Those keeping track will notice that this should be Terry's turn to blog. But, schedules being what they are I'm going to go ahead and pinch-hit for him. I'm sure he'll do the same for me some day. Right Terry? ISM's HR consultant Michael Brisciana is confirming that it is not proper to throw my stress ball at Terry for the look I just got, but I'm still thinking about it.

Anyone that has attended an ISM workshop with Terry and I know that we are not afraid to disagree. How can two experts ion the field that work in the same company disagree? C'mon have you seen CNN? Well we don't do it for ratings, but we are an example of how different styles can do the job of determining financial aid awards effectively. The key is to be consistent with your awarding policy. Some families have special circumstances that need to be considered, but they need to be treated in the same spirit as other families. The easiest way to make sure that happens is to draft a Financial Aid Mission Statement. This of course should be consistent with your schools mission, but be more specific to what your awards are intending to do.

Here is an example:

"We believe in supporting the realization of our institutional mission through the development and implementation of a comprehensive financial aid program. We want our school to be reflective of the real world while maintaining a program of academic excellence with students of above average academic potential."

When determining awards, and especially when a tough circumstance arises, refer back to your mission statement to provide guidance for your decision.

Hey, if I'm taking Terry's turn does that mean I still have to take my turn? That's not the answer I was looking for Terry. It's time to stop typing while I find that stress ball....