Washington Financial Aid Association
Executive Council Meeting
Committee Report Template
Save the completed report using the following format: WFAA.MeetingName.Date.CommitteeName.doc.
Submit your report via email to the WFAA Executive Council listserv no less than 4 days prior to meeting.
WFAA Committee Report 2014/2015
Executive Council Meeting Date
02/10/2015
Executive Council Meeting Location
Olympia
Committee Information
Office Held
2 Year Sector Representative
Officer
Jane Baumgarden (McLean), Spokane Falls CC
Committee Members
Committee Goals
Strategic Plan Goals that are being met (check all that apply)
Goal 1: Be a leader in providing training and professional development
opportunities that are responsive to member needs
X
Goal 2: Maintain the long-term financial stability of the Association
Goal 3: Assess and monitor the performance of the Association and implement
strategic Adjustments
Goal 4: Increase member participation in Association activities
X
Goal 5: Continually improve methods and processes for communicating with
the membership
X
Goal 6: Consolidate and communicate the public policy positions of financial
aid administrators in Washington State and provide members with
support and education to further their own advocacy efforts
X
Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the diversity of our membership and the
Executive Committee
X
Goal 8: Collaborate and coordinate with other organizations and associations
in order to serve our members more efficiently and effectively
X
Specific
Committee
Goals
1. Reach out to and advocate for financial aid employees at 2 year public
schools to bring forward their issues/concerns.
2. Identify training opportunities pertaining to issues relative to
Washington’s 2 year public sector.
3. Facilitate and encourage networking opportunities and involvement with
WFAA, within the 2 year public sector and outside of the 2 year public
sector. Be the link for communication between WFAA and the 2 year
public sector membership which includes identifying and communicating
legislative issues.
4. Aid in providing methods to address the ‘Issues’ listed on next page-.
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Washington Financial Aid Association
Executive Council Meeting
Committee Report Template
WFAA Committee Report 2014/2015
Summary of Activities (Descending Chronological)
ISSUES:
1. All of the 2 year public community colleges in the state will be transitioning to a new
computer system (Peoplesoft/ctcLink) during the next 5 years. Since this will totally rock
their world, there is concern about the transition and the effect on financial aid offices and
their student population. The first three community colleges (known as the FirstLink
schools) were expected to transition August 2014. This was delayed to November 2014
and now delayed a second time to February 2015. This may mean a delay for the 2 nd
wave of schools, prolonging the projected end date.
2. The financial aid offices are seeking as much information as possible regarding
SULA/150% loans, program coding, enrollment levels, etc pertaining to this new
regulation.
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES:
06/2014- Created a list of current 2 year public sector Directors, Associates, Assistants to start
reaching out to.
06/2014- Emailed the conference co-chair and WFAA president suggesting sessions at WFAA
pertaining to the transition to Peoplesoft (Issue #1 above).Volunteered to help if
needed.
06/2014- Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue 1. above.
07/2014- After hearing back from conference co-chair and president with a ‘yes’ to the training
suggestion I met with my director to enlist her support, help, suggestions since I will be
coordinating the training sessions. Asked for volunteers from Spokane Falls to help at
conference session. Designed the session.
07/2014- Reached out to Spokane Community College Director and Associate Director (to seek
their help with conference session’s) pertaining to Peoplesoft transition. Spokane Falls,
Spokane Community, and Tacoma Community will be the first 3 colleges (known as the
FirstLink colleges) to transition to Peoplesoft.
07/2014- Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
07/2014- Sent initial email to all Directors, Associate/Assistants on WFAA’s membership list for
the 2 year public sector introducing myself, seeking their input/concerns/issues and
highlighting the upcoming summer one day WFAA training and the fall WFAA
conference. I also suggested they renew their yearly WFAA memberships and check
out the WFAA website.
08/2014- Recruit of new WFAA sector members to join WFAA.
08/2014- Recruit of new WFAA sector members to be involved in WFAA newsletter committee
and conference registration committee.
08/2014- Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
09/2014- Four meetings with panelists/presenters to plan WFAA session “Transition to
Peoplesoft” and “Helpful Hints” handout for sector colleges. Also phone meeting with
Director of Tacoma CC regarding participation in WFAA Peoplesoft session and
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Washington Financial Aid Association
Executive Council Meeting
Committee Report Template
WFAA Committee Report 2014/2015
09/2014-
09/201409/2014-
10/201410/2014-
10/201410/2014-
11/201411/201412/201412/2014-
12/201412/2014-
01/201501/2015-
suggestions as well as two phone meetings with sbctc presenter regarding the
session. Lead these meetings and created follow ups.
Quarterly email reaching out to sector WFAA contacts asking for newsletter input
(resulting in newsletter article from one member), seeking questions they have of EC
committee, promoting WFAA conference and sector sessions.
Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
Attended four WFAA conference ‘Go To’ meetings and encouraged participation from
new sector members at the meetings, for newsletter, with conference setup,
registration, and name tags.
Attended the WFAA yearly conference at Northern Quest. Volunteered with the
Registration table and setup.
Involvement of new (or never before involved) sector members as presenters/panelists
at WFAA conference session pertaining to their sector. Lead this conference session
pertaining to Issue #1 above.
Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
Created 6 week “Countdown To Go Live” in house planning calendar to be used by First
Link college and others that wish to. Incorporated sbctc 6 week pre-go live info into it.
Mentioned it in WFAA conference session.
Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
Ran through testing scripts and identified missing areas that need to be addressed prior
to ‘go live’ for all community colleges to be compliant and award aid. See Issue #1.
Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
Attended FirstLink training set up meetings and identified staff that ‘must’ attend training
and several areas of Financial Aid training that were not listed on sbctc/Peoplesoft
training schedule but that staff need to be trained on such as State Need Grant,
monthly loan reconciliations in Peoplesoft, Work Study Programs, System
Generated Reports, etc. After being asked I also generated a follow up email regarding
these.
Attended Peoplesoft security access planning meeting as a FirstLink manager and SME
representative for the community colleges regarding issue #1 above.
Sent email to all community college Directors, Associate Directors, Assistant Directors
promoting the WFAA council elections and involvement and seeking their questions
should they have any pertaining to involvement, etc.
Attended weekly Subject Matter Expert (SME) meetings pertaining to Issue #1 above.
Represented a 2 Year college at College Goal Sunday at Whitworth College.
Budget Information
Approved Budget
$
Budget Expenditures to Date
TOTAL = $
Event Information (complete if applicable)
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Washington Financial Aid Association
Executive Council Meeting
Committee Report Template
WFAA Committee Report 2014/2015
Event Name
Location
Date
Number
Cost of
Registration
Subtotal
Attendees
Complimentary Registrations (if
applicable – i.e., scholarship
recipients)
Add more rows as needed for additional events.
Suggestions for Future Committee
Calendar of Events/Timelines
Date
Committee
Description
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