INDENTURE among SLM STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2013-6, as the Issuer, DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS not in its individual capacity but solely as the Eligible Lender Trustee and DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, not in its individual capacity but solely as the Indenture Trustee Dated as of November 14, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

INDENTURE

 

 

among

 

 

SLM STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2013-6,

as the Issuer,

 

 

DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS

not in its individual capacity but

solely as the Eligible Lender Trustee

 

 

and

 

 

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY,

not in its individual capacity but

solely as the Indenture Trustee

 

 

 

Dated as of November 14, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

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ARTICLE I

 

Definitions and Usage

 

SECTION 1.1	Definitions and Usage	2
SECTION 1.2	Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act	2

 

ARTICLE II

 

The Notes

 

SECTION 2.1	Form	3
SECTION 2.2	Execution, Authentication and Delivery	3
SECTION 2.3	Temporary Notes	4
SECTION 2.4	Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange	4
SECTION 2.5	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes	6
SECTION 2.6	Persons Deemed Owner	6
SECTION 2.7	Payment of Principal and Interest; Note Interest Shortfall	7
SECTION 2.8	Cancellation	7
SECTION 2.9	Release of Collateral	8
SECTION 2.10	Book-Entry Notes	8
SECTION 2.11	Notices to Clearing Agency	9
SECTION 2.12	Definitive Notes	9

 

ARTICLE III

 

Covenants, Representations and Warranties

 

SECTION 3.1	Payments to Noteholders	10
SECTION 3.2	Maintenance of Office or Agency	10
SECTION 3.3	Money for Payments to be Held in Trust	10
SECTION 3.4	Existence	12
SECTION 3.5	Protection of Indenture Trust Estate	12
SECTION 3.6	Opinions as to Indenture Trust Estate	13
SECTION 3.7	Performance of Obligations; Servicing of Trust Student Loans.	13
SECTION 3.8	Negative Covenants	16
SECTION 3.9	Annual Statement as to Compliance	16
SECTION 3.10	Issuer May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms.	17
SECTION 3.11	Successor or Transferee	18
SECTION 3.12	No Other Business	18
SECTION 3.13	No Borrowing	18
SECTION 3.14	Obligations of Servicer and Administrator	18
SECTION 3.15	Guarantees, Loans, Advances and Other Liabilities	19
SECTION 3.16	Capital Expenditures	19
SECTION 3.17	Restricted Payments	19
SECTION 3.18	Notice of Events of Default	19

 

SECTION 3.19	Further Instruments and Acts	19
SECTION 3.20	Representations and Warranties	20

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Satisfaction and Discharge

 

SECTION 4.1	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	20
SECTION 4.2	Application of Trust Money	21
SECTION 4.3	Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent	22
SECTION 4.4	Auction of Trust Student Loans	22

 

ARTICLE V

 

Remedies

 

SECTION 5.1	Events of Default	23
SECTION 5.2	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment	24
SECTION 5.3	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Indenture Trustee	24
SECTION 5.4	Remedies; Priorities	26
SECTION 5.5	Optional Preservation of the Trust Student Loans	28
SECTION 5.6	Limitation of Suits	29
SECTION 5.7	Unconditional Rights of Noteholders to Receive Principal and Interest	29
SECTION 5.8	Restoration of Rights and Remedies	29
SECTION 5.9	Rights and Remedies Cumulative	30
SECTION 5.10	Delay or Omission Not a Waiver	30
SECTION 5.11	Control by Noteholders	30
SECTION 5.12	Waiver of Past Defaults	30
SECTION 5.13	Undertaking for Costs	31
SECTION 5.14	Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws	31
SECTION 5.15	Action on Notes	31
SECTION 5.16	Performance and Enforcement of Certain Obligations.	32

 

ARTICLE VI

 

The Indenture Trustee

 

SECTION 6.1	Duties of Indenture Trustee	33
SECTION 6.2	Rights of Indenture Trustee	34
SECTION 6.3	Individual Rights of Indenture Trustee	35
SECTION 6.4	Indenture Trustee’s Disclaimer	35
SECTION 6.5	Notice of Defaults	35
SECTION 6.6	Reports by Indenture Trustee to Noteholders	36
SECTION 6.7	Compensation and Indemnity	36
SECTION 6.8	Replacement of Indenture Trustee	36
SECTION 6.9	Successor Indenture Trustee by Merger	37
SECTION 6.10	Appointment of Co-Trustee or Separate Trustee.	38
SECTION 6.11	Eligibility; Disqualification	39
SECTION 6.12	Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer	39
SECTION 6.13	Rule 15Ga-1 Information	39

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Noteholders’ Lists and Reports

 

SECTION 7.1	Issuer to Furnish Indenture Trustee Names and Addresses of Noteholders	40
SECTION 7.2	Preservation of Information; Communications to Noteholders	41
SECTION 7.3	Reports by Issuer.	41

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Accounts, Disbursements and Releases

 

SECTION 8.1	Collection of Money	42
SECTION 8.2	Trust Accounts	42
SECTION 8.3	General Provisions Regarding Accounts	43
SECTION 8.4	Release of Indenture Trust Estate	44
SECTION 8.5	Opinion of Counsel	45

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Supplemental Indentures

 

SECTION 9.1	Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Noteholders.	45
SECTION 9.2	Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Noteholders	46
SECTION 9.3	Execution of Supplemental Indentures	48
SECTION 9.4	Effect of Supplemental Indenture	48
SECTION 9.5	Conformity with Trust Indenture Act	48
SECTION 9.6	Reference in Notes to Supplemental Indentures	48

 

ARTICLE X

 

Redemption of Notes

 

SECTION 10.1	Redemption	48
SECTION 10.2	Form of Redemption Notice	49
SECTION 10.3	Notes Payable on Redemption Date	49

 

ARTICLE XI

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 11.1	Compliance Certificates and Opinions, etc	49
SECTION 11.2	Form of Documents Delivered to Indenture Trustee	51
SECTION 11.3	Acts of Noteholders	52
SECTION 11.4	Notices, etc., to Indenture Trustee, Issuer and Rating Agencies	52
SECTION 11.5	Notices to Noteholders; Waiver	53
SECTION 11.6	Alternate Payment and Notice Provisions	53
SECTION 11.7	Conflict with Trust Indenture Act	54
SECTION 11.8	Effect of Headings and Table of Contents	54
SECTION 11.9	Successors and Assigns	54
SECTION 11.10	Separability	54

SECTION 11.11	Benefits of Indenture	54
SECTION 11.12	Legal Holidays	54
SECTION 11.13	Governing Law	54
SECTION 11.14	Counterparts	55
SECTION 11.15	Recording of Indenture	55
SECTION 11.16	Trust Obligations	55
SECTION 11.17	No Petition	55
SECTION 11.18	Inspection	55
SECTION 11.19	Waiver of Jury Trial.	55

 

ARTICLE XII

 

Compliance with Regulation AB

 

SECTION 12.1

Intent of the Parties; Reasonableness

57

 

ARTICLE XIII

 

Tax Considerations

 

SECTION 13.1

Acknowledgement of Parties

57

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

Definitions and Usage

 

INDENTURE, dated as of November 14, 2013, among SLM STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2013-6, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Issuer”), DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, a New York banking corporation, not in its individual capacity but solely as eligible lender trustee on behalf of the Issuer (in such capacity, the “Eligible Lender Trustee”), and DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, a national banking association, not in its individual capacity but solely as indenture trustee (in such capacity, the “Indenture Trustee”).

 

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of the Issuer’s Student Loan-Backed Notes (the “Notes”):

 

 

The Issuer and, with respect to the Trust Student Loans, the Eligible Lender Trustee hereby Grant to the Indenture Trustee, as trustee for the benefit of the Noteholders, effective as of the Closing Date all of their right, title and interest, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in and to the following:

 

(a)             the Trust Student Loans, and all obligations of the Obligors thereunder including all moneys accrued and paid thereunder on or after the applicable Cutoff Date and all guaranties and other rights relating to the Trust Student Loans;

 

(b)             the Servicing Agreement, including the right of the Issuer to cause the Servicer to purchase Trust Student Loans from the Issuer under circumstances described therein;

 

(c)             the related Sale Agreement, including the right of the Issuer to cause the Depositor to repurchase Trust Student Loans from the Issuer under the circumstances described therein and including the rights of the Depositor under the Purchase Agreements;

 

(d)             the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement and the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, to the extent that the rights of the Depositor thereunder have been assigned to the Issuer pursuant to the Sale Agreement, including the right of the Depositor to cause SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding or VL Funding, as the case may be, to repurchase Trust Student Loans from the Depositor under the circumstances described in the applicable Purchase Agreement;

 

(e)             the Administration Agreement and any agreement representing Eligible Repurchase Obligations between the Trust and an Eligible Repo Counterparty to be entered into from time to time;

 

(f)             each Guarantee Agreement, including the right of the Issuer to cause the related Guarantor to make Guarantee Payments in respect of the Trust Student Loans;

 

(g)             the Trust Accounts and all funds on deposit from time to time in the Trust Accounts, including the Reserve Account Initial Deposit, the Supplemental Purchase Account Initial Deposit, the Borrower Benefit Account Initial Deposit, if any, the Floor Income Rebate Account and the Collection Account Initial Deposit, if any, and all investments and proceeds thereof (including all income thereon);

 

 

(h)             [Reserved];

 

(i)             all present and future claims, demands, causes and choses in action in respect of any or all of the foregoing and all payments on or under and all proceeds of every kind and nature whatsoever in respect of any or all of the foregoing, including all proceeds of the conversion, voluntary or involuntary, into cash or other liquid property, all cash proceeds, accounts, accounts receivable, notes, drafts, acceptances, chattel paper, checks, general intangibles, deposit accounts, insurance proceeds, condemnation awards, rights to payment of any and every kind and other forms of obligations and receivables, instruments and other property which at any time constitute all or part of or are included in the proceeds of any of the foregoing assets described in clauses (a) through (g); and

 

(j)             all accounts, chattel paper, deposit accounts, financial assets, general intangibles, instruments, investment property, letter-of-credit rights (each as defined in the applicable Uniform Commercial Code) and other supporting obligations relating to the foregoing; and all proceeds (as defined in the applicable Uniform Commercial Code) with respect to the foregoing assets described in clauses (a) through and including (i) (collectively, the “Collateral”).

 

The foregoing Grant is made in trust to secure the payment of principal of and interest on, and any other amounts owing in respect of, the Notes, equally and ratably without prejudice, priority or distinction, to secure compliance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

The Indenture Trustee, as indenture trustee on behalf of the Noteholders, acknowledges such Grant, accepts the trusts under this Indenture in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and agrees to perform its duties required in this Indenture to the best of its ability to the end that the interests of the Noteholders may be adequately and effectively protected.

 

ARTICLE I

 

 

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 

“indenture securities” means the Notes.

 

“indenture security holder” means a Noteholder.

 

“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

 

“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Indenture Trustee.

 

“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Issuer and any other obligor on the indenture securities.

 

All other TIA terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by Commission rule have the meaning assigned to them by such definitions.

 

ARTICLE II

 

 

SECTION 2.1   Form.  The Notes, together with the Indenture Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be in substantially the forms set forth in Exhibit A, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing the Notes, as evidenced by their execution of the Notes.  Any portion of the text of any Note may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Note.

 

The Definitive Notes shall be typewritten, printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods (with or without steel engraved borders), all as determined by the officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of such Notes.

 

The terms of the Notes set forth in Exhibit A are part of the terms of this Indenture.

 

Each class of Notes will be represented by interests in a book-entry note certificate deposited on the Closing Date with Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as custodian for DTC (the “DTC Custodian”), and registered in the name of Cede & Co. as initial nominee for DTC.

 

SECTION 2.2   Execution, Authentication and Delivery.  The Notes shall be executed on behalf of the Issuer by any of its Authorized Officers.  The signature of any such Authorized Officer on the Notes may be manual or facsimile.

 

Notes bearing the manual or facsimile signature of individuals who were at any time Authorized Officers of the Issuer shall bind the Issuer, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Notes or did not hold such offices at the date of such Notes.

 

Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication.  The Notes shall be issuable as registered notes in minimum denominations of $100,000 and additional increments of $1,000.

 

No Note shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Note a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Indenture Trustee by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, and such certificate upon any Note shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Note has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

 

SECTION 2.3   Temporary Notes.  Pending the preparation of Definitive Notes, the Issuer may execute, and upon receipt of an Issuer Order, the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Notes which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, of the tenor of the Definitive Notes in lieu of which they are issued and with such variations not inconsistent with the terms of this Indenture determined to be appropriate by an Authorized Officer of the Issuer executing the temporary Notes, as evidenced by his or her execution of such temporary Notes.

 

If temporary Notes are issued, the Issuer will cause Definitive Notes to be prepared without unreasonable delay.  After the preparation of Definitive Notes, the temporary Notes shall be exchangeable for Definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2, without charge to the Noteholder.  Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Notes, the Issuer shall execute and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations.  Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as Definitive Notes.

 

SECTION 2.4   Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange.  The Issuer shall cause to be kept a register (the “Note Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Issuer shall provide for the registration of Notes and the registration of transfers of Notes.  The Indenture Trustee shall be “Note Registrar” for the purpose of registering Notes and transfers of Notes as herein provided.  Upon any resignation of any Note Registrar, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor or, if it elects not to make such an appointment, assume the duties of Note Registrar.

 

If a Person other than the Indenture Trustee is appointed by the Issuer as Note Registrar, the Issuer shall give the Indenture Trustee prompt written notice of the appointment of such Note Registrar and of the location, and any change in the location, of the Note Register, and the Indenture Trustee shall have the right to inspect the Note Register at all reasonable times and to obtain copies thereof, and the Indenture Trustee shall have the right to rely upon a certificate executed on behalf of the Note Registrar by an Executive Officer thereof as to the names and addresses of the Noteholders and the principal amounts and number of such Notes.

