Wyoming: State Update

Wyoming financial aid administrators were Feelin’ the Love at the WyASFAA annual conference April 27-28, 2017 in Cheyenne. Despite Wyoming’s usual late spring snow that delayed some arrivals and a falling rock event (no, really!), we had 34 attendees and enjoyed a day and a half of great sessions by WyASFAA members and guest presenters.

A house-sized boulder fell near the edge of U.S. Highway 20/Wyoming 789 causing Northwest College conference attendees to have a two-hour detour home.  Photo courtesy of WYDOT.

The annual Hathaway Scholarship Meeting on April 26 served as our pre-conference event. Institutional Hathaway Coordinators, financial aid directors and other staff met with Education Consultants from the Wyoming Department of Education’s Hathaway Scholarship Program to discuss best practices and learn about new legislation impacting the program. Staff from Wyoming’s Community College Commission also participated in the event.

Nicole Castillon discusses 399 codes.

The main conference started with a discussion about dealing with conflicting info; Nicole Castillon from Western Wyoming College moderated the Crazy About That 399 Code session, but put her audience at ease by providing bubbles. Just like a bubble is temporary—it pops and is gone—the 399 Code is only around for one year.

Next, Kelcie Hamilton and Susan Stephenson, both from Eastern Wyoming College, presented general info, best practices and specific school examples during Infatuated with Consumer Info. They tried to lighten the mood of such a heavy topic with funny videos and memes. Both presenters have NASFAA U credentials in Consumer Info.

Joe Donlay clears up confusion about calculating subsidized loan limits.

We were delighted to welcome guest presenter Joe Donlay, Past-President of RMASFAA, again this year. Joe used his stellar presentation skills and calming tone to make us all Starry-Eyed over SULA.

Following lunch, guest presenter Tammy Shroeder shared her passion for high quality education by giving an upbeat interpretation of Gazing Ahead at the Future of Education in Wyoming. Tammy provided a broad perspective on the state’s education — she’s been a classroom teacher, previously worked for the state Department of Education, was recently elected to the Albany County School Board, has a daughter participating in the Fulbright exchange program and just completed law school herself.

Joe Massman engages the audience during the federal update.

After a morning of heavy topics, Julie Wilson from Laramie County Community College lightened the mood in the afternoon with her Five Love Languages of the Workplace. Her colleague and GEAR UP Program Manager at LCCC joined us the following morning for FA Loves GU, a session on how the GEAR UP program helps their students and financial aid administrators .

Joe Massman, Training Officer for the U.S. Department of Education, gave attendees the gift of a Heart-Shaped Box of Assorted Title IV Topics. We were delighted to have Joe participate for the whole conference, contributing insight and answering questions during other sessions, partaking in our evening award banquet and providing a second session, Feeling a Fondness for a Federal Update, during the last day of the conference.

Vicki Kucera gives a RMASFAA update.

RMASFAA President Vicki Kucera shared her passion for RMASFAA, encouraging members to become active in volunteering and participating in all of the great things RMASFAA has to offer such as Summer Institute, annual conference, and Leadership Pipeline. She gave updates on what she and her Board have been working on so far this year. We were pleased Vicki came for the whole conference to contribute her ideas and to share her experience with us.

The first day ended with the awards banquet and the traditional “passing of the tomahawk” (we apparently don’t use gavels in Wyoming…) to the new officers. Susan Stephenson from EWC took over as president from Julie Wilson; Brenda Haseman from the Northern Wyoming Community College District is giving DeeAnna Archuleta from Western Wyoming College a break from Treasurer Duties, and Tasha Plumb from Central Wyoming College is continuing for another year as Secretary.

Julie Wilson thanks Kathryn DeWitt for her work on WyASFAA’s website this past year.

The day-and-a-half conference ended with the annual Business Meeting. Members agreed that they have a lot of work to do this year to get back on track after a difficult year with budget cuts, staff and association member turnover, and a general loss of focus. Some of our goals for the year are to look at our mission to see if it is still appropriate to our organization, then creating a Strategic Long-Range Plan. We also need to revise our Bylaws, a task that has been on the “to-do list” for several years, and align WyASFAA’s P&P with the revised bylaws. We plan to continue with and enhance our Wyoming High School Counselors Workshop, revise our website, look for ways to encourage and retain associate members, and remain a strong, viable state association.

