Tennessee State Report
Forrest M. Stuart, TASFAA President
Here is what currently occupies our time in TASFAA:
-
The first Tennessee College Goal Sunday was held
on February 12, 2006.
-
TASFAA Spring Conference, April 9-12, 2006
-
Theme: “TASFAA: The Many Hats We
Wear”
-
Sandy Baum, professor of economics at Skidmore
College and policy analyst for the College Board, will be one
of our main speakers. Sandy will speak on the issue of student
debt and how much debt is too much. She will also lead a session
on the trends in student aid and college pricing. We may ask
her to lead a session on her publication, A Primer on Economics
for Financial Aid Professionals.
-
June Cline will speak on selling the financial
aid office and profession to upper-level administration.
-
Our opening session will feature…
-
Elections for the 2006-07 TASFAA officers closed
February 10, 2006. Results were announced at the SASFAA State Meeting.
Here are the results:
-
President-Elect – Clyde Walker, Vanderbilt
University
-
Secretary – Allison Snyder, College Loan
Corporation
-
District 1 Chair – Jim Shannon, Christian
Brothers University
-
District 2 Chair – Judy Woodard, University
of Tennessee at Martin
-
District 3 Chair – Bill McCord, Nashville
State Tech Community College
-
District 4 Chair – Christy Elia, University
of Tennessee at Chattanooga
-
District 5 Chair – Celina Radar-Lamdin,
Lincoln Memorial University
-
District 6 Chair – Amy Collins, East
Tennessee State University
“Thoughts” for TASFAA membership
Only through education does one come to be dissatisfied
with his own knowledge, and only through teaching others does one
come to realize the uncomfortable inadequacy of his knowledge. Being
dissatisfied with his own knowledge, one then realizes that the trouble
lies with himself, and realizing the uncomfortable inadequacy of his
knowledge, one then feels stimulated to improve himself. Therefore,
it is said, "the processes of teaching and learning stimulate
one another." – Confucius, circa 500 BCE
I often think of the purpose we serve as financial aid administrators.
There are many pat “Sunday School” answers that, though
true, do not get to the depth of our profession. For example, many
people say “financial aid administrators change students’
lives.” Well, what we actually do is facilitate learning, which,
by its purest definition, produces changes in their lives.
Financial aid administrators are educators. We may not feel like
it; the faculty may not treat us like it; we may not be paid like
it. I would venture to say that many of us are convinced of it.
Carefully read the quotes of Confucius and Socrates. Seriously…
read them. Are those not the outcomes which we facilitate? Are those
not the outcomes that we should facilitate?
In establishing policies and procedures, do we create an environment
of learning? In speaking with families, do we imbue the ideals of
education as expressed by Confucius? In loan counseling and in work
study programming, do we aim to teach students facts alone, or do
we create expectations of true learning and critical thinking?
What are your expectations of students? What are your expectations
of your own education? What can TASFAA do to help you in this endeavor?
Just some thoughts from a chronic idealist…
|
APRIL
2006