 

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note at the office or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2, if the requirements of Section 8-401(a) of the UCC are met, the Issuer shall execute, and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and the Noteholder shall obtain from the Indenture Trustee, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes in any authorized denominations and a like aggregate principal amount.

 

At the option of the Noteholder, Notes may be exchanged for other Notes in any authorized denominations and a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency.  Whenever any Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Issuer shall execute, and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and the Noteholder shall obtain from the Indenture Trustee, the Notes which the Noteholder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

All Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

Every Note presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, duly executed by the Noteholder thereof or such Noteholder’s attorney and duly authorized in writing, with such signature guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Note Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in Securities Transfer Agent’s Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Note Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Exchange Act.

 

No service charge shall be made to a Noteholder for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Indenture Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 2.3 or 9.6 not involving any transfer.

 

The preceding provisions of this Section notwithstanding, the Issuer shall not be required to make and the Note Registrar need not register transfers or exchanges of Notes selected for redemption or of any Note for a period of 15 days preceding the due date for any payment with respect to the Note.

 

 

Any transfer or assignment of any Note or any interest in any Note that is not effected pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture (including, without limitation, this Section 2.4), such as a transfer or assignment not reflected on the Note Register, shall be null and void and shall not be taken into account by, or be binding upon, the Indenture Trustee or any other party.

 

SECTION 2.5   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes.  If (i) any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Indenture Trustee, or the Indenture Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, and (ii) there is delivered to the Issuer, the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Indenture Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by each of them to hold the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Issuer, the Note Registrar or the Indenture Trustee that such Note has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, and provided that the requirements of Section 8-405 of the UCC are met, the Issuer shall execute and upon its request the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note, a replacement Note; provided, however, that if any such destroyed, lost or stolen Note, but not a mutilated Note, shall have become or within 15 days shall be due and payable, or shall have been called for redemption, instead of issuing a replacement Note, the Issuer may pay such destroyed, lost or stolen Note when so due or payable or upon the Redemption Date without surrender thereof.  If, after the delivery of such replacement Note or payment of a destroyed, lost or stolen Note pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, a bona fide purchaser of the original Note in lieu of which such replacement Note was issued presents for payment such original Note, the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to recover such replacement Note (or such payment) from the Person to whom it was delivered or any Person taking such replacement Note from such Person to whom such replacement Note was delivered or any assignee of such Person, except a bona fide purchaser, and shall be entitled to recover upon the security or indemnity provided therefor to the extent of any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee in connection therewith.

 

Upon the issuance of any replacement Note under this Section, the Issuer may require the payment by the Noteholder thereof of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Indenture Trustee) connected therewith.

 

Every replacement Note issued pursuant to this Section in replacement of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

 

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes.

 

SECTION 2.6   Persons Deemed Owner.  Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Note, the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered (as of the day of determination) as the owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payments of principal of, interest, if any, on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note be overdue, and neither the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

SECTION 2.7   Payment of Principal and Interest; Note Interest Shortfall.  (a)  The Notes shall accrue interest as provided in the forms of Notes set forth in Exhibit A and such interest shall be payable on each applicable Distribution Date as specified therein, subject to Section 3.1.  Any installment of interest or principal, if any, payable on any Note which is punctually paid or duly provided for by the Issuer on the applicable Distribution Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered on the applicable Record Date by check mailed first-class, postage prepaid to such Person’s address as it appears on the Note Register on such Record Date, except that, unless Definitive Notes have been issued pursuant to Section 2.12, with respect to Notes registered on the Record Date in the name of the nominee of the applicable Clearing Agency, for the Notes, payment shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account designated by such nominee and except for the final installment of principal payable with respect to such Note on a Distribution Date or on the Note Final Maturity Date for such Note which shall be payable as provided below.  The funds represented by any such checks returned undelivered shall be held in accordance with Section 3.3.

 

(b)            The principal amount of each class of Notes shall be payable in installments on each applicable Distribution Date as provided in the related form of such Note set forth in Exhibit A.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Outstanding Amount of each class of Notes shall be due and payable, if not previously paid, on the Note Final Maturity Date for such class of Notes and on the date on which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing if the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders of the Notes representing at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes have declared the Notes to be immediately due and payable in the manner provided in Section 5.2.  All principal payments on the Notes shall be made pro rata to the specific class of Noteholders entitled thereto.  The Indenture Trustee shall notify the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the Record Date preceding the Distribution Date on which the Issuer expects that the final installment of principal of and interest on such Note will be paid.  Such notice shall be mailed or transmitted prior to such final Distribution Date and shall specify that such final installment will be payable only upon presentation and surrender of such Note and shall specify the place where such Note may be presented and surrendered for payment of such installment.  Notices in connection with redemptions of Notes shall be mailed to Noteholders as provided in Section 10.2.

 

(c)            If the Issuer defaults in a payment of interest at the applicable Note Rate on the Notes, the Issuer shall pay the resulting Note Interest Shortfall on the following Distribution Date as provided in the Administration Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.8   Cancellation.  All Notes surrendered for payment, registration of transfer, exchange or redemption shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Indenture Trustee, be delivered to the Indenture Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by the Indenture Trustee.  The Issuer may at any time deliver to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Issuer may have acquired in any

 

SECTION 2.9   Release of Collateral.   Subject to Section 11.1 and the terms of the Basic Documents, the Indenture Trustee shall release property from the lien of this Indenture only upon receipt of an Issuer Request accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer, an Opinion of Counsel and Independent Certificates in accordance with TIA §§ 314(c) and 314(d)(1) or an Opinion of Counsel in lieu of such Independent Certificates to the effect that the TIA does not require any such Independent Certificates.

 

SECTION 2.10   Book-Entry Notes.  The Notes, upon original issuance, will be issued in the form of typewritten Notes representing the Book-Entry Notes, to be delivered to the applicable initial Clearing Agency, by the Issuer, or on behalf of the Issuer.  Such Notes shall initially be registered on the Note Register in the name of the nominee of the related initial Clearing Agency, and no Note Owner shall receive a definitive, fully registered note (a “Definitive Note”) representing such Note Owner’s interest in such Note, except as provided in Section 2.12.  Unless and until Definitive Notes have been issued to Note Owners pursuant to Section 2.12:

 

(i)                    the provisions of this Section shall be in full force and effect;

 

(ii)                   the Note Registrar and the Indenture Trustee, and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents, may deal with the applicable Clearing Agency for all purposes (including the payment of principal of and interest and other amounts on the Notes) as the authorized representative of the Note Owners;

 

(iii)                  to the extent that the provisions of this Section conflict with any other provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Section shall control;

 

(iv)                  the rights of Note Owners shall be exercised only through the applicable Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those established by law and agreements between such Note Owners and the applicable Clearing Agency and/or the applicable Clearing Agency Participants pursuant to the Note Depository Agreement; and unless and until Definitive Notes are issued pursuant to Section 2.12, the applicable initial Clearing Agency will make book-entry transfers among the applicable Clearing Agency Participants and receive and transmit payments of principal of and interest and other amounts on the Notes to such applicable Clearing Agency Participants;

 

(v)                   whenever this Indenture requires or permits actions to be taken based upon instructions or directions of Noteholders of Notes evidencing a specified percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the applicable Clearing Agency shall be deemed to represent such percentage only to the extent that it has received instructions to such effect from Note Owners and/or applicable Clearing Agency Participants owning or representing, respectively, such required percentage of the beneficial interest in the Notes and has delivered such instructions to the Indenture Trustee; and

 

 

(vi)                  upon acquisition or transfer of a beneficial interest in any Book-Entry Note by, for or with the assets of, a Benefit Plan, such Note Owner shall be deemed to have represented that such acquisition or purchase will not constitute or otherwise result in: (i) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, a non-exempt prohibited transaction in violation of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code which is not covered by a class or other applicable exemption and (ii) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to a substantially similar federal, state, local or foreign law, a non-exempt violation of such substantially similar law.  Any transfer found to have been made in violation of such deemed representation shall be null and void and of no effect.

 

SECTION 2.11   Notices to Clearing Agency.  Whenever a notice or other communication to the Noteholders is required under this Indenture to be given to Noteholders, unless and until Definitive Notes shall have been issued to Note Owners pursuant to Section 2.12, the Indenture Trustee shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to the applicable Clearing Agency.

 

SECTION 2.12   Definitive Notes.  If (i) the Administrator advises the Indenture Trustee in writing that a Clearing Agency (a) is closed for business for a continuous period of 14 days (other than by reason of holiday, statutory or otherwise), (b) announces an intention to cease business permanently (or does so and no alternative clearing system acceptable to the Indenture Trustee is then available), or (c) at any time, is unwilling or unable to continue as, or ceases to be, a clearing agency registered under all applicable laws, and a successor clearing agency which is registered as a clearing agency under all applicable laws is not appointed by the Administrator within 90 days of such event, (ii) the Administrator at its option advises the Indenture Trustee in writing that it elects to terminate the book-entry system through such Clearing Agency, or (iii) after the occurrence of an Event of Default, a Servicer Default or an Administrator Default, Note Owners representing beneficial interests aggregating at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the applicable Notes advise the applicable Clearing Agency (which shall then notify the Indenture Trustee) in writing that the continuation of a book-entry system through such Clearing Agency is no longer in the best interests of such Note Owners, then the Indenture Trustee shall cause such Clearing Agency to notify all Note Owners of Notes cleared through such Clearing Agency, of the occurrence of any such event and of the availability of Definitive Notes to Note Owners requesting the same.

 

Upon surrender to the Indenture Trustee of the typewritten Notes representing the Book-Entry Notes by a Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Issuer shall execute and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate the Definitive Notes in accordance with the instructions of such Clearing Agency, which shall include, without limitation, the identity and payment instructions for all Noteholders of the applicable Notes.  None of the Issuer, the Note Registrar or the Indenture Trustee shall be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, such instructions.  Upon the issuance of Definitive Notes, the Indenture Trustee shall recognize the holders of the Definitive Notes as Noteholders.

 

 

Upon acquisition or transfer of a Definitive Note by, for or with the assets of, a Benefit Plan, the related Note Owner shall be deemed to have represented that such acquisition or purchase will not constitute or otherwise result in: (i) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, a non-exempt prohibited transaction in violation of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code which is not covered by a class or other applicable exemption and (ii) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to a substantially similar law, a non-exempt violation of such substantially similar law.  Any transfer found to have been made in violation of such deemed representation shall be null and void and of no effect.

 

ARTICLE III

 

 

 

 

On or before the Business Day next preceding each Distribution Date and Redemption Date, the Issuer shall distribute or cause to be distributed to the Indenture Trustee (or any other Paying Agent) an aggregate sum sufficient to pay the amounts then becoming due under the Notes, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto and (unless the Paying Agent is the Indenture Trustee) shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

The Issuer shall cause each Paying Agent other than the Indenture Trustee to execute and deliver to the Indenture Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Indenture Trustee (and if the Indenture Trustee acts as Paying Agent, it hereby so agrees), subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will:

 

(i)            hold all sums held by it for the payment of amounts due with respect to the Notes in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and pay such sums to such Persons as herein provided;

 

(ii)           give the Indenture Trustee notice of any default by the Issuer of which it has actual knowledge (or any other obligor upon the Notes) in the making of any payment required to be made with respect to the Notes;

 

(iii)          at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Indenture Trustee, forthwith pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent;

 

(iv)          immediately resign as a Paying Agent and forthwith pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums held by it in trust for the payments due under the Notes if at any time it ceases to meet the standards required to be met by a Paying Agent at the time of its appointment; and

 

(v)           comply with all requirements of the Code with respect to the withholding from any payments made by it on any Notes of any applicable withholding taxes imposed thereon and with respect to any applicable reporting requirements in connection therewith.

 

The Issuer may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, by Issuer Order direct any Paying Agent to pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Indenture Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which the sums were held by such Paying Agent; and upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Indenture Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

 

Subject to applicable laws with respect to escheat of funds, any money held by the Indenture Trustee or any Paying Agent in trust for the payment of any amount due with respect to any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such amount has become due and payable shall be discharged from such trust and be paid to the Issuer on Issuer Request or if the Issuer has been terminated to the holder of the Excess Distribution Certificate at the time the Issuer was terminated upon its written request; and the Noteholder thereof shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof (but only to the extent of the amounts so paid to the Issuer), and all liability of the Indenture Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall at the expense and direction of the Issuer cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in The City of New York and in such other international jurisdiction if any of the Notes are listed on a stock exchange of international standing and the rules of such exchange so require, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer.  The Indenture Trustee shall also adopt and employ, at the expense of the Issuer, any other reasonable means of notification of such repayment (including mailing notice of such repayment to Noteholders whose Notes have been called but have not been surrendered for redemption or whose right to or interest in moneys due and payable but not claimed is determinable from the records of the Indenture Trustee or of any Paying Agent, at the last address of record for each such Noteholder).

 

SECTION 3.4   Existence.  The Issuer shall keep in full effect its existence, rights and franchises as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware (unless it becomes, or any successor Issuer hereunder is or becomes, organized under the laws of any other State or of the United States of America, in which case the Issuer shall keep in full effect its existence, rights and franchises under the laws of such other jurisdiction) and shall obtain and preserve its qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is or shall be necessary to protect the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral and each other instrument or agreement included in the Indenture Trust Estate.

 

SECTION 3.5   Protection of Indenture Trust Estate.  The Issuer will from time to time execute and deliver all such supplements and amendments hereto, all such financing statements and continuation statements and will take such other action necessary or advisable to:

 

(i)           maintain or preserve the lien and security interest (and the priority thereof) of this Indenture or carry out more effectively the purposes hereof;

 

(ii)          perfect, publish notice of or protect the validity of any grant made or to be made by this Indenture;

 

(iii)         enforce any of the Collateral; or

 

(iv)         preserve and defend title to the Indenture Trust Estate and the rights of the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders in such Indenture Trust Estate against the claims of all persons and parties.

 

 

The Issuer hereby designates the Indenture Trustee its agent and attorney-in-fact to execute any financing statement, continuation statement or other instrument required to be executed pursuant to this Section.

