Principal Nick Michiels and Financial Aid and Higher Education Specialist Cynthia Grunden will be presenting at the Eastern Association Student Financial Aid Administrators‘ (EASFAA) 2026 Conference, “Rising to the Future, Rooted in History,” on Thursday, May 21 at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Information on their session is below.
9:00am-10:00am – Borrower Defense to Repayment: Response and Risk Mitigation Strategies
In March 2026, the U.S. Department of Education suddenly (and unexpectedly) began distributing thousands of borrower defense to repayment (BDR) applications to institutions of higher education. At a time when institutions are struggling with the deluge of applications, Powers Law will provide practical tips – including regarding short-term BDR response strategies and long-term BDR risk mitigation. The presenters will also provide an overview of the statutory, judicial, and regulatory issues surrounding BDR, and how these issues may impact institutions in the future. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and share ideas.