Region 3 Regional Notes/Report

Notes/Report: DATE: June 14, 2006 - Exec Council Retreat Report to Region 3 Report to Region 3 Executive Council Meeting June 14, 15, and 16, 2006 Mission Statement & Strategic Goals Betsy Penrose led a very productive workshop designed to help develop a Mission Statement based on Strategic Goals. She will be turning over the information gathered to wordsmith and create a document that will then be taken to the regions. Discussed how mission statement is a foundation of long-range planning and that we’re in need of a new long-range plan. Judi asked Betsy to come based on Judi’s soon to be new roles as Past-President and Chair of Governance. 2008 Conference Committee Report Bill Cheetham and John View reported on the replacement Hotel for the Turning Stone. Since nothing has been settled with the issues that are surrounding the Turning Stone, they recommended that we move the conference to another location. Working with Don Taylor the only facility that would allow us to accommodate everything we need is the Adams Mark in Buffalo. I made the motion that we cancel the contract with the Turning Stone with hopes that we will be able to host a conference there in the future. The motion was carried. A motion was then made by Heather that NYSAAA enter into a multi year contract with the Adams Mark. There was some discussion at length about having a conference there two years in a row so it was decided that Heather (Region 5) would seek to find another location, possibly in Saratoga Springs. Investment Up-date Rob Bell from Smith Barney reported on NYSFAAA’s investments. He requested input/feedback on current investment philosophy. Some discussion about the scholarship account and increasing what we give out in annual scholarships. Rob emphasized that he needs to know clearly when we plan to draw on the account. I have a copy of the presentation if you are interested please let me know. We are sound financially. President’s Report The President reported on a very heavy travel schedule: HESC Board Meeting, SUNYFAP Conference, EASFAA Conference, Tri-Regional Conference, Hosted Region 3 Meeting, Novice and EASFAA Exec Council meeting. Worked with Don Taylor on hotel issues for conferences. Wrote newsletter articles for NYSFAAA Connection and EASFAA Newsletter. Assisted in Volunteer recruitment for College Goal Sunday/signed CGS contract. Worked on Region 6 June meeting solicitation issues, including emails, phone calls, and consultation with attorney and auditor Reminder that the President speaks for the Association Announced that Marilyn Faller, the Treasurer-Elect, will be appointed Treasurer when Sam Veeder leaves Active Member status; this is earlier than anticipated as Sam is leaving Hobart 6/30/06 Worked with Development Committee in development of policies and procedures for use and distribution of regional meeting donations and clarification of use of list serve for advertisement of vendor- sponsored training. The Budget Committee has been formed and consists of Angela VanDekker, Heather McDonnell and Sue Aldrick, Exec Council representatives. A motion passed to make the Development Chair a member of the Budget Committee and have that clarified/written into the Policies and Procedures Manual. EASFAA Report Leadership Training Module-Fall or Spring with 6 sites in NY Leadership Newsletter-e-blast with chance to sign up Conference for Niagara Falls in 2007 (hotel has 700 rooms); Portland is site for 2008 (525 rooms) Electronic votes-ratify with documentation at next meeting (Roberts Rules has been updated to reflect that if we vote electronically, the vote needs to be ratified at the next meeting with documentation) V.P for Membership Report Joan Warren was not able to attend but emailed her report to us prior to the council meeting. Our membership year count is 1,416. Kudos to Joan for an outstanding job. V.P. for Professional Development NASFAA—Training topics Verification ACG/Smart grants. There will be 6 sites. ESFAA-Leadership training in the Spring. There will be 6 sites (LI, Albany, Rochester, NYC, North Country/Vermont, and ???? Jim Briggs-Advanced Workshop for 1 week in February (Syracuse, Albany, NYC, LI, and North Country/Vermont) Intermediate Workshops-TBA Spring Advanced Workshop-TBA trying to pull together for early October Admissions-Working with Admissions to see what can be developed. Regional Reports Region 1-Summer meeting to be held June 28th. 2 School Counselor workshops scheduled in November 2006. Region expressed concern over Council’s denial of funding for joint Finaid/Admission Counselor training in June 2006; region is most excited about this popular, new event. Region 2-Support staff workshop June 2 and attendance was down. Joint summer meeting with Region 3 on June 23. Office elections had to be redone and are in process. Region 3- See my report to Exec Council. Region 4-Late April meeting at Fulton Montgomery CC;Jim Vallee did presentation on government relations. May meeting had to be canceled due to expected low turnout. Meeting at HVCC scheduled for June 23rd. Region 5-18 members trained for Westchester Housing Development Council; these members can go out and do financial literacy training. Most recent region meeting held at Dutchess CC and included very successful presentation by Jim Vallee on Government relations committee. Tri-Regional was successful. Meeting scheduled for June 23rd at The Mohawk with ½ day training from HESC on private loans; there will be discussion on region’s conference planning Region 7-Regions 6 and 7 have been doing a lot of joint activities/training. Intermediate training held on May 12th at Fordham Region 6-April meeting at Baruch College with financial literacy/identity theft training. Region has concern with change in membership policy that involves unemployed former members; they sent a proposal for change to policy; asking for possibly a 3 to 6 month grace period for currently unemployed former members. Dave clarified that their request requires a change to the Constitution. I asked if we knew how many persons this might affect. A motion was approved to move this issue to the Membership committee. Region 6 had another issue that they wanted to bring up in Executive Session. Development Committee Has been very active. Vendor