Welcome from Our President

Dear SASFAA friends and colleagues,

Early on in my financial aid career I had a boss who was known in the office for saying, "If you don’t like the rules...wait a minute." The implication of this statement is that as soon as we seem to get accustomed to a particular set of rules they change. I found over the years that this statement could not be truer as it pertains to the mountains of rules and regulations that govern the aid programs we administer to our students.

It seems like every time we turn around there is a new law being passed or regulation being implemented that affects the aid we offer our students. While dealing with these changes is nothing new to the financial aid industry, it certainly seems like they are coming at a very fast pace.

It can be dizzying to try and keep up with all of these changes just to stay in compliance, let alone find the time to provide the necessary counseling and services for your students to ensure they are finding appropriate ways to pay for their education. Based on this, our theme for this year’s conference seems very appropriate..."Focusing on What’s Best for Our Students", and the SASFAA Annual Conference provides us with an opportunity to do just that.

Under the direction of Shelley Park, the conference committee has worked diligently to put together a training event that will provide something to meet everyone’s needs. The agenda is full of sessions that will give you information to help you stay in compliance, as well as resources and information to aide you in providing quality services to your students.

Our Annual Conference event will be held Sunday February 26 - Wednesday February 29, 2012 at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons in Greensboro, North Carolina. Please make sure and check the conference website for the latest updates on this exciting event, and make your reservation early!

On behalf of the SASFAA Executive Board and Conference Committee, we look forward to seeing each and every one of you in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Sincerely,
Brad Barnett
SASFAA President, 2011-12