Training and Workshops

Bracing for the Surge: How Schools Are Preparing for More Private Loans

Nov 25, 2025 -2:00 PM EST

As federal loan options will change as of 7/1/2026, many institutions are anticipating a surge in private loan borrowing. In this session, you will hear from colleagues from a four-year public university and a private graduate/professional institution, who will share how they’re adapting to prepare. We’ll explore the upcoming changes to the Parent PLUS and Grad PLUS loan programs, discuss strategies for assessing potential institutional impacts, and outline proactive steps schools can take now to be ready for what’s ahead.

Presented by:

• Keri Edsall, MBA, CFEI, Senior Financial Aid & Loan Advisor – Alfred State University
• Ashley Ruszczyk, MS, Associate Director of Student Financial Planning – New York Medical College

Moderated by:

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Caught in the Middle: Navigating Enrollment Pressures, Compliance, and Affordability

This session tackles those tensions head-on. We’ll share early research on what students and families say they want in price clarity and transparency, and introduce a set of field-developed guiding principles designed to help financial aid administrators and enrollment leaders navigate these increasingly tricky waters with greater confidence and clarity.

As Strada’s senior vice president, affordability, Justin Draeger focuses on connecting individuals to opportunity by making postsecondary education more affordable and accessible. He works to restore trust in higher education by improving price transparency, simplifying financial aid, and promoting efficiencies that lower costs. Draeger champions innovative cost-sharing models that close funding gaps for disadvantaged students, prioritizes need-based aid, and emphasizes fair measures of student and family need, ensuring every student can meaningfully contribute to their education. Draeger joined Strada in 2024 after spending more than 14 years as president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Presented by:

• Justin Draeger, Senior Vice President, Affordability, Strada Education Foundation

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Satisfactory Academic Progress

12/08/2025 - 9:00 - 12:00 PM

Worcester, MA - Assumption University

Presenter: Matt Gingras, Bunker Hill Community College

• Understand foundational concepts of satisfactory academic progress; and
• Learn about satisfactory academic progress consumer information requirements.

Key Concepts

• Quantitative component
• Maximum timeframe
• Qualitative component
• Consumer information requirements

EASFAA membership required.

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Cost of Attendance

12/10/2025 - 8:30 - 11:30 AM
Ponce, PR - Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort

Presenter: Nick Prewett, Provost and Executive Director, Stony Brook University

Learning Objectives

This session will give you the basic principles and processes of student budget construction including:

• standard components of a student’s cost of attendance (COA)
• allowable additional costs
• rules related to recalculation of the COA
• help to ensure your school’s COA policies and procedures result in the construction of accurate and appropriate student budget
• cost of attendance restrictions
• recalculations and non-title IV aid

EASFAA membership required.

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Requests to host a Tuesday @ 2 training can be made by any current member or committee. The training committee request that the following steps be followed when requesting a training session and date.

1. Please check the date on the EASFAA calendar to verify if the date is free of other activities. 
2. Please have requested date, session topic/title, description, presenter, and presenter bio information ready upon requesting the training.
3. Complete the Training Session Request Form found below. Once submitted the Tuesday @ 2 chairs will review your request and be in touch.

Training Session Request Form

  Click the link below to browse through recordings and slides from past events.