NYSFAAA EXEC COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

DECEMBER 8-9, 2005

BINGHAMTON, NY

 

 

Present:  Rachel Barker, Maria Barlaam, Dave Canaski, Carolyn Corcoran, Steve Dodds, Bonnie Evans, Sharon Karwowski, Heather McDonnell, Sheryl Mihopulos, Judi Miladin, Cathy Patella, Beth Post, Nancy Teodecki, Jim Vallee, Angela Van Dekker, Sam Veeder, Brenda Wright

 

Unable to Attend:  Sue Aldrich

 

SECRETARY’S REPORT – Carolyn Corcoran

  • October 2005 meeting minutes were distributed beforehand via email; reviewed for changes/corrections.
  • MOTION:  To approve October 19, 2005 meeting minutes; Barlaam/Dodds.  MOTION APPROVED.

 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT – Sam Veeder

  • Distributed and reviewed balance sheet for activity as of 12/4/05; quite a few conference bills outstanding, including the hotel bill
  • Reviewed Budget Overview through 12/4/05
  • Sam pointed out that we still don’t have Gear Up check from HESC; Judi said this would be discussed later in meeting
  • Discussion on training budget
  • MOTION:  To accept Treasurer’s Report; Barker/Van Dekker.   MOTION APPROVED.
  • Discussion on credit card usage; fees involved would be $1200 one-time set up fee to ATAC and a $40/month added to the monthly maintenance bill which would bring monthly maintenance fee to $365.  For Goemerchant, we’d pay a $29.95 annual fee, a $34.95 monthly fee ($419,40/year) and 2.39% plus 30 cents/transaction.   So to summarize fees, $925.35 annually plus transaction fees, plus the $1200 ATAC set-up fee.  Suggestion made that we not allow sponsorship to be charged as it would be higher fee costs.  There will not be an option on website to charge sponsorship or for scholarship donations.  We will set up for VISA and Master Card only at this point.  We have to post a refund policy and a privacy policy.  Discussion on possibly small increase to conference fee to accommodate credit card fees; this will be referred to Region 8 Conference 2006 Committee.  Credit card limit per transaction is going to be a guide only and we decided to set it at $2000 for now
  • All quarterly reports are in from all regions!  Next ones are due 12/31/05
  • We gave $1000 to Region 3 for Support Staff training and $800 to Region 7 for some training
  • Sam completed a bankruptcy claim to try and collect the $500 deposit we paid for entertainment that was canceled at the 2004 Conference in Rochester

 

GOV’T RELATIONS COMMITTEE UPDATE – Jim Vallee and Beth Post

  • Federal Update – Reauthorization probably won’t happen until May 2006 (earliest is February but more likely May);  unsure what the “effective” date of implementation would be for any legislation that’s enacted (will it affect 0607 year; it could.).  Jim and Beth will probably be returning to Washington as part of EASFAA’s  Federal Relations Committee.  Short discussion on involving students to go to Washington;  Jim was open to suggestions.
  • State Update – the Legislative Training will be spearheaded by Bill Cavin and will happen on February 1st;  Council meets in Albany on Jan.29th-31st.  The Legislative Forum will be February 1th and 14th (that’s the combined Admissions, Financial Aid and School Counselors event).  Judi encouraged  Council members to attend; the Gov’t Relations Committee will try to attend the Legislative Forum
  • Council members need to email Beth Post with state representative information so she can set up visits  (postb@union.edu)

 

 

VP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REPORT – Maria Barlaam

  • Has secured a volunteer from each region to be on the Training Committee; they’ve met twice over the Web; are working on Intermediate Training.  For Intermediate Training they have set up three locations.  Location #1 will include Regions 1,2, and 3.  Location #2 will include Regions 4,5, and 8 and Location #3 will include Regions 6 and 7.  This will be one full day of training, sometime in late April or early May
  • Maria has gotten a lot of feedback about advanced tax training; Jim Briggs has some time in mid-February; his cost would be $2950 per day; some regions ( 1 and 8) have already booked him (he normally charges $5000/day).  Maria suggested keeping the 2 current locations and adding 2 more, possibly 1 in Albany and 1 in the Southern Tier.  It would cost us $12000 for 4 tax workshops.  Region 8’s workshop is January 23rd and Region 1’s is February 23rd.  Jim Briggs is holding a week in February 2006 for us
  • Discussion on EASFAA/NYSFAAA combined training, including the subject material and amount of time offered in.  Suggestion was made to make the combined training materials available to people in regions where EASFAA trainers can’t go.  Region 8 WILL be an EASFAA training site next year.  Maria is coordinating with Earl on regional training activities so that regional events  can be listed on the website

 

 

