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Financial Services Law Insights and Observations

Education Secretary Rolls Back Obama Administration Federal Student Loan Servicing Policies

Lending Student Lending Department of Education FSA

Lending

On April 11, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rolled back Obama administration policies designed to reform how student loan servicers collect debt. In a memo sent to Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer James Runcie, DeVos formally withdrew several policy memos issued last year by former Education Secretary John B. King Jr. and former Education Undersecretary Ted Mitchell, citing the need to promptly address “shortcomings” and “inconsistenc[ies]” in the student loan servicing procurement process. DeVos further emphasized the need for change because of “a myriad of moving deadlines, changing requirements and a lack of consistent objectives” as well as a need to move forward “with precision, timeliness and transparency.” The withdrawn memos, dated June 30, 2016 and July 20, 2016 (as well as the corresponding October 17 addendum), were developed to guide the way in which the federal government contracts with outside servicers to ensure that borrowers get the service and protection they deserve. The guidance was intended to strengthen student loan servicing by increasing consistency, transparency, and accountability in the student lending marketplace (see previous InfoBytes post). By rescinding these memos, DeVos also removed the requirement that the FSA consider servicers’ past behavior when awarding contracts, including whether the company misled borrowers or engaged in abusive consumer service.