[The following article is by NASFAA President and CEO Dr. Phil Day. It was originally published in the March 2008 issue of Recruitment and Retention. The article is being reprinted and distributed to NASFAA members with permission.]

As president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), I have one overarching goal: to ensure that anyone who dreams of attending college will not be thwarted by financial resources. I share this aspiration with more than 13,000 financial aid administrators across the country. Achieving this goal is far from simple. Vague or restrictive laws, elaborate application processes, and complex regulations work against our best efforts to increase access to postsecondary education.

Nevertheless, I am determined that in 2008 and beyond, NASFAA will be at the forefront of efforts to increase equity in access to and choice in higher education. NASFAA is uniquely qualified to meet these challenges. NASFAA is the only higher education association in Washington that focuses exclusively on federal student aid issues.

No other association has its expertise, familiarity, and history in these areas. More important, I know of no other group that feels more passionately about helping underserved populations than the thousands of aid administrators who work in colleges and universities throughout the nation.

A comprehensive agenda

As NASFAA president, I plan to continue to advance the Association's mission of promoting equity in higher education. Student financial aid does not exist in a vacuum. NASFAA will actively participate in the current debates that affect access to college.

Reining in college costs; improving student retention, transfer, and graduation rates; and increasing transparency and accountability are critical components of an effective student financial aid policy. NASFAA must help congressional leaders and other policy makers understand our positions on these issues and how they interact with student financial aid.

In wake of last year's investigation into the relationship between financial aid professionals and student loan providers, NASFAA's past president, Dr. Dallas Martin, with the strong support of the board of directors, made great progress by adopting a new Code of Conduct.

This Code of Conduct expanded upon the existing NASFAA's Statement of Ethical Principles by providing specific guidance to help Aid offices ensure transparency when administering financial aid. In addition, NASFAA also reviewed its relationship with lenders and made changes to its policies to eliminate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest, especially in regard to its annual conference.

In 2008 and beyond, we will continue to provide leadership and be very proactive in this area. However, we also intend to move beyond the discussions that dominated last year's headlines and refocus our attention on our core mission: expanding access by breaking down the barriers that prevent students from entering and succeeding in college.

An amplified voice

In the coming months, Congress will likely finish reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA) that governs the student aid programs. NASFAA has been and will continue to be actively engaged in the HEA reauthorization process. By raising the voices of over 13,000 financial aid administrators across the country, we hope to overcome a very partisan atmosphere on Capitol Hill by advocating for legislation that truly benefits students and families.

Having worked with state and federal legislators in the past, I know that despite having political differences, legislators are genuinely committed to helping students. I am convinced that we can find common ground to ease financial burdens and eliminate unnecessary red tape for students and their families.

NASFAA will also maintain a very prominent role in the higher education community. We will continue to partner with other higher education associations, but we will also lead the charge on issues that are most important to aid administrators and students. No other association or advocacy group can articulate a message about student financial aid better than NASFAA.

Although NASFAA's membership is very diverse, this diversity translates into sound policy positions that are well thought-out; are reflective of the broad consensus of our membership; are thoroughly researched; and, most important, are developed in the best interests of the students we serve.

Grassroot efforts

Access, diversity, and equity in higher education may seem like lofty aspirations, but student aid administrators witness every day the real-life financial struggles faced by students and their families. A lack of financial resources continues to be listed as one of the greatest barriers in enrolling and persisting in college for both traditional and nontraditional students.

To tap the extensive, "in the trenches" knowledge and experience of student aid administrators, NASFAA will initiate a new strategic planning process and host a series of listening sessions and focus groups with financial aid administrators throughout the country to better understand the challenges their students face. Efforts will also be made to include in these listening sessions a cross-section of students and families to get their unique perspectives on the financial aid and college application system, to see how it can better meet their needs.

Further, as the number of nontraditional students grows, we need to better understand the barriers that may have precluded them from enrolling in college immediately after high school, as well as effective ways to address their current needs as they seek to enroll and graduate. We will be paying particular attention to their needs in order to effectively advocate on their behalf.

The more things change...

NASFAA has been the voice of student aid administrators for more than 40 years. It is a steadfast and time-tested institution that consistently advocates for both access and choice to higher education. As I will be NASFAA's first new president in over 32 years, clearly some things will change. However, our commitment to opening doors of education will never waver. In 2008, look for NASFAA to expand its role in ensuring that no student or family be denied a college education for lack of financial resources.

By Dr. Philip R. Day, Jr.
President/CEO, NASFAA

Posted 03/05/08 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web Site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.