 

SECTION 3.6   Opinions as to Indenture Trust Estate.  (a)  On the Closing Date, the Issuer shall furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Opinion of Counsel either stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action has been taken with respect to the recording and filing of this Indenture as is necessary to perfect and make effective the lien and security interest of this Indenture and reciting the details of such action, or stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, no such action is necessary to make such lien and security interest effective.

 

(b)            On or before December 31 in each calendar year, beginning in 2013, the Issuer shall furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Opinion of Counsel either stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action has been taken with respect to the recording, filing, re-recording and refiling of this Indenture and any indentures supplemental hereto as is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this Indenture and relating the details of such action or stating that in the opinion of such counsel no such action is necessary to maintain such lien and security interest.  Such Opinion of Counsel shall also describe the recording, filing, recording and refiling of this Indenture and any indentures supplemental hereto that will, in the opinion of such counsel, be required to maintain the lien and security interest of this Indenture until December 31 in the following calendar year.

 

 

(a)            The Issuer will not take any action and will use its best efforts not to permit any action to be taken by others that would release any Person from any of such Person’s material covenants or obligations under any instrument or agreement included in the Indenture Trust Estate or that would result in the amendment, hypothecation, subordination, termination or discharge of, or impair the validity or effectiveness of, any such instrument or agreement, except as expressly provided in this Indenture, any other Basic Document or such other instrument or agreement.

 

(b)            The Issuer may contract with other Persons to assist it in performing its duties under this Indenture, and any performance of such duties by a Person identified to the Indenture Trustee in an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer shall be deemed to be action taken by the Issuer; provided, however, the Issuer shall not be liable for any acts of Persons with whom the Issuer has contracted with reasonable care.  Initially, the Issuer has contracted with the Servicer and the Administrator to assist the Issuer in performing its duties under this Indenture.  The Issuer shall give written notice to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency then rating the Notes of any such contract with any other Person.

 

(c)             The Issuer shall punctually perform and observe all of its obligations and agreements contained in this Indenture, the other Basic Documents and the instruments and agreements included in the Indenture Trust Estate, including filing or causing to be filed all UCC financing statements and continuation statements prepared by the Issuer and required to be filed by the terms of this Indenture and the Administration Agreement in accordance with and within the time periods provided for herein and therein.  Except as otherwise expressly provided therein,

 

(d)             If an Authorized Officer of the Issuer shall have knowledge of the occurrence of a Servicer Default or an Administrator Default under the Servicing Agreement or the Administration Agreement, respectively, the Issuer shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes thereof, and shall specify in such notice the action, if any, the Issuer is taking with respect to such default.  If a Servicer Default shall arise from the failure of the Servicer to perform any of its duties or obligations under the Servicing Agreement, or an Administrator Default shall arise from the failure of the Administrator to perform any of its duties or obligations under the Administration Agreement, as the case may be, with respect to the Trust Student Loans, the Issuer shall take all reasonable steps available to it to enforce its rights under the Basic Documents in respect of such failure.

 

(e)             As promptly as possible after the giving of notice of termination to the Servicer of the Servicer’s rights and powers, pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Servicing Agreement, or to the Administrator of the Administrator’s rights and powers, pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Administration Agreement, the Issuer shall appoint a successor servicer (the “Successor Servicer”) or a successor administrator (the “Successor Administrator”), respectively, and such Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, as the case may be, shall accept its appointment by a written assumption in a form acceptable to the Indenture Trustee.  In the event that a Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator has not been appointed and accepted its appointment at the time when the Servicer or Administrator, as the case may be, ceases to act as Servicer or Administrator, respectively, the Indenture Trustee without further action shall automatically be appointed the Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, as the case may be.  The Indenture Trustee may resign as the Successor Servicer or the Successor Administrator by giving written notice of resignation to the Issuer and in such event will be released from such duties and obligations, such release not to be effective until the date a new servicer or a new administrator, as the case may be, enters into an agreement with the Issuer as provided below; provided, however, that nothing herein shall require or permit the Indenture Trustee to act as Servicer, or otherwise service the Trust Student Loans, in violation of the Higher Education Act.  Upon delivery of any such notice to the Issuer, the Issuer shall obtain a new servicer as the Successor Servicer under the Servicing Agreement or a new administrator as the Successor Administrator under the Administration Agreement, as the case may be.  Any Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, other than the Indenture Trustee, shall (i) be an established institution (A) that satisfies any requirements of the Higher Education Act applicable to servicers and (B) whose regular business includes the servicing or administration of student loans, as the case may be, and (ii) enter into a servicing agreement or an administration agreement, respectively, with the Issuer having substantially the same provisions as the provisions of the Servicing Agreement and the Administration Agreement, as applicable.  If within 30 days after the delivery of the notice referred to above, the Issuer shall not have obtained such a new servicer or new administrator, as the case may be, the Indenture Trustee may appoint, or may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint, a Successor Servicer or Successor

 

(f)             Upon any termination of the Servicer’s rights and powers pursuant to the Servicing Agreement, or any termination of the Administrator’s rights and powers pursuant to the Administration Agreement, as the case may be, the Issuer shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency then rating the Notes.  As soon as a Successor Servicer or a Successor Administrator is appointed, the Issuer shall notify the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency then rating the Notes of such appointment, specifying in such notice the name and address of such Successor Servicer or such Successor Administrator.

 

(g)             [Reserved].

 

(h)             Without derogating from the absolute nature of the assignment granted to the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture or the rights of the Indenture Trustee hereunder, the Issuer agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders of at least a majority in Outstanding Amount of the Notes, amend, modify, supplement, terminate, waive or surrender, or agree to any amendment, modification, supplement, termination, waiver or surrender of, the terms of any Collateral or the Basic Documents, except to the extent otherwise provided in the Basic Documents, or waive timely performance or observance by the Servicer, the Administrator, the Depositor, any Excess Distribution Certificateholder, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding, the Issuer or the Eligible Lender Trustee under the Basic Documents; provided, however, that no such amendment shall (i) increase or reduce in any manner the amount of, or accelerate or delay the timing of, distributions that are required to be made for the benefit of the Noteholders, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of the Notes which are required to consent to any such amendment, without the consent of the Noteholders of all the Outstanding Notes.  If any such amendment, modification, supplement or

 

SECTION 3.8   Negative Covenants.  So long as any Notes are Outstanding, the Issuer shall not:

 

(i)               except as expressly permitted by this Indenture or any other Basic Document, sell, transfer, exchange or otherwise dispose of any of the properties or assets of the Issuer, including those included in the Indenture Trust Estate, unless directed to do so by the Indenture Trustee;

 

(ii)              claim any credit on, or make any deduction from the principal or interest payable in respect of, the Notes (other than amounts properly withheld from such payments under the Code or applicable state law) or assert any claim against any present or former Noteholder by reason of the payment of the taxes levied or assessed upon any part of the Indenture Trust Estate; or

 

(iii)             (A) permit the validity or effectiveness of this Indenture to be impaired, or permit the lien of this Indenture to be amended, hypothecated, subordinated, terminated or discharged, or permit any Person to be released from any covenants or obligations with respect to the Notes under this Indenture except as may be expressly permitted hereby, (B) permit any lien, charge, excise, claim, security interest, mortgage or other encumbrance (other than the lien of this Indenture) to be created on or extend to or otherwise arise upon or burden the Indenture Trust Estate or any part thereof or any interest therein or the proceeds thereof (other than tax liens and other liens that arise by operation of law, and other than as expressly permitted by the Basic Documents) or (C) permit the lien of this Indenture not to constitute a valid first priority (other than with respect to any such tax or other lien) security interest in the Indenture Trust Estate.

 

SECTION 3.9   Annual Statement as to Compliance.  The Issuer will deliver to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency then rating the Notes, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Issuer (commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013), an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer stating that:

 

(i)               a review of the activities of the Issuer during such year and of performance under this Indenture has been made under such Authorized Officers’ supervision; and

 

(ii)              to the best of such Authorized Officers’ knowledge, based on such review, the Issuer has complied with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the compliance of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to such Authorized Officers and the nature and status thereof.

 

 

SECTION 3.10   Issuer May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms.

 

(a)           The Issuer shall not consolidate or merge with or into any other Person, unless:

 

(i)               the Person (if other than the Issuer) formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Indenture Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and interest, if any, on all Notes and the performance or observance of every agreement and covenant of this Indenture and the other Basic Documents on the part of the Issuer to be performed or observed, all as provided herein;

 

(ii)              immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(iii)             the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such transaction;

 

(iv)             the Issuer shall have received an Opinion of Counsel (and shall have delivered copies thereof to the Indenture Trustee) to the effect that such transaction will not have any material adverse federal or Delaware state tax consequence to the Issuer or any Noteholder;

 

(v)              any action as is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this Indenture shall have been taken; and

 

(vi)             the Issuer shall have delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation or merger and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article III and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with (including any filing required by the Exchange Act).

 

(b)           The Issuer shall not convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties or assets, including those included in the Indenture Trust Estate, to any Person, unless:

 

(i)                   the Person that acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Issuer the conveyance or transfer of which is hereby restricted shall (A) be a United States citizen or a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State, (B) expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Indenture Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and interest, if any, on all Notes and the performance or observance of every agreement and covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Issuer to be performed or observed, all as provided herein, (C) expressly agree by means of such supplemental indenture that all right, title and interest so conveyed or transferred shall be subject and subordinate to the rights of Noteholders, (D) unless otherwise provided in such supplemental indenture, expressly agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Issuer against and from any loss, liability or expense arising under or related to this Indenture and the Notes and (E) expressly agree by means of such supplemental indenture that such Person (or if a group of Persons, then one specified Person) shall make all filings with the Commission (and any other appropriate Person) required by the Exchange Act in connection with the Notes;

 

 

(ii)                   immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(iii)                   the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such transaction;

 

(iv)                   the Issuer shall have received an Opinion of Counsel (and shall have delivered copies thereof to the Indenture Trustee) to the effect that such transaction will not have any material adverse federal or Delaware state tax consequence to the Issuer or any Noteholder;

 

(v)                   any action as is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this Indenture shall have been taken; and

 

(vi)                   the Issuer shall have delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article III and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with (including any filing required by the Exchange Act).

 

SECTION 3.11   Successor or Transferee.  (a)  Upon any consolidation or merger of the Issuer in accordance with Section 3.10(a), the Person formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Issuer under this Indenture with the same effect as if such Person had been named as the Issuer herein.

 

(b)           Upon a conveyance or transfer of all the assets and properties of the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.10(b), SLM Student Loan Trust 2013-6 will be released from every covenant and agreement of this Indenture to be observed or performed on the part of the Issuer with respect to the Notes immediately upon the delivery by the Issuer of written notice to the Indenture Trustee stating that SLM Student Loan Trust 2013-6 is to be so released.

 

SECTION 3.12   No Other Business.  The Issuer shall not engage in any business other than financing, purchasing, owning, selling and managing the Trust Student Loans and the other assets of the Issuer and related proceeds thereof, in the manner contemplated by this Indenture and the other Basic Documents and activities incidental thereto.

 

SECTION 3.13   No Borrowing.  The Issuer shall not issue, incur, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable, directly or indirectly, for any indebtedness except for the Notes.

 

SECTION 3.14   Obligations of Servicer and Administrator.  The Issuer shall cause the Servicer to comply with Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the Administration Agreement and Section 3.7 of the Servicing Agreement and the Administrator to comply with Sections 2.11, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the Administration Agreement.

SECTION 3.15   Guarantees, Loans, Advances and Other Liabilities.   Except as contemplated by this Indenture and the other Basic Documents, the Issuer shall not make any loan or advance or credit to, or guarantee (directly or indirectly or by an instrument having the effect of assuring another’s payment or performance on any obligation or capability of so doing or otherwise), endorse or otherwise become contingently liable, directly or indirectly, in connection with the obligations, stocks or dividends of, or own, purchase, repurchase or acquire (or agree contingently to do so) any stock, obligations, assets or securities of, or any other interest in, or make any capital contribution to, any other Person.

 

SECTION 3.16   Capital Expenditures.  The Issuer shall not make any expenditure (by long-term or operating lease or otherwise) for capital assets (either realty or personalty).

 

SECTION 3.17   Restricted Payments.  The Issuer shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) pay any dividend or make any distribution (by reduction of capital or otherwise), whether in cash, property, securities or a combination thereof, to the Eligible Lender Trustee or any owner of a beneficial interest in the Issuer or otherwise with respect to any ownership or equity interest or security in or of the Issuer or to the Servicer or the Administrator, (ii) redeem, purchase, retire or otherwise acquire for value any such ownership or equity interest or security or (iii) set aside or otherwise segregate any amounts for any such purpose; provided, however, that the Issuer may make, or cause to be made, distributions to the Servicer, the Eligible Lender Trustee, the Indenture Trustee, the Noteholders, the Administrator, the Depositor and the Excess Distribution Certificateholder as contemplated by, and to the extent funds are available for such purpose under, this Indenture and the other Basic Documents.  The Issuer will not, directly or indirectly, make payments to or distributions from the Collection Account or any other Trust Account except in accordance with this Indenture and the other Basic Documents.

 

SECTION 3.18   Notice of Events of Default.  The Issuer shall give the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes prompt written notice of each Event of Default hereunder and each default on the part of (i) the Depositor of its obligations under the Sale Agreement, (ii) SLM ECFC of its obligations under the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, (iii) Bluemont Funding of its obligations under the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, (iv) Town Center Funding of its obligations under the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, (v) Town Hall Funding of its obligations under the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, (vi) SLM National Funding of its obligations under the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement, (vii) VL Funding of its obligations under the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, (viii) the Servicer of its obligations under the Servicing Agreement and (ix) the Administrator of its obligations under the Administration Agreement.  In addition, the Issuer shall deliver to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency then rating the Notes, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer of any event which with the giving of notice and the lapse of time would become an Event of Default under Section 5.1(iii), its status and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 3.19   Further Instruments and Acts.  Upon request of the Indenture Trustee, the Issuer will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out more effectively the purpose of this Indenture.

