Legislative Affairs Committee Report
Submitted by William K. Spiers, Jr., Tallahassee Community College

It has been a busy start to the year for your Legislative Affairs Committee! Usually you have a few weeks to get your feet on the ground and your committee up and running, but this year has been a sprint from the very start. Thankfully we have some outstanding members on the Legislative Affairs Committee who have been willing to work on your behalf, even in the light of fall registration.

Each state is represented on the Legislative Affairs Committee. The Legislative Affairs Chair for each state comprises the committee. If you feel there is an issue the SASFAA Legislative Affairs Committee should address, please feel free to contact your state representative and they can bring your issue to the full committee. Your input is important if we are going to meet the needs of the membership.

Thus far the Legislative Affairs Committee has written responses for ACG and SMART, and the HERA regulations. In addition we have sent three reminder notices to the membership on various legislative issues and on articles of significance on financial aid. The Legislative Affairs Committee is committed to serving the SASFAA membership by keeping you informed and, where appropriate, providing insight on various issues affecting financial aid.

As a member of SASFAA one of the most important things you can do is respond to proposed rule or legislation. While we may not all agree on every issue, it is important for the US Department of Education to hear our views. Through the years we have heard far too often from USDE that they had little, if any, response to rules and regulations. It is better to attempt to shape a rule and legislation on the front end, than to try to live with it on the backend.

To help you respond to legislative issues, SASFAA developed the SASFAA Legislative Guide. You can find a copy on the SASFAA website for your use. This document was created several years ago and has been updated as needed. It is an excellent tool and will provide you with most of the guidance you might need for legislative response. If you have questions that aren’t addressed in the guide, any member of the Legislative Affairs Committee will be more than happy to provide you assistance.

It is going to be a busy year with a lot of changes. There is no doubt that the Legislative Affairs Committee will have a full agenda. The committee will attempt to keep you informed, and we hope you will exercise your opportunity to voice your opinion to the appropriate agencies. Let’s make legislative response a group effort with SASFAA taking the lead in responding to USDE. We can only accomplish this with your help!

Sponsorship Committee Report
Submitted by Keith Reeves, Clemson University

All of the services and training opportunities provided by a professional association the size of SASFAA could never be accomplished from membership dues and registration fees alone. It is only with the generous support from sponsors in the commercial and agency sectors that SASFAA is able to provide quality training services to the membership. This year’s sponsorship opportunities are now posted on the SASFAA Web site. Potential sponsors should go to www.sasfaa.org and look for the items under the “Sponsorship” heading.

It is important to remember that there are many opportunities for sponsorship outside of the annual conference. One major training effort is the New Aid Officer’s Workshop where general sponsorship is needed as well as in-kind support for various related expenses. Sponsorship is also sought for various Board and committee meetings throughout the year. Of course, the annual conference provides an opportunity for sponsors to showcase their products and services. Additional advertising opportunities are available through advertisements in the newsletters as well as banner ads on the web site.
Questions about sponsorship can be directed to Keith Reeves, SASFAA Sponsorship Chair, Clemson University.

Membership Committee Report
Submitted by Soraya Welden, Meridian Community College

Log on and sign up
If you have not yet submitted your membership application, take a few minutes to submit the online membership form. Once the form is submitted, you will receive an electronic invoice that you can include with your payment. Payments can only be posted when a membership form has been submitted. Dues are only $25 annually and the benefits are worth much more. Networking, training, professional development, are just a few of the “perks” to being a SASFAA member. Join now to enjoy a full year of membership benefits.

And the winner is….
As a continuation of our friendly state membership competition, the committee will compare 2006 membership numbers to the 2005 numbers. The state that has the highest percentage increase as of May 1, 2007 will be recognized as the 2006-07 membership award winner.

The numbers
As of September 8, 2006 SASFAA had 673 paid members. This represents a 49% increase compared to this time last year!! The committee will continue to promote membership in SASFAA throughout the year and look forward to record numbers.

The 2006-07 membership committee members
   Alabama - Shannon Cross, Amsouth Bank
   Florida - Mary Harshaw, The College Board
   Georgia - Gina Repak, Georgia Institute of Technology
   Kentucky - Morgan Kells, Southwestern College
   Mississippi - Nancy Gault, Sallie Mae Education Trust
   North Carolina - Patricia Bowman, The University of
                  North Carolina, Charlotte
   South Carolina - Caroline Thornton, Orangeburg-Calhoun
                  Technical College
   Tennessee - Laura Land, Vanderbilt University
   Virginia - Angela Long Miller-Motte, Technical College

Site Selection Committee Report
Submitted by Ron Gambill, edsouth

The sites for upcoming annual conferences have been established for 2008 and 2009. Based on the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Association has advised that the state be considered for 2011. For 2010, the site selection focus will be on the State of Kentucky.

Future Conference Dates
   Crystal City, Virginia 2008 (February 17-20)
   Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 2009 (February 7-11)