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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

2014-2015 SASFAA Leadership

This year, SASFAA is looking for dedicated professionals for the following positions:

 
President-Elect
Vice President
Secretary

 
SASFAA takes pride in the diversification of the Executive Board by type of school, gender, ethnicity, and by state. But we can only do that if you provide the nominations. And remember, it is perfectly okay to nominate yourself.

Send your recommendations to any member of the Nominations and Elections Committee.  They are:

 Jeff Dennis (Chair) – jdennis@swu.edu
Sharon Williams (Alabama) – sdwilliams@lawsonstate.edu
Nathan Basford (Florida) – nbasford@fsu.edu
Philip Hawkins (Georgia) – phawkins@westga.edu
Chris Tolson (Kentucky) - cytolson@campbellsville.edu
Cindy May (Mississippi) – cmay1@olemiss.edu
Bridget Ellis (North Carolina) – bbellis@barton.edu
Sarah Dowd (South Carolina) – sdowd@tctc.edu
Clyde Walker (Tennessee) – c.walker@vanderbilt.edu
Margaret Murphy (Virginia) – murphyml@evms.edu

The deadline for Nominations is:

 September 20, 2013

Questions? Please contact Jeff Dennis, Nominations and Elections Chair.  jdennis@swu.edu

 

Monday, August 12, 2013

President Obama Signs Kline Student Loan Legislation into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. | August 9, 2013 –
Today President Barack Obama signed into law H.R. 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (also known as the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act as amended by the Senate).
“I’m pleased to join President Obama in the Oval Office for the signing of H.R. 1911. This is a great day – not just for students and their families, but for all Americans,” said House Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN), who along with Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) introduced H.R. 1911 in May. “Seeing this bipartisan proposal become law reminds us of what can be accomplished through hard work, compromise, and faith in the legislative process. I look forward to building upon this success as we work toward other shared goals, including raising the bar in the nation’s classrooms by revamping federal K-12 law, strengthening job training opportunities for American workers, and improving college affordability and access through the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.”
To learn more about H.R. 1911, click here.

Openings available for 2014 New Aid Officer Workshop faculty

In preparation for the 2013-2014 professional development activities of SASFAA and in accordance with our policies and procedures openings are available for 2014 New Aid Officer Workshop faculty.  The proposed date for the workshop is June 14 – 20, 2014.  The workshop is designed to provide a working knowledge of the federal financial aid programs, as well as an understanding of the laws and regulations that govern these programs.

Below are the guidelines for faculty selection and their duties.  If you are interested or would like to recommend a colleague, please complete and return the “Instructor Recommendation Form” on/before Monday, September 30, 2013.   Faculty positions will be determined in November and individuals will be notified of selection by December 10, 2013.  Instructors and alternates will be selected during the process.

Guidelines for Faculty Selection (P&P 6.14.1)
  1. Faculty members must be financial aid administrators who have been employed in the student financial aid profession for at least three (3) years, with preference given to those administrators with greater experience.
  2. Faculty cannot serve more than two (2) consecutive years except with the approval of the Board.
  3. Faculty must be active members of SASFAA.
  4. The vice president, in consultation with the president, will select the faculty. Recommendations will be solicited from the Professional Development Committee.
  5. Faculty selection criteria shall include state, type of institution or agency where employed, minority representation, teaching ability and professional attitude. Competency, professionalism and teaching ability shall be determining factors when selecting faculty.
Job Description and Responsibilities
  • The instructor is expected to attend a planning retreat in the spring prior to the workshop.
  • The instructor agrees to stay on site for the entire workshop.
  • The instructor is expected to arrive at the summer workshop site on Friday prior to the beginning of the workshop (Sunday) and remain through the following Friday (close of the workshop). [Eight days]
  • Agree to participate in all workshop-sponsored events.
  • Understand that the commitment of being a NAOW Instructor is a two-year commitment with an annual contract issued at the discretion of the SASFAA Vice-President.
  • Serve as the instructors for one-day workshop held in conjunction with the annual conference.  
  • Review curriculum materials provided.  This should be done prior to arrival at the workshop.
  • Work closely with teaching partner to make the classroom experience of the highest quality.
  • Encourage participants in classroom and social activities, helping them to feel welcome and comfortable.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me by email at mcallisv@mailbox.sc.edu.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Tabatha McAllister
SASFAA Vice President (2013-2014)

 

Friday, August 9, 2013

2014 SASFAA NAOW Site Selection

Greetings SASFAA Members,

Site selection proposals for the 2014 SASFAA New Aid Officers Workshop are currently being accepted.  The proposed date for the workshop is June 14 – 20, 2014.  The workshop is designed to provide a working knowledge of the federal financial aid programs, as well as an understanding of the laws and regulations that govern these programs. The workshop is intended for new financial aid administrators with less than three years of experience in the field of financial aid. Other individuals whose professional responsibilities include significant contact with the financial aid process are welcome to attend the workshop. 

If your institution is interested in being a site for this event please complete and return the proposal  to me by Monday, September 30, 2013.  If you have any questions feel free to contact me by email at mcallisv@mailbox.sc.edu.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Tabatha McAllister
SASFAA Vice President (2013-2014)

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Loan Interest Rate bill passes the House, now on the way to the President for signature.

Excerpts from the House Education & Workforce Committee announcement:

The House of Representatives today approved with bipartisan support a final version of H.R. 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (also known as the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act as amended by the Senate).

As passed by the House and Senate, H.R. 1911 will:
Calculate undergraduate Stafford loans using a formula based on the 10-year Treasury note plus 2.05 percent.
  • Calculate graduate Stafford loans using a formula based on the 10-year Treasury note plus 3.6 percent.
  • Calculate graduate and parent PLUS loans using a formula based on the 10-year Treasury note plus 4.6 percent.
  • Protect borrowers in high interest rate environments by including an 8.25 percent interest rate cap on Stafford loans made to undergraduates, a 9.5 percent cap on Stafford loans made to graduate students, and a 10.5 percent cap on PLUS loans.
  • Provide stability for students by locking in interest rates for the life of the loans, and prevent future uncertainty about whether Congress is going to act in time to change the interest rate.
To learn more about H.R. 1911, click here.

As was referenced at the last day of the NASFAA Conference, ED will release more guidance on the actual interest rates for the 2013-2014 award year following the President’s signature on the bill.  It is likely that the interest rates will retroactively apply back to July 1, 2013, and also likely that all work to re-program the 13-14 interest rates on student records will fall on the ED side of the process, not on the school side of the process.  Watch for more details to come from ED.
It is with great sadness I share the loss of Greg Windham’s fatherGreg serves as MASFAA’s President and serves of the SASFAA Board for 2013-14 .  Mr. Windham has been battling an illness for some time but his death this morning  was very sudden and unexpected.  Please keep Greg and his family in your thoughts and prayers. 

If you would like to send Greg your condolences his home address is:

Greg Windham
202 Michael Drive
Booneville, MS 38829
 
Visitation will be Friday evening, August 2 beginning at 5 p.m. at the Booneville Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements are not yet complete but will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at a location not confirmed at this time.  If you need additional information you may contact: 

Booneville Funeral Home
506 N. Third S
Booneville, MS 38829
Ph: 662.728.6607

Please keep Greg and all of his family in your thoughts and prayers.
*****************************

Zita M. Barree
SASFAA President