 

SECTION 3.20   Representations and Warranties.  The Issuer and, with respect to clause (e) only, the Eligible Lender Trustee represent and warrant to the Indenture Trustee that, as of the Closing Date:

 

(a)            this Indenture creates a valid and continuing security interest (as defined in the applicable UCC) in the Trust Student Loans in favor of the Indenture Trustee, which security interest is prior to all other security interests, liens, charges, claims, offsets, defenses, counterclaims or encumbrances, and is enforceable as such as against creditors of and purchasers from the Issuer and Eligible Lender Trustee;

 

(b)            the Trust Student Loans constitute “Accounts” within the meaning of the applicable UCC and are within the coverage of Section 432(m)(1)(E) and 439(d)(3) of the Higher Education Act;

 

(c)            the Issuer has caused or will have caused, within 30 days, the filing of all appropriate financing statements in the proper filing office in the appropriate jurisdictions under applicable law in order to perfect the security interest in the Trust Student Loans granted to the Indenture Trustee hereunder;

 

(d)            the Eligible Lender Trustee owns and has legal title to the Trust Student Loans which, except for the beneficial interest of the Issuer and any obligations created pursuant to this Indenture, are free and clear of any Lien, claim or encumbrance of any Person; and

 

(e)            other than the security interest granted to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Agreement, the Eligible Lender Trustee has not pledged, assigned, sold, granted a security interest in, or otherwise conveyed any interest in the Trust Student Loans. The Trust has not authorized the filing of and is not aware of any financing statements against the Eligible Lender Trustee that include a description of collateral covering the Trust Student Loans other than any financing statements relating to the beneficial interest of the Issuer and the security interest granted to the Indenture Trustee hereunder or that has been terminated.  The Trust is not aware of any judgment or tax lien filings against the Trust.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

 

SECTION 4.1   Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.  This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to the Notes except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes, (iii) rights of Noteholders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, (iv) Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8, 3.10, 3.12 and 3.13, (v) the rights, obligations and immunities of the Indenture Trustee hereunder (including, without limitation, the rights of the Indenture Trustee under Section 6.7 and the obligations of the Indenture Trustee under Section 4.2) and (vi) the rights of Noteholders

 

(a)            either

 

(1)           all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Notes that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.5 and (ii) Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 3.3) have been delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(2)           all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation:

 

(i)           have become due and payable,

 

(ii)          will become due and payable at their respective Note Final Maturity Date, within one year, or

 

(iii)         are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Indenture Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer, and the Issuer, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Indenture Trustee cash or direct obligations of or obligations guaranteed by the United States of America (which will mature prior to the date such amounts are payable), in trust for such purpose, in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Notes not theretofore delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation when due to the related Note Final Maturity Date;

 

(b)             the Issuer has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Issuer; and

 

(c)             the Issuer has delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer, an Opinion of Counsel and (if required by the TIA or the Indenture Trustee) an Independent Certificate from a firm of certified public accountants, each meeting the applicable requirements of Section 11.1(a) and, subject to Section 11.2, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

 

SECTION 4.2   Application of Trust Money.  All moneys deposited with the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent, as the Indenture Trustee may determine, to the Noteholders of the particular Notes for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Indenture Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest; but such moneys need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required herein or in the Administration Agreement or required by law.

SECTION 4.3   Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent.   In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Notes, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent other than the Indenture Trustee under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such Notes shall, upon demand of the Issuer, be paid to the Indenture Trustee to be held and applied according to Section 3.3 and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

 

SECTION 4.4   Auction of Trust Student Loans.  On the date (the “Trust Auction Date”) that is three Business Days prior to the Distribution Date immediately following the end of the first Collection Period when the Pool Balance is equal to 10% or less of the Initial Pool Balance, any Trust Student Loans remaining in the Trust may, and at the written direction of either the Administrator or Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of all of the Notes shall, be offered for sale by the Indenture Trustee unless the Servicer has exercised its option to purchase the Trust Estate as described in Section 6.1(a) of the Administration Agreement with respect to such Distribution Date.  The Servicer will be deemed to have waived such option if it fails to notify the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Indenture Trustee of its exercise thereof in writing prior to the Indenture Trustee’s acceptance of a bid to purchase such Trust Student Loans; provided, however, that there shall be no such offer for sale if the Indenture Trustee fails to provide notice to the Servicer in accordance with this Section 4.4.  The Indenture Trustee shall provide written notice to the Servicer of any such offer for sale at least five (5) Business Days in advance of the Trust Auction Date.  The Indenture Trustee shall permit the Depositor or any of its Affiliates, including SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding and the Servicer, to offer bids only if the Pool Balance as of the applicable Trust Auction Date is equal to 10% or less of the Initial Pool Balance, and such bid does not exceed the fair market value of the Trust Student Loans as of the Trust Auction Date.  If the auction is conducted and at least two bids are received, the Indenture Trustee shall solicit and resolicit new bids from all participating bidders until only one bid remains or the remaining bidders decline to resubmit bids.  The Indenture Trustee shall accept the highest remaining bid if it is equal to or in excess of both (i) the Minimum Purchase Amount (plus any amounts owed to the Servicer for any Carryover Servicing Fees of which the Servicer has advised the Indenture Trustee in writing) and (ii) the fair market value of such Trust Student Loans as of the end of the Collection Period immediately preceding the Trust Auction Date.  If at least two bids are not received or the highest bid after the resolicitation process is completed is not equal to or in excess of the higher of (i) the Minimum Purchase Amount (plus any amounts owed to the Servicer for any Carryover Servicing Fees of which the Servicer has advised the Indenture Trustee in writing) and (ii) the fair market value of the Trust Student Loans, the Indenture Trustee shall not consummate such sale.  The Indenture Trustee may consult, and, at the direction (and at the sole cost and expense) of the Administrator, shall consult, with a financial advisor, including an Underwriter of the Notes or the Administrator, to determine if the fair market value of the Trust Student Loans has been offered.  The proceeds of any such sale will be paid at the time set forth in Section 2.6 of the Administration Agreement and applied in the order of priority set forth in Section 5.4(b).  If the sale is not consummated in accordance with the foregoing, the Indenture Trustee may, and at the written direction of either the Administrator or Noteholders of at least a majority of the

 

ARTICLE V

 

 

SECTION 5.1   Events of Default.  “Event of Default,” wherever used herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(i)           default in the payment of any interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and such default shall continue for a period of five Business Days; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, failure to pay interest on the Class B Notes due to insufficient Available Funds shall not be an Event of Default so long as the Class A Notes are then Outstanding; or

 

(ii)          default in the payment of the principal of any Note when the same becomes due and payable on the related Note Final Maturity Date; or

 

(iii)         default in the observance or performance of any covenant or agreement of the Issuer made in this Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement, a default in the observance or performance of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), or any representation or warranty of the Issuer made in this Indenture or in any certificate or other writing having been incorrect in any material respect as of the time when made, such default or breach having a material adverse effect on the holders of the Notes, and such default or breach shall continue or not be cured, or the circumstance or condition in respect of which such representation or warranty was incorrect shall not have been eliminated or otherwise cured, for a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Issuer by the Indenture Trustee or to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee by the Noteholders of at least 25% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, a written notice specifying such default or incorrect representation or warranty and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a notice of Default hereunder; or

 

(iv)         the filing of a decree or order for relief by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in respect of the Issuer or any substantial part of the Indenture Trust Estate in an involuntary case under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or for any substantial part of the Indenture Trust Estate, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer’s affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

 

(v)          the commencement by the Issuer of a voluntary case under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or the consent by the Issuer to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or the consent by the Issuer to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or for any substantial part of the Indenture Trust Estate, or the making by the Issuer of any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the failure by the Issuer generally to pay its debts as such debts become due, or the taking of action by the Issuer in furtherance of any of the foregoing.

 

SECTION 5.2   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.  If an Event of Default should occur and be continuing, then and in every such case the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders representing at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes may declare all the Notes to be immediately due and payable, by a notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Indenture Trustee if given by Noteholders), and upon any such declaration the unpaid principal amount of such Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon through the date of acceleration, shall become immediately due and payable, subject, however, to Section 5.4 of this Indenture.

 

At any time after such declaration of acceleration of maturity has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Indenture Trustee as hereinafter in this Article V provided, the Noteholders of Notes representing at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, by written notice to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

 

(i)                   the Issuer has paid or deposited with the Indenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

 

(a)           all payments of principal of and interest on all Notes and all other amounts that would then be due hereunder or upon such Notes if the Event of Default giving rise to such acceleration had not occurred; and

 

(b)           all sums paid or advanced by the Indenture Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee and its agents and counsel; and

 

(ii)                   all Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of the Notes that has become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.12.

 

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereto.

 

SECTION 5.3   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Indenture Trustee.  The Issuer covenants that if (i) Default is made in the payment of any interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and such Default continues for a period of five days, or (ii) Default is made in the payment of the principal of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at the related Note Final Maturity Date, the Issuer shall, upon demand of the Indenture Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Noteholders, the whole amount then due and payable on such Notes for principal and interest, with interest upon the overdue principal, and, to the extent payment at such rate of interest shall be legally enforceable, upon overdue installments of interest, at the rate specified in Section 2.7 and in addition thereto such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee and its agents and counsel.

 

 

(a)             In case the Issuer shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Indenture Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a Proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such Proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Issuer or other obligor upon such Notes and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer or other obligor upon such Notes, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.

 

(b)             If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, as more particularly provided in Section 5.4, in its discretion, proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Noteholders by such appropriate Proceedings as the Indenture Trustee shall deem most effective to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy or legal or equitable right vested in the Indenture Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

 

(c)             In case there shall be pending, relative to the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes or any Person having or claiming an ownership interest in the Indenture Trust Estate, Proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Issuer or its property or such other obligor or Person, or in case of any other, comparable judicial Proceedings relative to the Issuer or other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer or such other obligor, the Indenture Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of any Notes shall then be due and payable, as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Indenture Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise:

 

(i)                   to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Notes and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee (including any claim for reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee, and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee, except as a result of negligence or bad faith) and of the Noteholders allowed in such Proceedings;

 

 

(ii)                  unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations, to vote on behalf of the Noteholders in any election of a trustee, a standby trustee or Person performing similar functions in any such Proceedings;

 

(iii)                 to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute all amounts received with respect to the claims of the Noteholders and the Indenture Trustee on their behalf; and

 

(iv)                 to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders allowed in any judicial Proceedings relative to the Issuer, its creditors and its property;

 

and any trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official in any such Proceeding is hereby authorized by the Noteholders to make payments to the Indenture Trustee, and, in the event that the Indenture Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to such Noteholders to pay to the Indenture Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor Indenture Trustee and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith.

 

(d)            Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Indenture Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of any Noteholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Noteholder thereof or to authorize the Indenture Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Noteholder in any such proceeding except, as aforesaid, to vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar Person.

 

(e)            All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Indenture Trustee without the possession of any of the Notes or the production thereof in any trial or other Proceedings relative thereto, and any such action or Proceedings instituted by the Indenture Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses, disbursements and compensation of the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor Indenture Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the ratable benefit of the Noteholders.

 

(f)            In any Proceedings brought by the Indenture Trustee (and also any Proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Indenture Trustee shall be a party), the Indenture Trustee shall be held to represent all the Noteholders, and it shall not be necessary to make any Noteholder a party to any such Proceedings.

 

SECTION 5.4   Remedies; Priorities.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, or, upon the written instruction of the Noteholders of 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, shall, do one or more of the following (subject to Section 5.5):

(a)           (i)             institute Proceedings in its own name and as trustee of an express trust for the collection of all amounts then payable on the Notes or under this Indenture with respect thereto, whether by declaration or otherwise, enforce any judgment obtained, and collect from the Issuer and any other obligor upon such Notes moneys adjudged due;

 

(ii)            institute Proceedings from time to time for the complete or partial foreclosure of this Indenture, with respect to the Indenture Trust Estate;

 

(iii)           exercise any remedies of a secured party under the UCC with respect to the Trust Estate and take any other appropriate action to protect and enforce the rights and remedies of the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders;

 

(iv)           sell the Indenture Trust Estate or any portion thereof or rights or interest therein, at one or more public or private sales called and conducted in any manner permitted by law; and/or

 

(v)            elect to have the Eligible Lender Trustee maintain ownership of the Trust Student Loans and continue to apply collections with respect to the Trust Student Loans as if there had been no declaration of acceleration;

 

provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee may not sell or otherwise liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate following an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default described in Section 5.1(i) or (ii) with respect to the Class A Notes, unless (A) the Noteholders of 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Class A Notes consent thereto, (B) the proceeds of such sale or liquidation distributable to the Class A Noteholders are sufficient to discharge in full all amounts then due and unpaid upon such Class A Notes for principal and interest or (C) the Indenture Trustee determines that the Indenture Trust Estate will not continue to provide sufficient funds for the payment of principal of and interest on the Class A Notes as would have become due if the Class A Notes had not been declared due and payable, and the Indenture Trustee obtains the consent of Noteholders of 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Amount of the Class A Notes; provided, further, that the Indenture Trustee may not sell or otherwise liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate following an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default described in Section 5.1(i) or (ii) with respect to the Class A Notes, unless (D) the proceeds of such sale or liquidation distributable to the Class B Noteholders plus the proceeds of the sale or liquidation of the Trust Estate distributable to the Class B Noteholders are sufficient to pay to the Class B Noteholders the Outstanding Amount of the Class B Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon or (E) if the proceeds of such sale or liquidation distributable to the Class B Noteholders plus the proceeds of the sale or liquidation of the Trust Estate distributable to the Class B Noteholders would not be sufficient to pay to the Class B Noteholders the Outstanding Amount plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, the Class B Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Class B Notes consent thereto.  In determining such sufficiency or insufficiency with respect to clauses (B), (C), (D) and (E), the Indenture Trustee may, but need not, obtain and rely upon an opinion of an Independent investment banking or accounting firm of national reputation as to the feasibility of such proposed action and as to the sufficiency of the Indenture Trust Estate and/or Trust Estate, as applicable, for such purpose.

