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Long Range Plan 2006-2011
(July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2011)
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Mission
Statement
The Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
was founded in order to establish a community of members, who
through the sharing of ideas and professional competencies and
experiences would serve more ethically and effectively the diverse
needs of students, parents, and institutions. The present and
future existence of the association continues to be based on
this founding principle.
To facilitate this mission, the association pledges to support
professional communications in all areas concerned with the
administration of student educational financing programs. The
association is committed to developing future leaders by actively
involving its membership. To accomplish the goals set forth
by the association in a dynamic environment, the Southern Association
of Student Financial Aid Administrators offers personal and
professional development opportunities and embraces sound principles
and practices of aid administration.
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Vision Statement
The Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
is a dynamic organization serving practitioners, users and providers
of student financial aid programs. This effort occurs in an
environment of mutual respect and support which encourages questions,
discussion and the shaping of ideas – thus promoting opportunities,
equity, and access in and to higher education.
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SASFAA Core
Values
SASFAA VALUES:
EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE
SASFAA will apply the highest standards of excellence to training
and development of knowledgeable financial aid professionals.
INTEGRITY AND ETHICS
SASFAA will commit to maintaining the highest standards of ethical
conduct and practices in the financial aid profession.
LEADERSHIP
SASFAA will maintain a passion for continuous improvement within
our profession through the encouragement and development of
leadership skills and characteristics (behaviors) for personal
and professional growth.
INCLUSIVITY
SASFAA will cultivate a community where ideas are respected,
collaboration is fostered and every member feels welcome.
ACCESS AND EQUITY
SASFAA recognizes that access and affordability are necessary
and essential to the development of an educated citizenry and
will advocate for students.
SERVING STUDENTS
SASFAA shares and encourages a passion for serving students.
COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITIES
SASFAA respects our partnerships and maintains mutually rewarding
relationships with those who demonstrate high professional standards
SHARING INFORMATION
SASFAA will provide opportunities for an exchange of useful
information that serves the interests of all constituencies.
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History
of Long-Range Plan
Long-range planning for an entity that encompasses the range
of services and activities of a professional association such
as SASFAA cannot occur in a vacuum. Changing responsibilities
of aid professionals, new initiatives for service agencies,
managing financial support for association goals and new and
different needs of the membership affect directly and indirectly
our mission, structure, operation and services.
In 1994-95, President Dave Cecil determined that changing roles
for financial aid administrators and vendor support for the
association warranted a review of SASFAA's purposes and development
of long-range plans for membership services and financial support.
He appointed the Long-Range Planning Committee and outlined
the following goals and objectives for the committee:
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To develop a proposed recommendation
outlining the scope and responsibilities of a Long-Range Planning
Committee for SASFAA.
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To assess actual and/or perceived
opportunities or threats to the viability of the SASFAA organization,
finance, membership or activities.
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To determine if identified
opportunities/threats should be examined in detail for referral/assignment
to an appropriate SASFAA committee.
-
To communicate to the SASFAA
membership through the newsletter the role and purposes of
the Long-Range Planning Committee.
To accomplish those goals the committee first met in Atlanta,
October 14-15, 1994 and:
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Reviewed long-range plans
from other state and regional financial aid associations;
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Reviewed two previous SASFAA
membership surveys conducted by the 1988-89 Long-Range Planning
Committee and the 1991-92 Special Projects Committee.
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Reviewed the last five years
of the association's budgets;
-
Reviewed the association's
purposes in relation to its goals and objectives.
As a strategy for outlining long-range plans for the association,
committee members set as a goal for the year, the preparation
of a mission statement and a vision statement, an evaluation
of communications to the membership, and an assessment of the
association's fiscal stability and reserve funds. A survey was
sent to 91 past Board members to solicit comments, suggestions
and/or changes to the proposed statements. Of the 91 members
surveyed, 23 responded. The proposed vision and mission statements
and requests for comments were published in the SASFAA newsletter
and also were distributed at the annual conference.
A membership survey was distributed at the conference; 125
members responded and generally expressed satisfaction with
services offered. The areas of communications, publications,
and training received positive comments whereas questions about
newsletter format received negative comments.
