Directors’ Forum NYSFAAA Conference 2012 Diane Corbett UAlbany, Director of Financial Aid Beth Post-Lundquist Skidmore, Director of Financial Aid

A conversation with directors, aspiring directors, all others interestedcovering:  Challenges  Day-to-day  Internal  Successes  Achieving goals  Implementations  Rewards  Mentoring  Educator  Long-term  External  Meeting Deadlines  Effective Communication  Leadership  Advocacy

Challenges  Day to Day  Managing priorities – multiple demands  Managing staff  Work/life balance  Long-term  Consequences of errors  Continually diminishing/limited resources  Administrative  Packaging  Internal  Budget and/or discount rate  Structure and collaboration  External  Regulatory (state and federal)  Affordability counseling to parents/students

Successes  Achieving Goals  Scholarship Enhancement  Improving Enrollment Yields  Accurately projecting budgets  Implementations  IT  Policy  Regulatory  Meeting Deadlines  Reporting  Awarding  Effective Communication Strategies  Web, , Text, Social Networking  Marketing  Award Letters

Rewards  Mentoring Role  New staff  Even not-so-new staff  Leadership Opportunities  Professional organizations  On campus with senior administration, trustees, etc.  Educator (students/families and colleagues)  Financial aid nights  Admissions, Bursar, Development and more  Your “Boss”  Advocacy  More broadly: Government Relations  More locally: Making the case for resources

Summary  Financial aid as a profession is particularly dynamic and demanding  It is easy to feel – to be! – overwhelmed by the responsibilities of the office and to end up isolated from colleagues whose eyes glaze over at the complexity of financial aid administration  Therefore, acknowledge your offices’ Successes  To your staff at staff meetings – your morale is contagious  Be aware of your team’s effort and generous with genuine praise  Be at least as diligent looking for and recognizing competencies, creativity, innovation and accuracy in your staff as you are in discoverthe inevitable problems  Support your team and you will find a source of support for yourself  …and remember to reflect on the Rewards  We have a unique “seat at the table” and with it comes any number of ways in which we can make a positive difference and thus feel good about our choice to embrace the role of Director.