NJASFAA Executive Council Meeting Minutes

Rutgers University

July 24, 2003

 

Attended:  Robert Alston, Francine Andrea, Joan Buttafuoco, Frank Cuozzo, Stephanie Fitzsimmons, Derek Gatling, Keith Green, Shirley McFarlane, Helen Mikulak, Jim Owens, Carmen Panlilio, Joe Roberto, David Sheridan, Mark Singer, Karen Weber, Jack Williams, Debra Wulff

 

The meeting was called to order at 9:45 a.m.  A quorum was established.

 

Motion to approve the Executive Council Retreat minutes moved by Carmen Panlilio; Seconded by Frank Cuozzo.  Minutes were approved unanimously by a voice vote.

 

Treasurer’s Report:  Helen Mikulak

 

·        The NJASFAA accountant has prepared our 2002-2003 tax return.  David signed it today.  It will be sent to the federal and state governments.

·        We received a letter from our accountant indicating that NJASFAA is a 501c(3) status.  Donations to our organization are tax deductible.

·        We discussed what to do with old records.  Keith, Joe and Debra will sort through our inventory to see what we have.  Debra will contact our accountant to ask what materials can be purged.

·        David wants to appoint a historian for NJASFAA.

 

Committee Reports:

 

Awards and Recognition:  Stephanie Fitzsimmons

 

·        Stephanie is holding leftover longevity awards from conferences.

 

Budget:  Keith Green

 

·        Speakers Bureau and Strategic Planning Committees were added as line items.

·        Multicultural Concerns Committee requested an increase in its budget to $1200.

·        The NASFAA budget will be decreased to $500 and the Strategic Planning Committee budget will be increased to $2500.

 

Budget for 2003-2004

Moved by Karen Weber; Seconded by Carmen Panlilio.

 

BE IT RESOLVED, that the 2003-2004 Association budget, as presented for consideration based on the recommendation of the Budget Committee, be adopted and approved.

 

CARRIED:  Motion carried unanimously by a voice vote.

 

Reserve Fund

Moved by Helen Mikulak; Seconded by Debra Wulff.

 

BE IT RESOLVED, based on the recommendation of the Budget Committee, that the Association’s contingent liability reserve balance be increased from $56,000 to $130,000 and that this action is retroactively effective to July 1, 2003.

 

CARRIED:  Motion carried unanimously by a voice vote.

 

Conference:  Jack Williams

 

·        The theme for our 35th anniversary conference is “Let’s Make a Deal.”  Dinner on Wednesday evening will start with a “Let’s Make a Deal” game show.  The Grease band will entertain us later in the evening.

·        Reauthorization will be the major focus of the conference.

·        The Conference Committee will work with the Mentoring Committee to identify new members; encourage them to help with conference registration; and have a session at the conference for them to meet other new members.  A table will be reserved at lunch for new members.  They will be seated with a current member and introduced to the association.

·        John Dean will present “A View from the Hill” on Tuesday afternoon.

·        Wednesday’s program will include three separate tracks, to target new members, midlevel personnel and directors.  Each track will have roundtable discussions.

·        There will be an “electronic training room,” separate from the vendor area.  There will be three areas in this room, with several terminals in each area.  In one area, people can check their e-mail; one area will be for vendors who have paid for the room, to deliver electronic initiatives about their products; the third area will be for generic training of NJASFAA members.  The training room sessions will be scheduled in advance, at the conference registration booth.

 

Electronic Initiatives:  Jim Owens

 

David would like all committees to be active on the NJASFAA Web site.  He wants committee chairs to post meeting minutes and keep the calendar up-to-date.

 

We discussed enhancements to the NJASFAA Web site.  Jim will compile a list of possible links and we’ll discuss these at our next meeting.  Suggestions included:

 

·        Posting of job openings.

·        Listing of NJASFAA awards and scholarships.

·        Government Relations Committee’s legislative guide.

·        Multicultural Student Award.