 

 

(b)             Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.8 of the Administration Agreement, following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default which has resulted in an acceleration of the Notes, if the Indenture Trustee collects any money or property, it shall pay out, on each Distribution Date, the money or property (and other amounts including amounts, if any, held on deposit in each of the Trust Accounts) held as Collateral for the benefit of the Noteholders, net of liquidation costs associated with the sale of the assets of the Trust, in the following order:

 

FIRST:              pro rata, to the Indenture Trustee, for annual fees and any other amounts due and owing under Section 6.7, and to the Eligible Lender Trustee and Delaware Trustee, for annual fees and any other amounts due and owing under Sections 8.1 and 8.3 of the Trust Agreement (but, in each case, only to the extent not paid by the Administrator or the Depositor);

SECOND:         to the Servicer for due and unpaid Primary Servicing Fees;

 

THIRD:             to the Administrator, any due and unpaid Administration Fees;

 

SIXTH:              to the Class B Noteholders, the Class B Noteholders’ Interest Distribution Amount;

 

SEVENTH:        to the Class B Noteholders an amount sufficient to reduce the Outstanding Amount of the Class B Notes to zero;

 

EIGHTH:           to the Servicer, for any unpaid Carryover Servicing Fees; and

 

NINTH:             to the Excess Distribution Certificateholder, any remaining funds after application of the preceding clauses.

 

Following liquidation of the Indenture Trust Estate in accordance with Section 5.4(a) above, the Indenture Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Noteholders pursuant to this subsection (b).  At least 15 days before such record date, the Indenture Trustee shall mail to each Noteholder and the Issuer a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount to be paid.

 

(c)           [Reserved].

 

SECTION 5.5   Optional Preservation of the Trust Student Loans.  If the Notes have been declared to be due and payable under Section 5.2 following an Event of Default and such declaration and its consequences have not been rescinded and annulled, the Indenture Trustee may, but need not, elect to maintain possession of the Indenture Trust Estate.  It is the desire of the parties hereto and the Noteholders that there be at all times sufficient funds for the

 

SECTION 5.6   Limitation of Suits.  No Noteholder shall have any right to institute any Proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

(i)            such Noteholder has previously given written notice to the Indenture Trustee of a continuing Event of Default;

 

(ii)           the Noteholders of not less than 25% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes have made written request to the Indenture Trustee to institute such Proceeding in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Indenture Trustee hereunder;

 

(iii)          such Noteholder or Noteholders have offered to the Indenture Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in complying with such request;

 

(iv)          the Indenture Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute such Proceeding; and

 

(v)           no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Indenture Trustee during such 60-day period by the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes;

 

it being understood and intended that no one or more Noteholders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Noteholders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Noteholders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided.

 

In the event the Indenture Trustee shall receive conflicting or inconsistent requests and indemnity from two or more groups of Noteholders, each representing less than a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the Indenture Trustee in its sole discretion may determine what action, if any, shall be taken, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture.

 

SECTION 5.7   Unconditional Rights of Noteholders to Receive Principal and Interest.  Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Indenture, each Noteholder shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest on its Note on or after the respective due dates thereof expressed in such Note or in this Indenture (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Noteholder.

 

 

SECTION 5.8   Restoration of Rights and Remedies.  If the Indenture Trustee or any Noteholder has instituted any Proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such Proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason or has been determined adversely to the Indenture Trustee or to such Noteholder, then and in every such case the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders shall, subject to any determination in such Proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders shall continue as though no such Proceeding had been instituted.

 

SECTION 5.9   Rights and Remedies Cumulative.  No right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Indenture Trustee or to the Noteholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.  The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

SECTION 5.10   Delay or Omission Not a Waiver.  No delay or omission of the Indenture Trustee or any Noteholder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Default or an acquiescence therein.  Every right and remedy given by this Article V or by law to the Indenture Trustee or to the Noteholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Indenture Trustee or by the Noteholders, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 5.11   Control by Noteholders.  The Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any Proceeding for any remedy available to the Indenture Trustee with respect to the Notes or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Indenture Trustee; provided that

 

(i)             such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture;

 

(ii)            subject to the express terms of Section 5.4, any direction to the Indenture Trustee to sell or liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate shall be by the Noteholders of not less than 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes;

 

(iii)           if the conditions set forth in Section 5.5 have been satisfied and the Indenture Trustee elects to retain the Indenture Trust Estate pursuant to such Section, then any direction to the Indenture Trustee by Noteholders of less than 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes to sell or liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate shall be of no force and effect; and

 

(iv)           the Indenture Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Indenture Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction;

 

provided, however, that, subject to Section 6.1, the Indenture Trustee need not take any action that it determines might involve it in liability or might materially adversely affect the rights of any Noteholders not consenting to such action.

 

 

SECTION 5.12   Waiver of Past Defaults.  Prior to the time a judgment or decree for payment of money due has been obtained, as described in Section 5.2, the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes may waive any past Default and its consequences except a Default (a) in payment when due of principal of or interest on any of the Notes or (b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each Noteholder.  In the case of any such waiver, the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

 

Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist and be deemed to have been cured and not to have occurred for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

 

SECTION 5.13   Undertaking for Costs.  All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Noteholder by such Noteholder’s acceptance of any Note shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Indenture Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Indenture Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to (a) any suit instituted by the Indenture Trustee, (b) any suit instituted by any Noteholder, or group of Noteholders, in each case holding in the aggregate more than 10% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes or (c) any suit instituted by any Noteholder for the enforcement of the payment of principal of or interest on any Note on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note and in this Indenture (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

 

SECTION 5.14   Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.  The Issuer covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead or in any manner whatsoever, claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Issuer (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Indenture Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

SECTION 5.15   Action on Notes.  The Indenture Trustee’s right to seek and recover judgment on the Notes or under this Indenture shall not be affected by the seeking, obtaining or application of any other relief under or with respect to this Indenture.  Neither the lien of this Indenture nor any rights or remedies of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders shall be impaired by the recovery of any judgment by the Indenture Trustee against the Issuer or by the levy of any execution under such judgment upon any portion of the Indenture Trust Estate or upon any of the assets of the Issuer.  Any money or property collected by the Indenture Trustee shall be applied in accordance with Section 5.4(b).

 

SECTION 5.16   Performance and Enforcement of Certain Obligations.

 

(a)           Promptly following a request from the Indenture Trustee to do so and at the Administrator’s expense, the Issuer shall take all such lawful action as the Indenture Trustee may request to compel or secure the performance and observance by the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding, the Administrator and the Servicer, as applicable, of each of their respective obligations to the Issuer, whether directly or by assignment, under or in connection with the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement, the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms thereof, and to exercise any and all rights, remedies, powers and privileges lawfully available to the Issuer under or in connection with the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement, the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, as the case may be, to the extent and in the manner directed by the Indenture Trustee, including the transmission of notices of default on the part of the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer thereunder and the institution of legal or administrative actions or proceedings to compel or secure performance by the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer of each of their obligations under the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement, the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, as the case may be.

 

(b)           If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, and at the written direction of the Noteholders of 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes shall, exercise all rights, remedies, powers, privileges and claims of the Issuer against the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer under or in connection with the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement, the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, as the case may be, including the right or power to take any action to compel or secure performance or observance by the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, SLM National Funding, VL Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer of each of their obligations to the Issuer thereunder, whether directly or by assignment, and to give any consent, request, notice, direction, approval, extension or waiver under the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the SLM National Funding Purchase Agreement, the VL Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, as the case may be, and any right of the Issuer to take such action shall be suspended.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

 

SECTION 6.1   Duties of Indenture Trustee.  (a)  If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

 

(b)           Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

 

(i)              the Indenture Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Indenture Trustee; and

 

(ii)             in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Indenture Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Indenture Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

 

(c)           The Indenture Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

(i)              this paragraph (c) does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section;

 

(ii)             the Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer unless it is proved that the Indenture Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

 

(iii)            the Indenture Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction of the Noteholders received by it pursuant to Section 5.11.

 

(d)           The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Indenture Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer.

 

(e)            Money held in trust by the Indenture Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law or the terms of this Indenture or the other Basic Documents.

 

(f)            No provision of this Indenture shall require the Indenture Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayments of such funds or adequate indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense is not reasonably assured to it.

 

(g)             Except as expressly provided in the Basic Documents, the Indenture Trustee shall have no obligation to administer, service or collect the Trust Student Loans or to maintain, monitor or otherwise supervise the administration, servicing or collection of the Trust Student Loans.

 

(h)            In the event that the Indenture Trustee is the Paying Agent or the Note Registrar, the rights and protections afforded to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Indenture shall also be afforded to the Indenture Trustee in its capacity as Paying Agent or Note Registrar.

 

(i)            Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Indenture Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section and to the provisions of the TIA.

 

(j)             For so long as reports are required to be filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act with respect to the Issuer, on or before March 1 of each calendar year, commencing in 2014, the Indenture Trustee shall deliver to the Issuer and the Administrator a report (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrator, acting on behalf of the Issuer) regarding the Indenture Trustee’s assessment of compliance with the Applicable Servicing Criteria during the immediately preceding calendar year, as required under Rules 13a-18 and 15d-18 of the Exchange Act and Item 1122 of Regulation AB.  Such report shall be addressed to the Issuer and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Indenture Trustee, and shall address the Applicable Servicing Criteria specified on a certification substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.

 

SECTION 6.2   Rights of Indenture Trustee.  (a)  The Indenture Trustee may rely on any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person.  The Indenture Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in such document.

 

(b)            Before the Indenture Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require and shall be entitled to receive an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer and/or an Opinion of Counsel.  The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

 

(c)            The Indenture Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys or a custodian or nominee (each, an “Agent Party”), provided that the Indenture Trustee shall be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of, or for the supervision of, any such Agent Party appointed with due care by it hereunder and shall remain so responsible until such time as (i) the Indenture Trustee shall have received the written consent of each Rating Agency then rating the Notes with respect to the appointment of any such Agent Party prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 5.1, or (ii) the occurrence of an Event of Default (other than the

 

(d)             The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith.

 

(e)             The Indenture Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture and the Notes shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

(f)             Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture or any related documents to the contrary, in no event shall the Indenture Trustee or any of its directors, officers, agents or employees be liable under this Indenture or any related documents for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Indenture Trustee or any of its directors, officers, agents or employees has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

SECTION 6.3   Individual Rights of Indenture Trustee.  The Indenture Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Indenture Trustee.  Any Paying Agent, Note Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights.  However, the Indenture Trustee must comply with Sections 6.11 and 6.12.

 

SECTION 6.4   Indenture Trustee’s Disclaimer.  The Indenture Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Issuer in the Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Indenture Trustee’s certificate of authentication.

 

SECTION 6.5   Notice of Defaults.  If a Default occurs and is continuing and if it is either actually known or written notice of the existence thereof has been delivered to a Responsible Officer of the Indenture Trustee, the Indenture Trustee shall mail notice of the Default to each Noteholder within 90 days and to each Rating Agency then rating the Notes as soon as practicable within 30 days after it occurs.  Except in the case of a Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Note (including payments pursuant to the mandatory redemption provisions of such Note), the Indenture Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Noteholders.  Except as provided in the first sentence of this Section 6.5, in no event shall the Indenture Trustee be deemed to have knowledge of a Default or an Event of Default.

SECTION 6.6   Reports by Indenture Trustee to Noteholders.  The Indenture Trustee shall deliver to each Noteholder (and to each Person who was a Noteholder at any time during the applicable calendar year) such information as may be required to enable such holder to prepare its federal and state income tax returns.  Within 60 days after each December 31 beginning with the December 31 following the date of this Indenture, the Indenture Trustee shall mail to each Noteholder a brief report as of such December 31 that complies with TIA § 313(a) if required by said section.  The Indenture Trustee shall also comply with TIA § 313(b).  A copy of each such report required pursuant to TIA § 313(a) or (b) shall, at the time of such transaction to Noteholders, be filed by the Indenture Trustee with the Commission and with each securities exchange, if any, upon which the Notes are listed, provided that the Issuer has previously notified the Indenture Trustee of such listing.

 

SECTION 6.7   Compensation and Indemnity.  The Issuer shall cause the Depositor to pay to the Indenture Trustee reasonable compensation for its services in accordance with a separate agreement between the Depositor and the Indenture Trustee and shall cause the Depositor to reimburse the Indenture Trustee for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it as provided in such separate agreement.  The Indenture Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust.  The Issuer shall cause the Administrator to indemnify the Indenture Trustee and its directors, officers, employees and agents against any and all loss, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by it in connection with the administration of this trust and the performance of its duties hereunder and under the other Basic Documents.  The Indenture Trustee shall notify the Issuer and the Administrator promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity.  Failure by the Indenture Trustee to so notify the Issuer and the Administrator shall not relieve the Issuer or the Administrator of its obligations hereunder and under the other Basic Documents.  The Issuer shall cause the Administrator to defend the claim and the Administrator shall not be liable for the legal fees and expenses of the Indenture Trustee after it has assumed such defense; provided, however, that, in the event that there may be a conflict between the positions of the Indenture Trustee and the Administrator in conducting the defense of such claim, the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to separate counsel acceptable to it in its sole discretion the reasonable fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Administrator on behalf of the Issuer.  Neither the Issuer nor the Administrator need reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Indenture Trustee through the Indenture Trustee’s own willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith.

 

The Issuer’s payment obligations to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Section shall survive the discharge of this Indenture.  When the Indenture Trustee incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section 5.1(iv) or (v) with respect to the Issuer, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law.

 

SECTION 6.8   Replacement of Indenture Trustee.  No resignation or removal of the Indenture Trustee and no appointment of a successor Indenture Trustee shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.8.  The Indenture Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Issuer.  The Noteholders of at least a majority in Outstanding Amount of the Notes may remove the Indenture Trustee by so notifying the Indenture Trustee and may appoint a successor Indenture Trustee.  The Issuer shall remove the Indenture Trustee if:

 

(i)            the Indenture Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.11;

 

(ii)           an Insolvency Event occurs with respect to the Indenture Trustee;

 

(iii)          a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Indenture Trustee or its property; or

 

(iv)          the Indenture Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.

