[Oasfaa] NASFAA Elections & Important Basketball News

[Pam McConahay]

Folks,

NASFAA mailed out the ballots to institutional representatives on March 14,
so if your school is
a NASFAA member, you should have received your ballot by now.  It's probably
buried in that stack
of mail that came in during your Spring Break.  Ballots are due back at
NASFAA by April 6.

Don't forget to vote (early & often as they say in Chicago)...just kidding,
schools only get 1 vote.  All the more
reason to make sure you get that ballot in on time.

Please be aware that this election is important to our state and our region,
because we have an opportunity to elect an Oklahoman to serve as National
Chair for the first time since 1975-76  (Robert Clark, OSU).    Dr. Charles
Bruce, Executive
Director of the OSU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, has been
nominated for National Chair Elect.  If you
remember last month, I told you about his nomination and how prestigious it
is.  This isn't like running for an OASFAA
office (where we have to twist arms to fill up the ballot), it's a
compliment not only to Charlie but to his institution
that he has been put on the ballot.

Some of you fairly new to financial aid may not know Charlie as well as some
of us old-timers who remember Charlie as OASFAA president and SWASFAA
president.  He has been extremely active on the national level, serving as
chair of NASFAA committees, member of various task forces and even spent
time working at the  Dept. of Education through an interagency personnel
exchange (i.e. the Feds asked to borrow him for a while from OSU because
they really needed him!).   He's devoted his professional life to financial
aid and exemplifies what NASFAA and our profession is all about.  His own
staff would tell you the same....but they try not to embarrass him.  Me, of
course, I'll embarrass anybody, especially myself.  How unbiased a
testimonial can you get, OU rooting for OSU?!!

Now, don't let that high-falutin "Dr." scare you...he's also a regular guy
who gets to deal with unhappy parents & students just like the rest of us.
So, find that envelope & vote for our Charlie!!!


Important Basketball News:

In case any of you haven't been paying attention to the college basketball
scene lately, Oklahoma hosted both the regional NIT Tournament in Tulsa and
the first & second round West division play of the women's NCAA basketball
tournament in Norman.  My husband & I have become real women's basketball
fans this season, and I've discovered I'm an obnoxious loudmouthed maniac
(little ol me?) when it comes to rooting for our team.  (Really....I've
scared the dogs while watching OU women on TV.)

USAO men just brought home the #2 trophy home from the NAIA Division I
tournament.  OCU Women just won their THIRD CONSECUTIVE NAIA Division I
tournament!  WOW!!!   The OSU women made it to the quarterfinals of the NIT
and the ORU women played in the first round of the NCAA West division (and
played HARD, OU barely beat them, 70-64 a real squeaker).

And, there's still excitement to come!  University of Tulsa plays Memphis in
the semi-finals of the NIT on Tuesday, 3/27 (from Madison Square Garden in
big New York City, at either 7 p.m. or 9:30 p.m.) and the OU Women Sooners
play University of Washington in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament
(from Spokane, WA at 11:37 p.m. Central Time, Saturday 3/24).
I'm not sure if the Tulsa game time I've listed is Eastern or Central time.
Check your local listings and support Oklahoma players.

Let's see, my schedule for this weekend:  Saturday afternoon:  nap
Saturday evening:  go to store, buy chips & throat lozenges. Saturday night,
11:37 pm:  WATCH SOONER WOMEN!!!!!

See you soon in Tulsa at OASFAA.  Have a great weekend!!!

Pam McConahay
Asst Dir., Compliance & Support Svcs
University of Oklahoma Financial Aid Services
pmcconahay at ou.edu