Off The Cuff
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.
Have ideas or requests for what you'd like to have us cover in the coming months? Send your comments, questions, and suggestions using our podcast feedback form.
Featured Episodes with Special Guests
"Off The Cuff" is also available to stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Recent Episodes
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OTC Inside The Beltway: Pell Grant Shortfall Widens and the Draft 2027-28 FAFSA Opens for Public Comment
February 27, 2026 - 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. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Understanding Student Marital Status Changes
February 20, 2026 - 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. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Debriefing Data Analyses of OBBBA's New Accountability Metrics
February 13, 2026 - 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). -
OTC Inside the Beltway: Funding Deal for ED Enacted and NASFAA's New OBBBA Resources
February 6, 2026 - This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie is joined by Karen and Nalia to discuss the latest news in the appropriations process. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Working Through Clock-Hour To Credit-Hour Conversion
January 30, 2026 - Tim and David provide an overview of clock-hour to credit-hour conversion, and its impact on aid eligibility -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Tracking OBBBA’s Implementation Timeline
January 23, 2026 - 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. -
OTC Inside the Beltway: Looking at the Year Ahead for Higher Ed
January 9, 2026 - Melanie and Karen give an overview of what could be in store for higher education this year. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Working Through Mid-Term Processing
December 19, 2025 - 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. -
OTC Inside The Beltway: Previewing the AHEAD Committee
December 5, 2025 - This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen give a preview of what’s to come for the AHEAD Committee. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Defining a ‘Professional Student’ and NASFAA’s Recent Public Comments
November 21, 2025 - Tim is joined by Jill and Sarah to recap some of the latest negotiated rulemaking (neg reg) developments and NASFAA public comments. -
OTC Inside the Beltway: Continuing Resolution Reopens ED, 60th Anniversary for the HEA, and NegReg Reaches Consensus
November 14, 2025 - 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. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Unpacking Cost of Attendance
October 31, 2025 - This week on "Off the Cuff," Tim and David do a deep dive into the cost of attendance (COA). -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Unpacking the RISE Neg Reg Committee
October 24, 2025 - 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. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Shutdown Interruptions and an Update on FWS Guidance
October 3, 2025 - Hugh and David discuss how a lapse in appropriations for FY 26 is impacting ED services and programs. -
OTC Inside the Beltway: September Deadlines Are Piling Up
September 19, 2025 - Melanie, Karen, and Hugh discuss several pertinent September deadlines impacting higher education. -
OTC Inside the Beltway: Verification, Countdown to FAFSA Launch, and a NegReg Roadmap
September 12, 2025 - 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. -
OTC Inside the Beltway: Catching Up on August’s NegReg and Appropriations Headlines
August 22, 2025 - Hugh provides a brief catch-up of some summer headlines from Congress and the Department of Education (ED). -
OTC Inside the Beltway: SCOTUS Weighs in on ED’s RIF, Reconciliation Becomes Law and PSLF Goes to NegReg
July 18, 2025 - Hugh is joined by Karen, Megan and Sarah to catch listeners up on some of the biggest news impacting student financial aid policy with a focus on reconciliation, ED's RIF, NegReg and more. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Summer Aid Processing
May 30, 2025 - David and Hugh discuss summer aid processing, focusing on rules for crossover payment periods and school flexibilities. -
OTC Inside the Beltway: Biden's Student Debt Relief Program Faces SCOTUS
March 3, 2023 - Justin and Karen are joined by Jon to discuss how President Joe Biden’s student loan cancellation program fared in the Supreme Court. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Examining New Guidance From ED on Third Party Servicers
February 24, 2023 - This week on "Off the Cuff," Justin, Jill, and David discuss updated guidance from the Department of Education (ED) about third party servicers. -
OTC From the Field: A Conversation With Under Secretary James Kvaal
July 1, 2022 - Justin is joined by U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal to discuss the administration's higher education priorities. -
OTC AskRegs Experts: Gainful Employment Back in the Spotlight and Disbursing Title IV Aid for Completed Payment Period
February 18, 2022 - Justin is joined by NASFAA Senior Policy Analyst Jill Desjean and NASFAA U Instructor David Tolman to break down the latest on gainful employment as the Department of Education’s (ED) negotiated rulemaking committee once again tackles the topic. -
OTC From the Field: A Conversation With Brent Tener, NASFAA’s National Chair
January 7, 2022 - Justin is joined by Brent Tener and Beth Maglione. The three dive into conversation on NASFAA’s operations, and experiences working with higher education institutions. -
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January 1, 2020 - We appreciate your feedback regarding our podcast, Off the Cuff. Send your thoughts, questions, and comments using this form. We'd love to hear what you think.