NASFAA and You

Dear Members & Friends:

I hope this finds all of you doing well, and off to a great Semester.  I know that this is a very busy time for all of us, and, as financial aid professionals, we have worked very diligently to ensure that financial aid funds have been disbursed in a timely manner.

 

As the immediate past-president of SASFAA I have the opportunity to serve as a voting member of the NASFAA board.  This year I want to reach to you and ask the following about how NASFAA may better serve you, your institution, and region:

1.      What does NASFAA provide to you?

2.      What do you feel NASFAA is missing that could better serve you, your institution, and region?

As stated earlier, I am very excited to be the voice for SASFAA at the NASFAA table this year.  NASFAA is committed to advocacy and training, and it has valuable resources available to all members. 

As a financial aid administrator and a member of NASFAA, I appreciate all the opportunities that NASFAA offers to me professionally. 

Our first on-site NASFAA board meeting will be held November 9-10^th in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Please send me your comments so that I may share your concerns.   My e-mail is nbasford@admin.fsu.edu.

NASFAA’s Mission Statement:

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) provides professional development for financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies that increase student access and success; serves as a forum on student financial aid issues, and is committed to diversity throughout all activities.

Regards,

Nathan

SASFAA Legislative Update - 10/01/2015

SASFAA Legislative Update

 

Government Shut Down Avoided

The Senate passed a short-term Continuing Resolution Wednesday that allows the federal government to remain open through December 11, 2015.  During the interim, budget talks will continue regarding a two-year budget deal that is desired.  Due to the current differences between the two parties and the Presidential election in 2016, it would not be surprising to end up with another short-term continuing resolution that goes through the November elections.

 

Federal Perkins Loan Program in Wind-Down

The Senate did not extend the Federal Perkins Loan Program yesterday, which ended the federal fiscal year.  Although the House of Representatives passed a one-year extension on a voice, consent vote last week, the unanimous consent vote was blocked by Senator Alexander, who chairs the Senate HELP Committee.  The USDE provided the guidelines for the wind-down of the Federal Perkins Loan Program in a Dear Colleague Letter (GEN-15-03) published January 30, 2015.  Additionally, the Department of Education provided wind-down Questions and Answers regarding the Perkins Program on the Campus-Based Processing Information page on the IFAP website. 

Nominations & Elections 2016-2017 - Help Make an Impact

Dear SASFAA Members & Friends:

By now, many of you have seen the announcements that have been sent out by me last week and again this week.  They are announcements seeking nominations for our SASFAA awards as well as seeking nominations for our up-coming election in February.

This year, President Amy Berrier has chosen “Make an Impact” as SASFAA’s theme.    We all have that opportunity each day as we serve each of our students attending at our individual institutions.  We make an impact by ensuring that funds are awarded to students in a timely manner and that we continue to advocate for students to ensure financial remains available to all who apply.  As financial aid professionals, we do great jobs doing this!

Now it is time to “Make an Impact” within the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA), our association.  We need to begin speaking with those individuals within our state and region and encourage them step up and serve.  Begin looking at those individuals who exhibit strengths of leadership, who are concerned about making a difference, and those who may think out-side-the-box. 

As Chair of the Awards and Nominations and Elections Committee, I am seeking your help to ensure that we reach out to those we see as leaders—those who stand out, those willing to generate ideas, and those you have heard say, “I want to make a difference”.  Talk to them. Encourage them to run for offices within SASFAA. We were all new at one time, so, to me, that newness alone is longer an excuse. 

Below is the link to review the positions for the up-coming election.  Please review and nominate an individual who you know will make an impact.  As you begin seeking nominations for the positions, please be sure that you have their permission and that they will have full support within the institution and, most important, their family.

Nominations and Elections 2016-2017 - Deadline October 30^th

It is time to nominate them for our SASFAA awards.  Please see the following awards offered by SASFAA.  Deadline October 23^rd!

Distinguished Service Award

This is the highest honor bestowed by SASFAA.  Individuals honored with a SASFAA Distinguished Service Award shall have made outstanding, significant, and meritorious contributions to the advancement of student financial aid or the profession.  The awards committee, comprised of the elected officers of the Association, shall be charged to consider nominees and recommend them for consideration to the Board.  Nominees must be approved by a two-thirds vote of Board members present and voting.

