President's Message
By Jeff Gerkin, TASFAA President

With fall registration behind us, I hope you can take a few moments and reflect on what has happened so far this year and what the future holds. I am excited about the new opportunities and challenges this year will bring. But I also expect the events of this next year to give us cause to look to the future of TASFAA and our role in the changes occurring in our profession. I feel confident that the TASFAA Board is up to the challenge and appreciate the service of the following TASFAA members who were elected and those who agreed to serve on this year’s TASFAA Board.

Much of our TASFAA Transition meeting held June 2-4, 2008 at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN was devoted to developing a plan to continue the mission of TASFAA in the changing landscape in which we find ourselves. The Board had several in-depth discussions regarding its Executive Board structure, conference structure, and budget.

The 2007-08 TASFAA Board passed two motions in June 2008 changing the TASFAA Bylaws that, if passed by the membership at the fall conference, will dramatically change the makeup of TASFAA’s Board. The first motion mandates that every voting member of the Board be employed by an institution of higher learning in Tennessee, and the other changes the six Members-at-Large from representing six geographic regions of the state to representing the major sectors of higher education in Tennessee (e.g., Public 4-Year Colleges and Universities, Private 4-Year and 2-Year Colleges and Universities, 2-Year Public Colleges, etc.)

My goals for this year are to review and revise, if necessary, the policies relating to the areas of Budget & Finance, the Conference Structure, and Electronic Processes. The Budget & Finance review will encompass the issues surrounding vendor donations for conferences, training, and advertising. The review of the Conference Structure will begin with a Conference Taskforce charged with making a recommendation to the Board regarding the number and timing of conferences and will include a survey of institution directors of financial aid. Lastly, a review of our Electronic Processes will entail an inventory and assessment of equipment and voting procedures.

During the first official 2007-08 Board meeting, held in July in Nashville, the Board approved the 2008-09 budget as presented and continuation of the TASFAA Training Series. The next scheduled Board meeting is set to take place on Sunday, October 12, in Nashville.

TASFAA is still planning two full conferences this year. Both conferences, the first in October 2008 and the second in April 2009, will be held in Nashville, TN at the Nashville Airport Marriott Hotel. Planning for the Fall TASFAA Conference to be held October 12-14, 2008 is well underway. Marian Huffman, TASFAA President-Elect, is serving as the Fall Conference Chair as we prepare for our fall training with the theme of “A Kaleidoscope of Opportunities”. I hope you are planning to attend and look forward to seeing everyone there.