sponsorship opportunities going out on website next week. Katrina has emailed statewide and regional list serves reminding vendors of important dates and stressing sponsorship opportunities are now on regional and statewide levels. Has been working with ATAC and keeping Sam informed of all contacts/workings with ATAC. Paula from ATAC has been great. Platinum-level sponsors will get ½ page ad in conference 06 program. Angela asked about “in-kind” support from lenders and how this is to be viewed. Judi indicated she has asked the Development Committee to take a look at those kinds of activities and how/if they need to be monitored. Development Committee is comprised of Committee Chair, Treasurer, Past-President, Exec Council representatives for both upstate and downstate and two lenders one upstate and one downstate. The committee has been charged by the President to come up with a report of findings for the September 2006 Council meeting (on vendor-related issues). School Counselor Year long activities came in under budget. Committee met at end of March 2006 and Pat presented a written recap of 2005 workshops. Committee wants regional workshop dates by 8/1/06 and regional workshop budgets. There is no Region 6 School Counselor contact person/representative on the statewide committee. Angela told Pat she has a volunteer. School Counselor and Early Awareness Committees are working closely together with goal of combining message to middle-school counselors as well as high school counselors; they’re trying to exhibit at the NY State School Counselor Conference in Late October 2006 at The Sagamore Resort. State Fair-Contracts have been signed and check sent to the State Fair. Currently there are 18 tables committed. Following up on the Salliemae Fund to see if their bus can be accommodated. A call has gone out to ask for volunteers. Please email me by July 15th if you are interested. Council went into Executive Session Council back into Regular Session Angela Van Dekker, Region 6 representative to Council expressed concern with President-Elect Dave Canaski’s emails to her region. She requested a penalty. I made the motion that the President-Elect be censured based on the email that was sent to Region 6. The motion was seconded by Maria Barlaam. Heather McDonnell requested vote by written ballot. Vote taken by written ballot. Motion Approved. Government Relations Watching for the rest of reauthorization which is going nowhere. House budget is squeezing through the House. Wants feedback from Council on Visiting Washington again. Sentiment we could/should do a joint visit like last year. 2007 Conference Report-Reminder that there is a fee for unloading bus in NYC. Order tickets now if you are interested in any of the “Hot” shows. Request a Tower Room if you want one of the renovated rooms. Will be held at the Sheraton Towers. USED speakers lined up. 2006 Conference Report-Do we want the Bus? When you register you will be asked to indicate that you are interested in a bus. There will be a $60 cost for roundtrip. Registration will open up on August 1st. Vendor sponsorship will go live at 9:00 am on Thursday June 22, 2006. Novice Report-Largest group ever, 120 participants. This is attributed primarily to the HESC Training grant. Weather and construction did not cooperate. Suggestion that the group not get any larger. There were some logistical issues at Cobleskill but they were dealt with. Bill and Lisa would like to return to Cobleskill. They will need more help next year. Judi offered a huge thank you to everyone involved in Novice. College Goal Sunday- Group meeting on 6/23/06. The event is Sunday, February 12, 2006 Awards Committee-New chair is not going to make a lot of changes. Kathy has done an email blast to membership to alert all to start the nomination process. Kathy wondered and it was confirmed if an award was ever given to a group of members. HESC Report-I will post the full report later. There was a discussion on potential for TAP Professional Judgment and that it is still being discussed in the legislature. President Elect Report-Dave motioned to approve, effective with close of November 2006 Conference, the proposed changes to the Policies and Procedures Manual. It was seconded by Heather. Discussion started on proposed restructuring of committees. Angela requested tabling of the motion: Dave expressed that in order to form committees and request chairs for committees, he needs to know if he can go ahead; if we need to make changes between now and the effective date of November 2006, he is open to that. Heather and I agreed that we need to move forward ASAP as the document is a living document, as expressed by Sue Aldrich, which means it can be amended at a later date, if Council feels need. Angela expressed concern that formerly there was a statement that expressed importance of diversity in appointment of statewide committee chairs and doesn’t see that expressed in revised text. Dave indicated that Joan has also expressed that she felt appointment of statewide committee chairs needed to be better explained in the P&P manual and Dave voiced he’d be willing to draft text to address both those issues/concerns for the September 2006 meeting for Council to review. I suggested allowing enough time at the Sept meeting to allow sufficient discussion/action to any necessary adjustments. Dave made a motion to approve revisions to Statement of Principle/Governing Documents. Sam seconded the motion. More discussion. Judi offered suggestion of taking the proposed changes to our regions for feedback/input. Motion was tabled to the September 2006 Council meeting. Old Business-Judi asked Sam for update on process of getting officers bonded. Sam has filled out some insurance forms and is awaiting an insurance rate quote. New Business_ I asked about meeting dates for beyond November 2006; Dave indicated that he didn’t have any dates finalized yet but would email Council with proposed dates for at least the December 2006 and February 2007 meetings. Sue Aldrich expressed recognition of Sam Veeder’s final Council meeting and gratefully acknowledged all that Sam had done as Treasurer/active member. Respectfully submitted: June 20, 2006 Sharon Karwowski Region 3 Executive Council Representative POSTED BY: Sharon Karwowski