·        Links to other sites, such as EASFAA, NASFAA, NJEOF, NSLDS, Veterans, New Jersey colleges, New Jersey Financial Aid Offices.

 

Government Relations:  Carmen Panlilio

 

·        The committee is following Reauthorization changes.

·        It has developed a draft legislative guide, which will be fine-tuned and reformatted.  Carmen contacted the PASFAA Government Relations Committee to let them know that we’re borrowing from their legislative guide.  The committee hopes to have the paper guide available for the fall conference.

·        A bill was introduced in the Senate to change the need analysis tables for 2004-2005.  This will decrease the state tax allowance.  According to an analysis of a study on these changes, the impact on New Jersey students will be nominal.

·        The next meeting will be held on August 12.

 

Long Range Strategic Plan:  David Sheridan

 

·        David informed us that Mike will send the membership survey to Executive Council via e-mail.  We will vote on it after reviewing it.

 

Multicultural Concerns:  Derek Gatling

 

·        Derek distributed a brochure that the committee developed which introduces the committee and describes the Multicultural Student Award.  The brochure will be distributed to corporations for funding.

 

Newsletter:  Frank Cuozzo

 

·        Frank anticipates that four issues of the newsletter will be produced this year.

·        He will send a questionnaire to committee chairs to compile information about the chairs and their committees.  He will highlight two committees per month.

 

Non-Traditional Concerns:  Joan Buttafuoco

 

·        Joan will ask for a volunteer from this committee to serve on the Mentoring Committee.

 

Public Relations:  Mark Singer

 

·        The NJASFAA Hotline will continue in January.  The committee will develop brochures and fliers to promote the hotline.

·        The committee will develop a brochure to promote the profession.  It will describe NJASFAA to the general community, financial aid professionals and students.

·        Mark will prepare press releases for local newspapers.

·        The committee may develop an online slide show presentation.

·        The next meeting will be held in October.

 

Speakers Bureau:  David Sheridan

 

·        David will send a letter to high school principals in September.  This will introduce the NJASFAA Speakers Bureau to the high school community and explain what financial aid administrators do on campuses.

 

Sunshine:  Shirley McFarlane

 

·        This committee would like to announce happy events as well as sad events, including birthdays and anniversaries.

 

Training and Professional Development:  Robert Alston

 

·        The first meeting of this committee will be held on August 14.  Gloria Green sent an e-mail to NJASFAA members asking for volunteers for this committee.

·        Robert has contacted Ken Ferreira, EASFAA Training Chair, concerning NASFAA Decentralized Training on “Student Eligibility” for fall 2003.

·        The committee is working on a Verification training workshop to be held on October 3 at Burlington Community College.

 

HESAA Update:  Francine Andrea

 

There are a number of significant bills in the Legislature. 

·        A bill to provide federal funds to students who are in DYFS-approved housing was signed.  Effective for fall 2003, this bill provides a $2000 scholarship to students who live in DYFS-approved housing.

·        A Military Scholarship bill will be up for review when the Legislature reconvenes in October.

 

Fran informed us of items that were discussed at the July 16, 2003 HESAA Board meeting.

 

·        The Board adopted the TAG Award Table for 2003-2004.  The FY 2004 budget provides an $8.8 million increase for the TAG Program, including $3.5 million for a Pilot Part-Time TAG Program for County Colleges.

·        Funding for the coordinated Garden State Scholarship Program has been reduced by $500,000.

·        The Outstanding Scholars Recruitment Program received $3.2 million.

·        HESAA will continue the elimination of the 1% insurance premium for FFELP loans for 2003-2004. 

·        Enhancements to the NJBEST Program.

 

Old Business

 

·        We discussed the purchase of two new laptops, one for the Membership chair and one for the Treasurer.

·        Motion to donate our old laptops at no value to a charter school, prior to the purchase of our new laptops, moved by Karen Weber; Seconded by Helen Mikulak.  Motion carried unanimously by a voice vote.

 

Motion to adjourn moved by Helen Mikulak; Seconded by Carmen Panlilio.

 

Time 12:30 p.m.