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Summer 2005 - TRANSITION ISSUE Online Publication

The First Word Spotlight Features Committee Updates Perspectives

People and Places Reflections Other News

Planning Your Life Special Features Support Group

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2005-06 VASFAA Committee Plans and Call for Volunteers VASFAA Committees Need Your Expertise

Submitted by: Gary Spoales, Editor

I have a poster on my wall that reads... "Every Morning Starts A Day Of Opportunity". This morning is your “Opportunity” to show your leadership skills and make a contribution to your professional association. The VASFAA Board has asked its committee chairs to provide you some brief information about the role of committee members in the coming year for those listed below. We are also making it simpler and more efficient for you to volunteer your time. You do not need to complete a volunteer form (although you may and it will be accepted). If you would like to participate in the activities listed for a particular committee, just click on the chair’s email address and provide a brief message stating that interest. You only need to include your name, institution, phone number and the statement, “I would like to volunteer for _________________ Committee.” All of the committees are different and require varying amounts of time, energy and interest. It is important to note that by volunteering, you are not committing to being out of the office for any length of time. Some committees do have meetings at physical locations from time to time. Some committees only require conference calls and independent effort by the respective members. Perhaps most important are the benefits that you personally derive from your participation.

• Committee expenses are covered by the association, including mileage and meals at meetings. • Development of a professional network of colleagues and friends for life. • Resume development for career enhancement. • Time away from the day to day routine in the financial aid office. • Recognition for a job well done. • Professional development to increase your own skills and abilities. • Participating in activities that have the ability to positively affect the financial aid profession as a

whole.

There are certainly others and they vary by committee and depend on the effort that you exert. Communication, Continuity, and Commitment are the tools to “Be A Financial Aid Survivor” in 2005-06. Join Brad Barnett and the VASFAA Board and help make 05-06 the best year yet!

Danny Thomas, an actor for whom some are too young to remember, made the case for volunteering very clear. He said,

“All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don’t discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.”

The Committees are listed below and waiting for your Communication to make a Commitment for the Continuity of VASFAA. Just Read, Click and Volunteer!

Experienced Aid Officers Lisa Tumer, Chair [email protected]

Committee Goals for 2005-06

• Working as a team, this committee will coordinate a meaningful symposium geared to the needs of approximately 75 experienced aid officers.

• This committee will convene in person and on site 2 or 3 times for planning

purposes.

• We will contract a site, contact & secure presenters, plan logistics and deliver our product sometime in November.

Newsletter Gary Spoales, Chair

[email protected]


• Publishes 4 issues on a quarterly basis assisting in the communication efforts of the association.

• Solicits input from the membership and industry to report in each issue.

• Prepares and/or edits original articles and/or opinion pieces for publication.

Membership Michael Poma, Chair

[email protected]


• Coordinate the registration process for the conference, including handing out nametags and taking pictures of new members.

• Plan and coordinate the new member breakfast held Monday morning of the

conference.

• Plan and coordinate the mentor program and mentor receptions.

• Communicate pertinent information regarding membership and conference registration.

Budget and Finance Bobby Clemmer, Chair [email protected]


• Oversee the financial management of the Association.

• Serve as a management source of the Sue D. Ross Scholarship Fund and the New Century Educational Trust.

Training Donna Taylor, Chair

[email protected]


• Plan sessions for conference which includes topics, knowledgeable and interesting

presenters, room set-up, and evaluations.

• Coordinate with presenters/speakers individual session requirements.

• Plan one-day training in the fall for membership.

• Coordinate New Aid Officer’s Training in the spring.

Support Staff Training Karen D Gilliam, Chair

[email protected]


• To hold 3 training sessions located across Virginia to give all Financial Aid Representatives a chance to attend one of the sessions.

• To increase the # of attendants by giving advance information on location, dates,

and training topics.

• Plan and develop programs and speakers to attract a wide audience.

Archives Holly Rison, Chair [email protected]


• The Archives Committee is charged with retaining important records and pictures of the association.

• This coming year, the Archives Committee will begin and hopefully complete the

scanning of the association’s vast archives! This is a large undertaking?

• In addition, the Archives Committee will continue their submission of newsletter articles.

Strategic Planning Vern Fairchilds, Chair

[email protected]


• Promote components of the current Strategic Plan through Board, Committee Chair and membership actions

• Keep the plan on track with the pursuit of VASFAA’s mission, vision and values.

• Evaluate annually the established goals and objectives of committees and

standard goals to ensure that they support the current Strategic Plan and report incongruence to the Board

• VASFAA has the opportunity to survive as a viable association of financial aid

administrators because our membership believes in the principles of communication, commitment and continuity. As chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee, I need five of you to join me as committee members for 2005-2006.

Conference Jolene Burke, Chair

[email protected]


• Our commitment to VASFAA is to work very closely with Training,

Vendor/Sponsor, Membership and the Electronic Service committees to ensure that all needs are met through effective communication. The focus will be on producing a conference that meets with constant continuity and reaches out to the entire membership.

• Plans are underway with some beginning to take shape - Are you preparing

yourself to “Be A Financial Aid Survivor?”

• Conference dates are May 7 – 10, 2006, Virginia Beach Hilton Oceanfront Hotel

Electronic Services Daniel Hewitt, Chair [email protected]


• Review the VASFAA website and coordinate updates and improvements from

other committees

• Support the online database resources for other committees, such as Membership

and Conference

• Investigate new technology ideas for VASFAA, such as online voting for the 2005-2006 conference

Public Relations Jeanne Holmes, Chair

[email protected]


• Communicate the activities of VASFAA to the membership, and all interested

and/or affected parties – as appropriate;

• Promote VASFAA as the “Professional Organization” of financial aid administrators and their partners in the Commonwealth of Virginia;

• Coordinate via the Board, and the committees of the association, the publicity of

events that are being hosted by VASFAA both internally and externally;

• Encourage participation and volunteerism within the association; and

• Inform the management of member institutions and organizations of the awards

and recognitions that individual members obtain while serving VASFAA as an association.

VASFAA continues to define the role and function of this committee and how it can best serve the association and the membership at large. Our greatest challenge is to continue

in our efforts to make VASFAA the best, most productive, most effective, and renowned by far of all of the “ASFAA’s” in existence!

Awareness Zita Barree, Chair

[email protected]


• Promote awareness of the programs and services offered by VASFAA to Virginia

residents and education-related institutions in Virginia

• Plan for and implement at least 10 Super Saturday events throughout Virginia in the month of January to help students and parents complete the FAFSA and to provide information about financial aid to them

• Secure the Governor's proclamation of January as Financial Aid Awareness Month

• Consider ways of expanding awareness activities to the non-traditional student population

Secondary Schools Sheila Nelson-Hensley, Chair

[email protected]


• Coordinate scheduling/presentation of high school guidance counselor workshops

• Create contacts to ensure that workshops will be held throughout the state

• Create, produce and mail workshop brochures

Vendor/Sponsor Biz Daniel, Chair

[email protected]


• Coordinates solicitation of funding for support of the Association’s educational

activities from vendors and sponsors in the Higher Education Field.

• Works very closely with the Budget and Finance Chair, the VASFAA Treasurer,

President Elect, SCHEV Liaison, and the Conference Committee Chair to coordinate the list of sponsorable items for vendors to select for sponsorship in the lottery process.

• Coordinates the lottery process in which sponsors choose, according to their level of sponsorship, from a designated list of available items to sponsor throughout

the year in support of VASFAA and be recognized for the event held

• Works closely with the Conference Committee Chair in coordinating the arrangements needed by vendors and sponsors for the conference

• Works closely with the hotel staff of the annual conference to provide the vendors

and sponsors any special needs, such as electrical requirements, shipping information, or any other needs of the vendors during the conference

State Relations Michael W. Barree, Chair [email protected]


• Plan and coordinate a January 2006 legislative day at the General Assembly in conjunction with VASFAA Executive Board meeting

• Monitor 2006 General Assembly session and communicate pertinent financial aid

and legislative information regarding VSFA programs and state higher education to VASFAA membership

• Monitor and provide feedback to SCHEV staff and SCHEV Council regarding

related financial aid issues

• Establish and maintain pertinent relationships with the new executive and legislative branches of state government following the November elections.

New Century Educational Endowment Fund

Sherrye Ward, Chair [email protected]


• Seek, and approve, applications from the membership for New Century funding in

order to enhance their professional growth.

