The Foreign Service Journal, May 2016

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. Contact: swayne@usaid.gov or (202) 712-1631 USAID VP VOICE | BY SHARON WAYNE AFSA NEWS Federal Student Loan Repayment Program Following the State Depart- ment’s recent call for applica- tions to their Student Loan Repayment Program, AFSA has understandably been deluged with inquiries on the status of USAID’s SLRP. The last year USAID offered the SLRP was 2013. Despite numerous meetings with the Office of Human Capital and Talent Management in which AFSA argued that discontinuing the programwould be a detri- ment to morale and retention, USAID announced on Oct. 8, 2014, that SLRP was being put on hold. HCTM’s rationale for doing so ranged from“a lack of clarity on the demand” for the program to “the workload was too much to administer.” The notice stated that USAID would evaluate the program and invest in automation to reduce errors and improve efficiency. Many of the approximately 800 new USAID officers hired in recent years are paying off student loans. Thanks to member feedback, we know that USAIDmembers highly value the SLRP, and that demand for the program is undeniable. The Office of Personnel Management continues to support federal agencies’ use of student loan repayment programs to recruit and retain a world-class workforce to serve the American people. Although it is true that OPM also encourages agen- cies to establish metrics to demonstrate the value of using SLRP and other discre- tionary incentives to ensure that taxpayer money is being used wisely, nowhere does it suggest discontinuing the programwhile such metrics are developed. Where Is the Money? To make matters worse, the Office of Human Capital and Talent Management advertises SLRP as a benefit, and AFSA understands that the office still receives $3.5 million for the student loan repayment program in their budget. The job announcement (see solicitation BS-21 FS-05/04 FEB 2016 to hire foreign private enterprise officers) clearly states that USAID offers numerous benefits, including “assistance with repayment of student loans.” It is not clear to AFSA where this money is going and what progress has been made toward reinstituting the program. Federal agencies’ authority to establish the SLRP incen- tive to recruit or retain highly qualified personnel comes from 5 U.S.C. 5379 and 5 CFR part 537. Agencies must sub- mit an annual report to OPM by March 31 on their use of student loan repayment funds during the previous calendar year. The report must not only address the number of recipi- ents, their positions and the total dollar amount awarded; it also must include informa- tion regarding best practices, lessons learned, program effectiveness, metrics devel- oped to measure program success, program impedi- ments and ways to improve the student loan repayment program. Because SLRP is an incentive and not technically a “benefit,” its provision is not required; however, if an agency chooses not to provide an SLRP, it must still submit a report stating whether it intends to establish one and, if not, indicate the primary reason(s) why not. The OPM Report According to the 2013 OPM report to Congress on SLRP, USAID reported that it awarded $2.3 million in stu- dent loan repayment benefits to 279 employees. State reported its numbers for the same year and elabo- rated, stating that “as a result of the growth in participation and because of employee feedback, State believes the program is having a positive impact in supporting both recruitment and retention efforts.” Why USAID doubts this would be the case at the agency—even when its own FSO cadre are telling them the program is needed—is beyond me. AFSA has asked numerous times for an update on the evaluation and reinstatement of SLRP at USAID and has received the same reply every time: “No further updates due to the HCTM transformation.” Attempts to get at answers by asking what will be submit- ted to OPM by March 31, what was sent last year, and what stage the SLRP evaluation is at resulted in yet another non- response: “All programs and initiatives are being reviewed through the lens of the Human Resources transfor- mation, so currently there are no updates.” These basic questions could have easily been answered. AFSAwelcomes HCTM’s push for more accountability throughout the agency; the SLRP is a prime example of an area where it is needed. AFSA supports student-loan repayment for career appoint- ments, regardless of backstop, as a way to assure diversity, fairness in hiring and reten- tion of USAID’s most valuable asset—its workforce. n We know that USAID members highly value the SLRP, and that demand for the program is undeniable. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2016 67