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Editor's
Embellishments
Submitted
by: Gary Spoales, Editor, Bank of America
Welcome to the Spring issue of
the VASFAA Voice – the third issue of 0607 that focuses on the
conference, nominations and elections. What a recent quarter of news.
If I had no limits and disregarded editorial control, this could be
the largest issue in financial aid association history. There is so
much going on – so much to talk about – that it might be
hard to determine exactly where to start. Even if we had a score card,
who is winning the perception battle is still undetermined. To be certain,
if you don’t know what is going on today, you would have to be
dead or planning to leave the industry altogether.
In fact, up until March 8th, I really had no idea how this editorial would begin. Around the same time, more and more news that concerns you and me kept escalating in the media. However, the beginning actually hit me square between the eyes and the source to my surprise is Congress. Here is a testament to those who actually read the editorial. Our circulation on the internet must be wider than the board would ever have imagined. Think back to last issue’s editorial... or just go to the VASFAA website and read it before moving on. In that piece, I lamented to you regarding the proliferation of websites, financial aid “expert” resources, etc., that only makes it more difficult for prospective students and their families to decipher what is “real” in the financial aid world from what is “hype” or “advertising”. Well, I am here to tell you that I now know that I have arrived. I have pasted the March 8th, 2007 headlines from the weekly HEWI online report (website included for your use). The only excerpt that I left intact is from a copy cat congressman. Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery you know. I now know that at least one person reads the VASFAA editorial page – Congressman Keller or his aides – so maybe more people actually read it. His proposal was my challenge to you in the last issue’s editorial. I can now sleep at night knowing that Congress is listening – not my Congressman maybe but someone in Congress.
As you can see in the above article, my idea is now a proposed bill in Congress. To take it a step further, there is serious discussion all of a sudden on making the FAFSA simpler and easier to complete. Have no fear! I haven’t gone mad with my own self importance. Like each of you, I am only one voice trying to plead for sensibility for struggling families in the higher education process. Each of our voices is very important. Each of you needs to become a part of the process and avoid being bystanders. Trusting families depend on all of us for our honesty and integrity in our recommendations. Perhaps there is no better time than now to review our own commitment to the families who choose our institutions before someone else does it for us. Read on... In other news, members of the higher education community are embroiled in discussions regarding public thrashing by Attorneys General, Congressmen and Senators, and members of the lending community. It is almost like a big soap opera. You know how soap opera’s essentially rehash the same scripts every few years with different cast members doing it to different people, but the story line doesn’t change. It is not much different in higher education. The script every few years surrounds the process of negotiated rulemaking, reauthorization of the higher education act and looming national or other significant elections. The people change (sometimes); the antics change little; the outcome – well, let’s just say I’m not going to add fuel to anyone’s fire by saying what I really think about that. It does, however, make the life of a financial aid officer and your various partners in higher education finance interesting in a different way periodically. In the early 90’s, I was asked to serve with a select group of distinguished and nationally known aid officers on a brainstorming committee (for lack of a better or more self-serving word). Jim Belvin of Duke and Joe Russo of Notre Dame joined me and an industry “change“ master, in collaborating on what was wrong with the FFELP industry and how could it be fixed. Direct Lending was looming large and tales of complete dominance in a matter of three years time, emanated from Congress. The FFELP industry was quite frankly a mess. Every state had a different guarantee agency who utilized a different process flow for application and disbursement, and different size paper applications – can you imagine? The concept of managing your file folders took on all new meaning when an application from Rhode Island or Connecticut arrived. The eventual outcome was the creation of ELM and the ELM NDN, the common line format and so on. The FFELP community found a way to work together to keep from dying in the marketplace. That was a turning point in the Student Loan industry. Today, the FFELP and higher education community may need another wake up call. The issues are different but the result is the same. Chaos and confusion is created in the financial aid community. When I served on that national committee, I worked at the University of Maryland University College. I now work for a lender entering my 11th year and my how the issues have come full circle in a different format. That old soap opera theme is coming back with many new faces but the same old song. Eleven years ago, the industry was collaborative and more about providing solutions than being a dominate, controlling entity requiring a special pass to participate freely. Today the industry beats each other up at the expense of clear and concise messages to families who deserve better. I’ve heard it said that it is not so much what you say, but what you don’t say that affects the outcome most. I do believe that it is what families aren’t told that puts them at risk for a bad experience. Someone needs to take the lead again to right this ship. We need leaders who aren’t afraid to say something’s not right in spite of the appearance being offered to provide services someone’s preferred way. We don’t want Congress and Attorneys General from other states dictating how our financial aid offices are managed. I know you are out there – step forward with a conscience and lead us to a better tomorrow. That’s my challenge for this issue. This issue is packed with timely information for your reading. It is Election and Conference time – read about our upcoming events and prepare to attend the conference and vote for your favorite candidates. Our own Jeff Arthur serves us and the nation well on the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee – see his perspective piece; Dallas Martin has provided his leadership to counter the assault on the integrity of Financial Aid Officers; Pat Kelly has provided us her perspective on NASFAA’s leadership training program; and our fearless leader, Erik Melis, treks us boldly into the light provided by our association’s activities. If it’s inspiration that you need, read the brand new perspective of a VASFAA veteran as seen thru the eyes of our VASFAA Archivist, Holly Rison. Let me know if you like it, read it, want to be a part of it or suggest improvements. The Newsletter Committee is still seeking willing participants to join our committee. If you are interested, please contact me directly at 301-440-9146 or via my email address below. In the meantime, Trek Boldly Forward and watch out for Spock sightings! The next issue of the newsletter is scheduled for publication on July 1st. Please send your input by June 1st to me at gary.a.spoales@bankofamerica.com. Advertising is now a part of the Sponsorship program. Thank you once again to everyone who provided material for this newsletter. The entire association appreciates your efforts. As always, this issue’s contributors are listed at the end of the newsletter. Article Guidelines AD and Picture Guidelines (Note: Ads are only accepted from Sponsors who chose an ad in the issue of their choice, based on availability.)
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