• Complete VASFAA Policy & Procedures Manual for New Century Fund & Council





Submit articles to Gary Spoales, Newletter Editor

Editor's Embellishments Submitted by: Gary Spoales, Editor, Bank of America

Welcome to the Summer issue of the VASFAA Voice. This issue focuses on the transition of leadership

on the VASFAA Board. Elections were held at the annual conference to begin the transition on VASFAA’s board of directors. Brad Barnett, incoming President, has announced his new committee chairs (see list in this issue) and I am beginning this edition from the VASFAA board retreat which is being held at Graves Mountain Resort. Now is the time for each of you to help VASFAA make a

difference in Virginia.

As stated in the spring issue, each VASFAA member represents potential in the leadership continuum for the association. It is time for you to participate in the leadership development process in a very specific way. Volunteering to serve on a committee is your call to leadership at this time. It only takes a little effort every once in a while throughout the year to have a significant impact on the lives of others. VASFAA committee chairs have made a major commitment of time and energy so that each of you only needs to make a minor commitment to assist with selected tasks of your choice. It’s the easiest way to network with your colleagues, meet new people and broaden your resume for future considerations. Best of all, it is a lot of fun and a break from the daily office routine.

I am happy to announce two new members of the Newsletter Committee for 0506. Stephanie Clements, of Radford University, has accepted the challenge and will be writing our Graduate and Professional Perspectives articles. Tina Bergstrom of Old Dominion University has likewise accepted the challenge and will be working on topics to be named in the next issue. In addition, Tanya White, a member of our award-winning committee for the past three years, moved on to a new career at Norfolk State University (See People and Places in the News). I am pleased to announce that she has agreed to continue on the committee for 0506 and will contribute articles from her new perspective in Student Affairs. The Newsletter Committee is planning to create a new section on Private Career School topics and we are seeking a willing participant to join our committee from the Private Career Sector. If you are interested, please contact me directly at 301-942-9525 or via my email address below.

As Brad Barnett takes over the reins as President from Tom Morehouse, there is a new theme for 0506. Brad’s theme is “Communication, Continuity, and Commitment To Be A Financial Aid Survivor”. Take a guess at which TV show he watches in the little spare time that he has. In the newsletter, you will begin to see article headers to reflect Brad’s theme. If you have Financial Aid Survival Knowledge tips or just thoughts, write to the newsletter and we’ll publish them. Until then, the newsletter committee wishes you a wonderful Summer. The best Survival suggestion for the Summer is to spend some time with family and away from the office.

The next issue of the newsletter is scheduled for publication on October 1st. Please send your input by September 10th to me at [email protected].

Advertising is now a part of the Sponsorship program. Our advertisers for the Fall issue were Citizen's Bank and USA Funds. The advertisers for the Winter issue were Bank of America, M&T Bank and Bank One. VASFAA is the Spring and Summer advertiser. Thank you once again to everyone who provided material for this newsletter. The entire association appreciates your efforts. As always, this issue contributors are listed at the end of the newsletter.

Article Guidelines The Editorial staff will review all articles submitted for publication. Submissions should be of a professional interest to the association and not include marketing and/or advertising of products, services, websites or personnel.

Full articles should be no longer than two typed pages single spaced. It is requested that all submissions be provided in 10 pt size with Arial font type to save our publishing editor time and energy.

AD and Picture Guidelines The online newsletter flows best with graphics submitted in .jpeg or .gif format. An ad should not be larger than 6'' in width. You may submit it in either Full color or black& white according to your preference.

(Note: Ads are only accepted from Sponsors who chose an ad in the issue of their choice, based on availability)

Previous Article | Table of Contents | Next Article






Shining The Light On Tom Morehouse, Outgoing President

Submitted by: Tom Morehouse, VASFAA President 0405

Editor's Note: "The best leaders......almost without exception and at every level, are master users of stories and symbols." - Tom Peters, Business Writer, author

Happy Summer!

The VASFAA Annual Conference was held at the brand new Hilton Oceanfront in Virginia Beach. May 22-25. It was the intent of the Board to have a SASFAA-caliber conference to mark our switch to an annual event. I don’t believe that I am exaggerating when I say it was a resounding success. We attracted a record 356 registrants (our previous high attendance was 275). Our opening general session featured Jean Chatzky from the Today show who spoke to us about personal finances. ECMC added to the event by presenting her book to attendees. We featured a Washington insiders session with Brett Lief , President of NCHELP, Maureen Budetti, from NAICU, and Kathleen Smith, President of Education Finance Council, with the event moderated by Ron Gambill. We had a teambuilding event on the beach (who would have though that sandcastles could be so different!). Our Tuesday night dinner club featured Mike Rayburn, a real talent with a gift for comedy. Biz Daniel, conference chair, Mike Hawkes, training chair, and Michael Poma, membership chair and their respective committees all made this conference one to remember! Of course, any of the SFAA conferences couldn’t be possible without the support of our partners in the student loan industry, and our conference was marked by another record showing by these partners – 39. This success was due in part to the efforts of Jolene Burke, who had to leave the conference for medical reasons (she’s doing fine!)

During the conference, the association held its annual election of officers. The results of the election are as follows:

President Elect: Erik Melis, George Mason University

Treasurer Elect: Kerrie Roth, Old Dominion University

Secretary: Leslie Thomas, George Mason University

Representative at Large (2 years)

Angie Hawkins, Virginia Wesleyan College

Representative at Large (2 years)

Keith Wellings, Hampden Sydney College

Representative at Large (1 year)

Melissa Collum Wyatt, SCHEV

Congratulations to the new board members, as well as the continuing board members, and thanks to all who participated in the election.

The association also voted to fix the board composition at four representatives-at-large, rather than one per one hundred. The association has varied over the past several years from three to five representatives, with the tendency being towards four. This change should help stabilize the governance and organizational structure, allowing for better continuity from year to year.

One of the themes that Brad Barnett, our President-Elect, and I shared was that of continuity. I believe that we worked very hard to provide that to the association by many of our actions, such as contracting

with the Hilton Oceanfront for three years, establishing standard goals for each committee, and ensuring open lines of communication. Brad marks the start of his year with the Board transition at Graves’ Mountain Lodge (June 6 – 8) in Syria, followed immediately by the SASFAA Board transition. We’re also fortunate to have Tara Telfair to again facilitate our transition.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the entire Board, the Committee Chairs and their members, the vendors and sponsors, and the entire membership for their support, participation and efforts to make this a great year. It has indeed been my pleasure to serve as your President and it has been the highlight of my career in the financial aid community. It has also been a pleasure to be associated with the Board of SASFAA and to serve with their elected officers and the other state’s presidents – quite a remarkable group of professionals. Thank you.

To quote Garrison Keillor, "Be well, do good work and keep in touch."







Survival Knowledge From... Brad Barnett, Incoming President

Submitted by: Brad Barnett, VASFAA President 0506

Communication, Continuity, and Commitment

“The Business of Leaders, of heroes, is tricky. Leadership is not something that is done to people, like fixing your teeth. Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” – Bill Bradley, U.S. Senator

The VASFAA Transitional Board Retreat took place from June 6-8th at Graves Mountain Lodge, and we are off to a great start for 2005-06.

The theme for 2005-06 is to “Be a Financial Aid Survivor”, which will be accomplished by focusing on three main objectives. The objectives are Communication, Continuity, and Commitment, or what we have affectionately dubbed the 3 C’s.

I am proud to say that we have committee chairs for all of the 27 VASFAA committees we will have in 2005-06, and only three of those chairs were unable to attend the retreat. That is a great turnout for a transition retreat, and is part of the reason that we are off to such a wonderful beginning. That sort of turnout demonstrates a real “Commitment” by your committee chairs.

VASFAA had a year of “firsts” in 2004-05 and the new Board is going to carry over some of those “firsts” as we strive towards meeting our “Continuity” objective. For example, we decided to have another Leadership Symposium in 2005-06 and we have some junior chairs from 2004-05 who are now serving as chairs.

Additionally, the VASFAA standing committees are utilizing standardized goals that were developed by the 2004-05 Strategic Planning Committee and adopted as part of the VASFAA Policy & Procedure Manual. As a result, each standing committee only needs to develop objectives towards meeting those goals, instead of “reinventing the wheel” by creating a new list of goals each year. The standard goals are based on the VASFAA Strategic Plan, which will help ensure each committee is working towards the long range plans of the association. In fact, each goal is directly tied to a specific section of the Strategic Plan.

The Board and committee chairs are working on ways to improve “Communication” within the association. As an example, at the May 2004 conference, the 2004-05 Board adopted a new planning and reporting format for committees which will be used in 2005-06. This format will keep each committee’s plans and periodic reports in one document that will streamline reporting and allow the membership to track a particular committee’s work in one place.