 

If the Indenture Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Indenture Trustee for any reason (the Indenture Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Indenture Trustee), the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Indenture Trustee.

 

A successor Indenture Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Indenture Trustee and to the Issuer.  Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Indenture Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Indenture Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture.  The successor Indenture Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Noteholders.  The retiring Indenture Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Indenture Trustee to the successor Indenture Trustee.

 

If a successor Indenture Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Indenture Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Indenture Trustee, the Issuer or the Noteholders of at least a majority in Outstanding Amount of the Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Indenture Trustee.  The successor Indenture Trustee shall give notice of its appointment as successor Indenture Trustee to the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes.

 

If the Indenture Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.11, any Noteholder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Indenture Trustee and the appointment of a successor Indenture Trustee.

 

Notwithstanding the replacement of the Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Issuer’s and the Administrator’s obligations under Section 6.7 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Indenture Trustee.

 

SECTION 6.9   Successor Indenture Trustee by Merger.  If the Indenture Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Indenture Trustee, provided that such corporation or banking association shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under Section 6.11.  The Indenture Trustee shall provide prior written notice of any such transaction to the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes.

 

In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Indenture Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Indenture Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Indenture Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Indenture Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Indenture Trustee shall have.

 

SECTION 6.10   Appointment of Co-Trustee or Separate Trustee.

 

(a)            Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, at any time, for the purpose of meeting any legal requirement of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Indenture Trust Estate may at the time be located, the Indenture Trustee shall have the power and may execute and deliver all instruments to appoint one or more Persons to act as a co-trustee or co-trustees, or separate trustee or separate trustees, of all or any part of the Indenture Trust Estate, and to vest in such Person or Persons, in such capacity and for the benefit of the Noteholders, such title to the Indenture Trust Estate, or any part hereof, and, subject to the other provisions of this Section, such powers, duties, obligations, rights and trusts as the Indenture Trustee may consider necessary or desirable.  No such appointment shall relieve the Indenture Trustee of its obligations hereunder.  No co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be required to meet the terms of eligibility as a successor trustee under Section 6.11 and no notice to Noteholders of the appointment of any co-trustee or separate trustee shall be required under Section 6.8 hereof.

 

(b)            Every separate trustee and co-trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, be appointed and act subject to the following provisions and conditions:

 

(i)                   all rights, powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed upon the Indenture Trustee shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Indenture Trustee and such separate trustee or co-trustee jointly (it being understood that such separate trustee or co-trustee is not authorized to act separately without the Indenture Trustee joining in such act), except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act or acts are to be performed the Indenture Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act or acts, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations (including the holding of title to the Indenture Trust Estate or any portion thereof in any such jurisdiction) shall be exercised and performed singly by such separate trustee or co-trustee, but solely at the direction of the Indenture Trustee;

 

 

(ii)                  no trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of any other trustee hereunder; and

 

(iii)                 the Indenture Trustee may at any time accept the resignation of or remove any separate trustee or co-trustee.

 

(c)            Any notice, request or other writing given to the Indenture Trustee shall be deemed to have been given to each of the then separate trustees and co-trustees, as effectively as if given to each of them.  Every instrument appointing any separate trustee or co-trustee shall refer to this Indenture and the conditions of this Article VI.  Each separate trustee and co-trustee, upon its acceptance of the trusts conferred, shall be vested with the estates or property specified in its instrument of appointment, either jointly with the Indenture Trustee or separately, as may be provided therein, subject to all the provisions of this Indenture, specifically including every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct of, affecting the liability of, or affording protection to, the Indenture Trustee.  Every such instrument shall be filed with the Indenture Trustee.

 

(d)            Any separate trustee or co-trustee may at any time constitute the Indenture Trustee, its agent or attorney-in-fact with full power and authority, to the extent not prohibited by law, to do any lawful act under or in respect of this Indenture on its behalf and in its name.  If any separate trustee or co-trustee shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all of its estates, properties, rights, remedies and trusts shall vest in and be exercised by the Indenture Trustee, to the extent permitted by law, without the appointment of a new or successor trustee.

 

SECTION 6.11   Eligibility; Disqualification.  (a) The Indenture Trustee shall at all times satisfy the requirements of TIA § 310(a), the requirements of an “eligible lender” under 20 USC § 1085(d) and the requirements of Rule 3a-7(a)(4)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.  The Indenture Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition and it shall have a long-term senior unsecured debt rating of not less than investment grade by each of the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes.  The Indenture Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b), including the optional provision permitted by the second sentence of TIA § 310(b)(9); provided, however, that there shall be excluded from the operation of TIA § 310(b)(1) any indenture or indentures under which other securities of the Issuer are outstanding if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in TIA § 310(b)(1) are met.

 

(b)           Within ninety (90) days after ascertaining the occurrence of an event under Section 6.8 of this Indenture that would result in the removal of the Indenture Trustee which shall not have been cured or waived, unless authorized by the TIA or the Commission, the Indenture Trustee shall resign with respect to the Notes in accordance with Section 6.8 of this Indenture, and the Issuer shall appoint a successor Indenture Trustee for the Notes.

 

SECTION 6.12   Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer.  The Indenture Trustee shall comply with TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b).  An Indenture Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated.

SECTION 6.13   Rule 15Ga-1 Information.  The Indenture Trustee shall provide prompt notice to the Depositor and the Administrator (each, an “SLM Party,” and together, the “SLM Parties”) of all demands or requests received by the Indenture Trustee for the repurchase or replacement of any Trust Student Loan for breach of the representations and warranties concerning such Trust Student Loan.  If any such demand or request is made in non-written form, the Indenture Trustee shall request that such demand be put into writing; provided, however, the Indenture Trustee shall notify the SLM Parties regardless of whether any such demand or request is made in writing.  The obligations of the Indenture Trustee under the first two sentences of this Section 6.13 to notify the SLM Parties of any such demand or request made in non-written form shall not be applicable during such time as the interpretations of the requirements of the Repurchase Rules and Regulations (as defined below) require reporting by the SLM Parties of only demands or requests in written form.  The Indenture Trustee shall, upon written request of either SLM Party, provide notification to the SLM Parties regarding any actions taken by the Indenture Trustee with respect to any such demand or request received by the Indenture Trustee in respect of any Trust Student Loan, such notifications to be provided by the Indenture Trustee as soon as practicable and in any event within five Business Days of receipt by the Indenture Trustee of such written request or demand from an SLM Party or such other time frame as may be mutually agreed to by the Indenture Trustee and the applicable SLM Party.  The Indenture Trustee and the Issuer acknowledge and agree that the purpose of this Section 6.13 is to facilitate compliance by the SLM Parties with Rule 15Ga-1 under the Exchange Act, and Items 1104(e) and 1121(c) of Regulation AB (the “Repurchase Rules and Regulations”).  The Indenture Trustee acknowledges that interpretations of the requirements of the Repurchase Rules and Regulations may change over time, whether due to interpretive guidance provided by the Commission or its staff, consensus among participants in the asset-backed securities markets, advice of counsel, or otherwise, and agrees to comply with reasonable written requests made by the SLM Parties in good faith for delivery of information under these provisions on the basis of evolving interpretations of the Repurchase Rules and Regulations.  The Indenture Trustee shall cooperate with reasonable written requests received from the SLM Parties to deliver any and all records and any other information necessary in the good faith determination of the SLM Parties to permit the SLM Parties to comply with the provisions of the Repurchase Rules and Regulations.  Subject to duties explicitly set forth in the Basic Documents, if any, the Indenture Trustee shall not have any responsibility or liability in connection with the compliance of any SLM Party or securitizer (as defined in the Exchange Act) with the Exchange Act or Regulation AB or any filing required to be made by an SLM Party or securitizer (as defined in the Exchange Act) under the Exchange Act or Regulation AB.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

 

SECTION 7.1   Issuer to Furnish Indenture Trustee Names and Addresses of Noteholders.  The Issuer will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Indenture Trustee (a) not more than five days after the earlier of (i) each Record Date and (ii) three months after the last Record Date, a list, in such form as the Indenture Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Noteholders as of such Record Date, and (b) at such other times as the Indenture Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Issuer of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 10 days prior to the time such list is furnished; provided, however, that so long as the Indenture Trustee is the Note Registrar, no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

 

SECTION 7.2   Preservation of Information; Communications to Noteholders.    The Indenture Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of the Noteholders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Indenture Trustee as provided in Section 7.1 and the names and addresses of Noteholders received by the Indenture Trustee in its capacity as Note Registrar.  The Indenture Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in such Section 7.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

(a)        Noteholders may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Noteholders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Notes.  Upon receipt by the Indenture Trustee of any request by three or more Noteholders or by one or more holders of Notes evidencing not less than 25% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes to receive a copy of the current list of Noteholders (whether or not made pursuant to TIA § 312(b)), the Indenture Trustee shall promptly notify the Administrator thereof by providing to the Administrator a copy of such request and a copy of the list of Noteholders produced in response thereto.

 

(b)        The Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and the Note Registrar shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).

 

(c)         On each Distribution Date the Indenture Trustee shall provide to each Noteholder of record as of the related Record Date the information provided by the Administrator to the Indenture Trustee on the related Determination Date pursuant to Section 2.11 of the Administration Agreement.

 

(d)         The Indenture Trustee shall furnish to the Noteholders promptly upon receipt of a written request therefor, duplicates or copies of all reports, notices, requests, demands, certificates, financial statements and any other instruments furnished to the Indenture Trustee under the Basic Documents.  The Indenture Trustee shall furnish to the Noteholders promptly upon receipt thereof from the Eligible Lender Trustee notice of any amendment of the Administration Agreement pursuant to Section 8.5 of the Administration Agreement.

 

SECTION 7.3   Reports by Issuer.

 

(a)          The Issuer shall:

 

(i)                   file with the Indenture Trustee, within 15 days after the Issuer is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Issuer may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;

 

(ii)                   file with the Indenture Trustee and the Commission in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Issuer with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

 

 

(iii)                   supply to the Indenture Trustee (and the Indenture Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Noteholders described in TIA § 313(c)) such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Issuer pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 7.3(a) as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

 

(b)            Unless the Issuer otherwise determines, the fiscal year of the Issuer shall end on December 31 of each year.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

 

SECTION 8.1   Collection of Money.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Indenture Trustee may demand payment or delivery of, and shall receive and collect, directly and without intervention or assistance of any fiscal agent or other intermediary, all money and other property payable to or receivable by the Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Indenture.  The Indenture Trustee shall apply all such money received by it on behalf of Noteholders or the Trust pursuant to the Administration Agreement as provided in this Indenture.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, if any default occurs in the making of any payment or performance under any agreement or instrument that is part of the Indenture Trust Estate, the Indenture Trustee may take such action as may be appropriate to enforce such payment or performance, including the institution and prosecution of appropriate Proceedings.  Any such action shall be without prejudice to any right to claim a Default under this Indenture and any right to proceed thereafter as provided in Article V.

 

SECTION 8.2   Trust Accounts.  (a)  On or prior to the Closing Date, the Issuer shall cause the Administrator to establish and maintain, in the name of the Indenture Trustee, for the benefit of the Noteholders and the Trust, the Trust Accounts as provided in Section 2.3 of the Administration Agreement.

 

(b)             On or before the Business Day preceding each Distribution Date, all Available Funds and amounts set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of the definition of Available Funds with respect to the preceding Collection Period will be deposited in the Collection Account as provided in Section 2.4 of the Administration Agreement.  On or before each Distribution Date, the Indenture Trustee (or any other Paying Agent) shall make the required deposits and distributions as provided in Sections 2.7 and 2.8 of the Administration Agreement.

 

(c)             [Reserved].

 

(d)             [Reserved].

 

(e)             On or before each Distribution Date, the Indenture Trustee (or any other Paying Agent) shall make the required deposits and distributions as provided in Section 2.7 of the Administration Agreement.

 

(f)             [Reserved].

 

 

(g)             During the Supplemental Purchase Period, the Indenture Trustee shall withdraw funds as directed by the Administrator pursuant to Section 2.10(d) of the Administration Agreement for the purchase of Additional Trust Student Loans.

 

(h)             [Reserved].

 

(i)             On the Business Day immediately following the end of the Supplemental Purchase Period, the Indenture Trustee shall transfer any amounts remaining in the Supplemental Purchase Account into the Collection Account, as directed by the Administrator.

 

(j)             [Reserved].

 

(k)             [Reserved].

 

(l)             On or before the Business Day immediately preceding each Distribution Date, if the Issuer has not received payment in full of the amount required to offset any deficiency caused by a Borrower Benefit Yield Reduction for the related Collection Period pursuant to Section 3.12 of the Servicing Agreement, the Indenture Trustee, as directed by the Administrator, shall withdraw from the Borrower Benefit Account on that Distribution Date an amount equal to such deficiency, to the extent of funds available therein, to be included as part of Available Funds for that Distribution Date.

 

(m)             Once the Department has netted all payments (in respect of Interest Subsidy Payments and/or Special Allowance Payments otherwise due to the Issuer), which currently occurs on a quarterly basis, on the next succeeding Distribution Date an amount equal to the applicable Floor Income Rebate Account Release Amount on deposit in the Floor Income Rebate Account at the end of the preceding Collection Period will be withdrawn by the Indenture Trustee, as directed by the Administrator, and be included as part of Available Funds for that Distribution Date.

