Florida State Report
Ron Anderson, FAFSAA President

FASFAA 2005 Spring Conference
“Staying The Course Through Winds of Change”

The Florida Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators would like to announce their 2005 Spring Conference at the famous Fontainebleau Hilton Resort on Miami Beach. The conference will be held from June 8-10, 2005. Conference hotel rates are a low $129 (plus applicable taxes) for a single or double standard room. Upgrades are available at equally low prices for this world-class resort, right on the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel will honor the conference rate from June 4-12, 2005. There are lots of family activities at the hotel and in the immediate Miami area.

Agenda details, additional program updates, and registration information will be available on the FASFAA website at www.fasfaa.org. Take a peek at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort website and see all that is has to offer. FASFAA hopes to see you in Miami!

Georgia State Report
Freida J. Jones, GASFAA President

It was great having SASFAA in Georgia this year. As everyone knows, there was a record-breaking turnout for the conference. It is more appropriate to ask, “Who did not attend SASFAA?” The list would be much shorter!! And in case anyone is wondering, Elvis did leave the building!!

Preparations are being made for the Spring GASFAA Conference at Chateau Elan in Braselton, GA, just north of Atlanta. Vice President Jill Rayner and the Conference Committee are planning to upstage Fall Conference, which, by the way, was very successful. The conference dates are June 1-3. The registration is online, deadline is April 30 and the theme is “Untangling the Financial Aid Grapevine”.

There are two training opportunities being provided by the Professional Development Committee (PDC). Headed by Vice President David Bledsoe, the PDC will conduct a “New Staff Seminar” on March 16 and a “New/Aspiring Director Workshop” on April 20. Both the seminar and workshop are at no charge and the site will be Macon State College, Macon Georgia. The New/Aspiring Director Workshop registration is online.

Members of other Associations are welcome to attend!!!!!!

GASFAA is sending two members of the Association to the NASFAA Leadership Conference in Washington, DC— President-elect, Susanne Pittman and Treasurer, Jody Darby. In the past, only the President-elect would attend. Ironically, another member of GASFAA won the free trip raffled by SASFAA and will be attending the Leadership Conference (Willene Holmes of Augusta State University). In an effort to provide good leaders, GASFAA is focusing on this type of training to provide opportunities for its members to grow. The free trip is a welcomed component of this effort. Thank you, SASFAA.

North Carolina State Report
Sharon Oliver, NCASFAA President

We are excited to host the North Carolina Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators (NCASFAA) Spring Conference in the beautiful city of Wilmington, North Carolina at the Hilton Riverside on April 11-13, 2005. The display of fresh, beautiful flowers blooming after the Azalea Festival creates an excellent background for the Carribean Tour.

The theme for the conference is “Waistin’ Away in Financial Aidville.” The conference chairperson, Casey Wallen, has worked very hard with the program committee to develop the perfect environment for learning, relaxing, and exploring the world of financial aid.

While cruising on the Caribbean Tour, members will have an opportunity to experience the World’s Funniest Guitar Virtuoso, become professional judgment experts, hear the NC state of the state address, attend a variety of concurrent sessions, develop long-lasting friendships, and much, much more.

NCASFAA has joined Lowe’s Home Improvement and Wal-Mart to support the Domestic Violence Shelter & Services, Inc., located in Wilmington, NC as our community service project. Last year, the shelter served an average of 162 victims of domestic violence per month. It provides a place of healing. Funds will be raised by selling raffle tickets, sombreros, and ribbons.

Please join NCASFAA for an enjoyable, exciting conference.