EARLY AWARENESS COMMITTEE UPDATE – Nancy Teodecki

  • Nancy asked if Regions 1, 2, and 8 could check with their members to see if someone is interested in being on the statewide EA Committee.  All meetings are done via conference call.  Committee hasn’t met yet for the new year
  • Discussion on the request made by a Canton, NY middle school counselor for a presentation to parents on basic information on college financing.  Nancy and Judi had discussed eventually working with middle school counselors and even elementary counselors.  Heather offered that she had helped write a curriculum on early planning/awareness and will forward it to Nancy.  Also Nancy was advised to contact Anne White, retired member who used to head up the EA Committee

 

 

GEAR UP PROGRAM UPDATE – Cathy Patella

  • Cathy distributed the final proposal that was required by the State.  The 0506 year begins a new 7th grade cohort group.  These students will be part of Gear Up through their senior year in high school.  Cathy indicated it had not been made known to Council, when Gear Up was first presented as a possibility, that it was a matching program

 

 

STATE FAIR UPDATE – Sharon Karwowski

  • Judi, Sharon and Cathy Patella met with State Fair representatives in November.  The Fair has a new Director and they want to move Higher Ed. Folks to a new area at a lower cost.  NYSFAAA is the umbrella organization for all of the education-related groups.  Sharon is waiting to hear back from State Fair representatives.  She expects to hear back by January 5th.  Cathy Patella will be putting out a letter on NYSFAAA listserv as she’s heard that the campus offices that do get the letter of invitation (normally Admissions) are not passing letter on to the people would make the decision to participate.  Higher Education will be Friday, September 1, 2006.

 

 

VP MEMBERSHIP REPORT – Joan Warren

  • 1224 members vs. 1209 same point last year
  • Discussion on Outstanding Payment Issues; distributed list of unpaid membership invoices and of unpaid conference fees.  Also sent mass email reminder for members to renew membership
  • Distributed list of Regional Membership Chairs:
  • Pointed out that the Vendor List prepared by Patty Herbst contains errors
  • Pointed out that two institutional types have been added, one for BOCES and one for Consultants
  • Distributed Volunteer Interest list
  • Dave suggested that people who try to register for membership who are “unaffiliated” with an institution/agency should be stopped from going further in registration process and be directed to VP Membership so that VP can check them out.  Joan is on it!

 

SCHOOL COUNSELOR WORKSHOP UPDATE – Judi Miladin for Pat Johnson

  • Most have happened;  December 8th and 9th are final dates
  • Planning meeting for 0607 is scheduled for March of  2006
  • High School Counselor annual conference will be October 27th and 28th
  • Sharon suggested that we should have a table at the school counselor conference

 

NOVICE TRAINING – Judi Miladin for Lisa Simpson

  • Contracts are coming from Cobleskill soon and Lisa will get them to Judi

 

 

HESC UPDATE – Bonnie Evans for Mike Williams

  • Training Grant will be available again; schools can apply through 1/28/06
  • Plus credit check process will be ready in spring 2006
  • Loan Symposium set for Sept 21-22, 2006 at Holiday Inn in Saratoga
  • Dave suggested that if the purpose of the Training Grant is to provide goodwill, perhaps HESC should consider allowing non-customer schools to apply for minimum grant of $1000; Bonnie will take suggestion back

 

 

CONFERENCE 2005 UDPATE – Sheryl Mihopulos

  • Sheryl handed out registration detail statistics
  • Joan mentioned that of the Conference ’05 registrants, some registered upfront but never paid until they arrived and then didn’t expect to have to pay late fee!  Joan also mentioned that some people just showed up without pre-registering.
  • Discussion on the annual conference followed; whether it’s time to have a state-wide conference planning committee vs. having individual regions do it
  • Joan asked about oversight of conference program; the final budget for Conference 2006 is due in February of 2006 and people are concerned about potential amount of vendor support.  Dave pointed out that if pending legislation on zero fees goes through, concern is there that smaller lenders may need to  withhold or reduce their support
  • MOTION:  That the President appoint two former conference chairs as oversight to future conference committees; McDonnell/Karwowski.

Discussion followed before vote; Judi indicated that she had planned to indicate in her report that she wanted to devote the April 2006 meeting to several “issues of concern”, like the conference program and overlap of committee outreach.  Dave suggested that a modification to the motion might be that the ex-officio members of conference committees make it a point to attend conference committee meetings.  Heather did not agree to a modification to her motion.

MOTION VOTE:  8 in favor, 4 opposed; MOTION APPROVED.

