Calm and Bright!

Nominations and Elections Committee

The Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to present our candidates for consideration in the upcoming election.  Thanks are owed to everyone who submitted nominations and to those willing to be nominated.  SASFAA continues leading as a vibrant organization due to the dedication and involvement of our many wonderful volunteers.

Election Candidates

            President Elect            Chad Sartini and Bill Spiers

            Treasurer Elect           Michael Birchett and Leah Louallen

            Secretary                      Tarik Boyd and Wayne Kruger

Stay tuned for more communication, including candidate resumes and candidacy statements in the near future.  Voting will begin February 1 and continue through Tuesday, February 13 at 3 PM EST.

Thank you again to everyone who volunteered.

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year,

Marian Dill
mdill@leeuniversity.edu

SASFAA Nominations and Election Committee

Global Issues

LET’S TALK EXPIRATION DATES

It’s time to shake off the cynicism of SAP, C-codes, and PROSPER. Forget the vagaries of verification. It’s the holiday season. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, whatever you personally celebrate; it’s here. It’s the season of hope and joy and at no other time of the year does the light of human kindness shine any brighter.

Something about this time of year brings out the best in us. People are more generous, kind, compassionate, and patient. You tend to do things like pay it forward at a drive through window or adopt a child from the angel tree. You set aside the stress and anxiety of the world and you go to holiday parties with co-workers, friends, or family and you laugh, love, celebrate and embrace moments of joy. You live genuinely in the moment and for a while it really does feel like “all is calm, all is bright.”

Today I want to remind you that the spirit of the holiday doesn’t have to have an expiration date. We live in stressful times, in a profession that exposes us to the financial woes of families from all over the nation. We know their stories, their struggles and their desperation. We also observe how flippantly some students regard their education. We’ve all had days where we’ve thought unkind things about students or parents, and let’s be honest, we’ve hoped fervently for their failure just so they would go away. But this is your chance to change your perspective. Use the holidays to rest, rejuvenate, and to embrace the holiday spirit, but then take it a step farther. Let’s be that generous, that kind, that compassionate when all the holidays songs, services, and observances are over.

I encourage you all to go into 2018 with a commitment to being a light to your campus, your community, and your students. There is enough negativity, anxiety, and commentary in the world right now. We can be a voice of encouragement and compassion. We can be the one smile someone sees on a bad day, we can be better than the frustrations of our jobs. I don’t know about you, but I’ve given too much time and energy, a lot of energy, to sarcasm, cynicism, and negativity this year. I’ve let student attitudes get the best of me. It’s not worth it. No one should have the power to rob you of your joy. So, let’s be purposeful in guarding our joy, and focus on being bringing joy to others in the coming year. Don’t let the spirit of the season expire when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

Who’s with me?

If you require a little assistance in lifting your holiday spirits, I offer you this little gem.

Christmas Crack

Ingredients

• 28 to 35 saltine crackers (about one sleeve, enough to line your tray)
• 1 cup (220 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup (225 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (10 to 12 ounces) chopped dark chocolate

·         1 Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick aluminum foil (preferred) or regular heavy duty foil, making sure that the foil completely covers the bottom and sides of the pan. If using regular foil, spray lightly with baking spray. Line the saltine crackers in a single layer on the bottom.

·         2 Make the caramel sauce: Place the brown sugar, butter and salt in a medium sized saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 to 5 minutes, just until the mixture comes to a boil and starts to darken. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

·         (Note: You're not actually making true caramel here, so you don't need to be as precise or worry about the temperature of the caramel. Just make sure it comes to a boil and wait for it to darken slightly, then continue.)

·         3 Pour the hot brown sugar mixture over the saltine crackers. Spread to evenly coat the crackers.

·         4 Move the pan to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. The caramel will be hot and bubbly.

·         5 Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook it in the microwave in 30-second intervals at full power, stirring between each cook time, until the chocolate has melted.

·         6 Pour the chocolate over the baked crackers: Once the crackers are done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 minute, until the caramel is no longer bubbling. Then pour the melted chocolate over the crackers. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the top.

·         7 Cool the crackers overnight: Let the crackers cool to room temperature then move to the refrigerator and cool over night.

·         8 "Crack" the crackers: The crackers will form a single sheet once cool. Remove from pan and gently peel the foil away, being careful not to tear the foil. (If any bits of foil tear and get stuck in the caramel, break those bits away and discard.) Cut the candy into snack-sized pieces using a chefs knife (you can use your hands, too, but I find it easier with a knife).

·         Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.

Donna Quick

dquick@ec.edu

Global Issues Committee

Member Submitted

The Twelve Days of Work - Holiday Humor for the FA Professional

On the first day of Work
my boss sent to me:
An audit pending

On the second day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Two transient students
and an audit pending

On the third day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the fourth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the fifth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the sixth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Six students crying
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the seventh day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Seven DO-apps waiting
Six students crying
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the eighth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Eight private loans
Seven Do-aps waiting
Six students crying
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the ninth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Nine Bright Futures cancelled
Eight private loans
Seven Do-aps waiting
Six students crying
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending 1

On the tenth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Ten work studies working
Nine Bright Futures cancelled
Eight Private loans
Seven Do-aps waiting
Six Students crying
Five Sap appeals
Four Tax returns
Three Loan request
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the eleventh day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Eleven testers testing
Ten work studies working
Nine Bright Futures cancelled
Eight private loans
Seven Do-aps waiting
Six students crying
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
two transient students
and an audit pending

On the twelfth day of Work
my boss sent to me:
Twelve jobs failing
Eleven testers testing
Ten work studies working
Nine Bright Futures cancelled
Eight private loans
Seven Do-aps  waiting
Six students crying
Five SAP appeals
Four tax returns
Three loan requests
Two transient students
and an audit pending

Whew!

Written by:

Courtney Kincaid

OFA Flordia State University

Submitted by:

Nathan Basford

nbasford@admin.fsu.edu