Fame Forward 2026

This session will review the latest outcomes from ED's ongoing AHEAD rulemaking process, explain how they impact program eligibility requirements in the new Gainful Employment regulation and the new Accountability Measure established in the One Big Beautiful Bill and outline the likely standards that educational programs will need to meet in order to retain eligibility for federal student loans and grants.  

A 360-Degree View of Administrative Capability, Institutional Integrity, and Campus Safety

Data incidents rarely arrive neatly labeled—and for financial aid and school operations teams, the first 24 hours determine whether response is coordinated or chaotic. In this interactive tabletop, we’ll walk through a realistic breach scenario involving a ransomware event with potential data exposure through vendor-connected systems. Participants will practice making time-sensitive decisions with incomplete information: containment and evidence preservation, vendor escalation and fact-gathering, controlled continuity of critical processes, and notification triage. Attendees will leave with practical, reusable tools, including a First 60 Minutes/First 24 Hours checklist, a vendor incident escalation script, and a notification triage worksheet they can adapt for their institution.