Each recipient shall be presented an appropriate plaque at the annual conference of the Association and shall be entitled to honorary membership in the Association when the recipient ceases to meet active membership eligibility requirements.

Honorary Membership

Honorary membership shall be awarded to persons who have demonstrated outstanding service to SASFAA and to the student aid profession.  Practicing financial aid administrators are not eligible to receive this award. 

I look forward to receiving your nominations, and in receiving your nominations, we all will Make an Impact in our SASFAA’s future.

Nathan Basford

Your Immediate Past-President
nbasford@admin.fsu.edu

Are you connected?

Are you connected?

Be sure and 'like' our SASFAA Facebook page, and subscribe to NineNews, SASFAA's electronic newsletter. 

Many of our states have social media sites as well. Check 'em out!

SASFAA:        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SASFAA

                        NineNews:  http://sasfaa.blogspot.com/

NASFAA:       https://www.facebook.com/NASFAA

Alabama:             http://www.aasfaaonline.org/

Georgia:               https://www.facebook.com/Georgia-Association-of-Student-Financial-Aid-Administrators-184637731583339/timeline/

Mississippi:         https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mississippi-Association-of-Student-Financial-Aid-Administrators-MASFAA/167425109976429

Florida:                 www.facebook.com/fasfaahome

https://twitter.com/fasfaa

Kentucky:            https://www.facebook.com/KASFAA

North Carolina:  https://www.facebook.com/NCASFAA

South Carolina:  https://www.facebook.com

Tennessee:        http://tasfaatn.com/

Virginia:               www.facebook.com/VASFAA

Constitution Day 2015

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

http://www.constitutionday.com/

September 17 is Constitution Day. As your college observes this day, please share your photos with us via e-mail.

Jody Darby, Chair

SASFAA Communications and Outreach

Seeking Session Proposals for NASFAA 2016

Submit Interest Session Proposals For The 2016 National Conference By October 31

Help us gear up for our 2016 NASFAA National Conference. NASFAA’s 2016 Conference Program Task Force is requesting interest session proposals for the 2016 conference, set for July 10-13, 2016 at the Wardman Park hotel in Washington, D.C. Check out the guidelines for presenters and moderators, then click the yellow "Submit Your Session Proposal Online".

Joan D Bailey, M.A.

Member of NASFAA’s 2016 Conference Program Task Force

Associate Director
University of South Florida

SASFAA Awards Committee is Accepting Nominations

As your SASFAA Past President, I have the privilege of serving as the Chair of the Awards Committee.  The committee’s members are the elected officers of the Association and we are charged with recommending award recipients to the SASFAA Board for its approval.  Because our next Board meeting is scheduled for November 2015, and the Awards Committee will need time to consider all nominations and finalize our recommendations to the Board prior to November.  I am asking that any nominations for the awards listed below should be sent to me by no later than Friday, October 23, 2015.   

 

Distinguished Service Award

 

This is the highest honor bestowed by SASFAA.  Individuals honored with a SASFAA Distinguished Service Award shall have made outstanding, significant, and meritorious contributions to the advancement of student financial aid or the profession.  The awards committee, comprised of the elected officers of the Association, shall be charged to consider nominees and recommend them for consideration to the Board.  Nominees must be approved by a two-thirds vote of Board members present and voting.

 

Each recipient shall be presented an appropriate plaque at the annual conference of the Association and shall be entitled to honorary membership in the Association when the recipient ceases to meet active membership eligibility requirements.

 

Honorary Membership

 

Honorary membership shall be awarded to persons who have demonstrated outstanding service to SASFAA and to the student aid profession.  Practicing financial aid administrators are not eligible to receive this award.   

 

All SASFAA past presidents and Distinguished Service recipients who are no longer directly involved in the administration of financial aid shall be automatically granted honorary membership, unless otherwise eligible, individuals nominated for honorary membership must be approved by a majority vote of the Board members present and voting.

 

Please send me your nomination and a description of the service(s) the individual has contributed to SASFAA.  You can send the information to me via email at: nbasford@fsu.edu by October 23, 2015.

 

Thanking you in advance for your nominations!

 

Nathan R. Basford, Jr.

SASFAA Immediate Past President