The committees are also in the process of developing an in-depth “Committee Description” for each of the VASFAA committees. It is not uncommon for a Board member or committee chair to be asked by a VASFAA member, “What will I do if I volunteer for this committee?” Currently, the only descriptions that exist for committees are in the VASFAA Policy & Procedure Manual, and they are very brief in nature. Without a more detailed description, it can be difficult to explain to someone interested in committee work exactly what that work entails. The descriptions being drafted will address questions like:

• What tasks need to be done? • How much travel or time out of the office will this require? • How much time during my regular work day will this take? • What will this cost my employer (i.e., does VASFAA pay for expenses)? • Is the committee work done throughout the year, sporadically, or concentrated at one particular

time of the year? • Do I need to attend the conference to be on the committee, or can I simply do things “behind

the scenes”?

Lastly, we left the retreat with a balance budget for 2005-06! This was critical because the vendor/sponsor lottery will take place in just a few short weeks after the retreat. Having a balanced budget this early in the year allows each committee to know what they can afford to do, and gives them time to develop an accurate list of items to be included in the vendor/sponsor lottery process.

I am looking forward to a great year with VASFAA and am very excited about where we are headed. I want to personally thank everyone who has volunteered to work with VASFAA in 2005-06. The list continues to grow and the individuals served by the association will benefit from your time and efforts.

Psalm 118:24: This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.







2003-04 Committee of the Year Submitted by: Erik Melis, Electronic Services Commissioner

Newsletter Committee Selected as 2003-2004 VASFAA Committee of the Year As a representative-at-large and commissioner, one of the very exciting opportunities provided is the ability to be able to nominate one of the committees under your purview for VASFAA Committee of the Year. I am thrilled to announce that at the recent transitional board meeting in Syria, VA, the 2003-2004 Newsletter Committee, under the chairmanship of Gary Spoales (Bank of America), was formally recognized as the Committee of the Year for that year.

The Newsletter Committee made great progress during the 2003-2004 year in enhancing the presentation and content of the VASFAA Voice, VASFAA's official information resource to its membership. The new web-based format of the VASFAA Voice has greatly improved its readability and its effectiveness in communicating important and interesting information to the VASFAA members at large. Additionally, the committee was very effective and tenacious in soliciting input from the various constituent components of the association despite encountering an initial drought of voluntary contributions. Specific accomplishments for the committee during the 2003-2004 year include:

• Successfully completing all committee goals and objectives for the year, including the posting of 4 issues of the VASFAA Voice to the web on schedule and, in the case of the final issue, ahead of schedule.

• Operating within the prescribed committee budget and actually coming in below budget. • Submitting all reports and evaluations in the most timely manner and usually ahead of

schedule. • Providing expeditious responses to all requests from the commissioner, et al. • Convened meetings of committee members in person, by phone, and by e-mail as needed to

complete tasks. • Provided a great deal of relevant information in the VASFAA Voice to keep the VASFAA

membership well informed and even sent out teasers and updates using the VASFAA listserv. • Successfully deployed the new web-based web version of the VASFAA Voice, including

enhancements to navigation and readability.

Gary Spoales volunteered and was selected to chair the Newsletter Committee for 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 and has been intrinsically involved in the migration of the Newsletter portion of the VASFAA web site to the new ATAC-developed site.

Many kudos to Gary Spoales and the Newsletter Committee members for 2003-2004 including Joe Dobrota (Regent University), Judith Cramer (Virginia Commonwealth University), Brian De Young, (James Madison University), Linda Miller (James Madison University), Holly Rison (Randolph Macon University), Tanya White (Old Dominion University).







VASFAA Committees

Committee 0405 Chair 0506 Chair

Archives Holly Rison,

RMC Holly Rison,

RMC

Awards & Nominations Sherwin Hibbets,

Regent U Tom Morehouse,

TNCC

0405 Summaries

Awards Committee

Two awards were presented at the Annual 2005 Conference in Virginia Beach on May 22, 2005 to:

1. In absentia, Mr. Peter Blake, Deputy Secretary of Education for his outstanding contributions in simplifying financial aid legislation, increase flexibility in scholarship awarding and service to VASFAA.

2. Mr. Lee Andes, Assistant Director for Financial Aid, SCHEV, for his outstanding contributions as an advocate for increased student aid, awareness of postsecondary education opportunities and service to VASFAA.

The nominations for these awards had been approved by the Board at its Winter 2005 meeting.

Submitted by Sherwin Hibbets, Chair

Nominations and Elections Committee

Elections for the 2005-2006 offices were held during the annual conference in Virginia Beach, VA on Monday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

The results of the 2005 elections, including those elected by acclamation on Sunday, May 22, 2005 at the Annual Conference, provide the following new officers to the VASFAA Board for 2005-2006:

President-elect: Erik Melis

Treasurer-elect: Kerry Roth

Secretary: Leslie Thomas

Representatives- at-Large:

Angie Hawkins (2-year term)

Keith Wellings (2-year term)

Melissa Wyatt (1-year term)

The final slate for the 2005 VASFAA elections had been affirmed by the Board on April 11, 2005.

As a result of the membership’s vote on the proposed Bylaw change regarding the

number of Representatives-at-Large to be on the Board, there were three Representatives elected, two for a two-year term, and the new position, initially, for a one-year term.


Awareness Linda Woodley,

SCHEV Zita Barree, EdAmerica

Budget and Finance Rod Moore, SW VA CC

Bobby Clemmer, BRCC

0405 Summary

• Assisted in the development of the 2004-05 VASFAA Budget

• Served as a management source for the Sue D. Ross Scholarship Fund and

the New Century Educational Trust for the purposes of investing and awarding.

Submitted by Rod Moore, Chair

Bylaws Sherwin Hibbets,

Regent U Tom Morehouse,

TNCC

0405 Summary

The Bylaws Committee is able to report, as stated at the Annual Conference in Virginia Beach on May 25, 2005, that all eight (8) proposed changes to the Bylaws passed overwhelmingly. The sections of the Bylaws that were changed based upon membership vote are delineated in the Spring 2005 VASFAA Voice as indicated by “Proposed Bylaws” in the article. On February 14, 2005 the VASFAA Board of Directors had approved the proposed changes submitted to them on behalf of the Bylaws Committee. These changes were developed as a result of a review of the current bylaws to ascertain uniformity with prior Board and membership decisions, and the current VASFAA Policies and Procedures Manual. It is proposed that these changes become effective immediately upon membership approval.

Most of the changes are minor in nature to add appropriate language related to the creation of the position of Treasurer-Elect voted on by the membership a couple of years ago. One change allows for specification of a consistent number of Representative-at-Large positions so there is not a frequent fluctuation in the number of Representatives from year to year, depending upon the number of VASFAA members each year. This allows for greater efficiency in planning from one year to the next.

The changes are effective beginning with the 2005-2006 fiscal year.


Conference Biz Daniel,

National Education Jolene Burke,

CLC

0405 Summary

The annual Conference held at the Hilton Oceanfront Resort in Virginia Beach, VA was the largest attended conference to this date held by VASFAA and huge success according to the submitted conference evaluations. Being the first year of having only one conference there were many challenges with logistics of numbers of attendees, the number of sessions, rearrangement of the usual conference schedule, vendor sponsor space, and a few other items. However, this year’s conference committee felt that all their goals were met to produce an educational interactive conference that could be enjoyed by all participants. Another achievement to note was the raising of over $2,300 for the American Diabetes Association, the largest amount of money raised for a conference charity thanks to the giving nature of our membership.

Submitted by Biz Daniel, Chair

Diversity Kerrie Roth,

ODU Liza Bruce,

ECMC

0405 Summary

The Diversity Committee sponsored some exciting events and interest sessions at the 2005 Annual Conference at the Oceanfront Hilton.

In addition to enjoying 'diverse' treats, the membership participated in two (2) contests at the Diversity table, located across from the polling area. The Diversity 'Words of Wisdom' contest enjoyed heavy membership participation. Our winner was Lynn Roles of the University of Mary Washington. John Beard of US Education Finance Corporation was the winner of the 'Picture of Diversity Leadership Contest'.

Two (2) interest sessions were presented by Diversity Committee members. On Monday, Liza Bruce of ECMC presented 10 Delicious Ways to Bring Diversity to Your Financial Aid Office in her 'Eat Good Pie ' presentation.

We played 'Diversity Bingo' on Tuesday, with Vera Riddick of Old Dominion University leading the interactive learning experience. A good time was had by all.

