A Chronicle of Events at the OASFAA Annual Conference
by Cub Reporter Becky Cady, CFS
(Formerly at Oregon Health Sciences University)

The names have not been changed to protect the guilty. This a mostly truthful account of the Oregon Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Annual Conference held on February 6 through 8, 2000. Any resemblance to actual events is probably coincidental. I myself was an innocent victim in the vendor room, trying to recover from the opening session on group decision making. Kick-Off speaker, Lenny Borer, had bravely led an audience full of financial aid professionals, who were either concrete or schizophrenic thinkers, through the process of reaching consensus. (One will fairly quickly discern which camp I fell into.) So, I was quietly seeking refreshment in the form of a soda when Marlene Schmitt, Director of Financial Aid at Reed College and Co-Editor of the WASFAA Newsletter, approached me and I became a WASFAA Cub Reporter. Tempted by a bag of Gummi Bears and foolishly deceived by the camera with a flash and the reporter notebook contained in the clever Cub Reporter Kit, I accepted the assignment. Considering that the conference theme was "Take the Challenge!" how could I not?

I affixed the special status Cubby button to my nametag and moved out to my first assignment. Feeling a bit like an investigative journalist, I headed for a session with the Feds. The Direct Loan Update. Chuck Hirman of Region X was so polished and prepared in his handouts and remarks, I was fairly certain he had been tipped off and anticipated a media presence. That was, until I caught him with the camera. Then I knew for sure that my identity as a Cub Reporter-on-the-Scene had not been revealed to him, nor was it expected.

Hoping that the special button would garner me a certain amount of respect, I contemplated utilizing it on the hotel staff at Salishan to try for a Chieftain room upgrade or to crash the private college sector meeting. However, after attempting to enter into a few conversations by flashing my badge with the Official Cub Reporter Journal in hand, I found I merely aroused even more suspicion and less respect than usual, shocking as it may seem.

On the social scene, I had an ideal opportunity to capture the real leaders of our state association by attending the President's Welcome Reception. At first, I was thrilled because I thought I had been let in the door due to my new sta-tus as a member of the press, but it turned out nobody knew I was a Cub Reporter (much less cared) and everyone was invited! Bart Howard of the Ford Family Foundation was still gracious enough to make me feel special. Although, his kindness may be generated by his guilt over helping to draw me into this strange and wonderful world of financial aid to begin with. From what I understand, Bart has played a role in at least six current financial aid administrators' early career formations and he must have an incredible weight on his conscience because of it.

With luck, I came across Dana Young of Blue Mountain Community College, 1999-2000 OASFAA President and Don Black of George Fox University, 2000-2001 OASFAA President having a delightful conversation with Sun Ow of Nellie Mae. Sun took a picture of Dana, Don and me while we were no doubt discussing, based upon our expressions, the serious issues surrounding Question 28. Now, I'm not saying that any wrong-doing occurred, but I do feel that it's necessary to point out that this is pretty much the only picture of the 27 on the camera that actually turned out. Strangely enough, the one of Ms. Newsletter Co-Editor hula-hooping at Mr. Bill's Trivia party (other big social event, more later) had a finger in front of it and the one of Ms. OASFAA President hula-hooping is so blurry that her identity is barely discernable. In fact, all of the potentially useful pictures of people succeeding or failing to swing that plastic ring around their hips are grainy and dark with faces hidden in shadow. Is that bad photography from a neophyte reporter with a throwaway camera or blatant sabotage? You decide.

Monday was a full day of training, teamwork, and technology, just as the Conference Committee promised. I was able to witness such esteemed individuals as President Bill Clinton, Ms. Yoko Ono, Secretary Richard Riley, and the oft-booed Mr. Bill Sizemore at the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) Update. During the session "A Road Map to Regulations", I found that I want Anita Kermes of EdFund to visit my office and help me sort out the piles of newsletters, regulations and other mysterious papers that are stacked up around me. My co-worker, Steve Reade, and I both breathed a sigh of relief when Danielle Blackwell spoke positively of our office at OHSU during her inspirational speech about the terrific assistance of the University of Portland financial aid office staff (where she chose to attend) and the Ford Family Foundation Scholarship's impact on her educational endeavors there. During my own stint as a presenter, I discovered that it is always a good idea to proofread just one more time. Finally, my foray into sports writing was foiled by my failure to actually attend the fun run. Bravo to all those who braved the weather and rain. I did try to compensate by testing the functionality of the sauna and it seemed to be working at the time. To really know for sure, I will have to check it again next year.

In the evening, the celebration of Rita Lambert's career as a financial aid professional and her impending retirement from the University of Portland was happy, memorable and well deserved. As far as Mr. Bill's Trivia event is concerned, I have little to report other than that fleas most certainly do not have wings and that the putter -yes the putter -not the one iron, has the least flight of any golf club. (Except of course when you throw them, then it has the most.) It is also worth offering thanks to all the wonderful contributors for raffle prizes and mentioning that Judy Gjesdal of Marylhurst College has left the bathroom, even though Tami Kirby of ASAP/Union Bank and Trust still thinks she's in there.

I must say I was privileged to observe what seemed to be an OSAC staff meeting taking place in the Attic Lounge. This is where Jim Beyer, OSAC Director of Grant Programs, discovered that I was a Burns Union High School graduate from Harney County and vowed never to forget it. Many of the fa-mous participants of their "Jeopardy!" session earlier in the day congregated in this location. They hardly needed to attend the Teambuilding session that was skillfully presented Tuesday morning by the University of Portland's Director of Student Accounts, Lynn Hryciw.

Most of the other fascinating stories are based on encounters which cannot be written here, as I have accepted bribes to not include them (sincere thanks to Don Black of George Fox University!). Well, that and the fact that when I pulled out the trusty notepad and indicated that anything said or done would be used against them in the WASFAA newsletter, conversations tended to grind to a halt and behavior suddenly became quite proper, even in the Attic Lounge. The remarks I do remember are mostly dry witticisms about fertilizer from David Allen of Multnomah Bible College and I determined that since they were targeted at this reporter, they are not really amusing enough to merit use of space in this serious journalistic endeavor. Needless to say, I am looking forward to the Summer Drive-In Workshop.