The committee met February 12, 1995 prior to the annual conference
to review the status of goals assigned to the committee. They
also planned and staffed a booth at the annual conference and
sought members' opinions about SASFAA and the committee's proposals.
The committee met in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 8-9,
1995 to develop an outline of the goals of the association.
The outline was divided into sections as follows: Organizational
Structure, Collaboration/Communication,
Professional Development, and Financial
Stability. The Mission and Vision
statements were endorsed by the committee and recommended to
the executive board and the SASFAA membership at the June, 1995
board meeting. The executive board approved the Mission and
Vision Statements at the June, 1995 executive board meeting.
1995-96 SASFAA President Karen Fooks recommended to the executive
board the continuation of a Long-Range Planning Committee and
outlined the following responsibilities for the committee:
- Complete activities for development of the long-range plan
so a draft can be submitted for approval at the November board
meeting, final approval by February, and distribution to the
membership in the spring.
- Work with the budget, sponsorship and conference chairs to
assist in developing a financial plan for the association in
order to respond to the potential loss of sponsorship and make
recommendations to the board on how the association could minimize
this effect.
- Work with the treasurer and budget chair to develop/maintain
a long-term investment strategy for reserve funds.
- Present a plan by the June board meeting for on-going monitoring
of the approved long-range plan.
- Work with the vice president on the development of a long-range
training and professional development strategy.
On September 29-30 and October 1, the committee met in Atlanta
to begin formalizing the long-range plan. The committee reviewed
the past eight years of financial statements of the association
to attempt to establish patterns of revenue and expenditures.
A report of these findings, as well as a progress report on
the long-range plan, was presented to the executive board in
November, 1995.
The SASFAA Executive Board approved the Long-Range Plan at
its February board meeting. The plan was published for the membership
in the spring SASFAA newsletter.
Subsequently, the Long-Range Planning committee met May 4-5,
1996 in Atlanta and developed a procedure to implement and evaluate
the plan.
Members of the 1996-2000 Long-Range Planning Committee were:
Crusie Lucero, Walters State
Community College (Chair)
David Cecil, Education First
Karen Fooks, University of Florida
William Wall, Alabama Commission on Higher Education
Curtis Whalen, University of North Carolina-Charlotte
Susan Darling, Pasco-Hernando Community College
Charles Vinson, Murray State University
Gerald Bird, University of South Carolina
Joel Harrell, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Anne Sturtevant, Emory University
Wanda Nelson, State Technical Institute at Memphis
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SASFAA
Long-Range Plan
Update 2001-2006
In 1999-2000 the Long-Range Planning Committee began its work
by reviewing the 1996-2001 Plan. They gathered extensive references
on diversity and financial stability in preparation to updating
the current plan. The committee exchanged a tremendous amount
of correspondence via email. They met once in Charlotte to analyze
and propose changes.
The SASFAA Board under the leadership of President Mary Givhan
approved the plan at the last Board of Directors meeting in
June, 2000 in St. Petersburg, FL. It was implemented and put
into action for the 2000 - 2001 year by President Clark Aldridge.
Members of the 1999-2000 Long-Range Planning Committee were:
Marvin Carmichael, Clemson University
(Chair)
David Cecil, Transylvania University
Bill Cox, Meredith College
Mary Givhan, Mississippi College (President)
Susan Little, University of Georgia
Lisa Tumer, James Madison University
Curtis Whalen, University of North Carolina-Charlotte
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SASFAA
Long-Range Plan
Update 2006 - 2011
The Long-Range Planning Committee met on October 15-16, 2004
in Nashville, Tennessee to review the Long Range Plan which
was due to expire on June 30, 2006. The committee met again
on February 14, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia. President Janet Sain
had asked the committee chaired by Carol Mowbray to review and
propose updates to the existing Long-Range Plan.
To accomplish this task, the committee reviewed the following
states’ long-range plans: Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina,
Virginia and Tennessee. They also contacted all other regional
associations for a copy of their long-range plans. The committee
reviewed NASFAA’s strategic long-range plan and the document,
A Scan of Our Changing Environment, 2004-2005.
The committee analyzed, reviewed and proposed changes to the
current Long-Range Plan (LRP) to be used as a basis to move
the plan forward for approval no later than June 2006. The changes
in language were meant to eliminate redundancy, address omissions
and make the goals more explicit and the objectives more concrete.