Look for some exciting Diversity events as Liza Bruce heads up the Diversity Committee in 2005-06!

Submitted by Kerrie L. Roth, Chair

Electronic Services Laurie Schiavone,

John Tyler CC Daniel Hewitt,

Ferrum

0405 Summary

The Information Services Commission, under Commissioner Erik Melis from George Mason University, and comprised of the Electronic Services Committee (chaired by Laurie Schiavone, John Tyler Community College), Newsletter Committee (chaired by Gary Spoales, Bank of America), Photographer Committee (chaired by Gerene Carter, CitiBank), Public Relations Committee (chaired by Melissa Ellyson, Bank One/Chase), State Relations Committee (chaired by Melissa Wyatt, VCU), and Federal Relations Committee (chaired by Marilynn King, Virgina Tech) was very active during the 04-05 VASFAA year. Here is a short list of some of the committees' accomplishments:

Electronic Services

• transitioned the VASFAA web site to it's new design and new host

• maintained and updated the VASFAA web site

• brought up on-line membership forms and on-line conference registration

forms

• posted conference information to the VASFAA web site

Newsletter

• produced 3 excellent issues of the VASFAA Voice (one issue still to come for 04-05)

• worked closely with ATAC (our new web host) to establish very successful new web format for newsletter

• was recognized as Committee of the Year for 2003-2004

Photographer

• provided photographic documentation of various VASFAA events

Public Relations (committee not formed until late in the year)

• produced media releases about VASFAA activities (e.g. annual conference)

State Relations

• monitored state legislative activities and kept the board and membership

informed of important issues

• facilitated a first-ever and very successful Legislative Day for the VASFAA Board during the winter board meeting

Federal Relations

• monitored federal legislative activities and kept the board and membership

informed of important issues

• advised the membership of issues requiring membership input and feedback related to Reauthorization

Experienced Aid Officers Yvonne Hubbard,

UVA Lisa Tumer,

JMU

0405 Summary

At last year's symposium, enthusiastic attendees crafted legislative information outlining what VASFAA does and our Board members and their designees delivered it to legislators in the Commonwealth. The information was graciously accepted and appreciated. Stay tuned to learn more about this year's exciting leadership symposium!

Submitted by Lisa Tumer, Chair

Federal Relations Marilyn King,

VA Tech Marilyn King,

VA Tech

0405 Summary

See "Electronic Services" section

Loan Issues Advisory Mike Hawkes,

ECMC

Membership Mike Poma, Bank

One Leslie Thomas, GMU

Mike Poma, Suntrust

0405 Summary

Our current membership stands at 455 members. We had 356 members attend the annual conference. As this was one of our largest conferences, so was our new member attendees, this year we had 93 new members join the association. WELCOME to our new members.

The mentor program is running strong. We held our first reception at the conference and will continue with two more receptions before next years conference. Mentors, please remember to contact your men tees, and men tees, feel free to contact your mentor when you have a free moment. We had a good turnout for the new member breakfast as many enjoyed the icebreaker game. Do you remember who was “Kid Rock?” We also added the poly folders to the backpacks; we hope you all enjoyed those. They served as a nice compliment to the welcome bags. Remember, keep an eye out for membership renewals, this will be happening in early August.

Submitted by Michael Poma

New Century Fund Sherrye Ward,

Suntrust Sherrye Ward,

Suntrust

Newsletter Gary Spoales, Bank of America

Gary Spoales, Bank of America

0405 Summary


Photographer Gerene Carter,

Citibank Gerene Carter,

Citibank

0405 Summary


Public Relations Melissa Ellyson,

Wells Fargo Jeanne Holmes,

Suntrust

0405 Summary


SCHEV Liaison Lee Andes,

SCHEV Lee Andes,

SCHEV

Secondary Schools Pam Turner,

Thomas Nelson CC Sheila Nelson-Hensley,

Ptrk Cty Ed Fndtn

Sector Coordinator Brad Barnett,

JMU Erik Melis,

GMU

Site Selection Brad Barnett,

JMU Erik Melis,

GMU

State Relations Melissa Wyatt,

VCU Michael Barree,

Longwood U

0405 Summary


Strategic Plan Randy Craig,

ECMC Vern Fairchilds,

Bridgewater College

Sue D. Ross Fund Keith Wellings, Hampden Sydney

Bobby Clemmer, BRCC

Support Staff Training Karen Gilliam,

VCU Karen Gilliam,

VCU

0405 Summary

The Support Staff Training Committe provides training on refresher topics of financial aid and new processes as they become available during the year to financial aid professions and front line staff across the state of Virginia.

Two (2) training sessions were held in different locations so that members from all parts of Virginia could attend one of the sessions:

Fall Training was held on 12/8/2004 at Virginia Commonwealth University. Speaker: Jeff Hanson, Access Group Topics: Consolidation and Loan Counseling that sticks

Spring Training was held on 3/10/05 at James Madison University. Speakers: Kim Overton, Access Group & Karen D. Gilliam, VCU Topics: Credit Counseling and Customer Serv. for the Financial Aid Office

Submitted by Karen Gilliam, Chair

Training Mike Hawkes,

ECMC Donna Taylor,

VT

0405 Summary

The training sessions presented during the 2005 VASFAA Conference were the end result of the 2004-2005 VASFAA Training Committee’s work during the year. This Committee was responsible for 20 concurrent sessions, three general sessions and the New Aid Officers Workshop.

When we began planning these sessions, our goal was to provide a SASFAA-quality training opportunity at our State Conference. Based on the evaluations VASFAA members completed after each session, we believe we met this goal.

Another goal was to provide sessions that would appeal to the diverse VASFAA membership regardless of experience level or school affiliation. Our keynote speaker, Jean Chatzky, gave us an opportunity to focus on our financial happiness and set the tone for an excellent Conference. Other sessions featured a wide range of topics including college access and affordability, default management, the benefits and risks of technology, diversity and an inside look at the reauthorization process.

Donna Taylor, the 2004-2004 Training Committee Junior Chair, will lead the Training Committee in 2005-2006.

Submitted by Mike Hawkes, Chair

Vendor/Sponsor Jolene Burke, EdAmerica

Biz Daniel, National Education

0405 Summary

Goal #1: To work with potential/actual VASFAA sponsors to achieve a clear understanding of VASFAA’s new sponsorship policies and procedures. Objective: Communicate with potential/actual sponsors to ensure that the new process is followed and adhered to through timely correspondence email notifications. Status: Notified potential/existing sponsors of change in V/S policy. Conducted lottery and notified all V/S of the lottery outcome. May 2005 Update: In constant communication with all current Sponsors.

Goal #2: To ensure that all sponsors receive the proper credit due them. Objective: Promote sponsors to our membership by using the VASFAA Voice, the VASFAA website and post signage at all sponsorable events. Status: Notified Newsletter Chair of sponsors who elected to advertise in the Voice. Provided Chair with complete listing of all V/S. Worked with Electronic Services Chair to update VASFAA website. May, 2005 Update: VASFAA website has been updated with all sponsor logo and contact information. Conference Signs have been prepared and will be displayed for all sponsorable events. Conference program prepared with current sponsorship information.

Goal #3: To make any recommendations to the future Vendor/Sponsor Chair in order to improve this committee’s work Objective: Keep a notebook; outlining issues that arise during the year that can be improved upon in the future. Encourage feedback from sponsors during the spring conference sector meeting Status: Maintaining all documentation used this year and will work with incoming V/S Chair to ensure smooth transition. May 2005 Update: In communication with Biz Daniel, the 2006 Sponsorship Chair regarding changes to next years policy. Goal #4: To provide re-usable VASFAA signs. To be used at all VASFAA sponsored events as well as non-sponsored events. (i.e. conference session signs) Objective: Obtain price quotes from at least two sign companies Status: Completed - Sponsorship signs to be used at 2005 Conference May 2005 Update: Purchased twelve signs from vendor affiliated with Virginia Tech. Brenda Burke assisted with artwork and proofing.

Submitted by Jolene Burke







People and Places in the News

From VCU: Dick Wilkes is retiring in July, and Melissa Collum Wyatt is leaving VCU and going to SCHEV.

From ODU: Tanya White has left Financial aid for a position in Student Affairs at Norfolk State University.







The VASFAA Archives Submitted by: Holly Rison, VASFAA Archivist, Randolph Macon College

From the Archives......

Can you guess in what academic year did all the following occur?

• Several VASFAA members of VASFAA were on a radio talk show in Richmond on the evening of September 21st. They appeared on the Harvey Hudson Show.

