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As I write this column, the Commonwealth of Virginia faces serious
budget problems and the economy still hasn’t turned the corner.
These budget issues will impact both the public and
independent sectors as the economy impacts everyone.
When the economy goes down, post high school enrollment
generally goes up…and with it, student indebtedness.
I must exercise self-control here, for I could write
extensively on all of these topics but let me limit myself to
three: VASFAA goals
for 2002-03, VASFAA current events, and a few personal notes.
Diversity,
early awareness and extending VASFAA’s stance in public policy
are our three principal goals this year, all part of ‘embracing
change.’ Diversity
is not just a black and white and yellow and brown thing, it’s
the concept of embracing differences.
These differences of course include ethnicity, but they
also include other features such as gender, disability, sexual
preference, age, and geographic origin.
Religion, political philosophy, veteran status,
citizenship, personality type are other kinds of diversity and the
list goes on and on. Diversity
is one of the factors that make the United States of America such
a great nation. Although
diversity causes many conflicts, the benefits of understanding and
appreciating diversity far outweigh the detractions.
Diversity is what makes the American higher education
system the envy of the entire world.
It’s odd that in far too many instances, our campuses
harbor hostility and resistance to diversity.
When we look at
professional associations like VASFAA, we are, quite frankly, not
as welcoming to the concept of diversity as we really should be.
We talk about it, but when we socialize, we often pair off
into mostly non-diverse groups.
Yes, we all have our personal preferences. As professionals
dealing with very diverse clienteles, we should mix and
mingle more than we currently do when we gather as professionals.
There are many social and cultural nuances that we could
learn from one another that would enrich our lives. We need to
lead by example and take advantage of professional gatherings to
increase our knowledge and understanding about diversity so that
we will be in a better position to serve our clients and their
families. Remember
that diversity includes all persons of color as well as gender and
geographic origin. Virginia
has a significant Asian population and the Hispanic sector
continues to grow. Native
Americans should not be forgotten as well as our Appalachian
sub-population. All
of this diversity may not currently exist in VASFAA, but one day
it will and we must be welcoming and interactive.
Diversity is definitely an area where we need to embrace
change and Debra Johnson, Diversity Chair, is moving us in that
direction.
The
second major focus for VASFAA during 2002-03 is early awareness.
While there are many traditional activities that represent
early awareness, we look to expand and intensify our efforts and
begin to explore new venues.
As an example, this year we will have awareness programs in
middle schools and are looking to involving churches and community
groups to help us in our efforts.
Please share your thoughts about early awareness with Scott
Morrison, at VCU, who chairs this committee.
We all need to focus on the importance of awareness and
embrace the changes that need to be made and support our efforts
to begin in the middle schools with both the parents and the
students.
Last but
not least, VASFAA has steadily assumed a more proactive role in
public policy over the past several years under the leadership of
Michael Barree and the Federal/State Relations Committee.
We will continue to ramp up our efforts.
In doing so, Michael and the committee may be asking for
our membership to communicate with both elected and appointed
officials at the state and national levels.
As we enter severe budgetary constraints, a more proactive
role in public policy will help assure that our case is heard.
The aid that we administer has significant impact on the
short range as well as long-range health of our economy locally,
across the state and nationally.
It’s critical that we continue to carve out our place in
the policy-making machinery at all levels. To do this we ask for
your active support of the initiatives of our Federal and State
Relations Committee.
These
three critical roles for VASFAA for the 2002-03 year spotlight the
importance and significance of our Association as a major bastion
in the
 development, maintenance and enhancement of our economy and
the strength of our institutions, our state and our nation.
Your membership in VASFAA and your full participation in
all activities are crucial to our ultimate goal of assuring access
to post high school educational opportunities.
If there is anything I can do, say or write that will
sensitize your institutional leadership to further support you
participation in VASFAA, please let me know.
On a personal
note, I appreciate everyone’s patience and kind words last
Spring during my illness. The prognosis is excellent. Thank you
for reading these words. I
look forward to seeing you in Roanoke for our Fall 2002 Training
Conference and for your continued support of our Association’s
initiatives.
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