President's Message
By Guy Gibbs

Dear SASFAA Colleagues,

Can you believe it? The summer is gone and fall is just around the corner. The cooler weather is appreciated, but now we must deal with the hurricane season in the south. I write this article only a few days after Hurricane Katrina has brought devastation to South Florida, the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coasts. We must keep our friends, their families, and others in our thoughts and prayers as they rebuild not only physical structures, but also their personal and family lives. We also remember our colleagues in other SASFAA states dealing with the impact of tornados spun from the hurricane and those in SWASFAA, particular those in Louisiana, as they also deal with the aftermath of this storm. Please take a moment everyday to give thanks for your own safety but also to remember those that have lost so much. Offer an encouraging word and a helping hand to our colleagues.

Professionally we have survived another fall registration, and hopefully the lines in our financial aid offices and telephone calls have lessened. As our students embark on this new academic year, we as financial aid professional seek renewal as well. Where better a place to begin than with your professional association – SASFAA. I hope that you have taken the opportunity to join, and if not, that you do so. Membership information is available at www.sasfaa.org.

I am excited to serve as your SASFAA President this year, and I thank you for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to working with you, the Executive Board and our committee chairs in moving SASFAA forward in 2005-2006. This is not a task taken lightly, but with your assistance and input, we will have a great year. Just remember that this is a partnership, and I ask each of you to become involved. Do not hesitate to make your voice known and to make recommendations so that we move our association forward.

The Executive Board and committee chairs began their work in June at the transition meeting with the 2004-2005 board. This gave us the opportunity to understand our new roles in the association. This also gave me an opportunity to share with this board my ideas for the year. I am very pleased with the enthusiasm shown, and I know that we are in for a wonderful experience as SASFAA members. I would like to thank those who agreed to serve as committee chairs and to each of you that volunteered your service to the association.

The board met in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 22-24 at the Sheraton Four Seasons, the site of our 2006 conference. The board worked the entire weekend approving committee assignments, the operational budget, reporting our goals and objectives and in general discussion and planning for the year.

There are specific goals that I have presented to the board for action this year.

• Susan Little will join the board this year as a Special Appointee. I have asked that she and committee look at the possible establishment of a SASFAA Foundation. As the association has grown, we have enjoyed your support and that of our sponsors. As a result, we have been able to fund our reserves to meet our financial obligations. Since meeting the reserve fund goal, I have asked that we look at ways that we might return to our membership the good fortune that we have enjoyed. Whether that is through a foundation or some other initiative is the work of this committee to determine.
• Sandy Neel, Treasurer, and her committee will undertake a review of the SASFAA Policy and Procedures Manual.
• Clark Aldridge, Chair of Finance and Audit, along with Randy Craig, the original writer of the SASFAA Guide to Financial Management, will undertake bringing that publication up to date.
• Lisanne Masterson, Conference Chair, and committee have the task of putting together a well-planned conference that will meet your training needs and professional expectations. “Financial Aid Unmasked” is the theme of the conference scheduled in Greensboro, North Carolina, February 12-15, 2006.
• Tolly Tollefson, Vice President, will have two significant training activities this year to include the New Aid Officers and Mid-Level workshops.
• Crusie Lucero, Chair of the Diversity, and her committee has been charged with looking at how we define diversity and how better to meet the diverse needs of our members as well as the students that we serve.

These are only some of the activities planned for this year. I would like to hear your suggestions as to other ways that SASFAA might better serve you. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your suggestions or any board or committee member. My email address is ggibbs@nvcc.edu and telephone number is 703-323-3085.