NYSFAAA  Meeting September 14-15, 2006

 

Membership report

As of June 30, 2006 total membership was 1417; up 17% from last year. Joan is working on outstanding payment issues and database issues.

  • **2005-6 members who have not renewed their membership will loose their access to the website effective November 15th 2006.
  • Inactive members will be marked inactive.
  • New upgrade to online membership application: If prospective members are not affiliated with an institution when time to renew they will not be allowed to continue to complete the membership process on line.  They will be referred to Joan Warren Membership Chair.
  • **Report on outcome of referral to membership committee of Region 6 proposal to allow those whose membership became due when they were unemployed to be able to renew at least for a period of time was not accepted.

There is no classification for unemployed members in the Bylaws so they cannot renew.  These non-affiliated persons can attend regional meetings and if there are spaces available, they can attend conferences and training.  However they will need to be put on a waitlist

 

Consultants and membership

If provide service to schools as MJS Associates did then it is okay.  If provide services to a family for a fee then should not be a member.

 

Treasurer

Will be having a meeting on regional budgets, funding, and activities

Communications to Treasurer via mail are to be send to her New Jersey address.

 

Statewide Training Committee – Mark your calendars:

EASFAA Fall on Verification

Oct 11 Region 4            Albany Citizens Bank

Oct 27 Region 6           FIT

Oct 27 Region 7            LI Tentative

Oct 20 Region 2            SUNY Brockport

 

Jim Briggs Tax Workshop

Feb. 13 Long Island

Feb. 15 NYC need a location

Feb. 16 up north

Feb 20 Lemoyne Syracuse        

Feb 21 Albany probably Citizens Bank

 

Intermediate Training (Spring)

Potential Topics

Admissions/Fin Aid Diversity –the Michigan Case 3 years later Heather McDonnell

Financial Aid Training for Admissions Counselors

Can be either train the trainer or actually present the workshop.

 

Dave Canaski – President Elect

  • Handed out Organizational Chart of Committee Chairs
  • Exec Council Meeting Dates:

Dec. 14-15 Courtyard Newburgh near Airport

Dec 15th Holiday Party Region V (Exec Council invited for lunch)

Feb. 5-6 Albany

Monday Lobbying Protocol

Tuesday Lobbying

June 13, 14, 15 Retreat with incoming members invited

May 18-19-20-21 EASFAA at Niagara Falls

Meetings will not be held downstate because of the cost of rooms.

September 13-14, 2007

There was discussion about the new committee structure and concern that not all committees or responsibilities were reflected on the chart. There was a consensus that the organizational chart needed to be expanded to include additional committees.

 

Development Committee

  • Fundraising   pledged $254,100  - balance due $86,125.
  • For conference had to go out to conference again for $400 for night in. 21 vendors provided support.
  • There are no platinum sponsors for Conference.
  • **Reminder if you are holding an event only the sponsors that signed up for that activity may display their information. You can now go to the NYSFAAA website and view the sponsors for 06/07.
  • **List Serve policies for use of list serve have been developed, and email was sent on nysfa-l with a synopsis and link for more information.
  • Policies for funds for regional training and events were distributed and will be further updated.

 

Conference Committee 2007 NYC gave an update. Reminder that there will be two nights on your own. NYC is interested in knowing if anyone wants a bus. They wouldn’t know the cost until closer to the date.

Early Awareness-The brochure “The Path to College Starts in Middle School” was handed out at the State Fair. The brochure has been shipped to various committee members. The final proof for the poster has been signed off on. Bookmarks, brochures and wristbands were available for the State Fair.

Regions 2,3,4 &8 have agreed to the joint middle school & high school guidance counselor workshops for this fall.

The committee members are requesting assistance in order to distribute “The Path to College” materials to those middle schools counselors who will not attend a workshop.

Higher Education Day at the State Fair Friday September 1st. Great press.

Official attendance was 102,803. Nine tables were rented besides our NYSFAAA table and the Sallie Mae Fund bus joined us this year.  They reported that they talked to over 800 students and parents throughout the day and had 300 students apply for the scholarship drawing they held that day.

 

Novice Training

We are growing in numbers and there may be a need to limit attendees at future novice trainings. Some format changes are needed. They wish to stay at the Cobleskill next year.

 

HESC Update

  • HESC website and navigation is changing tentatively mid-October. Be aware so that you can update your publications.

Navigation chart no longer on the left side. Students will need to click on Students, Families & Counselors.

  • New HESC Brochure “Paying for College”.  The traditional wall chart is minimized and is included inside the brochure. This brochure is now in letter size.
  • 80% of brochures now available in Spanish.
  • Opening ceremony Exec Council or region chairs will march in with banners. Closing ceremony Thursday morning 10-10:30. Regional award winners will march out accompanied by regional council person.

