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One milepost
has been passed as we have begun our 2003-2004 fall terms!
I am sure we all have a story or two to relate, but all
in all, it was a very smooth beginning to the trek ahead.
Before
continuing on with my
“Tracks”, I want to take a
moment
to say how thankful we all can be at this time
in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
As I write this, Hurricane Isabel is passed
us, but many of us still await power to return.
It is amazing how we have come to expect
rather than appreciate the privilege of such common
things in our society—electricity, and consequently,
the availability of pure water and gasoline.
But, in the larger view, we all must be
grateful that the effects of Isabel were mostly
confined to property and disruption of conveniences,
rather than to the lives of those dear to us.
(If you were one of the few who have had
a loss of a loved one as a result of this storm,
our thoughts and prayers are with you!)
Our thanks go out to all the public servants,
whether employed in the public arena or private
sector, who assisted during this dramatic time.
As
we move along on course this year, our next milepost
is the VASFAA Fall 2003 Conference.
Remember that the dates are October 12-15,
2003.
I trust you have already submitted your
registration and made hotel reservations at the
Richmond Downtown Marriott. You will find that this will be a memorable and rewarding time
this fall as we maintain our form and “get back
to the basics” as well as learn of new developments
on several different tracks. The Conference, Training, and Vendor/Sponsor Committees have
been working diligently to ensure a champion event
for you!
[Keep in mind that this year we are offering
a New Aid Officers’ Workshop (NAOW) on Sunday
afternoon, October 12.
This will be available at a single day
rate for the NAOW only, if you will be unable
to attend the whole conference due to budget constraints.
For more information contact Brad Barnett
at James Madison University or Gail Catron at
Wytheville Community College.]
Next up on
the track this year will be the Southern Association of Student
Financial Aid Administrators’ (SASFAA) Board meeting in
Florida on November 7-9, 2003.
If you have any information or questions you would like
to have presented at the regional Board meeting, please let me
know.
Coming
around the path immediately upon the heels of the SASFAA Board
meeting is the Awareness Summit mentioned in our last VASFAA
Voice. The
theme is “Virginia Partnerships for College Access”.
This Summit is being co-sponsored by SCHEV, VASFAA, and
ECMC on November 9-10, 2003.
It is a cooperative effort to centralize college access
services. A large
list of invitees offers promise of a unique and profitable
venture. Christina
Milano, Executive Director of the National College Access
Network (NCAN) will be the keynote speaker.
The sessions will include ones defining early awareness,
discussion of efforts currently in place in Virginia that assist
in overcoming barriers to access, and a panel on measuring
success and providing resources.
Any questions about this Summit may be addressed to Linda
Woodley at ECMC or Angie Hawkins, VASFAA Awareness Committee
Chair, at Virginia Wesleyan College's Financial Aid Office.
As
you can see, the course we are on this year is covering new
territory with the Awareness Summit and our offering a day rate
for the NAOW. These
are a couple of ways we are meeting our goal of “going the
distance” in 2003-2004. These
two events alone are increasing awareness to various
stakeholders and providing excellent training opportunities for
those new to our profession.
But, we do not want to stop there.
The Experienced Aid Officers’ Workshop is back on track
under the direction of Yvonne Hubbard of the University of
Virginia. Look for
more information coming on this.
And, let’s remember that our continued input to the
state and federal regulatory and legislative processes can make
significant strides in benefiting our students.
To
effectively traverse the distance we need to go this year,
everyone’s involvement is important.
If you have not done so, please take a moment to complete
and submit a volunteer form (available online).
If you have submitted a volunteer form but are not aware
of the outcome of your submission, please contact the
Commissioner of the committees about which you were interested.
Or, feel free to contact any Board member.
As a final
note for this segment, I want to thank John Crowley, VASFAA
Treasurer-elect, for getting a strong hand on the baton that was
unexpectedly passed to him early on this year. He has taken up the race pace a bit earlier than expected,
but is doing a great job in taking on the daily financial
responsibilities of VASFAA.
Let’s
continue to champion our Association as we “Go the
Distance”! |
