05.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Debriefing Negotiated Rulemaking, New Gainful Employment Regulations, and Influx of Borrower Defense Claims
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations and national engagement, to discuss how Congress avoided a government shutdown and what that means...
09.28.2023
OTC From the Field: Concerningly High Turnover Rates for Financial Aid Employees
This week on a special episode of “Off The Cuff,” Justin is joined by Andy Brantley, president and CEO at College & University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), to discuss findings from the latest iteration of their higher education...
09.21.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: All Things Repayment and the Not So Very Normal FAFSA Year
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss the latest details on the return to student loan repayment and highlight the nuances of a new FAFSA simplification term: “contributors.” Allie and Jill kick things off by running...
09.12.2023
OTC From the Field: All Things SAVE With Under Secretary James Kvaal
This week on a special episode of “Off The Cuff,” Justin is joined by U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal to discuss the administration's Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan...
09.08.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: ‘Not the Rosiest Way to Start September’ - Big Questions on Federal Budget Negotiations
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to dig into the latest state of play surrounding the federal budgeting process. The team...
07.13.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: The SCOTUS Recap
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin and Rachel are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to recap the most recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that struck down race-conscious admissions policies...
06.15.2023
OTC From the Field: NASFAA Conference Preview
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Dana Kelly, NASFAA's vice president of professional development and institutional compliance, and Kristi Jovell, director of student financial services operations and communications at Middlebury College and NASFAA's 2023 National Conference...
06.08.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Deep Dive on Proposed GE Regs and Removal of Housing Question on FAFSA
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David cover the latest developments concerning the Department of Education’s roll-out of its proposed gainful employment regulations and financial value transparency framework, as well as the removal of the housing status...
06.01.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Wrapping Up the Debt Ceiling and the Latest on Student Loan Debt Cancellation
This week on "Off the Cuff," Rachel joins Justin and Karen to discuss some breaking news on the Hill concerning the debt ceiling and congressional efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s student loan debt cancellation plan. The team starts out...
05.18.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Federal Work-Study and Murky COVID Flexibility
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss recent developments related to the Federal Work-Study program and how financial aid professionals can navigate the wind-down of COVID flexibilities. Jill details a recent information collection request from the...
05.11.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: The Debt Ceiling
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to discuss the implications of the ongoing negotiations surrounding the debt ceiling and how federal...
05.04.2023
OTC From the Field: Examining the Paying for College Transparency Initiative
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by NASFAA Policy Analyst Megan Walter and Scott Cline, senior vice president of enrollment management and auxiliary services at California College of the Arts. The group discusses the mission and goals...
04.27.2023
OTC From the Field: A Conversation on Higher Education Policymaking With Rep. Bobby Scott
This week on a special episode of “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a discussion on the latest issues impacting the higher education...
04.20.2023
OTC Voices From the Aid Office: Samantha Hicks
This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Samantha Hicks, assistant vice president of financial aid and scholarships at Coastal Carolina University. Sam speaks with Justin about her experience of growing up in poverty...
03.30.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Working Through the FAFSA Roadmap and the White House Budget Request
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to discuss the road map for the Department of Education’s 2024-25 FAFSA release, and President...
03.23.2023
OTC Voices From the Aid Office: Alex DeLonis
This week on a special episode of "Off The Cuff," Justin is joined by Alex DeLonis, the director of financial aid at Wabash College. Alex speaks with Justin about his experience as a first-generation college student and the issues he...
03.16.2023
OTC From the Field: Making Sense of Accountability Metrics in Higher Ed
This week on a special episode of “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Michael Itzkowitz, the former director of the College Scorecard under the Obama administration, in a wide-ranging discussion focused on data and accountability metrics in higher education....
03.09.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: FAFSA Simplification Surveys and Making Sense of Payment Periods
This week on "Off the Cuff," Allie, Jill, and David discuss highlights from NASFAA’s FAFSA Simplification Implementation Working Group and cover some important details concerning late disbursements and retroactive payments. Jill dives into a pair of recent NASFAA surveys that...
03.02.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Biden's Student Debt Relief Program Faces SCOTUS
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to recap and debrief how President Joe Biden’s student loan cancellation program fared in oral...
02.23.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Examining New Guidance From ED on Third Party Servicers
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin, Jill, and David discuss updated guidance from the Department of Education (ED) about third party servicers. Jill dives into the guidance, including what concerns institutions should have and what it means to be...
02.16.2023
OTC From the Field: A Conversation on Higher Ed Policymaking With Rep. Virginia Foxx
This week on a special episode of “Off the Cuff,” Justin is joined by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a conversation that focuses on the policymaking landscape for higher education....
02.09.2023
OTC Voices From the Aid Office: NASFAA National Chair Brad Barnett
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin is joined by NASFAA’s 2022-23 National Chair Brad Barnett, FAAC®, associate vice president for access and enrollment management/director of financial aid and scholarships at James Madison University, to kick off our new Voices...
02.02.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: What the End of the COVID-19 National Emergency Means For Financial Aid
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's senior vice president of government relations, to discuss new data from the Department of Education on how Higher Education Emergency Relief...
01.19.2023
OTC AskRegs Experts: Hey ChatGPT, Can You Draft This Week’s Podcast Title?
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin, Jill, and David put the latest artificial intelligence (AI) software to the test and cover the nuance of “unusual circumstances” for FAFSA simplification. Jill kicked things off with a recap of how ChatGPT,...
01.12.2023
OTC Inside the Beltway: Higher Ed Policymaking Meets Divided Government
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's incoming senior vice president of government relations, to discuss the new Congress’ higher education agenda along with the Department of Education’s...
12.14.2022
OTC AskRegs Experts: The National Emergency's Impact on Financial Aid and Upcoming Changes to Professional Judgment
This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin, Jill, and David discuss how rescinding the national emergency could impact financial aid and how the rollout of FAFSA Simplification will bring about changes to professional judgment. Jill dives into how House Republicans...
12.08.2022
OTC Inside the Beltway: Debriefing GAO’s Report on Financial Aid Offers
This week on "Off The Cuff," Justin and Karen are joined by Jon Fansmith, the American Council on Education's assistant vice president for government relations, to discuss a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on financial aid offers....