• The association projected goal for membership was 110 regular and 25 associate members. Dues were $10 for active members and $5 for associate members.

• SCHEV announced an additional processing period for second semester TAG awards. The TAG award amount was $400.

• The VASFAA Officers were Buddy Johnston, President, Alvin Lomax, President-Elect, Ron Balance, Treasurer, Cathy Craft, Secretary and Allen Fredd, Past President.

• The Spring Conference was at the Ingleside Inn in Staunton. The dates were Wednesday, May 11 through Friday, May 13th.

• Brantley Richardson of RMWC was seen on Lynchburg’s WLVA TV station encouraging concerned students and citizens to get in touch with their congressmen or senators in an effort to promote funding of the NDSL Program.

• The summer Olympic games were held in Montreal.

• The World Series pitted the Cincinnati Reds against the New York Yankees. The Reds swept the series.

• The first woman Episcopal Priest was ordained.

• Scientists identified a previously unknown bacterium as cause of the mysterious legionnaire’s disease.

Did you figure out the academic year? Stay tuned............

Editor’s Note: You are an old-timer if you know the answer to this without using the public events hints!







Did You Know? Submitted by: Janet Sain, SASFAA President via Brad Barnett

Combat Pay Q&A with Anthony Jones of the Department of Education

Question: I have a quick question. If someone has $14K in box 14 coded Q, then are we to enter it on worksheet B and income earned from work regardless of whether they have filed taxes or not? I am thinking that if they enter in both places, they are counting that income twice and thus getting penalized, but I am being told that that is the way the new reg reads. Is this correct?

Answer: Both of you are correct...allow me to explain. But first, as an FYI, we are finalizing a Dear Colleague Letter that will include this issue (it will be a mix of issues that have come up at recent conferences that we wanted to clarify). When looking at the federal formula for calculating the EFC, 'Total Income' basically looks at taxable income and untaxed income. Untaxed income is fairly easy to derive, as all the elements come from Worksheets A & B. Taxable Income is either from AGI or Income Earned from Work. There are income taxes and payroll taxes. Assessed differently, but both represent income that is taxed at some level.

Combat pay is untaxed income for income tax purposes, but it is also income earned from work. Because it is earned, it should get the FICA allowance as part of the EFC calculation. However, in some cases, a portion of the combat pay may be reported as taxable income in order to claim certain tax credits. In any situation, the full amount of combat pay should always be included in income earned from work. But there are two situations that can complicate factors: 1) the full amount listed under Code Q in Box 14 is not always the amount that is untaxed, and 2) double counting can occur for non-filers. In short, to derive 'Total Income' for the EFC calculation, the formula adds AGI and Untaxed Income for those who file (or will file). Alternatively, the formula adds Income Earned From Work to Untaxed Income to derive 'Total Income' for non-filers. It's the latter category that can cause double-counting problems.

Therefore, the following guidance should be used for applicants with combat pay:

a. On the W2, status code Q represents the amount of combat pay a student receives. This is the amount that must be reported in income earned from work in all circumstances. See # 2 and # 3 below for when the student must also report that amount as untaxed income.

b. For applicants that file (or will file, including estimating) a tax return, the combat pay amount must be listed in both income earned from work AND untaxed income (Worksheet B). If the applicant listed a portion of the combat pay as taxable income in order to claim a tax credit (such as the Earned Income Tax Credit), then only the amount that was not part of AGI should be listed as untaxed income. In any circumstance, the full amount of combat pay should be included in income earned from work.

c. For applicants that do not file (or will not file) a tax return, the combat pay amount must be listed in income earned from work but not in untaxed income. This is to avoid double counting.

We are updating the instructions for the paper FAFSA and FAFSA on the Web, as well as the Application & Verification Guide in the Handbook. The information in the DCL should help guide FAAs in treatment of combat pay for their applicants.







NASFAA News Submitted by: Mindy Kaplan Eline, NASFAA

News from NASFAA

NASFAA Conference: Getting Around New York City Now that you have made your plane reservations and are getting ready for your flight to New York, it's time to discuss how you get around Manhattan once you walk out of the hotel. It may seem confusing at first but you will get the hang of it. Just remember to bring comfortable clothes and a good pair of walking shoes. In your registration bag you'll get a map, and there will be lots of people who will be happy to help you find your way around. You can explore on foot, by taking the subway or bus, or by hailing a taxi. New Yorkers do this every day and so can you.

Getting Around On Foot There are over 6,000 miles of street in NYC. Twenty uptown/downtown blocks or 10 crosstown blocks equal approximately one mile. Manhattan is 13.4 miles north to south and 2.3 miles wide at its widest point. During the day, when the streets are crowded, it's better to stick to the inside of the sidewalk rather than near the curb; and, if you're in a group, make sure to leave space so people can pass you. Street numbers go up as you are going north and go down as you are going south until you get to Greenwich Village where the numbers run out and the streets start to have names. From east to west, you start with Avenues D through A and then start with numbered streets which go from First Avenue to Twelfth Avenue with Lexington, Park and Madison Avenues added just east of Fifth Avenue. It actually all makes sense once you look at a map. The only place that it can get really confusing is in lower Manhattan where the streets seem to curve back on themselves. Also, in parts of Greenwich Village a street can start out going east to west and then suddenly turn so that it is going closer to north/south!

Getting Around by Subway or Bus The subway and buses cost $2 per ride, no matter the distance. On the bus, you can pay your fare with a MetroCard or exact change in coins. The driver does not give change and fare boxes do not accept dollar bills or pennies. The subway accepts only MetroCards.

A MetroCard can save you money on multiple rides. Options include the $7 one-day Fun Pass that allows you unlimited rides between 12:01 a.m. and midnight in the same day or the $24 seven-day unlimited ride card which you can use for 7 days from the day that you start using it. A pay-per-ride card ($10 for 6 rides or $20 for 12 rides) may be best for you, but those rides really mount up if you are taking a day for sightseeing. If you pay your fare with MetroCard, you may transfer free from bus to subway, subway to bus, or bus to bus within two hours of the time you paid your fare. Unlimited Ride MetroCard includes all transfers, at no charge.

Try to plan your trip ahead since you may find that a seven-day MetroCard may make much more sense than a Fun Pass or single rides, even if you are only staying for four days. It costs less than four Fun Passes and takes the worry out of how many trips you will be taking while you are visiting New York. You can get a MetroCard at any of the 3,500 MetroCard merchants throughout the city, but you may find it is easiest to get it at your hotel or the nearest subway station.

NYC's buses operate throughout the five boroughs on more than 200 routes. You are usually within a few blocks of a bus stop. Routes run uptown/downtown and crosstown from 6am until shortly after midnight, with waiting time between each bus approximately 5-15 minutes, depending on the time of day. Keep in mind that while buses are a great way to see the city and get to your destination, the ride can be slow-going when there is a lot of traffic but you will eventually get there and you can see some of Manhattan while you are riding. There are lots of streets where you can transfer from an uptown/downtown bus to a crosstown bus. Just ask your driver for the closest transfer point. Subways are a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to get around the city. Trains run 24 hours a day, with

waiting time between trains normally just a few minutes, depending on the time of day. The 714-mile New York City subway system has 468 stations serving 24 routes.

Tips For Riding The Bus How to Locate a Bus Stop: Bus stops have a tall, round sign with a bus emblem and route number; some have bus shelters. Most also include a "Guide-A-Ride," which is a rectangular box attached to the bus sign pole that displays a route map and bus schedule.

Boarding the Bus: As the bus pulls up to the stop, read the destination sign on its front. Board at the front of the bus. You can pay your fare with a MetroCard or exact change in coins. The driver does not give change and fare boxes do not accept dollar bills or pennies. If you use a MetroCard, position it with the cut corner on the upper left and feed it into the fare box; the fare box will take it internally and then give it back to you. Remember to let go of it when you dip it into the fare box.

Transfers/Making Connections: If you pay your fare with a MetroCard, you may transfer free from bus to subway, subway to bus, or bus to bus within two hours of the time you paid your fare. Unlimited Ride MetroCards include all transfers (it's calculated electronically on your MetroCard; you don't need to get a paper transfer), at no charge. If you pay your fare with coins, you may transfer free between buses with intersecting routes. Ask the bus driver for a transfer when you pay your fare.

Getting Off the Bus: Most buses stop every few blocks. Buses marked "Limited" make fewer stops. Push one of the yellow tape strips located between the windows to signal the driver to stop. You can also ask the driver when you board to alert you when you reach your stop. When the bus stops, a green light will appear over the rear door. Exit at the rear by touching the yellow strip on the door; the doors will automatically open. If they don't, push hard on the handles.