The SASFAA Board of Directors approved the revisions to the
Long-Range Plan November 7, 2004 in Jacksonville, FL.
As a result of its discussions and review, the LRP Committee
proposed the following additional related activities be undertaken
by SASFAA:
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For SASFAA to develop a survey
of the membership by February 2005. In the future, surveys
should take place two years prior to the expiration date of
the LRP in order to use the results as part of the long-range
planning process. The SASFAA Board of Directors approved the
development of the survey at its meeting February, 2005.
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That SASFAA hold a retreat
to consider environmental factors, the results of the membership
survey and other issues which will better position the Association
in the next five-year cycle. This retreat should include members
of the Board of Directors and other identified leaders within
the Association who have served SASFAA. It was recommended
that a professional facilitator lead the retreat. The retreat
was approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting November,
2004.
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The committee recommended
that values such as diversity which are currently imbedded
in the LRP be reflected in the core values of the Association.
They also recommended that SASFAA identify its core values
and add this information to the LRP. The Board of Directors
approved this recommendation at its meeting November, 2004.
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The committee was to write
a brief history of SASFAA’s long-range planning development
for inclusion in the long-range plan to provide a point of
reference and context of its development. The Board of Directors
approved that the history be included in the plan.
-
The committee recommended
that the Governance and Planning Committee report be integrated
into the planning cycle of each president-elect to strengthen
the format and timing. The LRP will propose a model for chairs
to use in monitoring the committee’s goals in relationship
to those in the LRP, to track outcomes and plan on the next
steps that are required.
At the SASFAA Board of Directors meeting held on Saturday,
February 12, 2005, the draft membership survey was reviewed
and changes incorporated. A retreat to be planned and held during
2005-2006 was approved by the Board of Directors.
The committee met in Biloxi, MS, May 17-18, 2005 to plan the
retreat scheduled for November, 2005. The committee decided
that the activities being planned reflected those of a summit
rather than a retreat and changed the name accordingly. The
2005-2006 Committee focused upon planning and implement a Leadership
and Strategic Planning Summit that was held in Charlotte, NC
November 11-12, 2005. The summit was facilitated by Tara Telfair,
University of Virginia Leadership Development Center.
Forty SASFAA leaders and involved constituents of the Association
met to review the current issues of the Association. Several
of the outcomes were deemed significant enough to warrant action
plans:
-
Create/develop a Rising
Young Professionals Scholarship
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Involve New Aid Officers’
Workshop participants in structured follow-up and opportunities
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Add/Create a “Best
Practices” area on the SASFAA Web site
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Determine the impact of reauthorization/reconciliation
on lender support
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Bring SASFAA training into
the states
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Acknowledge, track and monitor
volunteers
-
Involve former state presidents
at a greater level
-
Reassess SASFAA President’s
role with the states
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Reassess Membership alternatives
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Determine ways we can create
a holistic approach to supporting and strengthening our diversity
The summit participants engaged in activities and dialog designed
to develop the core values for the Association. As a result,
the committee met one last time April 22-23 in Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina to bring to a conclusion the two-year planning
cycle for the Long Range Planning Committee. The draft of the
core values for the Association and the recommendations and
action items will be presented to the SASFAA Board at the transition
meeting in St. Petersburg in June.
Members of the Long-Range Planning Committee:
Carol Mowbray, Northern Virginia
Community College (Chair)
Cruzita Lucero, Northeast State Technical Community College
(Co-chair)
Peggy Loewy-Wellisch, Nova Southeastern University
Jane C. McNaughton, Edamerica
Tom Morehouse, Thomas Nelson Community College
Juanita Russell, Alcorn State University
Betty Whalen, Winthrop University,
Janet Sain (ex-officio), ECPI College of Technology
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Summary
The Long-Range Plan consists of four major sections:
For each section, specific goals and objectives are identified
which are consistent with the mission and vision statements
of the association.
The members of the Long-Range Planning Committee recognize
that a long-range plan can never become “final”.
Any organization involved with the dynamics of public policy,
budget concerns at both state and national levels and the
real issues of students and families must continually evaluate
its role and scope.
