COHEAO is pleased to announce that Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA) will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Mid-Year Conference. Sestak is an influential Member serving on the House Education and Labor Committee who is considering a run for the United States Senate in 2010.

Set for August 1-4, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA, this conference will take place as Congress continues the process of considering major changes to the Perkins Loan Program. During Monday’s luncheon, Congressman Sestak will share stories from his unique background and provide his insights and perspectives on federal policies designed to achieve the President’s goal of making the U.S. once again have the highest proportion of college graduates.

A former three-star admiral, Sestak is the highest ranking military officer ever elected to Congress, and he recently announced that he is considering a run for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat in 2010. In addition to leading a series of operational commands at sea during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he also directed the Navy’s “Deep Blue” anti-terrorism unit, which was developed shortly after the tragedies of September 11, and served as Director of Defense Policy at the National Security Council under President Clinton.

In addition to remarks from Congressman Sestak, the Department of Education’s Gail McLarnon and COHEAO Executive Director Harrison Wadsworth are sure to provide additional insights on the proposed overhaul for Perkins in their respective updates. While many sessions will focus on legislative and regulatory developments, the Mid-Year Conference will also address many issues related to COHEAO members’ day-to-day activities, such as Perkins legal issues (including bankruptcy litigation), cultural changes in accounts receivable management, achieving and maintaining low cohort default rates, monthly tuition plans, and many more.

The Mid-Year will again feature an afternoon workshop, which will focus on how business offices in higher education manage their student accounts receivables. The University of Pittsburgh’s Denny DeSantis and Temple University’s David Glezerman will lead this workshop, and their presentation will address organizational structures and management issues, billing and payment processes, extending credit, managing the environment, handling delinquent accounts, customer service, and improving cash flow for the institution.

The Mid-Year Workshop will take place from noon-5:00 PM on August 4 and costs an additional $75 for conference attendees, $125 for non-attendee COHEAO Members and $150 for non-attendee non-members. The additional costs include lunch at the hotel and workshop fees.

COHEAO is pleased to continue to offer affordable rates for its events. The prices for this year’s Mid-Year Conference remain unchanged from last year, $470 for members and $570 for non-members school attendees if you register before June 30. Non-member commercial institutions may register for $1,575 before June 30, and all registrations increase after the June 30 discount deadline.

We were able to negotiate a very affordable rate at a wonderful hotel for this event, the Westin Philadelphia COHEAO conference attendees registering with the Westin before June 30 are eligible for a rate of $169 per night, a room rate less than at our previous two Mid-Year Conferences. The hotel’s Rittenhouse Square location offers numerous shopping and dining options, as well as museums and historical attractions, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Center.

Call the hotel at (888) 627-8153 by June 30 and let them know you are attending the Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organizations meeting to receive this fantastic deal! You may also register online by visiting the hotel’s special webpage for this event: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/booking/reservation?id=0904033776&key=B0956.

For more information on the event, including an agenda and registration, please visit the conference information page. If you have any questions about this event, please do not hesitate to contact Wes Huffman at whuffman@wpllc.net

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