Tips For Riding The Subway Subway Entrances: Subway entrances in New York are usually found on street corners, marked with a staircase descending to the station. The stop will have a large green ball outside (indicating a booth inside where you can buy tokens or MetroCards) or red ball (no token booth inside; you must have fare available to enter).

Uptown/Downtown: Directions will usually be to take either an uptown or downtown train; there are also several crosstown shuttles. Many subway entrances specify Uptown Only or Downtown Only, meaning trains on the platform accessed by that specific entrance would be going in only one direction. A platform with trains running in the opposite direction will most likely be across the street behind you—an entrance across the street to your left or right will most likely have trains running in the same direction. Generally, subway stops for uptown are on the east side of the street, downtown on the west. Streets ascend in number as they run north.

Getting Information in the Station: There is a Passenger Information Center bulletin board near the main booth in every station, with subway map and map of the area immediately surrounding the station. Station booth agents can give you directions and a free subway map.

Going Through the Turnstiles: Slide your MetroCard through the slot in the top of the turnstile or deposit your token in the turnstile and walk through. You might need a little practice sliding your MetroCard. Insert as directed on the card: Make sure the black stripe is facing you; slide with the M of MetroCard going through first; slide the card not too quickly and not too slowly. There will be a text message on the turnstile saying if entry is granted ("GO") or not. If entry doesn't happen, follow instructions to slide the card again at that turnstile (you'll lose the fare if you switch turnstiles) or to put more money on the card.

Boarding the Right Train: Follow the signs displaying the subway route you want to take. At the platform edge overhead, you'll find signs that tell which trains stop there and the direction the trains are going, such as Uptown (northbound), Downtown (southbound), or Brooklyn-bound. The front and side of every train display the route number or letter. In many instances, more than one train route stops at a platform so you'll want to be sure to read the route number before you get on.

Knowing When to Get Off: Conductors make announcements so you'll know the next stop along the line. To be sure you're traveling in the right direction, check the subway map. Every subway car has a map posted on the wall by a door; new cars have route maps suspended from the ceiling with scrolling announcements of each stop.

Getting Around By Taxi Hailing A Taxi: New York City taxis are yellow and may be hailed on the street or found at taxi stands at major hotels and transportation hubs. On the street, stick out your arm to signal a taxi. A taxi is available when its white rooftop number light is lit. A taxi driver seeking passengers turns on the middle section (numbered part) only of the roof light. The rooftop light also has the words "Off Duty"; when these are lit, the taxi will not pick up passengers.

Cost: Taxis have meters. The total cost depends on the distance traveled and time spent in the cab. Taxi fares are $2.50 for the first 1/3 mile, then 40¢ each 1/5 of a mile thereafter, and 40¢ per 120 seconds when cab is not moving; a 50¢ night surcharge is in effect between 8pm and 6am; a $1 surcharge is in effect 4-8pm weekdays (not including holidays). Any bridge or tunnel tolls will be added to the total charge; drivers might ask that you pay the tolls as you go through them. Taxi drivers are usually given a 15% gratuity on top of the final metered fare.

Helpful Hints For Taking Taxis:

• Try to hail a taxi going in the direction you would like to travel; this saves time going around a block.

• Only yellow taxis are permitted by law to pick up without prearrangement. It is likely that you will be overcharged if you use a non-yellow medallion cab, so it is a good idea to only take regular yellow cabs.

• Make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter. The driver will be able to print a receipt for the ride.

• The usual way of telling the driver where you want to go is by naming the cross street and the avenue. For example, "34th and 5th" means 34th Street and 5th Avenue. As you get closer to your destination, you can let the driver know the exact street address so s/he can figure out where on the block it is.

• Remember to take all your belongings and get a receipt. If you take your receipt and you forget something in the cab, it is much easier to track your lost item.







Interesting Stuff for You! Submitted by: Pamela D. Turner, Ed.D.

Secondary School Relationships Blossom Into Full-Time Enrollments College aid officers are often invisible but critical players in modern college recruitment efforts. Although college administrations clearly recognize that timely and generous award letters help students and their families make the crucial decision regarding college choice, they are often less aware of the crucial role aid officers play much earlier in the college decision process with prospective students and their parents.

Aid officers, much like college recruiters, are on the road at high schools, churches and community groups, evenings and weekends, from October through March each year. The purpose of their visits are to encourage participation in financial aid programs, provide instruction and technical assistance regarding current financial aid opportunities and application processes for parents and students and act as good will ambassadors for the financial aid professional community.

Encouraging Reluctant and Discouraged Parents Financial Aid outreach visits not only educate parents and students regarding aid opportunities but, more critically, they encourage reluctant parents to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). An early barrier to college attendance is the erroneous belief held by students and parents that there is not adequate available aid to pay college costs. As a result, too many parents fail to take full advantage of college financing opportunities. Recent statistics show that only 50% of the students attending college in 2004 completed the FAFSA. Specifically, there are three groups of parents who are reluctant to complete the FAFSA:

• middle and upper income parents who do not think they are eligible for aid, • lower income parents who fear that signing a FAFSA means that they will be held responsible

for college costs and • parents from all income levels who feel that that they should not have to participate in the aid

application process because their children are adults.

Debunking Financial Aid Urban Myths and Legends At high school financial aid nights, financial aid officers initially fight the battle to get parents to participate in the aid application process by showing parents the potential rewards and educating them regarding process. Their next challenge is to convince parents and their children that some of the things that they may believe about financial aid are indeed myths. Some of the myths are derived from general misunderstanding of regulations. Then there are the legends about a friend or other family member who may have had a special condition. And finally, many myths are former truths about financial aid that are no longer accurate due to changes in regulations and processes.

The most popular urban myths and legends about financial aid are:

• Middle income families make too much money to receive assistance of any kind for their children’s college costs.

• A student aid report that indicates that a student is not Pell-eligible means that the student will receive no aid at all.

• Students who do not live with their parents and students who have not been claimed on a federal income tax return are independent for financial aid purposes.

• Student loans are not financial aid. • Step-parent income does not go on the FAFSA. • Grandparents who are raising their grandkids must put their income on the FAFSA. • Financial aid always covers all college expenses and can make your truck payment too. • When a parent refuses to complete a FAFSA, an aid officer will automatically make their child

independent for financial aid purposes.

• Parents must have filed their current tax return prior to completing a FAFSA. • Parents who are enrolled in college may count themselves as part of the number in college

question when completing their child’s FAFSA. • Students who have children are always independent. • Students who live with relatives are independent. • Parents only have to complete the FAFSA one time no matter how many children they have or

how many years those children go to college. • Student loans can be used to buy a car. • You do not have to repay a student loan because it is federally guaranteed. • Nothing happens if you do not repay a student loan. • Students who are not enrolled on a full-time basis cannot receive aid. • Colleges hoard federal aid money and earn interest on the money and pay the student as late as

possible. • Students who enroll and do not attend are entitled to aid. • Students who do not pass courses are entitled to aid. • The government has no way to check the veracity of data on the FAFSA. • The FAFSA is way too complex for students and parents to complete on their own. • It is best to pay an expert to complete the FAFSA in order to guarantee aid eligibility of $2625 or

more.

Promoting Good Will Another important objective that financial aid officers accomplish at high school aid presentations is promoting good will between parents and the financial aid community. The financial aid community is a caring group of diverse, highly-skilled professionals dedicated to student access to higher education. They work in colleges and university aid offices, lending institutions, guarantee agencies, governmental regulatory agencies and in other public and private settings. Their unenviable task is to put a friendly, approachable face on a highly regulated enterprise, outwardly characterized by high technology processes, complex regulations, deadlines and a plethora of acronyms and technical terms.

The outward-appearing complexity of financial aid application processes discourages participation by some consumers. The even higher level of inward complexity challenges professionals to develop the most efficient and effective strategies to deliver appropriate and timely services to increasingly diverse and process-challenged populations for whom higher education is a critical socio-economic equalizer.

Getting Out the Message When aid officers go on the road, they put a friendly, approachable face on an intimidating task for parents and students who are often inexperienced with any similar processes and who hold a great deal of misinformation regarding financial aid. The messages that financial aid professionals take to the community of prospective college students are:

• The financial aid application process should be approached in the same way that you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

• The FAFSA is free. It is not meant to require professional intervention. No parent should have to pay a professional to complete the form. There are companies glad to take money to complete the free form and to submit it electronically. Private companies cannot accurately guarantee better results or faster processing.

• The most efficient way to complete the FAFSA and receive the quickest results is to apply online.