Dave asked if Conference 2006 Committee could make a full report at the  January 2006 Council meeting and it was agreed that that will happen

 

 

CONFERENCE 2007 UPDATE – Angela Van Dekker for Clair Jacobi

  • Conference Co-Chairs are Clair Jacobi and Toni Olivero from Sallie Mae; Jim Murphy has agreed to also be a Co-Chair.  Discussion followed on Co-Chairs
  • The theme is “NYSFAAA On Broadway”
  • They’re in process of forming committees and have identified some committee chairs
  • It will be an “open” conference, to allow attendees to be on their own for 2 nights
  • Clair requested a detailed fiscal breakdown of ’05 and ’04 conferences; their goal is to break even; Clair wondered if the expectation is to make a profit.  Judi explained that Region 8 Conference 06 goal is $20000.  Sam pointed out that if lenders are going out/dining out for 2 nights, it could affect sponsorship
  • Judi asked Angela to let Clair know that the ex-officio members would like 2007 Conference Committee Chairs to come to the January 2006 Council meeting
  • Sam voiced that she thinks that we need to take a stand against lenders being conference co-chairs, especially when the 07 Conference has a school person, Jim Murphy, stepping up to be a co-chair.  Discussion followed and it was decided that since Judi appoints all Co-Chairs, she will contact Clair to let her know about Council’s feelings that Co-Chairs should be active members

 

 

PRESIDENT-ELECT REPORT – Dave Canaski

  • Discussion on membership and making sure that registered, unaffiliated members are not charging fees for services.  Dave is putting together a list of written guidelines of practices that we’d find to be inconsistent with NYSFAAA mission
  • Discussion on Long Range Plan; current one expires in June 2006; Dave will work on it

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT – Judi Miladin

  • Judi’s has been in touch with Congressman Boelhert’s office in regard to Reauthorization issues
  •  she attended the HESC Board Meeting
  •  has had discussions with Don Taylor (California-based conference locator/consultant)
  •  has had contact/discussions with John D’Agati’s Office on EFC, SAP and PJ as potential issues for TAP re-design
  •  Worked on articles for Gazette as well as the Scholarship Scam press release
  • Worked on formation of a BOCES listserv
  •  Announced Dave Canaski, Joan Warren and Brenda Wright will be attending the NASFAA Leadership Conference in March 2006.
  • Tri-Regional Event issues; Judi dealt with issues from lender concerns on amount of sponsorship expected
  • Non-Traditional Concerns Committee – issue of whether to continue the committee.  There was a session at ’05 Conference on Non-Traditional Concerns.  We will review this issue at the April 2006 meeting
  • NASFAA Award Nominations for next year; we may submit Early Awareness wristbands as some part of outreach activity
  • April 2006 meeting; not set yet.  Judi will email us with details
  • Awards Chair Resignation; Cindy Kohlman has resigned after holding this position for a number of years.  Judi will appoint a new chair soon.  Is in discussion with a member about being appointed Development Chair
  • CAAN- there are issues.  “Ask the Expert” is not working.  We will be discussing CAAN  at April 2006 meeting
  • Judi found a scam in Auburn area, agency calling itself “College Planning.org”
  • Attended EASFAA Exec Council meeting

 

 

EASFAA REPORT – Judi Miladin

  • Potential elections issue; issue is whether Nominations Committee would have right to limit number of nominees.  It’s something we need to look at during P& P review
  • EASFAA looking at use of services of Don Taylor for conference hotel site selection
  • May 2006 Conference in Burlington, VT (40th anniversary); they’re still looking for sessions to be presented by aid professionals; Myla Tappan is contact person
  • Discussion on Scams; MASFAA did a whole Web letter on scams; Judi will review it to see if we could use it
  • In New Jersey, state schools are no longer able to accept invitations from vendors (per Heather, this was a response from disgruntled state employees); Dave voiced that this also came up for discussion at SUNY Directors meetings.  The old $75 rule has been in effect in CT which stipulates that public schools cannot accept anything in excess of $75 in value

 

NEW BUSINESS –

  • EASFAA has a VT Law School student intern working on registering EASFAA’s trademark and student can do same for any state association within EASFAA.
  • MOTION:  That we have the VT Law School student intern/EASFAA intern do the work on registering our trademark; McDonnell/Canaski.  MOTION APPROVED.

 

REGIONAL REPORTS –

  • Given verbally and Council members will put on regional websites as well
  • Angela mentioned request from Region 6 that amount of revenue sharing be increased;  Judi will put the issue on future meeting agenda for discussion

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

  • Reminder from Joan that she has money in her budget if regions need it to promote regional membership
  • Heather passed around a piece that the Region 5 Chair did to try to contact/reactivate Region 5 members who haven’t been seen or heard from (it’s like a regional newsletter); looks to be a good effort/good idea

  Joan encouraged regions to set up/use Events Management on website   

MOTION:  To adjourn; Canaski/Warren.  MOTION APPROVED.