Attendees listen attentively to a session.

Conference decor.

Members enjoy a dinner together the night before the conference.

 

Susan Stephenson, WyASFAA President
&
Kelcie Hamilton, Association News

Distinguished Service Award-David Martin

Continuing with our RMASFAA Distinguished Service Award series. Throughout the series we will be asking past recipients of this award to share their stories and experiences with RMASFAA. The second post in this series features David Martin, Director of Financial Aid at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City, SD. 

When I think back to when I received the Distinguished Service Award, my first thought was how special it was that my wife Laura was able to be at the Utah conference at Snowbird with me. I asked Laura the other night if Jeff had called her and encouraged her to attend the conference and she said no. Well, maybe not, but Jeff has been a very good friend for a lot of years and it was something I could see him doing knowing how special that would be.

My first experience with RMASFAA was in 1986 when I attended my first Summer Institute less than two weeks after taking on the role of Financial Aid Director at Trinity Bible College. Some may find this hard to believe, but I’m an introvert at heart and finding myself in a large gathering of people that I did not know was rather frightening to me. I’m sure when I walked into the University of Colorado’s Darley Commons and approached the registration table, I looked pretty lost and overwhelmed. But I heard a voice of calm and assurance that offered assistance and set me up for a good experience.  The voice I heard was that of Rita Bayless, who at the time was at St. Mary’s College of the Plains in Kansas. Like so many other people I have known over the years in RMASFAA, Rita didn’t stop checking on me from time to time over the years to see how I was doing.  She even trusted me to work for her for 9 days when she was doing consulting.

I have attended two Summer Institutes over the years. It was either at my first one or maybe the second that Michael Johnson (Utah) said something in a session he was leading that has stuck with me ever since. He shared that regardless of how good of a relationship you have with your Vice-President, you should build a good relationship with at least one other VP on your campus. You never know when you might need another voice on the administrative level going to bat for you. This could be especially advantageous if your VP happens to be a PVS. (I won’t divulge what that stands for here; contact Michael Johnson or see me at the RMASFAA conference in Kansas this October!)

In September of 1990, I began working as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Black Hills State University, where for the next 6 years and about 3-½ months, I got to work with John Gritts (now at the U.S. Department of Education Denver Regional Office).  One of the things I learned from John is, there are times when you are working on a difficult project or maybe dealing with a difficult situation, and you just need to step out of the office and get away for a few minutes. It’s not to just get out of the office for the sake of getting out of the office; John left to get recharged! There were people on campus that he would go see and, when he came back, he was ready to tackle whatever the challenge was that faced him. He didn’t go see the negative people we all have on our campuses; no, he went to those who would encourage him and speak life into him.  To paraphrase something I wrote inside the front of my Bible that a former pastor of mine said many years ago in reference to raising our children – “Am I the wings upon which the dreams and aspirations of others soar or am I the shovel that buries those dreams and aspirations forever?”  May we all do our best to be the former!

I was out of the Financial Aid profession for about 1-½ years. Right after New Year’s Day 2000, I was contacted by William “Bill” Jones, Director of Academic & Enrollment Services at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and asked if I would consider coming on board as the Acting Financial Aid Director. The then current Director, Sharon Colombe, was pursuing a disability retirement due to complications from MS.  It would be a three month at a time gig depending on the evaluation of Sharon’s condition at the end of three months. I started January 10^th and, well, three months became another three months and then another and finally Sharon was approved. In November of 2000 I was appointed the Director.  Now if you look in the RMASFAA HONOR ROLL of RMASFAA Presidents, you will notice the name of William Jones, President of RMASFAA for 1978-79 (the Michael Johnson I mentioned earlier served from 79-80 and John Gritts from 91-92).  I had the privilege to work for someone who had been on the ground floor of the start of SDASFAA and RMASFAA!  In the early years, Bill was a financial aid trainer, and although I don’t think there is anyone still in the profession that would have known Bill back then, his influence was all about the early development of Financial Aid professionals in our region.  And even though by the time I got to work with him he was well over a decade removed from the daily involvement with Financial Aid, it amazed me that he could still talk about the weightier issues of the Financial Aid profession.  What a privilege it was to work for him!