• The most important thing to remember to do is to complete the form on time. • Although it is best to avoid mistakes, an error is not the end of the world. Electronic correction is

self-service, fast and easy. • Students must list all colleges they plan to attend on the FAFSA. Such listings provide

permission for the government to share FAFSA results with college aid offices. • College financial aid offers vary widely because college resources, costs and packaging plans

vary by college. Students should carefully compare aid offers to determine which offers best meet their present direct costs and tolerance for future debt.

• College financial aid processes and organization vary from college to college. • Although the student and his family bear primary responsibility for college costs,

financial aid officers manage financial resources to provide the most meaningful assistance to the largest number of students.

• There is a financial aid option for all income levels. • Financial aid provides students with the opportunity to go to college and the ability to choose

colleges that may otherwise be beyond the economic reach of the family.

• Parent refusal to participate in the financial aid application process is a serious obstacle to student ability to receive aid. Aid officers cannot convey independent status for students solely on the basis that their parents refuse to participate in the process.

• Parent participation in the federal financial aid application process does not obligate parents to pay or repay any student debt to the college.

• Students and parents should become knowledgeable regarding scholarship application processes in order to limit future student loan debt.

• Parents should not encourage students to reject Stafford loans in place of Parent loans for Undergraduate Students without considering interest rate differences that may exist and the future option of assisting the student with loan repayment.

• Parents and students should seriously consider any offered student work program opportunities because of the tremendous opportunities that they offer the student to gain college mentors beyond classroom professors, the early professional experience that the student will gain and the resulting letters of reference that the student will be able to use in future career interview efforts.

Partnering for Student Success Promoting successful participation in federal, state and private financial aid programs requires partnership between post-secondary institutions, post-secondary financial aid and enrollment professionals, parents, students, high schools, communities, foundations, employers, businesses, high school and college guidance and instructional personnel and state and federal government agencies. Any partnership that omits any of these critical groups is incomplete.

The group that connects and educates all of the constituencies required to achieve the fullest and most effective participation in financial aid programs and resulting college enrollment is the financial aid community. The financial aid community:

• educates all sectors, • promotes effective legislation, • advises against public policy that is detrimental to participation or is unfair or wasteful, • partners with college enrollment and finance operations to promote effective service delivery, • partners with foundations and businesses to provide safety nets for areas of unmet need, • advises government and regulatory agencies regarding practices, policies and regulations that

negatively impact consumers and colleges, • works within communities and schools to identify under-served populations, • encourages public participation • empowers parents and students to effectively participate and • empowers high school and college counselors to effectively assist students and parents.

Putting the College Student Aid Office to Best Use for the College College financial aid programs and services significantly affect initial college choice as well as continued student retention. Financial aid programs have valuable staff and information resources to contribute to student outreach for recruitment and retention efforts. In order to maximize the impact of the financial aid staff, colleges should include them in a significant role in college recruitment and retention planning decisions. Additionally, colleges should provide appropriate staffing and resources to allow financial aid program staff to fully participate in college outreach efforts. This valuable and talented college resource holds the key to effectively serving the long term enrollment growth needs of the college through policy and outreach. Including financial aid professionals in policy design promotes college-wide policy that meets both the enrollment and financial goals of the college. Including financial aid professionals in outreach efforts improves outcomes by establishing long term professional relationships between public school personnel and college aid office staff. Public school personnel, like parents and students, are often mystified by federal aid applications processes. Having a personal contact on campus to assist with their questions is an excellent way to improve college relations with public school personnel who often play a key role in helping students and parents with college selection decisions. Putting a friendly face on a policy and process can increase successful student and parent participation in financial aid programs.







VASFAA By-Law Changes Submitted by: Sherwin Hibbets, Bylaws Chair

The following listing represents the By-Law Changes approved by the membership in May.

CHANGE #1

Article VI – Officers, Paragraph 1: The elected officers of the Association shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, Immediate Past President, and Representative(s)-at-Large. The President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, and Treasurer-Elect will serve for a period of one year. The Secretary, and Representative(s)-at-Large will serve for a period of two years. All terms will coincide with the Association's fiscal year as defined in Article V.

CHANGE #2

Article VI – Officers, Paragraph 2: The President-Elect, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, Secretary, and Representative(s)-at-Large shall be elected by a majority vote of the total votes cast by the active membership.

CHANGE #3

Article VI – Officers, Paragraph 3: There shall be four (4) Representatives-at-Large officers of the Association. A Representative-at-Large officer shall not serve in consecutive two-year terms. Notwithstanding, a member elected to fill a vacant Representative-at-Large officer position that has less than a full two-year term of service remaining, may be eligible for nomination and re-election to a regular two-year term immediately following the end of the non-standard term served. There will be no limit on the number of non-consecutive two-year terms a member can serve.

CHANGE #4

Article VI – Officers, Paragraph 4: Upon the completion of the term as President-Elect, that individual shall become President of the Association until a successor President-elect assumes office as President. Upon completion of the term of the President, he or she shall become Immediate Past President and shall serve until a successor is named. Upon completion of the term as Treasurer-Elect, that individual shall become Treasurer of the Association until a successor Treasurer-elect assumes office as Treasurer.

CHANGE #5

Article VI – Officers, Paragraph 5: In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President without prejudice to his/her term of office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect shall assume the duties of the Treasurer without prejudice to his/her term of office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Treasurer-Elect, Secretary or Representative-at-Large, the President shall appoint a replacement, with approval of the Board of Directors, whose term will end with the end of the current fiscal year. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect, it shall be filled by the method of the original selection. Once elected, an officer may serve for the duration of his or her term so long as his or her membership classification continues to meet the requirements of an elected officer, as specified in Article XI.

CHANGE #6

Article VII – Duties of Officers [Add a new bulleted sub-paragraph (bullet #6) immediately following the current bulleted sub-paragraph starting with the word Treasurer.] Treasurer-Elect – The duties and responsibilities for the office of Treasurer-Elect may be the same as those specified for the office of Treasurer in the preceding paragraph above.

CHANGE #7

Article VIII – Board of Directors, Paragraph 1 The administrative responsibility of the Association shall be vested in a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall function as an Executive Board of the Association and shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, and Representative(s)-at-Large.

CHANGE #8

Article XI – Nominations and Elections: Voting, Paragraph 1 The President-Elect and President must be a person employed full time in financial aid administration at or by a post secondary educational institution. The Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, and Representative(s)-at-Large must be Active members of the association as specified in Article IV.







The Financial Aid Shell Game

ITT Technical Institute (Richmond campus) is seeking an enthusiastic, career-driven professional for a Financial Aid Administrator position. The Financial Aid Administrator duties include working with student body (current and perspective) to complete paperwork and develop individual financial aid packages. Each FAA is responsible for tracking funds and following up on all necessary documentation to ensure aid is disbursed.

Candidate should have excellent organization and customer service skills. Ability to work in a team environment is a must. The Administrator is also expected to be able to work independently to ensure all goals are met.

A Bachelors degree preferred and knowledge of federal aid is desirable. Evening and some Saturday work required.

Please send resume to: Kay Mattox, Director of Finance 300 Gateway Centre Parkway Richmond, VA. 23235 Fax (804) 330-4993 [email protected]

St. John's College is seeking a new Director of Financial Aid to manage a comprehensive financial aid program with a budget of $8 million from federal Title IV grant, work, loan programs, institutional programs, and state scholarships in compliance with federal regulations and institutional guidelines. Other job duties involve the development of policies, budgets, annual reports and preparation for annual external audit. The Director works closely with students and families as well as the admissions office in recruitment activities and is also responsible for the training, development and supervision of a small staff. The Director of Financial Aid is an Associate Faculty position; the salary is commensurate with experience. The successful candidate will be a seasoned professional with a BA degree and in-depth knowledge of federal Title IV regulations. He or she will demonstrate proven ability to administer budgets, to develop and implement policies, and to supervise a staff. Good writing and communication skills and the ability to work with complex software are also required. St. John's College is an equal opportunity employer. Interested parties should send their resume and cover letter to: Personnel Office St. John's College PO Box 2800 Annapolis, MD 21404-2800

Or [email protected]

The job is open until filled and the College’s website is www.sjca.edu.







SASFAA News

Do you know where SASFAA will be in February 2006? Check out the SASFSAA website at www.sasfaa.org. Mark your calendar for this always first-rate regional conference.







