AACRAO Technology Conference: Featured Speakers

Implementing Technology in Student Systems and Service

Opening Plenary

Kay Jacks Katie Crowley

Kay Jacks, General Manager, Schools Channel, U.S. Department of Education
Katie Crowley, Deputy General Manager, FSA Application, U.S. Department of Education

G. Kay Jacks is the General Manager, FSA Application, School Eligibility and Delivery Services for Federal Student Aid (FSA) at the U.S. Department of Education. This position was newly created as part of a reorganization of FSA in July 2003. Previously, Ms. Jacks was the first FSA General Manager for Schools. In her new position, Kay is accountable for promoting awareness of Federal student aid opportunities for individuals attending postsecondary institutions, and partnering with colleges and universities across the country to help them successfully implement student aid programs.

Kay has over 28 years of experience in student aid administration, having held positions in four-year and two-year public schools, four-year private, and two-year technical schools. Before joining FSA, Kay served as the Executive Director of Enrollment Services at Colorado State University , where she coordinated admissions, financial aid, student loans, student employment, records and registration.

While a university administrator, Kay served as co-chair of Project EASI, a government reengineering effort to improve student access to information about financing higher education. She was also chairperson of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) from 1988-89 and was honored with its Distinguished Service Award for Mentoring, Leadership, and Commitment to Diversity in 1990. Kay has received awards from the Department of Education, organizations and institutions at which she has worked. Kay received a bachelor’s degree in English and history from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Katie Crowley is the Deputy General Manager, FSA Application, School Eligibility and Delivery Services for Federal Student Aid (FSA) at the U.S. Department of Education. This position was newly created as part of a reorganization of FSA in July 2003. In this position, Katie is accountable for supporting all areas of the business channel including promoting awareness of Federal student aid opportunities for individuals attending postsecondary institutions, and partnering with colleges and universities across the country to help them successfully implement student aid programs.

In addition, Katie’s responsibilities include directing FSA’s Integration Team. This group was established to support business and technology integration across the FSA enterprise. The team is responsible for the integration of all business process re-engineering and systems implementations across FSA to ensure that the developed and deployed capabilities align with the enterprise business architecture and meet FSA's performance goals. Integration activities include: developing, supporting and maintaining the enterprise vision, sequencing plan, and related integration artifacts and coordinating and tracking integration activities.

Monday Plenary

J. Michael Thompson, Vice Provost, University of Southern California

Thompson will share his extensive experience and insight regarding technology as it applies to the offices of admissions and registration.

J. Michael Thompson was named Vice Provost of Enrollment and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at the University of Southern California in February 2002. Thompson directs the university’s enrollment effort, including managing and planning student recruitment, admission and financial aid policies, student application processing, and student aid. He sits on the Strategic Planning Committee at the university and has participated in the long range planning discussions for the next generation of Student Information Systems.

Thompson has lectured across the country on the effective use of technology in admission and student service. His articles include a chapter in the 2002 publication, Best Practices in Student Services, entitled “Empowering Students Through Effective Portfolio Management.”

Thompson earned a B.A. in literature from Loyola Marymount University and completed the Executive Education program at the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.

Closing Plenary

LeRoy Rooker, Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education

LeRoy Rooker will discuss the effects of technology on FERPA and the privacy of student data. He will also speak on the interaction between FERPA and emerging technologies.

LeRoy Rooker directs the U.S. Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office. In that capacity, he administers laws and policies designed to help protect the rights of America’s 58 million students.

Among his major responsibilities is the administration of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a comprehensive federal law that provides privacy protections for student education records. Sometime referred to as the Buckley Amendment, FERPA affords parents and students the right to obtain access to education records, as well as the right to exercise some control over the disclosure of information from those records.

A native Oklahoman, Rooker has served in his current capacity since February 1988. Before that, he was special assistant to the Department’s deputy secretary for management.