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<BODY style="MARGIN: 4px 4px 1px; FONT: 10pt Tahoma"><BR><BR>>>> On 4/3/2009 at 6:33 PM, in message <20090403233309.59378BE0200@umavas2.olemiss.edu>, Dewey Knight <rdknight@olemiss.edu> wrote:<BR>
<DIV style="PADDING-LEFT: 7px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 15px; BORDER-LEFT: #050505 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f3f3f3"><FONT size=3>Dear School Financial Aid Leaders,<BR><BR>I am writing to you to make you aware of a grass-roots initiative that has developed from conversations held over the last 3-4 weeks between some 50 or so of your colleagues who are financial aid professionals at schools across the nation. These conversations have been held via conference calls and <BR>e-mail exchanges. Our agenda is strictly limited to insuring that the best interests of the students and families are served.<BR><BR>In the wake of President Obama’s announcement in his FY 2010 Budget Blueprint of his intention to eliminate the FFELP by July, 2010, and introduction of legislation to this end in the form of the Budget Resolution Act, much discussion has occurred among school administrators, lenders, guarantors, servicers, and other interested parties. There have been several related initiatives and proposals generated by various stakeholders, NASFAA, CBA, and other organizations. <BR> <BR>In light of all the rhetoric, I was approached by several colleagues representing universities and colleges that participate in both the direct lending and FFEL programs to facilitate a conversation among recognized school financial aid leaders with respect to the continuation of both the Direct Loan program and the FFELP so that schools and their students will have the ability to choose their lender partners and providers. The conversations have been stimulating and informative to all who have participated. A consensus has emerged from these exchanges based on themes of the need for quality (A to Z with customer service as essential), stability and predictability of the loan programs, choice for borrowers, competition among lenders, innovation and new efficiencies, and accountability and cost effectiveness.<BR><BR>Our group (so known as the <I>Friday the Thirteenth Group </I>because our first conference call was held on March 13, 2009) has developed a communique' that will be forwarded to all members of Congress. We are inviting all college and university faculty, staff, and students to consider endorsing this position by signing the communique' which is available on-line at <A href="http://test.financialaid.umd.edu/letter.cfm" eudora="autourl">http://test.financialaid.umd.edu/letter.cfm</A>.<BR><BR>Please forward this to all of your school colleagues in your state and region for their consideration and participation if they are so inclined. We are asking that only college and university faculty, staff, and students sign and, if desired, add their own personal comments. We feel our voice will be most effective as one exclusively from the school financial aid community with no affiliation with lenders, guarantors, and other lending interests. Time is of the essence so we ask you to distribute this e-mail as soon as possible.<BR><BR>Thank you for all you do for students and their families. This issue is so critical to their future and deserves careful, deliberate, and through consideration by Congress.<BR><BR>Sincerely,<BR><BR>Dewey<BR><BR></FONT><X-SIGSEP>
<P></X-SIGSEP><FONT color=#ff0000 size=3><B>R. Dewey Knight, Associate Director<BR>Office of Financial Aid<BR>The University of Mississippi<BR></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=3>257 Martindale Student Services Center<BR>P. O. Box 1848<BR>University, MS 38677<BR>Voice: 662-915-1166<BR>FAX: 662-915-1164<BR>rdknight@olemiss.edu<BR><BR><BR></B></FONT><FONT size=3>This message is the property of The University of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) and may contain information that is PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL and/or EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE under University policy or applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the information contained herein is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you received this communication in error, please destroy all copies of the message, whether in electronic or hard copy format, as well as attachments and immediately contact the sender by replying to this email. Thank you! </FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>