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Organizational
Structure
By-Laws
Goal: The By-Laws will reflect the mission,
vision and purpose of the Association and support the viability
of the organization.
- Objective:
- Review annually to ensure that the By-Laws continue
to further the mission of the Association.
Board of Directors
Goal: The terms of office for elected officers
will be of sufficient length to ensure continuity and to complete
official business while providing opportunities for new leadership.
- Objective:
- Review the terms and composition of office of elected
officers at least once every five years.
Goal:
The advice and assistance provided to the Board of Directors
by committee chairs are such that the goals of the Association
are readily accomplished, future leadership is developed,
and board activities remain fiscally responsible.
- Objectives:
Committees
Goal: Committees should be of sufficient size
and number and represent the diversity of the membership to
accomplish the goals of the Association and to develop future
leadership while being fiscally responsible.
- Objectives:
- Appoint committee members, to the extent possible, to reflect
a practice of inclusiveness.
- Ensure that committees with broadly-defined responsibilities
such as legislative relations, professional development, and
annual conference include at least one representative from
each state in the region. Discuss appointments with the current
state presidents at the time of selection.
- Ensure that committees, unless otherwise specified in the
By-Laws or by policy, function with the fewest number of members
sufficient to accomplish the goals of that committee.
- Ensure that the committee chair, with approval of the Board
of Directors, makes every effort to identify an appropriate
mix of returning and new members to assure the continuity
of committee business and development of future leadership.
- Pursue alternatives to on-site meetings whenever possible
to keep costs at the most reasonable level. Such alternatives
include conference calls, electronic mail and arranging committee
meetings in conjunction with other meetings where some committee
members would normally be in attendance.
- Require that each committee provides a written annual summary
of its activities so this information may be included in the
president’s annual report.
Leadership
Goal: Members who possess leadership aspirations
and capabilities will be identified and developed for significant
involvement within the Association.
- Objectives:
- Identify and finance one individual annually, other than
the President-Elect or Treasurer, to attend the NASFAA Leadership
Conference if never attended previously.
- Finance, when needed, the SASFAA portion of the NASFAA
inter-regional visitation program.
- Provide recognition of state and regional leaders.
- Establish a SASFAA leadership workshop for developing state
member officers and leaders which may be held at a state conference
or the SASFAA annual conference.
- Provide a forum at the SASFAA conference for recognition
of any state project(s) submitted to NASFAA.
- Provide a scholarship to award to a need-based student
in order to recognize the leadership contributions of the
SASFAA President to the Association. The scholarship will
be awarded at the conclusion of the Past-President year.
- The SASFAA Executive Committee will solicit a listing from
each state president of potential leaders and provide an opportunity
for them to meet during SASFAA visits to the state meetings.
Membership
Goal: The membership of the Association should
represent the composition of financial aid professionals in
the region.
- Objectives:
- Seek to increase membership.
- Undertake a review of the membership categories for appropriateness
at least once every five years.
- Conduct a survey at least once every five years to determine
membership needs that is scheduled two years before the effective
date of the next 5-year long-range plan.
- Increase membership involvement in activities of the Association.
- Monitor the persistence rate of members and analyze the
reasons for discontinuing membership.
- Incorporate ideas which surface from membership survey.
- Provide mentoring opportunities for new members.
- Provide membership services so the needs and interests of
all sectors are addressed fairly and equitably.
Policies and Procedures
Goal: Policies and procedures are accurate
and complete in order to provide consistent Associational direction.
- Objectives:
- Establish a procedure to ensure that the policies and procedures
are accurate and complete and that the Association complies
with them. The review should include an analysis of the minutes
of each Board Meeting to be sure policy/procedures approvals
have been incorporated.
- Require that officers and committee chairs review and update
policies and procedures under their purview.
- Recommendations for policies and procedures changes shall
be approved by the SASFAA Board of Directors.
- The Secretary shall incorporate policies and procedures
as they are approved to the Policy and Procedure Manual.
Goal: Maintain the records of the Association.
- Objectives:
- Establish procedures to maintain and archive the records
of the Association at the close of each fiscal year.
- Review periodically the methods for maintaining accessibility,
retrieval, security and the location for archival of records.
- Ensure the accessibility and continuity of the Association’s
records.
