ASAPA Newsletter - April 2024
President's update
The ASAPA Executive has been meeting regularly with Alberta Student Aid, both to continue to build relationships and to bring membership issues to the forefront. There has been some significant movement of staff in Alberta Student Aid, so the Executive has taken this opportunity to refresh those relationships and to position the association as a key delivery partner of Alberta Student Aid’s programs. We have been in conversation with Alberta Student Aid about delivering a virtual Q&A session following the release of “What’s New” to the ASAPA Membership in advance of the 24/25 application cycle. Stay tuned for more details!
The other priorities that the Executive have been discussing include: reviewing and renewing the Association’s policy and position statements, engaging with student advocacy groups, and taking a look at some different options to reinvigorate and support the ASAPA membership including providing some enhanced membership communication tools. Some of what we’ve been exploring includes message boards, listservs and membership listings. Many thanks to Joel for setting up a forum area on our website for members to try! Please have a look and let us know what you think!
See the rest of the newsletter to meet your executive, share your thoughts on the ICA and get the answers to the questions you sent us in March!
-Sirina
The other priorities that the Executive have been discussing include: reviewing and renewing the Association’s policy and position statements, engaging with student advocacy groups, and taking a look at some different options to reinvigorate and support the ASAPA membership including providing some enhanced membership communication tools. Some of what we’ve been exploring includes message boards, listservs and membership listings. Many thanks to Joel for setting up a forum area on our website for members to try! Please have a look and let us know what you think!
See the rest of the newsletter to meet your executive, share your thoughts on the ICA and get the answers to the questions you sent us in March!
-Sirina
VP, Foundational Learning's update
On April 8, 2024, I had a virtual meeting with Brian Yaeck, Manager, Operational Policy and Stakeholder Relations with Foundational Learning and Skills Development. This meeting was to discuss how ASAPA and Foundational Learning can best work together to facilitate improvements to the Foundational Learning Assistance program, offer feedback on the top concerns ASAPA members have brought forward and to invite Foundational Learning to participate in the ASAPA Foundational Learning Committee meetings.
The meeting went well with expressed interest in working more closely with ASAPA as we move forward (more details to come) and a genuine interest in our feedback regarding policy clarifications for the Academic Progress and Attendance policies, the current refund process, the challenge for institutions to provide sessions and costs, and upgrade considerations to the Foundational Learning SMS system to reduce the cumbersome processes to adhere to policy and manage students.
-Trina
The meeting went well with expressed interest in working more closely with ASAPA as we move forward (more details to come) and a genuine interest in our feedback regarding policy clarifications for the Academic Progress and Attendance policies, the current refund process, the challenge for institutions to provide sessions and costs, and upgrade considerations to the Foundational Learning SMS system to reduce the cumbersome processes to adhere to policy and manage students.
-Trina
Treasurer's update
The ASAPA board hopes to see everyone at the upcoming CASFAA Conference 2023 in the Yukon! If you have any questions about the conference or about joining CASFAA, please send us a message ([email protected]) or check out the CASFAA website! www.casfaa.ca