WASFAA Committee Report
Committee: Conference Committee
Meeting Date: April 25
Report Type:
Meeting Location: Anchorage, AK
Quarterly
Annual
Submitted by: Colleen MacDonald & Ted Malone
Committee Members (Name/Place of Employment/Address/Phone/Email):
Colleen MacDonald - EdFund (CA)
Ted Malone- University of Alaska - Anchorage (AK)
Jacqueline L Alleyne-McCants - University of Alaska - Fairbanks (AK)
Barbara L Burnett - University of Alaska - Southeast (AK)
Pamela H Doerner - University of Alaska - Anchorage (AK)
Patrick S Downey - Educational Credit Management Corporation (OR)
Jack Edwards - Stanford University - Graduate School of Business (CA)
Jodie M Kuba - University of Hawaii - West Oahu (HI)
Faye Mabagos-Asence - NELA-Northwest Education Loan Association (WA)
Peter T Miller - Truckee Meadows Community College (NV)
Wendy Z Olson - Whitworth University (WA)
Jon E Potter - Nelnet (CA)
See WASFAA membership directory for full address and contact information
Committee Goals:
General Goals for the 2009 WASFAA Conference is to have it be:
o
Create Professional, Collaborative, Diversity, Educational, Relevant,
Fiscally Responsible and Fun.
Specific Goals
o
Communications Strategy
Provide relevant communications to encourage to encourage member
to attend via email at least monthly. - Yes, on average.
Send targeted communications to registrants at least bi-weekly
leading up to the conference (ie., grad/prof registrants with Grad/prof
sessions, early career professionals with basic training, seasoned
professionals with higher level sessions) - Did not do
Send information about WASFAA Conference at State conferences Achieved
Send quarterly update about WASFAA Conference to each state
organization. - Sent only encouragement to register.
WASFAA Committee Report
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o
Budget Strategy
Create a revenue neutral conference - Cross your fingers
Be fiscally conscientious as possible with decisions - Achieved
Set conference registration at a rate that is affordable for members
while cost neutral for the association. - Cross your fingers
o
Keynote Speaker Strategy
Hire affordable local speakers that represent the diversity of the
Alaskan region - Achieved
Request that NASFAA President attend and speak - Achieved
Request that send Jeff Baker from Department of Education to do
Federal Update - Asked him and Arne Duncan, but they could not come.
Yeah to Marianna Deeken
o
Conference Sessions Strategy
Provide more session options by starting earlier on Sunday in order to
allow for 2 sets of concurrent sessions and one set on Tuesday - Achieved
Request 3-5 of the best sessions from each state association and
attempt to integrate as many as possible into the conference. - REquested;
however, only some states submitted. Many of these sessions were added
when speakers available.
Contact California Lenders for Education (CLFE) to suggest session at
WASFAA as they have done at CASFAA and NASFAA - They are
sponsoring 2 sessions
Request for session ideas from relevant WASFAA chairs (i.e., federal
issues, graduate/professional, EDAC, etc). - Achieved
o
Social Strategy
Infuse the diversity of Alaska through local dance troupe or music
entertainment during Opening session - Achieved
Exposing participants to diversity of Alaskan citizenry - Achieved
Provide cost effective entertainment options for each night (e.g.,
obstacle course state game competition, talent show, musical ensemble) Achieved
Organize a WASFAA member tour option at member’s own cost for
Saturday to promote travel to Alaska. - Achieved (hopefully if road crews
finish their work)
Have pictures streaming on large screen PowerPoint’s - Achieved
•
Include pictures from annual WASFAA events (i.e., MLI,
Summer Institute, fall trainings, ECs) - Achieved what was submitted
•
Include pictures of conference as events occur. - Hopefully.
•
Have volunteer recognition page in PPT with committee name,
volunteer members names, state, and school. - Achieved
o
Exhibitor/Vender Strategy
Encourage members to spend time by offering refreshments in
exhibitor area and more operational hours. - Achieved
Provide more information about open hours, set-up, and take-down. Achieved
WASFAA Committee Report
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Summary of Activities:
Website (http://www.wasfaa.org/docs/toc_conferences.html):
•
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
o
224 Registrered as of March 25) - target 325 attendees :(
o
5 Special Guests (NASFAA CEO, Chair, 2 Interregional
Guests, and USED)
o
530 Hotel Nights at Hilton (This will mean reduced concessions
with the hotel)
•
CONFERENCE AGENDA – updated tentative timeline, session titles,
and general sessions’ information including major speakers and locations
•
LOCATION- updated description of Anchorage and hotel reservation
information
•
OPTIONAL CRUISE- description of 1 day drive Scenic Seward
Highway & 4-hr Gray Whale Watching Cruise. Available at discount to
WASFAA conference attendees for $99 by Renown Tours
(www.renowntours.com). - Concern road construction may inhibit trip.
