FAAC® Forum Sessions
Hear from Dr. Christina Tangalakis, FAAC®, as she explains what you could expect from this year's forum. >>
If you have registered for this pathway, you may now access handouts provided by the speakers.
Sunday, February 5, 2023
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Bus Tour (optional)
Departs from: Mayflower Hotel Desales Street entrance
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Opening Reception
Location: State Room
Monday, February 6, 2023
Prior to 8:30 a.m. - Breakfast on Your Own
8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. - Opening Session
Location: Grand Ballroom
Brad Barnett, NASFAA 2022-23 national chair, opens the conference and Justin Draeger, NASFAA president and CEO, provides the Washington Update.
9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - Networking Break (Exhibits Open)
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Idea Lab #1: Policy in the Spotlight - How Strong is Your Foundation?
Location: District Ballroom
Speakers: Anthony Erwin, FAAC®, NASFAA - Blue Icon Advisors, LLC; Karen Hanley, NASFAA - Blue Icon Advisors, LLC; and Mary Sommers, University of Nebraska at Kearney
We invest significant valuable time writing policy, even though most of us do not have formal policy writing training. Hear from NASFAA experts on the fundamentals of well-constructed policy. Learn about policy writing techniques and common drivers of policy. Get answers to questions like how do you collaborate with other departments on campus to ensure your policy is well executed? Do you have a process for evaluating and updating policies? This foundational session is preparation for our policy writing deep-dive later in the day.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Idea Lab #2: Reconstructing Institutional Policy in a Post-COVID Climate
Location: District Ballroom
Speakers: Dr. Christina Tangalakis, FAAC®, Glendale Community College and Daniel Barkowitz, FAAC®, University of Miami
As we connect policy to practice, what have we learned from our experience during the pandemic about writing policies that react nimbly while also withstanding compliance review? Policies are living documents that need to be evaluated regularly for accuracy and relevance in a rapidly changing compliance climate. What are the implications for your financial aid policies? Does change present us with an opportunity for renewal or do we rewind to our pre-pandemic strategies? What are the implications of change on DEI efforts, remote and hybrid work environments, interdepartmental relationships and alignment with institutional goals?
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Lunch on Your Own/Network With Exhibitors
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Idea Lab #3: Policy Writing Deep Dive: Small Group Activity
Location: District Ballroom
Speakers: Dr. Christina Tangalakis, FAAC®, Glendale Community College; Sara Lambie, FAAC®, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; and Celena Tulloss, FAAC®, University of Tennessee
Where to start? With new perspectives on policy-writing, a glimpse into upcoming compliance challenges, and a change-oriented mindset, forum participants will break out into topic-driven writing teams to draft policy with new tools and the support of peer FAACs and table moderators. Participants will walk away with a draft policy on one of the moderated topics.
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Idea Lab #4: Research in the Spotlight - Data Security In Higher Education: Protecting Confidential Financial Aid Data
Location: District Ballroom
Speaker: JoEllen Price, FAAC®, Houston Community College
This presentation is aimed at assisting higher education leaders, IT professionals, and administrators in understanding data security risks that institutions face and how employee understanding and behavior can increase or reduce data security risk. The presentation will include data security laws, regulations and expectations. A behavior dissertation correlation study was conducted that aimed to measure the relationship between financial aid administrator data security behavior, awareness of data security, and the risk of student data loss or breach. The results of this study will be presented.
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Networking Reception
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Prior to 8:30 a.m. - Breakfast on Your Own
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - General Session: Department of Education Update on FAFSA Simplification
Location: Grand Ballroom
Speaker: Melanie Storey, Federal Student Aid
A representative from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will discuss current happenings at ED with an emphasis on significant upcoming federal methodology and FAFSA changes.
9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - Networking Break (Exhibits Open)
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Idea Lab #5: Planning for Smooth Transitions - Building Policies Around Professional Development
Location: District Ballroom
Speakers: Christal Chatman, FAAC®, Montgomery County Community College; Patti Kohler, FAAC®, Western Governors University; Celena Tulloss, FAAC®, University of Tennessee; Moderator: Anthony Erwin, FAAC®, NASFAA - Blue Icon Advisors, LLC
We win on the 'why' question, but the 'how' is what leads financial aid administrators to burnout. Professional development and succession planning are not required by statute, but are part of best-practice methodology in the FAO. How do you wrap a policy around - and bring limited resources to - this challenge? How can you prepare others to lead? Does your organizational structure support succession planning, or get in the way? How can the FAAC program support your professional development efforts? Listen to directors share their perspectives. This is an interactive session.
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch on Your Own/Network With Exhibitors
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Idea Lab #6: Adapting to Change - Creating Agile Policy in the Real World
Location: District Ballroom
Speaker: Alex DeLonis, FAAC®, Wabash College
Just when you got your P&P finished, more changes are yet to come. Using the impending SAI as a model, learn how to leverage change as an advantage in policy development. Transform your mindset about policy writing as a one-and-done project to an iterative process, and embrace the concept of continual feedback so the next big change doesn't derail your policy vision (or cost you your sanity).
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Idea Lab #7: Managing Risk - Financial Aid Compliance and the Business of the University
Location: District Ballroom
Speaker: Drew Blanchard
Join us as we take a deep dive into the creation and refinement of financial aid policies with focus in the areas of inter-departmental collaboration and enrollment/retention while considering compliance and risk management, from the perspective of a professional accounting and auditing firm. How can your policies both support the goals of your institution and stand up to a program review?
3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Final Networking Break
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Advocacy and You/Preparing for Hill Visits
Location: Grand Ballroom
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Capitol Hill Visits
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Capitol Hill Visit Debrief
Location: Room 1539 of the Longworth House Office Building
If you have registered for this pathway, you may now access handouts provided by the speakers.