I have always enjoyed attending RMASFAA conferences, but it wasn’t until I became President of SDASFAA in 2006 that I experienced life on the RMASFAA Board!  How in the world could such a fun and sometimes nutty bunch of people get so much work done!  Sally Schuman did her best to groom me for a higher office, but once my year as SDASFAA President was over, I said farewell to service to RMASFAA, at least for a few years.

One day in early 2011, RMASFAA President-Elect Brenda Hicks called and asked if I would agree to have my name on the ballot for RMASFAA Treasurer. Hum, now that sounded interesting.  I said yes and was elected and had a crash course in the duties of the Treasurer with John Curl, who was on his second go-round as Treasurer after the untimely death of Randy Thompson. It was great working with Jeff Jacobs and Brenda during their terms as President. (Yes Brenda, even when hounding you to death over credit card receipts you didn’t know if they were at home, your office or in the truck!) When President-Elect Deb Byers called and said she wasn’t able to find enough people to run for Treasurer, she asked if I would run again.  I said yes (I was afraid to tell my staff) and was elected (my staff found out the same time everyone else in RMASFAA did!).  Deb’s year as President started off like normal, but then tragedy struck and Deb was gone!  When Past-Presidents Brenda Hicks and Jeff Jacobs and President-Elect Art Young stepped up to ensure the business of the association would go on (after a little hiccup to get the right names back on association bank accounts), the Treasurer functions went on as usual.  I can honestly say I enjoyed my two terms as Treasurer, but especially the people in our association that I got to work with over the course of those four years.

Thank you RMASFAA for the opportunity to serve, the honor I was given for the 2014 Distinguished Service Award (I was only doing what I was asked to do) and the many friends I have made along the way!

 

I have known David for many years through SDASFAA, yet I learned so much about David when he submitted the information for the Spotlight article!

Marlene Seeklander
Lake Area Technical Institute
RMASFAA Association News Committee

RMASFAA Learning Webcasts

 

June 6—SAP; Dodson

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8781886615310789377

July 11—2017 –18 Verification; Dutton https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1778970614168376321

July 18—Consumer Information, Drugs and Crime; Brown https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3710296873217453313

September 26—Enrollment Reporting; Butcher https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2334946365334809345

October 3—Return to Title IV; Lindsey https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2854829547807788801

Leadership Pipeline: Darcy Johnson

Continuing the Leadership Pipeline series. The eight participants that make up this year’s class will share their experiences about participating in RMASFAA’s professional development program.

What is your current position and how long have you worked in financial aid?

I am currently the Student Loan Coordinator at Emporia State University in Kansas. I’ve been here 5.5 years.

Who is your Leadership Pipeline mentor and describe your relationship with them.

My mentor is Peg Mason from Colorado School of Mines.

Picture this: I’m on the elevator in the Holiday Inn in Rapid City, SD heading down to attend my first Leadership Pipeline event. I say to a random stranger in the elevator, “I have that exact same shirt at home!” Then I look at her nametag and realize that it was Peg! We knew we were a perfect match from that point forward.

Peg is a great listener and gives wonderful advice when we have our monthly calls. In addition to business, we always take a few moments to discuss her grandchildren and my cat.

Why did you decide to join Leadership Pipeline?

A colleague had completed the program a few years ago and I witnessed how it benefited him and was hoping for that same opportunity.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far?

I am a Red on the PACE Palette, and I should sit next to Yellows in a staff meeting to temper my potential outbursts. Also, since returning from RMASFAA in October, I’ve done my best to adopt a Zero Inbox philosophy. I feel that it has helped me become more efficient and less stressed by my emails. (Full disclosure: there’s been at least two emails left there at all times).

What is it that you are hoping to come away with at the end of the program? 

“REDs tend to be more concerned about what’s happening right now than in the future.” Throughout the work we’ve done so far, I’ve self-examined how much involvement I can volunteer to our state and regional associations at this time, brainstormed with Peg ways to improve my communication, and learned tips and tricks (and even shared some) on being more efficient in the workplace. I know that the next six months will continue to provide many more learning opportunities that I’m going to continue to absorb.

Why would you recommend the Leadership Pipeline program to others?

