Life continues to be interesting and somewhat wacky, what with the political conventions, the opening of our schools’ fall semesters, and most significantly, the series of storms hitting the Gulf and East coasts. Dr. Phil Day has reached out to the regional presidents of SASFAA and SWASFAA and offered any assistance that NASFAA can provide. I also know that all of you will agree with me that our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families residing in those areas being hit by the storms.

Fall semester has begun – just where did summer go? Is it just me, or have you also experienced a significant increase in parents taking over their students’ processes (i.e., financial aid, registration, advising, etc.)? I half expect that when students seek personal counseling, the parent will show up to be counseled instead.

(Hmm, maybe not a bad idea!)

I know that helicopter parents have been hovering around us for a number of years now. But this year we are experiencing a discernable increase in hoverers. For example, one of my staff shared that she had a call from a parent who was stumped in answering a question during the on-line entrance interview. My staff member assumed that the student had asked the parent to call. But it turns out that the parent indicated that her son “doesn’t know a thing about loans, and she was doing it for him.”

So much for “personal responsibility,” which just happens to be one of the learning outcomes our financial aid office is being hard pressed to provide students this year.

My university is gearing up for its ten-year reaccreditation review. Heavy emphasis appears to now be on learning outcomes. In my annual report, I not only need to include what learning outcomes the financial aid office can assist students with, but I must tie it to the office’s goals for the next three to five years. Since many of the office’s goals focus on improving processes to better serve students, it’s difficult to match goals with learning outcomes.

I’m a little stumped in determining what learning outcomes the financial aid office can provide our students. Certainly we can try to teach personal responsibility by having them turn in their financial aid applications on-time and accurately. We can also teach them financial literacy through specific programs while they maneuver through the aid process. Beyond that, other learning outcomes appear to be a stretch.

So, please help! If any of you are already involved in the “learning outcomes” process at your institution, please share for me and others in the same predicament how you have approached this issue and what learning outcomes you have come up with. It seems that learning outcomes are the hot topic of the day and I’m afraid we will all have to face it square-on.

Now, back to the web to see if I can find a device to shoot down those pesky little helicopters that keep flying by my office.

Those of you attending NASFAA’s National Conference this past week possibly heard my remarks at the Business Meeting, but I thought I would share some of them again.

I come from the Cowboy state of Wyoming and have lived and worked in Oklahoma - another Cowboy state. And, as you are aware, next year’s NASFAA Conference is in Texas – another Cowboy state. So, I’m warning you now that we are going to ‘Cowboy Up!!’ this year. For those who have never heard this phrase, the simplest explanation for ‘Cowboy Up!!’ is that it’s the ‘Cowboy Spirit’ - to give it all you’ve got; don’t give up; do the best you can with the hand you’re dealt.

The Western ethos is alive and well where I live. In the West there is an unwritten Cowboy ‘Code of the West’. Although we hear much about change, these days, I believe that basic truths never change and that the Code is still applicable in today’s world and to how we, as financial aid professionals, do business. While NASFAA has developed a written code, we also live by an unwritten code within our profession. While there are many platitudes in the Code, there are two that are especially significant and applicable to us in financial aid: 1) be proud of your occupation, and; 2) be loyal to your brand and those you ride with.

Like you, I am very proud of what we do. I can’t think of a more dedicated and inspiring group of folks than those in the trenches assisting students and families every day. We are the champions for the under-privileged seeking education and pursuing a better life. We work long and hard often under some very exacting and perplexing regulations to serve our students and institutions. Volunteering is one way to demonstrate pride for your occupation. We have a moral duty to each other, to our institutions and especially to our students to be involved professionally. Without volunteers, we cannot achieve the necessary level of training and good works that our associations thrive on. Show your pride by supporting NASFAA and your state and regional associations by volunteering your knowledge, thoughts and time. It’s your duty, so ‘Cowboy Up!!’

The ongoing Direct Loan vs. FFELP debate provides a great avenue to demonstrate loyalty to ‘those we ride with.’ This debate has been going on for 15 years! Isn’t it time to put aside our differences? Let’s trust one another to make the best decision for our students and institution. So ‘Cowboy Up!!’ and refrain from personal attacks and remember our loyalty to each other and to our students. As long as the two programs are supported by the government, NASFAA will continue to support both, providing good information and training for both so that institutions can make the right decision for their students.

We have had a rough couple of years, but through the strong leadership of past Chairs Janet Dodson and Michael Bennett we have persevered. But, let’s not dwell on the past. Let’s look forward, to where NASFAA will lead in providing students with access, choice and success in higher education. I know that at times we can get mired down with regulations making it easy to forget why we do what we do. That’s when we need to ‘Cowboy Up!!’ Attorney General Cuomo’s investigations provide an opportunity to demonstrate our loyalty to our students and our profession. I challenge Mr. Cuomo to join with NASFAA to efficiently use the funds he has accumulated to educate students and families about financial aid and financial literacy. Who better for him to work with than the professionals most trusted by college-going students? Mr. Cuomo, let’s ‘Cowboy Up!!’ and work together.

This is such a rewarding profession. For many of us financial aid is more than a job, it’s a career, it’s a cause. Like many of you, we give our personal time to be involved in our professional associations. My involvement has given me so much more than I have ever put in. Like you, I’ve met and assisted many fantastic students – students who would not have been successful without our counseling and assistance. And, like you, I’ve visited places I never would have gone, I’ve met people that I never would have met, and I’ve established friendships that have endured many years and will last a lifetime. I hope that when you take a deep breath and can look back over your career that you will feel, like me, that you feel truly blessed to have chosen financial aid as your career.

So, are you ready to ride with me? ‘Cowboy Up!!’