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NACUBO Notes

News about how your association is a resource for you

• A New Look for Business Officer

• March Programming Roster

• Professional Development Calendar

A New Look for Business Officer

NACUBO members are well satisfied with Business Officer but they are struggling to find time to keep up with professional reading, according to results of a recent magazine reader survey. With reader preferences in mind, we set out to make the magazine more easily read and visually appealing, while retaining its strong content mix.

Leaving the front cover and the feature presentation unchanged, we focused on giving Business Officer's departments a face-lift. Not only can the new four-column grid be read more quickly, but it also offers more design flexibility. With this format in place, several departments needed only fresh names to complete the new look:

• Inbox (formerly "letters to the editor" on the back page).

• First Up (the occasional column from NACUBO President and CEO John Walda).

• Federal File (news from Washington, D.C.).

• On Balance (thought leader interviews, formerly called Insights).

We gave greater status to the reader-favorite Spotlight section, which each month carries a member-contributed article about an effective practice at an institution in a specific constituent group. Now it's a separate department called Vantage Point, and there's space for a campus photo.

Several departments have reorganized content. The upfront section, Business Intel, will function as a roundup of short news items, comments, and statistics; longer news articles, research reports, webcast highlights, and analyses; and quick tips, industry trends, and leads to additional information from other sources. And in the table of contents, we've introduced a section highlighting examples of magazine content available on the NACUBO Web site.

Perhaps the most changed is the magazine's back page. Since it originated as In Your Words in 2005 when Business Officer was last redesigned, many members have shared items for it—but it was time for something new. We've retained the human-interest angle with our new department, Back Story, but now we'll offer short conversations with individuals in roles that support the work of the chief business officer—and who represent the majority of the Business Officer reading audience.

Readers with comments and suggestions about Business Officer may share them at any time by contacting us at editor@nacubo.org. 

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March Programming Roster

If you're looking for accounting updates or the latest in student financial services, March events in NACUBO's professional development lineup are likely to fit your needs.

2012 Facilities and Administrative Rates—Long Form

This workshop, to be held March 5–7 in Charlotte, is essential for those new to the long-form methodology or for those who need to gain a better understanding about sponsored research cost accounting. The program provides an overview of cost accounting and essentials of developing and allocating facilities and administrative (indirect costs) required by the Office of Management and Budget Circular A–21. Participants also learn the fundamentals of cost pools, proposal preparation, rate negotiation, and audit considerations.

Other topics include base cost development, department administrative expenses, operation and maintenance costs, fringe benefits, space, depreciation, libraries, service and recharge centers, cost sharing, unallowable costs, direct costs, and regulatory updates.

Attendees have the opportunity to interact with colleagues, discuss strategies with experienced faculty members, and review a case study for in-depth learning.

Student Financial Services Conference

Student financial services professionals know the challenges of providing excellent customer service while complying with complex regulatory requirements, keeping up with changing technology, and managing with fewer resources. NACUBO's Student Financial Services Conference, March 18-20 in Orlando, offers attendees a wealth of opportunities to learn from leaders in the field, network with colleagues, and learn about new developments.

Teri Yanovitch, coauthor of the book Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service (DC Press, 2003) and a former Disney Institute trainer, will present a keynote session. Eric Haseltine, a neuroscientist and consultant, will be a keynote speaker at the conference's leadership enhancement session. The final plenary session will focus on policy and consumer issues, such as federal aid, the DREAM Act, campus communications, and business practices—all from the students' perspective.

Additional sessions will cover a variety of topics, including regulatory and legislative changes, combating financial aid fraud, new technology, billing and collections functions, and financial literacy. Attendees will hear best practices for lowering three-year cohort default rates and review strategies for complying with the complex rules on the return of Title IV funds. They will also learn about the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

This year the conference features two mini workshops. A preconference workshop will focus on bursar fundamentals for those new to student financial services or those who want a refresher. New this year is a postconference workshop that will be presented by attorney Chad Echols, who will discuss the legal aspects of collections. Echols, one of NACUBO's highest-rated speakers, will address issues such as bankruptcy, collections, and creditor and collector liabilities, and provide attendees with key takeaways they can use daily in their jobs. Separate registration and fees are required for the two workshops.

Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with their colleagues, including bursars, controllers, financial aid administrators, financial services directors and staff, and student loan managers. An exhibit showcase will feature the latest products and services focused on all aspects of student financial services.

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