•
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT - The Arc is a private, not-forprofit organization dedicated to promoting community integration and quality
of life for children and adults who experience developmental disabilities,
behavioral health issues, or deafness.
Program
•
Tentative Agenda set with 5 sessions during the Early Bird Session
timeslot and the post Tuesday morning Federal update. Eight sessions
offered in every other time slot.
•
Marianna Deekend will give Federal Update
•
Invited new Secretary of Education - Arne Duncan, but he declined
•
Confirmed student group for Alaskan Native Games & opening
Taekwondo demonstration
•
Adjusted time for exhibitor area to reduce costs.
Facilities
•
•
•
Reduced AV & Food with Hilton for EC & Conference
Reduced AV with contractor IMIG at Egan Convention Center
Reduced food options and room needs with Egan Convention Center
Printing
•
Decided on designer in CA (American Direct Mail) who will send
design to printer in AK
•
Gathered information for printing & pre-press is expected any day.
o
Letters from Ted & Colleen, Pat,
o
Tear out pocket agenda
o
notes pages
WASFAA Committee Report
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o
Brief History of WASFAA, Lis of Lifetime Members, & list of
Past Presidents
o
Advertising
o
Maps for hotel and conference center
o
Other
•
Designing signage
•
Distributed to committee
Advertising
•
Sent article on conference to each state pres &/or newsletter chair in
Nov
•
Requested each state to post to listserv or website in Nov/early Dec &
Feb
•
Sent many emails to WASFAA Listserv
•
Sent personalized emails from Ted several times
•
Sent nonpersonalized emails to conference attendees for last 3 years
who did not register as of Feb 5
Other Activites
•
Working on PPT for General Sessions
o
Committee Names and possibly achievements
o
Award Winners
o
Photos from Archives & Year's Events
•
Ordered 100 Blue Water Bottle with WASFAA logo and 1969-2009
o
Goes with "green" goal
o
Sold to raise approx. $10 to recoup cost & give $ to
Community Service Project
•
Creating Itinerary for Special Attendees
o
WASFAA EC members
o
Speakers
o
Special Guests - interregional visitors, NASFAA Pres, etc.
•
Confirmed with Archives
o
On Ribbons
o
On various logo items to distribute at conference
o
On electronic photo montage
Progress Toward Strategic Plan Goals/Activities:
We are making slow but steady progress. See summary of activities for
details
Approved Budget Breakdown and Actual Expenditures to Date:
2008 $10,000 Budget
APPROXIMATE EXPENSES TO DATE:
WASFAA Committee Report
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•
•
•
$200 invoice for Conference Logo
$1,407 in travel expenses for committee meeting in Anchorage
$7,134.in pre-paid printing costs
2009 $89,375 approved budget
Requested reduction to $74,375 approved budget
APPROXIMATE EXPENSES TO DATE:
•
$2,200 Designer for Printing
•
$800 for 1/2 Mr. Whitekeys Amounts
•
$4,400 for IMIG AV down payment
Suggestions for Committee Chair/Co-Chair or Officer Successor:
* Add fund Development Chair to Committee
* Create contingency plans for in-person meeting if weather conditions may
be probelmatic.
* Ask hotel for emergency preparedness plan
* Request electronic "clean" copies of meeting room maps early on.
* Have "alternate" Committee members in case one or more members lose
their jobs or move to a different field or can no longer afford to attend
confernece.
* Try to have more than one person present each session and not have any
one person do more than 2 sessions in case presenter can not attend due to
business or personal reasosn.
* Meet with facilities in-person and create communication expectations with
hotel and/or convention center staff.
* Look for hidden costs e.g., 23% gratituity for AV and/or food service,
personal equipment use fees, food minimums.
* Schedule regular meeting with conference chair(s) and program chair.
* Create contingency plan in case USED Federal Update Speaker will not
attend.
* Confirm size of program early & give specs to Fund Dev't for
Vendor/Sponsor Information Early.
* Work with local travel people to arrange activity/tour with transportation at
discount making certain that it does not interfere with exhibitor set-up.
* Have a great proof reader for Program
* Remember to include Registration Desk time for the day prior to Opening
Session if possible.
* Budget for hotel and/or non-registration of special guests
(NASFAANASFAA CEO, Chair, 2 Interregional Guests, and USED)
* Detemine the true cost for student participants (food, transportation, hotel,
parking)
* Don't use convention centers.
WASFAA Committee Report
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* Use Research Committee to help with Survey to participants.
* Review hotel registration vs. conference registration to poke people at
least 1 month prior to the conference.
* Be prepared for the reports, survey results, payments after the conference.
WASFAA Committee Report
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