The Department of Education issued guidance warning hundreds of institutions to address high student‑loan delinquency and default rates or risk losing access to federal aid programs. The agency emphasized institutional leadership — beyond financial‑aid offices — must adopt practices to lower repayment failures and protect Title IV eligibility. Colleges with weak repayment outcomes now face sharper regulatory pressure tied to accountability and federal funding. Campus executives, registrars and financial‑aid teams will need to tighten borrower communication, improve exit counseling and monitor cohort default metrics to avoid sanctions that could jeopardize enrollment and revenue.