 

SECTION 8.3   General Provisions Regarding Accounts.  (a)  So long as no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, all or a portion of the funds in the Trust Accounts shall be invested in Eligible Investments and reinvested by the Indenture Trustee upon Issuer Order, subject to the provisions of Section 2.3(b) of the Administration Agreement.  All income or other gain from investments of moneys deposited in the Trust Accounts shall be deposited by the Indenture Trustee in the Collection Account, and any loss resulting from such investments shall be charged to such Trust Account.  The Issuer will not direct the Indenture Trustee to make any investment of any funds or to sell any investment held in any of the Trust Accounts unless the security interest granted and perfected in such account will continue to be perfected in such investment or the proceeds of such sale, in either case without any further action by any Person, and, in connection with any direction to the Indenture Trustee to make any such investment or sale, if requested by the Indenture Trustee, the Issuer shall deliver to the Indenture Trustee an Opinion of Counsel, acceptable to the Indenture Trustee, to such effect.

 

 

(b)            Subject to Section 6.1(c), the Indenture Trustee shall not in any way be held liable for the selection of Eligible Investments or by reason of any insufficiency in any of the Trust Accounts resulting from any loss on any Eligible Investment included therein except for losses attributable to the Indenture Trustee’s failure to make payments on such Eligible Investments issued by the Indenture Trustee, in its commercial capacity as principal obligor and not as trustee, in accordance with their terms.

 

(c)             If (i) the Issuer shall have failed to give investment directions for any funds on deposit in the Trust Accounts to the Indenture Trustee by 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as may be agreed by the Issuer and Indenture Trustee) on any Business Day; or (ii) a Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to the Notes but the Notes shall not have been declared due and payable pursuant to Section 5.2, or, if such Notes shall have been declared due and payable following an Event of Default and amounts collected or receivable from the Indenture Trust Estate are being applied in accordance with Section 5.4 as if there had not been such a declaration; then the Indenture Trustee shall invest and reinvest funds in the Trust Accounts in the Eligible Investments described in clause (d) of the definition thereof.

 

 SECTION 8.4   Release of Indenture Trust Estate.  (a)  Subject to the payment of its fees and expenses pursuant to Section 6.7, the Indenture Trustee may, and when required by the provisions of this Indenture shall, execute instruments to release property from the lien of this Indenture, or convey the Indenture Trustee’s interest in the same, in a manner and under circumstances that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture.  No party relying upon an instrument executed by the Indenture Trustee as provided in this Article VIII shall be bound to ascertain the Indenture Trustee’s authority, inquire into the satisfaction of any conditions precedent or see to the application of any moneys.

 

(b)            The Indenture Trustee shall, at such time as there are no Notes Outstanding and all sums due the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 6.7 have been paid, release any remaining portion of the Indenture Trust Estate that secured the Notes from the lien of this Indenture and release to the Issuer or any other Person entitled thereto any funds then on deposit in the Trust Accounts.  The Indenture Trustee shall release property from the lien of this Indenture pursuant to this Section 8.4(b) only upon receipt of an Issuer Request accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer, an Opinion of Counsel and (if required by the TIA) Independent Certificates in accordance with TIA §§ 314(c) and 314(d)(1) meeting the applicable requirements of Section 11.1.

 

(c)             Each Noteholder, by the acceptance of a Note, acknowledges that from time to time the Indenture Trustee shall release the lien of this Indenture on any Trust Student Loan to be sold (i) to the Depositor in accordance with Section 6 of the Sale Agreement, (ii) to the Servicer in accordance with Section 3.5 of the Servicing Agreement, (iii) to Bluemont Funding (or the seller from which Bluemont Funding originally purchased such Trust Student Loan), Town Center Funding (or the seller from which Town Center Funding originally purchased such Trust Student Loan), Town Hall Funding (or the seller from which Town Hall Funding originally purchased such Trust Student Loan), SLM National Funding (or the seller from which SLM National Funding originally purchased such Trust Student Loan), VL Funding (or the seller from which VL Funding originally purchased such Trust Student Loan), SLM ECFC or to another Affiliate of SLM Corporation in accordance with Section 3.11F. of the Servicing Agreement,

 

SECTION 8.5   Opinion of Counsel.  The Indenture Trustee shall receive at least seven days’ notice when requested by the Issuer to take any action pursuant to Section 8.4(a), accompanied by copies of any instruments involved, and the Indenture Trustee shall also require, except in connection with any action contemplated by Section 8.4(c), as a condition to such action, an Opinion of Counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, stating the legal effect of any such action, outlining the steps required to complete the same, and concluding that all conditions precedent to the taking of such action have been complied with and such action will not materially and adversely impair the security for the Notes or the rights of the Noteholders in contravention of the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, that such Opinion of Counsel shall not be required to express an opinion as to the fair value of the Indenture Trust Estate.  Counsel rendering any such opinion may rely, without independent investigation, on the accuracy and validity of any certificate or other instrument delivered to the Indenture Trustee in connection with any such action.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

 

 

(a)           Without the consent of any Noteholders but with prior notice to the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes, the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, when authorized by an Issuer Order, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as in force at the date of the execution thereof), in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(i)            to correct or amplify the description of any property at any time subject to the lien of this Indenture, or better to assure, convey and confirm unto the Indenture Trustee any property subject or required to be subjected to the lien of this Indenture, or to subject to the lien of this Indenture additional property;

 

(ii)           to evidence the succession, in compliance with the applicable provisions hereof, of another person to the Issuer, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Issuer herein and in the Notes contained;

 

 

(iii)          to add to the covenants of the Issuer, for the benefit of the Noteholders or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Issuer;

 

(iv)          to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to the Indenture Trustee;

 

(v)           to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein or in any supplemental indenture or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture or in any supplemental indenture; provided that such action shall not materially adversely affect the interests of the Noteholders;

 

(vi)          to evidence and provide for the acceptance of the appointment hereunder by a successor trustee with respect to the Notes and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Article VI;

 

(vii)         to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to effect the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA or under any similar federal statute hereafter enacted and to add to this Indenture such other provisions as may be expressly required by the TIA; or

 

(viii)        to correct any manifest error in the terms of this Indenture as compared to the terms expressly set forth in the Prospectus.

 

The Indenture Trustee is hereby authorized to join in the execution of any such supplemental indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained.

 

(b)           The Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, when authorized by an Issuer Order, also may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purposes of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Noteholders under this Indenture, with the consent of each Noteholder whose interests would be adversely affected in any material respect by such action (if any), but without the consent of any other Noteholder, and with prior notice to the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes; provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to an Opinion of Counsel that such action will not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any Noteholder whose written consent has not been obtained.

 

SECTION 9.2   Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Noteholders.   The Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, when authorized by an Issuer Order, also may, with prior notice to the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes and with the consent of the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of all of the Notes, by Act of such Noteholders delivered to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Noteholders under this Indenture;  provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Noteholder of each Outstanding Note affected thereby:

 

 

(i)             change the date of payment of any installment of principal of or interest on any Note, or reduce the principal amount thereof, the interest rate thereon or the Redemption Price with respect thereto, change the provisions of this Indenture relating to the application of collections on, or the proceeds of the sale of, the Indenture Trust Estate to payment of principal of or interest on the Notes, or change any place of payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Note or the interest thereon is payable or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of the provisions of this Indenture requiring the application of funds available therefor, as provided in Article V, to the payment of any such amount due on the Notes on or after the respective due dates thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date);

 

(ii)            reduce the percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the consent of the Noteholders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of the Noteholders of which is required for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences provided for in this Indenture;

 

(iii)           modify or alter the provisions of the proviso to the definition of the term “Outstanding”;

 

(iv)           reduce the percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes required to direct the Indenture Trustee to direct the Issuer to sell or liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate pursuant to Section 5.4;

 

(v)            modify any provision of this Section except to increase any percentage specified herein or to provide that certain additional provisions of this Indenture or the other Basic Documents cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Noteholder of each Outstanding Note affected thereby;

 

(vi)           modify any of the provisions of this Indenture in such manner as to affect the calculation of the amount of any payment of interest or principal due on any Note on any Distribution Date (including the calculation of any of the individual components of such calculation) or to affect the rights of the Noteholders to the benefit of any provisions for the mandatory redemption of the Notes contained herein; or

 

(vii)          permit the creation of any lien ranking prior to or on a parity with the lien of this Indenture with respect to any part of the Indenture Trust Estate or, except as otherwise permitted or contemplated herein, terminate the lien of this Indenture on any property at any time subject hereto or deprive any Noteholder of any Note of the security provided by the lien of this Indenture.

 

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Noteholders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

 

Promptly after the execution by the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Section, the Indenture Trustee shall mail to the Noteholders of the Notes to which such amendment or supplemental indenture relates a notice setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture.  Any failure of the Indenture Trustee to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

 

 

SECTION 9.3   Execution of Supplemental Indentures.  In executing, or permitting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article IX or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.  The Indenture Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the Indenture Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

SECTION 9.4   Effect of Supplemental Indenture.  Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions hereof, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith with respect to the Notes affected thereby, and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties, liabilities and immunities under this Indenture of the Indenture Trustee, the Issuer and the Noteholders shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

 

SECTION 9.5   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.  Every amendment of this Indenture and every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article IX shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect so long as this Indenture shall then be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

 

SECTION 9.6   Reference in Notes to Supplemental Indentures.  Notes authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article IX may, and if required by the Indenture Trustee shall, bear a notation in form approved by the Indenture Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture.  If the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee shall so determine, new Notes so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Indenture Trustee and the Issuer, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Issuer and authenticated and delivered by the Indenture Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Notes.

 

ARTICLE X

 

 

SECTION 10.1   Redemption.  The Indenture Trustee shall, upon receipt of written notice from the Administrator pursuant to Section 6.1(b) of the Administration Agreement, give prompt written notice to the Noteholders of the occurrence of such event.  In the event that the assets of the Trust are sold pursuant to Section 6.1(a) of the Administration Agreement, that portion of the amounts on deposit in the Trust Accounts to be distributed to the Noteholders shall be paid to the Noteholders as provided in Sections 2.7 and 2.8 of the Administration Agreement.  If amounts are to be paid to Noteholders pursuant to this Section

 

SECTION 10.2   Form of Redemption Notice.  Notice of redemption under Section 10.1 shall be given by the Indenture Trustee by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by facsimile, mailed or transmitted on or prior to the applicable Redemption Date to each Noteholder, as of the close of business on the Record Date preceding the applicable Redemption Date, at such Noteholder’s address or facsimile number appearing in the Note Register.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(i)          the Redemption Date;

 

(ii)         the Redemption Price; and

 

(iii)        the place where such Notes are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price (which shall be the office or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2).

 

Notice of redemption of the Notes shall be given by the Indenture Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer.  Failure to give notice of redemption, or any defect therein, to any Noteholder of any Note shall not impair or affect the validity of the redemption of any other Note.

 

SECTION 10.3   Notes Payable on Redemption Date.  The Notes or portions thereof to be redeemed shall on the Redemption Date become due and payable at the Redemption Price and (unless the Issuer shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price) no interest shall accrue on the Redemption Price for any period after the date to which accrued interest is calculated for purposes of calculating the Redemption Price.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

 

SECTION 11.1   Compliance Certificates and Opinions, etc.  (a)  Upon any application or request by the Issuer to the Indenture Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Issuer shall furnish to the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes (i) an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with, (ii) an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with and (iii) (if required by the TIA) an Independent Certificate from a firm of certified public accountants meeting the applicable requirements of this Section, except that, in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

 

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this indenture shall include:

 

(i)          a statement that each signatory of such certificate or opinion has read or has caused to be read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

 

(ii)         a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

(iii)        a statement that, in the opinion of each such signatory, such signatory has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such signatory to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

(iv)        a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such signatory, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

(b)           (i)          Prior to the deposit of any Collateral or other property or securities with the Indenture Trustee that is to be made the basis for the release of any property or securities subject to the lien of this Indenture, the Issuer shall, in addition to any obligation imposed in Section 11.1(a) or elsewhere in this Indenture, furnish to the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer certifying or stating the opinion of each person signing such certificate as to the fair value (within 90 days of such deposit) to the Issuer of the Collateral or other property or securities to be so deposited.

 

(ii)          Whenever the Issuer is required to furnish to the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer certifying or stating the opinion of any signer thereof as to the matters described in clause (i) above, the Issuer shall also deliver to the Indenture Trustee an Independent Certificate as to the same matters, if the fair value to the Issuer of the securities to be so deposited and of all other such securities made the basis of any such withdrawal or release since the commencement of the then-current fiscal year of the Issuer, as set forth in the certificates delivered pursuant to clause (i) above and this clause (ii), is 10% or more of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, but such a certificate need not be furnished with respect to any securities so deposited, if the fair value thereof to the Issuer as set forth in the related Officers’ Certificate is less than $25,000 or less than one percent of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes.

 

(iii)         Other than any property released as contemplated by clause (v) below, whenever any property or securities are to be released from the lien of this Indenture, the Issuer shall also furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer certifying or stating the opinion of each person signing such certificate as to the fair value (within 90 days of such release) of the property or securities proposed to be released and stating that in the opinion of such person the proposed release will not impair the security under this Indenture in contravention of the provisions hereof.

 

(iv)         Whenever the Issuer is required to furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer certifying or stating the opinion of any signer thereof as to the matters described in clause (iii) above, the Issuer shall also furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Independent Certificate as to the same matters if the fair value of the property or securities and of all other property, other than property as contemplated by clause (v) below, or securities released from the lien of this Indenture since the commencement of the then-current calendar year, as set forth in the certificates required by clause (iii) above and this clause (iv), equals 10% or more of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, but such certificate need not be furnished in the case of any release of property or securities if the fair value thereof as set forth in the related Officers’ Certificate is less than $25,000 or less than one percent of the then Outstanding Amount of the Notes.

 

(v)          Notwithstanding Section 2.9 or any other provision of this Section, the Issuer may, without compliance with the requirements of the other provisions of this Section, (A) collect, liquidate, sell or otherwise dispose of the Trust Student Loans, as and to the extent permitted or required by the Basic Documents, (B) make cash payments out of the Trust Accounts as and to the extent permitted or required by the Basic Documents and (C) convey to the Depositor, the Servicer or another eligible lender those specified Trust Student Loans as and to the extent permitted or required by and in accordance with Section 8.4(c) hereof and Section 6 of the Sale Agreement, Section 3.5 of the Servicing Agreement or Section 3.11E of the Servicing Agreement, respectively, so long as the Issuer shall deliver to the Indenture Trustee every six months, commencing December 31, 2013, an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer stating that all the dispositions of Collateral described in clauses (A), (B) or (C) above that occurred during the immediately preceding six calendar months were in the ordinary course of the Issuer’s business and that the proceeds thereof were applied in accordance with the Basic Documents.

