Volunteer Development Conference Call Minutes
Thursday, November 3
at
Participants: Diane
Aurenz, Valerie Biggs, Cheryl Kibarian, Jannine Oyama, Frank Silva, Catherine
King-Todd - Chair
Other committee members unable to participate: Nicole Knight, Teresa Yslas, Janella Baxter
The conference call began at
A. The first topic was a brainstorming session about the First timers/Newcomers session at the annual conference.
Ideas to include for the session:
- How WASFAA works in relation to state
associations & NASFAA
- Committee chairs speak briefly to their committees and why/how they
are involved
- Discuss the various segments of our membership
- Share with attendees what the opportunities are to be involved for
the current year (as of this conference)
- find out prior to the session
what committees need help/volunteers for upcoming year
- Share expectations at a conference/how to make the most of the conference.
- Items to share with the attendees before they leave their office for the conference
- appropriate dress
- bring business cards
- bring extra bag/suitcase
- Sessions to attend depending on interest & job responsibilities
- How to visit with vendors/exhibitors
- Etiquette, greetings & thank yous
- collateral materials/’giveaways’
- Purpose/role of vendors (lenders, guarantors, etc.)
- Extra value services
- Ice breaker? – Committee agreed that an ice breaker would be good to encourage networking. All of the activities/presentations anticipated for this session may drive the type of ice breaker, dependent on time available. Valerie Biggs will work on this. (Editor’s note: information to be shared at next conference call). Some of the thoughts brought up during call:
- Bingo concept that would have a unique, but probable, item for which attendees would attempt to locate other attendees that would ‘cover’ the square
- Provide list of 2-3 questions that attendees would ask other attendees to obtain some interesting facts about those at session
- Cub Reporter/Diary – perhaps this could be part of a competition for a prize and the end result would be placed in the newsletter.
- Provide a Top 10 list (David Letterman idea) using a theme such as:
- why attend a WASFAA conference
- why be a participant in WASFAA
- what to take away from the conference/reason for being at conference
- Trivia questions
- ask some trivia questions and give out prizes
(ed.note – I don’t recall if this idea was
something we thought might be done throughout the session or conference – hope
you can help)
We also discussed ways to identify the first timers as well as the committee for an easy connect so that the first timers – shirts, buttons – say hi to me were some.
Outline Draft for session:
I. Introduction – what will be covered, Steve Herndon, President, talk about his activities, goals/accomplishments and Tami Sato, President-Elect, talk about looking forward and her goals for the upcoming year. One of them would discuss WASFAA’s role & relation to state & national associations.
(believe that this session may be a good one for the President-Elect to have focus as that person will be the association leader for upcoming year)
II.
Ice Breaker
III. Volunteers/Committee Chairs – address their involvement
IV. Segments of membership – discuss the various segments that make up our membership (this might be addressed during introduction)
V. Conference Sessions – review possible ‘tracks’ to follow and/or sessions that would be appropriate to attend based on interest and/or responsibilities
VI.
Other
networking & food
B. The committee discussed whether or not we might wish to have a table in the vendor/exhibitor area that would answer questions about WASFAA as well as encourage getting involved. We agreed this would be a good idea and placement near the break area set up or entrance/exit would be most beneficial. It is recommended that we have a banner, nim locks (spelling?), or something to call attention to the table. Diane Aurenz is researching this. (Editor’s note: information to be shared at next conference call).
C. The next item discussed was coordination of & communication with volunteers. We agreed that we need to do a considerably better job of getting back to volunteers to let them know where they stand and whether or not they have been selected. We should include a time frame for the process as well as deadlines for both informing interested volunteers that we will do our best to place them if we are aware by a certain time and when they can expect to hear from either the committee chairs or Volunteer Development Committee. The thought is that many volunteers may feel they are lost in the mix.
It was suggested that the transition meeting of the WASFAA leadership be the driving conduit to have the Volunteer Development Committee work with the committee chairs & Executive Council. The list could be reviewed and volunteers selected, while also trying to maintain diversity and inclusiveness. As volunteers have the opportunity to select up to three areas of involvement, every effort should be made to include first choices designated by the volunteer.
D. The committee proceeded with discussion of creating a volunteer calendar. This includes the annual activities of the association, when committee members may be selected, responding to selected and non-selected, working with committee chairs throughout the year in filling open positions, etc.
E. Volunteer Information Flyer – The brochure has good information and the grid is okay. We may wish to update it with bullet points where there are currently paragraphs and may the header for ‘eye catching’. We believe that this should be an
8 ½ “x 11” PDF document. Frank Silva will be working on this.
F. We spoke about the make-up of committee members taking into account diversity, new members to the committee (seasoned and newer aid administrators) as well as consideration of younger members. The intent is to encourage leadership…help mentor and develop newer members to build their roles in the association with the hope that they will be interested in running for an office or chair a committee. We feel that the Ethnic Diversity Action Committee plays a key role in the overall participation and would work with that committee to help in creating committee membership. The EDAC scholarship does encourage volunteering and we would like to formalize the inclusion of the scholarship recipients.
G. We discussed the idea of developing a mentoring or buddy program. We think that a buddy program may be a good place to begin and doable for the 2006 conference. One idea is to work with non-selected volunteers to participate with the program, make an announcement but work on in advance of the conference so that the connection would be set prior to the conference. We may need to consider individuals who have attended so many conferences, been involved with the association, etc. It may be that the ‘newbie’ & seasoned FAA would connect at the conference and perhaps eat meals, for instance, together. It could also be that we try to get information in advance so that the two to be connected have interest & expertise, respectively; the ‘newbie’ might be able to shadow the buddy. We may wish to think about inviting those who are new to WASFAA but have been in financial aid awhile as well as those that are new to the profession & the association. The name is yet to be determined…big buddy, little buddy, others?
H. Catherine King-Todd will work on the policies & procedures draft to have available for the next meeting with the plan to have a final version to provide to the chair of that committee following the January 2006 meeting.
I. The next meeting
is scheduled as a conference call on Tuesday, December 6th beginning
at
Minutes provided by Catherine King-Todd.