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Communication/Collaboration
Goal: Facilitate alliances between and among
various sectors and members of the financial aid community.
- Objectives:
- Work with all sectors of the region’s financial aid community to ensure representation and participation in all Association programs and activities.
- Serve as a link with and between various sectors of the
Association, and as a link between the state associations
and the National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators.
Goal: Disseminate quality information to enhance
communications among members in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
- Objectives:
- Improve frequency and quality of communication with members.
- Address a full range of issues, ranging from policies to
daily operations.
- Provide the SASFAA president’s annual report to the
membership in accordance with Section 1, Article 7 of the
By-Laws.
- Use technologies to improve communications with the membership.
- Employ marketing/communications strategies to focus information
to various segments of the membership.
- Develop outreach materials to market SASFAA effectively
to various constituencies.
- Develop a volunteer process and communicate it clearly.
Consider creating “SASFAA Kits” on committee structure,
programs, services, etc.
Legislative Relations
Goal: Apprise members of legislative issues
affecting the profession, educate members of alternative approaches,
encourage involvement on issues and advocate positions when
reasonable consensus exists.
- Objectives:
- Promote the SASFAA region’s role in the higher education
community.
- Increase SASFAA members’ awareness of the potential
affect on outcome of legislative issues, proposals and actions.
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Professional
Development
Goal: The professional growth and competencies
of members are addressed by offering workshops, seminars, meetings
and other training opportunities.
- Objectives:
- Determine the training/professional development needs of
members, recognizing categorical distinctions among members
such as experience, institutional type, constituencies served
and level of responsibility.
- Improve and enhance the annual conference on the basis
of evaluation of the previous conference, current issues and
educational trends and perceived needs of members.
- Present a conference program with sessions possessing both
vitality and relevance for members.
- Provide a varied agenda addressing the need for legislative,
regulatory, public policy and operational expertise, as well
as the need for competencies in management and human relations.
- Foster collaborative training/ professional development
opportunities between state members, other regional associations
and NASFAA.
- Invite/plan interactions and discussions with other higher
education associations such as SACUBO, SACRAO, COHEO, and
EFC, etc.
- Recognize, encourage, and support the development of informal
networking strategies for sharing information and locating
job opportunities.
- Encourage worthy and thought-provoking research, publications
and presentations by members.
- Recognize and provide opportunities for pre- and post-conference
professional development experiences.
- Continue to provide an annual, comprehensive training workshop
to provide new aid administrators with the basic framework
of knowledge to administer student financial assistance programs.
- Identify experienced members to serve as faculty for planning
and conducting professional development programs of the Association.
- Choose training sites which are accessible, affordable,
and educationally suitable (or enhance the educational experience).
- Offer opportunities specifically for experienced aid administrators
to grow in leadership and management.
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Finances
Goal: Fiscal integrity will be ensured.
- Objectives:
- Adhere to the practices outlined in the SASFAA Guide to
Financial Management.
- Review the SASFAA Guide to Financial Management annually
to ensure the continuity of sound financial practices.
Goal: The future financial stability of the
Association is provided through careful and regular planning
and evaluation.
- Objectives:
- Determine the appropriateness of fees assessed for dues,
the annual conference, workshops and ancillary services including
vendors, at least once every five years.
- Provide for the establishment, maintenance, investment,
and monitoring of a sufficient Associational reserve fund.
- Monitor, review and revise, as necessary, the Association’s
investment strategy for positioning the Association’s
finances.
- Review routinely all risks and liabilities affecting cash
management and contractual obligations.
- Determine the appropriate cash balance to be brought forward
annually.
- Evaluate establishment of an educational foundation to
fund scholarship or grant opportunities for professional development.
- Incorporate the financial impact of vendor sponsorship
in the budget planning process annually.
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- Prepared by the 2004-2005 Long Range Planning Committee
- Carol Mowbray, Northern Virginia Community College, Chair,
Special Projects
- Cruzita Lucero, Northeast State Technical Community College
- Peggy Loewy-Wellisch, Nova Southeastern University
- Jane McNaughton, Edamerica
- Juanita McKenzie-Russell, Alcorn State University
- Betty Whalen, Winthrop University
Date Last Modified: 10/16/2004 |
