MASFAA Finance Meeting

January 17, 2008

Milwaukee Hilton

Attendees:

Diane Fleming, Rick Shipman, Vickie Crupper, Billie Jo Hamilton, Jeff Pethick, Jim Brooks and Candi Frazier

Meeting opened by Rick Shipman.  Items to discuss include:   exhibitor fees, membership fees, conference fees, meal per diem rates, Summer Institute budget variance request, Early Awareness budget and corporate support concerns.

Diane indicated a request was received from Deonna Decker, Corporate Support Chair, to review the exhibitor fee.  Deonna suggested $2000 instead of the current $3000.  Rick stated the current budget estimated the amount for corporate support at $105,000 (using 35 vendors X $3000) and a reduction in the exhibitor fee would reduce the income to $70,000 or a reduction of $35,000.

Billie Jo Hamilton moved that the exhibitor fee be reduced from $3000 to $2000 and any difference would be made up using MASFAA reserves –seconded by Vickie Crupper.  Motion passed.  Billie Jo requested that Deonna soliciting other vendors (ie:  imaging, collection, software companies, etc) to help make up the loss.

Diane said that Deonna is concerned about the drayage cost for the Cincinnati conference.  Billie Jo indicated drayage is a conference expense and would need to be brought forth from Conference Committee.

Rick said that Shashanta James, Family and Educational Concerns co-chair, informally requested a change to the budget due to lack of giveaways to attendees which in the past were donated from lenders.   Diane said she would prefer to have Deonna request financial literacy information from guarantor agencies and then adjust the budget if necessary once we know what else is needed.

Diane is also going to propose that the corporate support committee be co-chaired both an associate member and a school representative. 

Billie Jo suggested a reduced fee for first time vendors and Vickie suggested increasing membership fees.  The committee was not comfortable with taking such actions and therefore any reduction of income would be made up by using MASFAA reserves.

Diane said that a suggestion has been made to choose an alternate site for the Chicago conference due to costs.  Discussion followed about the alternate site of Springfield, IL.  Springfield may be less expensive, but will be more difficult to get to.  Diane suggested  one way of reducing cost in Chicago would be that every dinner would be on your own.  Billie Jo suggests that we check with Dick Battig, Chair of Site Selection, to find out if there is an out clause for the Chicago contract.

Billie Jo asked Jim Brooks about the interest income from Franklin Templeton Funds.  Jim indicated that it was down over $16,800 as of December.  Rick and Jim will contact a representative from Franklin Templeton Funds to discuss the reduction.

Jim said that the other three CDs mature in February 08, May 08 and October 08.  He also said that the bank representative, LeAnn, should contact him when the CDs are close to maturing.

Rick and Jim questioned uncashed checks.   Billie Jo said there is a policy and checks can be voided after 90 days, but can reissued if requested.  Diane asked Jim to bring this issue up in tomorrow’s board meeting.

Current meal per diem rates were discussed.   Current rates are $6.50 breakfast, $11.50 lunch and $22.00 dinner.  Diane said that NASFAA currently uses a daily max of $55.  Billie Jo questioned whether we should require receipts.  Diane is not comfortable with requiring receipts at this time.   Billie Jo moved to increase the meal per diem rate to$8 breakfast, $14 lunch and $26 dinner - seconded by Vickie.  Motion passed.

A request for a budget variance has been brought forth by DeLores Hawkins, Summer Institute Chair.  DeLores has suggested increasing the registration fee by $50.  Last year’s registration fees were $150 commuter, $250 double occupancy & $350 and single.  Billie Jo moved that the registration fee for Summer Institute be increased by $50 to $200 commuter and $300 double occupancy.  No single rate will be published, but the rate for single occupancy will be $400.  The Summer Institute budget will be increased to $48,000 - Diane seconded the motion.  Motion passed.

Diane will also inform DeLores that the Institute will have no more than 80 registrants, only double occupancy rates will be listed in promotional materials, maximum of 10 single rooms will be available to assign to Summer Institute registrants by the Summer Institute Chair and the single rooms will be given on a first come, first serve basis with preference to attendees with health related issues.  DeLores will also only use one hall at Baldwin Wallace and if possible use the nicer hall.  Diane to discuss alternative means of providing the material to attendees with DeLores to reduce copying costs.

Candi Frazier asked if the new computer for the secretary would need to be added on the insurance policy.  Diane indicated that it will be added as an asset.

Candi questioned what to do with the old computer.  Diane moved that Candi give it to non-profit organization after the computer has removed all MASFAA related information from the hard drive and that if possible the non-profit provide a donation document for tax purposes - seconded by Vickie.  Motion passed.

Jim reviewed the financial statements.   Jim indicated that the Atlantic Southern CD no longer exists but is showing up as an asset.  He discussed this with Brian Heinemann (0607 MASFA Treasurer) and Brian thinks that the CD was rolled into another CD in September of 2006, but he did not know which one.  Jim will check with Leann at US Bank to find out where the Atlantic Southern money was deposited.

Jim also said he used money (around $40,000) from the Capital One CD which was rolled into the American Cash Account to pay some conference expenses from St. Louis Conference.

Jim ran Profit and Loss Statement and MASFAA ended up with a deficient of $74268.15 for 0607 year.  Diane to inform Executive Board that we did use reserves as indicated to membership. 

MASFAA will probably have another deficient for 0708 due to the change of accounting year from Oct 31 – November 1 to Jan 1 – December 31 – the change results in a 14 month year.

Membership and conference fees will be discussed at April meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 5:55 pm.