Calendar Guide

Upcoming Events

2005

July 3-6 NASFAA 2005 Annual Conference

2006

February 12-15

SASFAA 2006Annual Conference

May 6-10 VASFAA 2006 Annual Conference

2005-2006 VASFAA VOICE Article, Ad, Photo Submission Windows

Issue Submission Deadline

Publication Focus

Fall 2005 September 10 October 1 Leadership Development

Winter 2006 December 15 January 10 Training

Spring 2006 March 20 April 10 Conference

Summer 2006

June 1 July 1 Transitions

Send all submissions to Gary Spoales, Newletter Editor, via email @ [email protected].







Association Sponsors

VASFAA recognized four levels of yearly sponsorship for 0405. We acknowledge the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsors in each issue of the newsletter. This year's sponsors are identified below by category. They deserve your support in a manner reflecting their support of your efforts in VASFAA.

2004/05 VASFAA Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Edamerica

Educational Credit Management Corporation

Nelnet Campus Solutions

SunTrust Education Loans

USA Funds Services

Gold Sponsors

Bank of America Student Banking Group

Silver Sponsors

Academic Management Services

American Student Assistance

Bank One

Chase

Citizen’s Bank

Collegiate Funding Services

Key Bank

National Student Loan Program

Nellie Mae

Sallie Mae

Texas Guarantee

Wachovia/Educaid

Wells Fargo

Bronze Sponsors

American Education Services

Campus Door, Inc

Citibank

College Loan Corporation

M&T Bank Educational Lending

National Education

TERI







Default Prevention Function of Guarantee Agencies Submitted by: Richard Burt, USA Funds Services

Editor’s Note: Over the years, it has become increasingly more difficult to determine where to go for the best advice on a variety of student loan issues. Everybody in the industry wants the school to perceive their organization as the expert. Lenders, Servicers, Guarantors, and even Secondary Markets have attempted to develop systems, processes and marketing that ties the school and borrowers to their organizations. In some cases, the choice is very clear. Guarantors are identified in the federal regulations as the responsible agencies for two important functions. The first is, of course, to guarantee loans. The second, and equally important, is to provide expertise in default management and prevention. The following article is an appropriate and timely default management advice for your borrowers from the guarantor, USA Funds, to help you address potential default prevention issues on your campus. If default levels are an issue at your institution, don’t hesitate to seek help and advice from the guarantor(s) that have a presence at your school. They are there to assist you with this important topic.

Default-Prevention Checklist for Students’ Grace and Repayment Periods Because each education-loan borrower has unique circumstances, schools’ default-prevention plans for individual students should be tailored accordingly. USA Funds®’ online Best Practices in Debt Management Manual offers the following checklist to help financial-aid administrators assess their default-prevention efforts for students in their grace and repayment periods.

____ We have developed a procedure to determine when students leave school.

____ We have developed a procedure to make it easy for students to re-enroll.

____ We have created a campaign to make contact with borrowers shortly after they enter their grace period.

____ We have developed or acquired tools for the grace-period campaign to contact borrowers.

____ We have created a process for contacting delinquent and defaulted borrowers.

____ We have developed or acquired the tools for the campaign to assist delinquent or defaulted borrowers.

____ We have developed a skip-tracing procedure to obtain better contact information for borrowers who we have been unable to reach.

____ We make use of services and reports from our education lenders, servicers and guarantors to support our borrower-contact efforts.

More suggestions and tools for helping students manage debt throughout the life cycle of their loans are available in USA Funds’ Best Practices in Debt Management Manual.







Humor in the Workplace Submitted by: Elizabeth Desi

Abbott and Costello's Computer Conversation You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, "Who's on first?" might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer. ABBOTT: Mac? COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou. ABBOTT: Your computer? COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one. ABBOTT: Mac? COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou. ABBOTT: What about Windows? COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here? ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows? COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows? ABBOTT: Wallpaper. COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software. ABBOTT: Software for Windows? COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have? ABBOTT: Office. COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything? ABBOTT: I just did. COSTELLO: You just did what? ABBOTT: Recommend something. COSTELLO: You recommended something? ABBOTT: Yes. COSTELLO: For my office? ABBOTT: Yes. COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office? ABBOTT: Office. COSTELLO: Yes, for my office! ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows. COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need? ABBOTT: Word. COSTELLO: What word? ABBOTT: Word in Office. COSTELLO: The only word in office is office. ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows? ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W". COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet? ABBOTT: Yes, you want Real One.

COSTELLO: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need! ABBOTT: Real One. COSTELLO: If it's a long movie, I also want to watch reels 2, 3 and 4. Can I watch them? ABBOTT: Of course. COSTELLO: Great! With what? ABBOTT: Real One. COSTELLO: OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do? ABBOTT: You click the blue "1". COSTELLO: I click the blue one what? ABBOTT: The blue "1". COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue w? ABBOTT: The blue "1" is Real One and the blue "W" is Word. COSTELLO: What word? ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows. COSTELLO: But there are three words in "office for windows"! ABBOTT: No, just one. But it's the most popular Word in the world. COSTELLO: It is? ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there. COSTELLO: And that word is real one? ABBOTT: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even part of Office. COSTELLO: STOP! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: I need money to track my money? ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer. COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer? ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge. COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much? ABBOTT: One copy. COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money? ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money. COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money? ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off? ABBOTT: Click on "START"







In Transition Submitted by: Sheila Nelson-Hensley, Patrick County Education Foundation

As most of my financial aid colleagues are frantically packaging awards, requesting documents to complete verification and certifying loans, I find myself in a state of complete confusion about what I am supposed to do, who I am supposed to call and how do I start the next project. Oh, heck, I don’t even know what the next project is.

It seems funny because I have worked in financial aid for the past 23 years and have always known what comes next. For all the stressors involved in processing financial aid, dealing with unhappy parents, and implementing the latest regulation, I find myself missing those familiar details.

I have moved from my “comfort zone” as Director of Financial Aid at Ferrum College to a new and “unknown” position as Program Director of the Patrick County Education Foundation. For the last five weeks, I have had to ask, “How do I run the fax machine?” (you know they are all different), ”Where do we keep the letter head?”, “Who is responsible for this task?”, “What is college access?”.

Access. That’s why I entered the financial aid profession all those years ago. I, like so many of you, have a basic need to help others. I wanted to help students afford a college education. There are all kinds of grants out there. Surely, I can help to make that student’s and her family’s dreams come true. Alas, over the past 23 years, the price of a college education has skyrocketed and many families can’t help the student bridge that gap, either because of their financial issues or simply because they don’t feel it is their responsibility to help their children.

The Patrick County Education Foundation has helped me get back to that basic need to help others. Our Foundation offers scholarships to high school graduates from Patrick County to assist them in their quest for their degrees. We also work with adults in the community who want to complete their GED, as well as workforce training, such as computer training and career readiness preparation. I’m back to providing access...access to college for traditional-aged students and access to better jobs due to GED completion or specialized job training. I’m back to making a difference in many lives in diverse, new ways.

I’ll always remember with love, the many years that I spent in a financial aid office and the students for whom I applauded as they walked across the stage at commencement. And now, I look forward to making a difference on a different level.







Track Managers

Committee Members

Gary Spoales Bank of America Editor

Stephanie Clements

Radford University Professional Schools

Tanya White Old Dominion University

“News” Detective

Holly Rison Randolph Macon College

"Blast from the Past"

Linda Miller James Madison University

Feature Writer

Tina Bergstrom Old Dominion University

Rookie Reporter

Erik Melis GMU Commissioner

Contributors

Sherwin Hibbets Regent University

Tom Morehouse Thomas Nelson CC

Michael Poma Suntrust

Biz Daniel National Education

Jolene Burke College Loan Corporation

Brad Barnett James Madison University

Mike Hawkes ECMC

Melissa C. Wyatt VCU

Sheila Nelson-Hensley

Patrick Cty Educ Fdtn

Michael Barree Longwood University

Bobby Clemmer Blue Ridge CC

Kerrie Roth ODU

Jeanne Holmes SunTrust Bank

Laurie Schiavone John Tyler CC

Elizabeth Desi University of Mary Washington

Kay Mattox ITT Technical Institute

Pamela Turner, Ed. Citigroup

D.

Janet Sain ECPI, SASFAA President

Karen Gilliam VCU

Rod Moore SWVCC

Richard Burt USAF

Mindy Kaplan Eline NASFAA

Zita Barree EdAmerica

Lisa Tumer James Madison University

Liza Bruce ECMC

Daniel Hewitt Ferrum College

Sherrye Ward SunTrust Bank

Vern Fairchilds Bridgewater College

Donna Taylor Virginia Tech

Brenda Burke Virginia Tech

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