RMASFAA BOARD of DIRECTORS MEETING, October 2013

South Dakota Association of Federal Student Aid Administrators

RMASFAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, October 2013

SDASFAA STATE REPORT

Submitted by Kristy O’Kief, SDASFAA President

SDASFAA Board Members

President: Kristy O’Kief, Dakota Wesleyan University
President-Elect: Ken Kocer, Mount Marty College
Past-President: Deb Henriksen, Black Hills State University
Secretary: Emily Studenski, Augustana College
Treasurer: Becky Pribyl, Northern State University
Associate Delegate: Ken Wallace, Great Lakes
Member-at-Large: Kim Nida, Black Hills State University
Member-at-Large: Carolyn Halgerson, Kilian Community College

Member-at-Large: Micah Hansen, Glob University

Member-at-Large: Cheryl Bullinger, National American University

SDASFAA “Financial Aid – The Amazing Race” Spring 2013 Conference

The SDASFAA “Financial Aid – The Amazing Race” Spring Conference in Aberdeen, South Dakota started off with some wonderful South Dakota winter weather which made traveling a little stressful with a little nail biting and some white knuckles. Luckily the ones who trekked to Aberdeen South Dakota (not Ireland as my phone app was looking for) made it safe and sound with only one car going in the ditch. Megan McClean from NASFAA made a safe landing which I was really grateful for since I wasn’t sure how I was going to cover her two sessions if she couldn’t make it. Unfortunately our illustrious RMASFAA President, Jeff Jacobs was not able to make it but Sharon Kienow, a former RMASFAA president, did a perfect job of reading his speech word for word and I must say it was an excellent speech. We finished up our conference with a celebration banquet with guest coming from a far to celebrate with us Clark Wold’s retirement. All in all a very memorable event.

Current Events

It would be nice if I could announce the nominations for the 2014 SDAFSAA board but we are still looking for the President-Elect position. I knew this year would be a tough one since we were looking for President-Elect, treasurer, secretary, and two member at large candidates and so I am very pleased we do have the other positions taken care of.

Upcoming Events

October 10-11th the SDASFAA Support Staff workshop is being held in Brookings, SD

November 13-14th Fall Decentralized Training will be held in Chamberlain, SD

December 11-12 HS Counselors Workshop will be held at 6 different locations across SD

March 31-April 2, 2014 Spring Conference will be held in Sioux Falls, SD

Spring 2016 RMASFAA Conference South Dakota location update

SDASFAA, thanks to both David Martin and Deb Henriksen, has been reviewing different site options for the 2016 RMASFAA conference to be held in South Dakota. The discussion began last November at our Fall Decentralized Training about possible cities on the western side of the state we could look at Rapid City, Spearfish or Deadwood locations.

Rapid City may be the better option because of the location to the airport and also to Mount Rushmore and does have several places that would be able to host the # of attendees for this conference. Spearfish is also another good location but further away from airport (about 60 miles one way) and Mount Rushmore. Does have a convention center attached to Holiday Inn and can also hold the RMASFAA conference. There are plenty of overflow hotels within walking distance. The other location is Deadwood and like Spearfish does have some challenges in relations to the airport. SDASFAA did have the 2012 Spring Conference there and was a very nice facility.

More discussion regarding narrowing down the location will be done in November at the SDASFAA fall decentralized training and we should have more information to report on this at the March 2014 board meeting in Denver.