What's NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

NASFAA's Off the Cuff Podcast episodes:

OTC Inside The Beltway: New Changes at NASFAA

OTC Inside The Beltway: More FAFSA Updates and Biden's Proposed Student Debt Relief Plan

OTC Inside The Beltway: NASFAA Testifies on 2024-25 FAFSA Rollout

OTC Inside The Beltway: Unpacking the FAFSA Tax Data Issues

OTC Inside the Beltway: A Big Year for Delays

OTC Inside the Beltway: Storm Clouds on the FAFSA Summit as ISIR Rollout Begins

OTC Inside The Beltway: Keeping Track of ED’s Updated FAFSA Timeline

OTC Inside The Beltway: Making Sense of The SAI Formula Update and Latest Federal Budget Negotiations

OTC From the Field: Let's Dig Through Some FAFSA Data

OTC Inside The Beltway: Debriefing the NASFAA Leadership Conference and ED's FAFSA College Support Strategy

OTC Inside The Beltway: Working Through the ISIR Delivery Delay

OTC Inside the Beltway: Making Sense of the 2024-25 FAFSA Timeline

OTC AskRegs Experts: Are We Still Having Fun With FAFSA?

OTC Inside the Beltway: Tackling the 2024-25 FAFSA Soft Launch

OTC AskRegs Experts: Debt Relief Neg Reg Updates and Unpacking FAFSA Family Size

OTC Inside the Beltway: Recapping Those Warm and Fuzzy Feelings from the FSA Training Conference

OTC From the Field:Breaking Down Student Loan Programs With Dr. Tisa Silver Canady

OTC Inside the Beltway: ED Details FAFSA Release Date and ISIR Delay, While Appropriators Avert a Government Shutdown - For Now

OTC AskRegs Experts: Updates on Student Debt Relief Neg Reg and the FAFSA 24-25 Contributor

OTC Inside the Beltway: Working Through Those FAFSA Fears

OTC From the Field: Unpacking Third Way's Economic Mobility Index and Graduate Student Debt

OTC AskRegs Experts: Debriefing Student Debt Relief Neg Reg and Parent of Record for 2024-25 FAFSA

OTC From the Field: The College Cost Transparency Initiative

OTC Inside the Beltway: Debriefing Negotiated Rulemaking, New Gainful Employment Regulations, and Influx of Borrower Defense Claims

OTC From the Field: Concerningly High Turnover Rates for Financial Aid Employees

OTC AskRegs Experts: All Things Repayment and the Not So Very Normal FAFSA Year

OTC From the Field: All Things SAVE With Under Secretary James Kvaal

OTC Inside the Beltway: ‘Not the Rosiest Way to Start September’ - Big Questions on Federal Budget Negotiations

OTC Inside the Beltway: The SCOTUS Recap

OTC From the Field: NASFAA Conference Preview

OTC AskRegs Experts: Deep Dive on Proposed GE Regs and Removal of Housing Question on FAFSA

OTC Inside the Beltway: Wrapping Up the Debt Ceiling and the Latest on Student Loan Debt Cancellation

OTC AskRegs Experts: Federal Work-Study and Murky COVID Flexibility

OTC Inside the Beltway: The Debt Ceiling

OTC From the Field: Examining the Paying for College Transparency Initiative

OTC From the Field: A Conversation on Higher Education Policymaking With Rep. Bobby Scott

OTC Voices From the Aid Office: Samantha Hicks

OTC Inside the Beltway: Working Through the FAFSA Roadmap and the White House Budget Request

OTC Voices From the Aid Office: Alex DeLonis

OTC From the Field: Making Sense of Accountability Metrics in Higher Ed

OTC AskRegs Experts: FAFSA Simplification Surveys and Making Sense of Payment Periods

OTC Inside the Beltway: Biden's Student Debt Relief Program Faces SCOTUS

OTC AskRegs Experts: Examining New Guidance From ED on Third Party Servicers

OTC From the Field: A Conversation on Higher Ed Policymaking With Rep. Virginia Foxx

OTC Voices From the Aid Office: NASFAA National Chair Brad Barnett

OTC Inside the Beltway: What the End of the COVID-19 National Emergency Means For Financial Aid

OTC AskRegs Experts: Hey ChatGPT, Can You Draft This Week’s Podcast Title?

OTC Inside the Beltway: Higher Ed Policymaking Meets Divided Government

OTC AskRegs Experts: The National Emergency's Impact on Financial Aid and Upcoming Changes to Professional Judgment

OTC Inside the Beltway: Debriefing GAO’s Report on Financial Aid Offers