None of us will ever know it all. Why not take the opportunity to learn from peers and leaders in the industry? From my own experiences, I feel that anyone who completes this program will learn a great deal about themselves, make lifelong friends with many financial aid peeps (and let’s face it, FAAs are the most fun!), and grow as an employee and a leader. Take the plunge!

2017-18 Officer Election

Greetings, RMASFAA!

It is with great pleasure that I inform you the 2017-18 RMASFAA Officer Election is open!  Each institutional voting member will soon be receiving an emailed link to review the election ballot and cast their institutional vote.  Since many of us are not voting members within the association, I wanted to share with you the outstanding roster of candidates who have graciously agreed to put their names forward for consideration:

President-Elect

• Justin Chase Brown, Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, University of             Nebraska-Lincoln (NE)
• Myra Pfannenstiel, Director of Financial Aid, Newman University (KS)

Vice President-Elect

• Rob Drybread, Assistant Director of Client Services, University of Colorado (CO)
• Laurie Weber, Financial Aid Director, Minot State University (ND)

Secretary

• Tammy Higgins, Director of Student Financial Assistance, Pittsburg State University (KS)
• Leslie Olsen, Financial Aid Associate Director, Carroll College (MT)

Treasurer-Elect

• Shawn Rosaasen, Accountant, University of North Dakota (ND)
• Jed Spencer, Financial Aid Director, Weber State University (UT)

Associate Member Delegate

• Patrick McTee, Director of Student Success Services, American Indian College Fund
• Ruben Reyes,Marketing – Business Analyst, New Mexico Student Loan Guarantee       Corporation

 

If you are the designated voting member at your institution, please take time to read over each candidate’s credentials contained within the ballot link you receive, seek input and feedback from other RMASFAA members in your office, and then cast your vote!  If for any reason you are unable to vote via the electronic ballot, please contact me directly for a hard-copy form at kkocer@mtmc.edu.  If you are not the designated voting member at your institution, I encourage you to take a moment to share your thoughts with your designated voter – your opinions are important to the election process.  Voting is open for 30 calendar days and the verified results of the election will be announced within a week of ballot closing.

Join me in applauding each of the officer candidates for their willingness to volunteer time and considerable talent to RMASFAA service!  We have an incredible group of dedicated professionals here in the Rocky Mountain region.

Best to all,

Ken Kocer
2016-17 RMASFAA President-Elect
Chair, Nominations & Elections Committee

 

What Would Fonzie Do?

Utah: State Update

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UASFAA held its Spring 2017 Conference April 13-14, 2017 at Utah State University in beautiful Logan, Utah.  Meet the Challenge was the motto, as we all know we meet challenges professionally and personally on a daily basis.

Challenge #1 was met by having Joe Massman, the Department of Education trainer attend. He was gracious enough to present multiple breakout sessions: Calendar, Modules and Title IV; R2T4 for Modules in Terms, and the Federal Update.  As is demonstrated in our offices frequently, meeting the challenge with federal regulations is in constant flux; UASFAA’s members are thankful Mr. Massman was able to attend and present.

Challenge #2 was met by having multiple regulatory breakout sessions by our current members; 1718 verification and 399 comment codes, Current issues in Federal Work Study programs, EFC/Needs analysis, Consumer Information and Cash Management.  The RMASFAA Update was represented by Joe Donlay, who also presented on Consumer Information.

Challenge #3 was met by having sessions devoted to best practices in our offices; 5 must have for modern financial aid offices, Taking a Step Up (dealing with minority, DACA, and refugee students), Repayment plans, Fraud protection, Financial literacy, State-funded Financial Aid programs, and best practices surrounding PPY, PJ and Marital Status Changes.

Challenge #4 was met with the changing of UASFAA Leadership and our annual business luncheon. The new president is Jared Hallows, an Information Specialist at Southern Utah University.

UASFAA has committed to host annual fall trainings. In Fall 2016 UASFAA held a NASFAA U Sponsored Event, training 85 members to become credentialed in two topics (verification and SAP).  Fall training will continue as NASFAA U Sponsored Events in an effort to keep each other well prepared for the challenges ahead.

UASFAA members and conference participants are grateful for the continued support of RMASFAA.