 

SECTION 11.2   Form of Documents Delivered to Indenture Trustee.   In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters, and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

Any certificate or opinion of an Authorized Officer of the Issuer may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous.  Any such certificate of an Authorized Officer or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Servicer, the Depositor, the Issuer or the Administrator, stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Servicer, the Depositor, the Issuer or the Administrator, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

 

 

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

 

Whenever in this Indenture, in connection with any application or certificate or report to the Indenture Trustee, it is provided that the Issuer shall deliver any document as a condition of the granting of such application, or as evidence of the Issuer’s compliance with any term hereof, it is intended that the truth and accuracy, at the time of the granting of such application or at the effective date of such certificate or report (as the case may be), of the facts and opinions stated in such document shall in such case be conditions precedent to the right of the Issuer to have such application granted or to the sufficiency of such certificate or report.  The foregoing shall not, however, be construed to affect the Indenture Trustee’s right to rely upon the truth and accuracy of any statement or opinion contained in any such document as provided in Article VI.

 

SECTION 11.3   Acts of Noteholders.  (a)  Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Noteholders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Noteholders in person or by agents duly appointed in writing; and except as herein otherwise expressly provided such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Indenture Trustee, and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Issuer.  Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Noteholders signing such instrument or instruments.  Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.1) conclusive in favor of the Indenture Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

 

(b)           The fact and date of the execution by any person of any such instrument or writing may be proved in any manner that the Indenture Trustee deems sufficient.

 

(c)           The ownership of Notes shall be proved by the Note Register.

 

(d)           Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by any Noteholder shall bind the Noteholder of every Note issued upon registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Indenture Trustee or the Issuer in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Note.

 

SECTION 11.4   Notices, etc., to Indenture Trustee, Issuer and Rating Agencies.   Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Noteholders or other documents provided or permitted by this Indenture shall be in writing and if such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Noteholders is to be made upon, given or furnished to or filed with:

 

(a)           The Indenture Trustee by any Noteholder, the Servicer, the Administrator or by the Issuer shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Indenture Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office with a copy to the Eligible Lender Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office.

 

(b)          The Issuer by the Indenture Trustee or by any Noteholder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if in writing and mailed, first-class, postage prepaid, to the Issuer addressed to: SLM Student Loan Trust 2013-6, in care of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, 60 Wall Street, 27th Floor, New York, New York 10005, Attention: Structured Finance Services/Asset Backed Securities; and the Administrator, 2001 Edmund Halley Drive, Reston, Virginia  20191, Attention: ABS Trust Administration, or any other address previously furnished in writing to the Indenture Trustee by the Issuer or the Administrator.  The Issuer shall promptly transmit any notice received by it from the Noteholders to the Indenture Trustee.

 

Notices required to be given to the Rating Agencies by the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee or the Eligible Lender Trustee shall be in writing, personally delivered or mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, to (i) in the case of Moody’s, at the following addresses: (A) ABS Monitoring Department, 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10007, and (B) ***@***; and (ii) in the case of Fitch, at the following addresses: (A) One State Street Plaza, New York 10004, Attention: Asset Backed Surveillance Group, and (B)  ***@***; or as to each of the foregoing, at such other address as shall be designated by written notice to the other parties.

 

SECTION 11.5   Notices to Noteholders; Waiver.  Where this Indenture provides for notice to Noteholders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class, postage prepaid to each Noteholder affected by such event, at his address as it appears on the Note Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice.  In any case where notice to Noteholders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Noteholder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Noteholders, and any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall conclusively be presumed to have been duly given.

 

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by any Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice.  Waivers of notice by Noteholders shall be filed with the Indenture Trustee but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such a waiver.

 

In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a result of a strike, work stoppage or similar activity, it shall be impractical to mail notice of any event to Noteholders when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.

 

 

Where this Indenture provides for notice to the Rating Agencies then rating the Notes, failure to give such notice shall not affect any other rights or obligations created hereunder, and shall not under any circumstance constitute a Default.

 

SECTION 11.6   Alternate Payment and Notice Provisions.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Indenture or any of the Notes to the contrary, the Issuer may enter into any agreement with any Noteholder providing for a method of payment, or notice by the Indenture Trustee or any Paying Agent to such Noteholder, that is different from the methods provided for in this Indenture for such payments or notices.  The Issuer will furnish to the Indenture Trustee a copy of each such agreement and the Indenture Trustee will cause payments to be made and notices to be given in accordance with such agreements.

 

SECTION 11.7   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.  If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof that is required to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control.

 

The provisions of TIA §§ 310 through 317 that impose duties on any Person (including the provisions automatically deemed included herein unless expressly excluded by this Indenture) are a part of and govern this Indenture, whether or not physically contained herein.

 

SECTION 11.8   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.  The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

SECTION 11.9   Successors and Assigns.  All covenants and agreements in this Indenture and the Notes by the Issuer shall bind its successor and assigns, whether so expressed or not.  All agreements of the Indenture Trustee in this Indenture shall bind the successors, co-trustees and agents (excluding any legal representatives or accountants) of the Indenture Trustee.

 

SECTION 11.10   Separability.  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

SECTION 11.11   Benefits of Indenture.  (a)  Nothing in this Indenture or in the Notes, express or implied shall give to any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder, the Noteholders, any other party secured hereunder, and any other Person with an ownership interest in any part of the Indenture Trust Estate, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

(b)            [Reserved].

 

SECTION 11.12   Legal Holidays.  In any case where the date on which any payment is due shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Notes or this Indenture) payment need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the date on which nominally due, and no interest shall accrue for the period from and after any such nominal date.

 

SECTION 11.13   GOVERNING LAW.  THIS INDENTURE SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS (OTHER THAN §5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW), AND THE OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS.

 

SECTION 11.14   Counterparts.  This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

SECTION 11.15   Recording of Indenture.  If this Indenture is subject to recording in any appropriate public recording offices, such recording is to be effected by the Issuer and at its expense accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel (which may be counsel to the Indenture Trustee or any other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Indenture Trustee) to the effect that such recording is necessary either for the protection of the Noteholders or any other Person secured hereunder or for the enforcement of any right or remedy granted to the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture.

 

SECTION 11.16   Trust Obligations.  No recourse may be taken, directly or indirectly, with respect to the obligations of the Issuer, the Depositor, the Administrator, the Servicer, the Eligible Lender Trustee or the Indenture Trustee on the Notes or under this Indenture or any certificate or other writing delivered in connection herewith or therewith, against (i) the Indenture Trustee or the Eligible Lender Trustee in its individual capacity, (ii) any owner of a beneficial interest in the Issuer or (iii) any partner, owner, beneficiary, agent, officer, director or employee of the Indenture Trustee or the Eligible Lender Trustee in its individual capacity, any holder or owner of a beneficial interest in the Issuer, the Eligible Lender Trustee or the Indenture Trustee or of any successor or assign thereof in its individual capacity, except as any such Person may have expressly agreed (it being understood that the Indenture Trustee and the Eligible Lender Trustee have no such obligations in their individual capacity) and except that any such partner, owner or beneficiary shall be fully liable, to the extent provided by applicable law, for any unpaid consideration for stock, unpaid capital contribution or failure to pay any installment or call owing to such entity.  For all purposes of this Indenture, in the performance of any duties or obligations of the Issuer hereunder, the Eligible Lender Trustee shall be subject to, and entitled to the benefits of, the terms and provisions of Articles VI, VII and VIII of the Trust Agreement.

 

SECTION 11.17   No Petition.  The Indenture Trustee, by entering into this Indenture, and each Noteholder, by accepting a Note, hereby covenant and agree that they shall not at any time institute against the Depositor or the Issuer, or join in any institution against the Depositor or the Issuer of, any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, receivership or liquidation proceedings, or other proceedings under any United States federal or state bankruptcy or similar law in connection with any obligations relating to the Notes, this Indenture or any of the other Basic Documents.  The foregoing shall not limit the rights of the Indenture Trustee to file any claim in, or otherwise take any action with respect to, any insolvency proceeding that was instituted against the Issuer by any Person other than the Indenture Trustee.

 

SECTION 11.18   Inspection.  The Issuer agrees that, on reasonable prior notice, it shall permit any representative of the Indenture Trustee, during the Issuer’s normal business hours, to examine all the books of account, records, reports, and other papers of the Issuer, to make copies and extracts therefrom, to cause such books to be audited by Independent certified public accountants, and to discuss the Issuer’s affairs, finances and accounts with the Issuer’s officers, employees, and Independent certified public accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably requested.  The Indenture Trustee shall and shall cause its representatives to hold in confidence all such information obtained from such examination or inspection except to the extent disclosure may be required by law (and all reasonable applications for confidential treatment are unavailing) and except to the extent that the Indenture Trustee may reasonably determine that such disclosure is consistent with its obligations hereunder.

 

SECTION 11.19   Waiver of Jury Trial.  EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS INDENTURE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

SECTION 11.20   Limited Recourse.  The obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture are limited recourse obligations payable solely from the Collateral and, following realization of the Collateral and its application in accordance with the terms hereof, any outstanding obligations of the Issuer hereunder shall be extinguished and shall not thereafter revive.  In addition, no recourse shall be had for any amounts payable or any other obligations arising under this Indenture against any officer, member, director, employee, partner or security holder of the Issuer or any of its successors or assigns.  To the extent a Noteholder is deemed to have a claim to the assets of the Issuer other than the Collateral, the Noteholder hereby releases any such claim.  In the event that a Noteholder is deemed to have a claim against the assets of the Issuer other than the Collateral and the release is not given effect, each Noteholder hereby agrees to fully subordinate all claims it may have against such assets and that such agreement constitutes a subordination agreement for purposes of Section 510(a) of Title 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  The provisions of this Section 11.20 shall survive the termination of this Indenture.

 

SECTION 11.21   Force Majeure.  In no event shall the Indenture Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes, acts of God, or unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex facility; it being understood that the Indenture Trustee shall use reasonable efforts to resume performance of its obligations as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

SECTION 11.22   Compliance with Applicable Law.  In order to comply with laws, rules, regulations and executive orders in effect from time to time including but not limited to those relating to the funding of terrorist activities and money laundering (“Applicable Laws”), the Indenture Trustee may be required to obtain, verify and record certain information relating to individuals and entities which maintain a business relationship with the Indenture Trustee.  Accordingly, each of the parties hereto agrees to provide the Indenture Trustee upon its request from time to time such identifying information and documentation as may be available for such party in order to enable the Indenture Trustee to comply with Applicable Laws.

 

 

ARTICLE XII

 

 

SECTION 12.1   Intent of the Parties; Reasonableness.  The Issuer, the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Indenture Trustee acknowledge and agree that the purpose of Article XII of this Agreement is to facilitate compliance by the Issuer with the provisions of Regulation AB and related rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

The Eligible Lender Trustee and the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer, shall not exercise its right to request delivery of information or other performance under these provisions other than in good faith, or for purposes other than compliance with the Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (or the provision in a private offering of disclosure comparable to that required under the Act).  The Indenture Trustee acknowledges that interpretations of the requirements of Regulation AB may change over time, whether due to interpretive guidance provided by the Commission or its staff, consensus among participants in the asset-backed securities markets, advice of counsel, or otherwise, and agrees to comply with requests made by the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer, in good faith for delivery of information under these provisions on the basis of evolving interpretations of Regulation AB.  In connection therewith, the Indenture Trustee shall cooperate fully with the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer, to deliver to the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer (including any of its assignees or designees), any and all statements, reports, certifications, records, attestation, and any other information necessary in the good faith determination of the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer, to permit the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer, to comply with the provisions of Regulation AB, together with such disclosures relating to the Indenture Trustee or the servicing of the Trust Student Loans, reasonably believed by the Administrator, on behalf of the Issuer, to be necessary in order to effect such compliance.

 

ARTICLE XIII

 

 

SECTION 13.1   Acknowledgement of Parties.  The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for federal, state and local income and franchise tax, and financial accounting, purposes (a) the Notes (excluding any Retained Notes, as defined below) will constitute indebtedness and not an ownership interest in the Issuer and (b) the Excess Distribution Certificateholder will be treated as owning all of the assets, and as assuming (but without assuming personal recourse to such Certificateholder) all of the liabilities (including the Notes), of the Issuer, and the parties hereto shall in all events take positions consistent with, and in no event take a position inconsistent with, the positions described in clauses (a) and (b) in the preparation of any returns and reports, and with respect to any audit or controversy, as to which either of the positions described in clauses (a) or (b) above would be relevant.  For purposes of the foregoing, the term “Retained Notes” means any Notes held by the Depositor or any of its Affiliates immediately after the Closing Date.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer, the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Indenture Trustee have caused this Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized and duly attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

SLM STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2013-6   By: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, not in its individual capacity but solely as Eligible Lender Trustee   By: /s/ Michele H.Y. Voon                                                                                  Name:   Michele H.Y. Voon        Title:      Vice President   By: /s/ Mark DiGiacomo                                                                       Name:   Mark DiGiacomo        Title:     Vice President   DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, not in its individual capacity but solely as Eligible Lender Trustee   By: /s/ Michele H.Y. Voon                                                                                  Name:   Michele H.Y. Voon        Title:      Vice President   By: /s/ Mark DiGiacomo                                                                       Name:   Mark DiGiacomo        Title:     Vice President

 

 

 

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, not in its individual capacity but solely as Indenture Trustee   By: /s/ Michele H.Y. Voon                                                                                  Name:   Michele H.Y. Voon        Title:      Vice President   By: /s/ Mark DiGiacomo                                                                       Name:   Mark DiGiacomo        Title:     Vice President