 

Proprietary Concerns NYSFAAA proprietary sector meeting at conference.

Need a host or someone to pull it together.  Probably will be disbanded because of lack of involvement

 

2006 Conference

Still room to register. Shuttles available between hotels.

Transportation:

Bus from Long Island thru Westchester to Lake Placid Time to travel 6.5-7 hours.

Starts at SUNY Farmingdale on Long Island, and then stops at SUNY Purchase; then Marist.

 

Most popular topics 1/3 selected the following:

ACG/Smart Grant

Using Banner

Electronic processing

NSLDS beyond the scenes

 

President’s Report

  • Rep @ NASFAA, HESC Board
  • Response to ACG/Smart RPM
  • Response to state on testing – of concern to community colleges
  • Learn Student Aid NASFAA training since NYSFAAA signs contract our members get a 10% discount.
  • My Rich Uncle concern
  • Tony Thompson resigned as Diversity Chair due to other responsibilities.
  • Involved in several other activities.

 

Diversity Committee

Joan made a motion to have the Diversity Committee on the organizational chart.

There is a need to revitalize and support this committee. Develop diverse involvement in the association.  Need to provide support and funding and create a mandate and structure including purpose and responsibilities of the committee

 

Conference contracts

  • Contracts signed 2008 and 2010 Adams Mark Buffalo
  • 2009 Saratoga
  • Discussed canceling the current contract with Turning Stone. It is cancelled.

Motion passed that we sign a contract with Turning Stone for 2011 as long as we can get out of it if state issues continue.

  • **2012 Adam’s Mark suggested another contract.

Go back to regions for input.

The issue:

·         finding spaces large enough

·         Concern that we get rates that are affordable to members.

 

**Development Committee Recommendations for allowable activity by vendors and

Procedures surrounding funding of regional training/events were presented and were forwarded to the Ethics and Development Committee for follow-up.

 

It will be posted on the web.

I requested that the region be able to maintain an operating reserve in their budget rather than having to spend the budget down to zero. Several people agreed and this will be taken under advisement.

 

HS Guidance Counselors are not aware and knowledgeable about ACG/Smart grants

This information needs to be communicated to and through NACAC.

 

Communications chair person Ideta Daniel is eager to work with the membership so please contact her. She is on the NYSFAAA website.

Additional items:

Carolyn Corcoran and Sue Aldrich leaving the Board.

 

Sharon Karwowski presented the draft of a brochure on financial aid consultants to be used at HS Guidance Counselor Workshops.  Additional work will be done on the brochure.

 

New Communications chair Ideta Daniels. Medical and Dental School

 

Ask the Expert on Web will be temporarily discontinued.

 

Regional reports

Region 1

Admissions – Finaid workshop 9-3. Cost 2856

Included admissions people on the committee.

114 attended close to 75-80% Admissions. Good attendance

Topics: Fin aid 101

Unraveling mystery EFC

PJ special circumstances

Government changes

Fin aid Jeopardy

Overall good reviews.

Some felt a little technical and over whelming

Discussed whether we want to do it as a statewide initiative. Ryan will bring it across state

 

Region 2 - First meeting coming up.

 

Region 3 - 2 HS CNR scheduled

 

Region 4 - Summer meeting canceled due to timing issues

Sept. 29  next meeting

 

Region 5

June summer meeting - Does NYS need its own private loan?

Oct 13 first meeting

Holding regional meeting via web with webcam, since there is a cluster in North, than cluster in South

ILINC has web conferencing

2009 Maria and Rob Conference co-chairs

 

Region 6

70 attended June 22 summer meeting and membership development event. It included a Workshop on Stress Management and a team building Scavenger Hunt at the Metropolitan Museum.  7 new members were sponsored. Tried to put to rest the stories surrounding the email from the President Elect to Region VI.

Sept. 28 meeting ACG/SMART Grant

Nov 16 HS Guidance Counselor Workshop at Fordham University

The region has had difficulty securing meeting spaces. 

 

Region 7

Attracting more participation.  Doing a lot of panels

Oct 13 first meeting

Financial aid offices what’s working and not working

EASFAA training on Oct. 27

Nov 15 HS Guidance CNR

Nov 17 possibly ACG??

Dec 8 tentative holiday meeting - Part time TAP and TAP reporting

Social Services/food Stamp and other benefits People from agencies Dept of Social Services to explain and present.

 

Region 8

Meeting Sept 20

Support Staff Oct 6

Few people working on HS CNR