MIDTESOL Minutes - June 19, 1999

Minutes of the MIDTESOL Executive Board Meeting

June 19, 1999

Call to Order. Phyllis Mithen called the meeting to order at 8:45 a.m. Board members present were P. Mithen, J. Angel, E. Davani, L. Hagen, S. Schindler, C. Shields, T. Riedmiller, C. Howland, R. Fagundes, L. Wolk, C. Eason, and M. (Monica) Mingucci. Also present were M. Burke, local conference chair; W. Eubank, webmaster; and Mike Mingucci, representative from KATESOL.

Approval of Agenda. Shields moved the agenda be accepted. Howland seconded. Motion carried.

Approval of Minutes. The minutes were corrected to read that the spring Missouri meeting was held in Springfield rather than Columbia. Eason moved the minutes be approved. Schindler seconded. Motion carried.

Treasurer's Report. Schindler handed out copies of the treasurer's report. The current balance is $18,338.97. Ten thousand dollars of that amount is currently in a CD earning a little over 4%. She reported that an audit of the books costs around $1500. She has found an accountant who will do it for $1000, but the CPA feels an internal review of the books by members of the organization would be sufficient and that an audit by a CPA is unnecessary. Shindler also asked which expenditures should be taken from the 2001 expense account. That was clarified. Concerning expenses for this meeting, she invited members to fill out their expense forms during the day so that she could pay them immediately. Shields moved the treasurer's report be accepted. Riedmiller seconded. Motion carried.

President's Report. Mithen reported that the following members had been approved to serve on the board: C. Renner, G. Stratman, K. Kreicker, L. Wolk, and M. Mingucci. The board also approved, via email consultation, joining with NAME for the 2000 conference. Mithen requested that the secretary add term length to the positions on the board list. She also showed the board the TESOL handbook, which contains rules and regulations, forms, and answers to many questions about procedures. Shields asked that copies be made to pass around among board members. Mithen reported that she had sent an announcement of our fall conference to TESOL Matters but they had failed to print it.

First Vice President's Report on Fall 1999 conference. Jeanne Angel reported on plans for the fall conference. She described the rooms, which the board later toured, all of which are in Memorial Union. Socorro Herrera, Associate Professor at UMKC, has agreed to be the plenary speaker. Friday evening's speaker has yet to be secured. Hotel rooms have been reserved in the Iowa House, City Plaza, and Heartland Inn. Shields noted that we would also need rooms for Thursday night for the executive board. Shields added that mailing lists from Iowa's Department of Education as well as from Kansas and Missouri could be used in addition to MIDTESOL's list to promote the conference. Angel said that the conference center would do the mailing. She also reported that the due date for the call for papers has been changed to July 15. Shields suggested that she consider Polaroid workshops and some Russian artists whom she had seen perform as pre-conference events. Angel added that she is planning school visits in Iowa City only. Shields suggested we try to get the 2001 logo to use for MIDTESOL shirts and bags. Fagundes mentioned that Missouri teachers really want school visits. Riedmiller asked if computer labs were available for sessions. Burke said she would look into it. She added that the Friday reception would include a cash bar and hors d'oeuvres. A continental breakfast and sit down lunch have been planned.

Second Vice President's Report. Davani reported that membership now stands at 275. Many memberships have been renewed thanks to the flyers that were sent out. She has had some difficulty with members who joined at the last conference because the printout was difficult to read. Eubank offered to put a notice on the website asking that any member who has not received materials from MIDTESOL such as the newsletter or the directory to contact her. He also suggested putting a notice on the site saying that anyone who wants to receive the latest copy of the newsletter can fill out a form and we will sent it out. Mithen supported this idea because it would increase the number of members, which we will need for the 2001 convention. Davani handed out an updated list of lifetime members and asked the board to review it for possible omissions.

Past President's Report. Shields extended a call for nominations for the offices of

First Vice President (T. Riedmiller has accepted to run.), Secretary, Representative from Missouri (R. Fagundes has accepted the nomination.), and Representative from Nebraska.

9. Publishers Liaison Report. Kreicker reported that she had raised the exhibit fee to $200. Shields moved that the president write a letter to Mary Fry Liebich to thank her for her years of service to the organization. She suggested that if she were chosen for a pat-on-the-back award that MIDTESOL pay her registration expenses. Angel seconded. Motion carried.

10. Webmaster's Report. Eubank presented his report referring to graphs which showed that the total number of "sessions" by visitors to the website was 4778 over the last ten months. This number represents appoximately 2771 people. The page most visited was the articles page. He wished we had many more articles to publish. Eubank suggested we begin promoting St. Louis on our site since TESOL will not begin to do so until after the 2000 convention. He also suggested we begin accepting Visa/Mastercard and presented a handout describing the process of application. Accepting credit cards would increase membership and renewals because it is so convenient. Shields suggested the treasurer look into it at the bank where MIDTESOL has its account. Riedmiller suggested we pilot the system by accepting new or renewed memberships via credit card and then conduct an email vote on whether to proceed or not. Eubank also suggested MIDTESOL set up a vendor's mini web site on the MIDTESOL site. The sale of advertising would be a source of income to ameliorate the cost of the site as well as provide a link between ESL materials vendors and MIDTESOL visitors. It would also have search engine advantages and be a continuing source of income for the organization. He showed examples of ads. Shields commented that we would have to set up policies about who to allow to advertise and who not. Discussion followed. Mithen appointed Shields, Eubank, and Kreicker to form a committee and present a report at the October meeting. Eubank handed out complimentary soaps from one of his clients who is a perspective provider of door prizes for our conference. Eubank again stressed that we should get the information about the 2001 convention out early. He needs information on tourist attractions in St. Louis, biographies of individuals on the executive board, and information on our schools and ESL programs. Eubank also reported that he could offer permanent addresses for board members as well as the local conference chair. Discussion was tabled until the fall meeting. Shields mentioned the directory that MIDTESOL has long wanted to publish could now easily be done on our website.

11. Rules and Resolutions Report. No report was given. Mithen brought up the question of inclusion of the webmaster on the executive board. Eason moved that the position of Newsletter Editors be changed to Publications Editors and that the webmaster be included as a third editor under this category. Howland seconded. Motion carried. Riedmiller thanked Eubank for doing such a good job saying that the site is one of the best among TESOL affiliates.

12. KATESOL Report. Mike Mingucci, Secretary-Treasurer of KATESOL, reported that he had been appointed by the organization to be liaison to MIDTESOL. KATESOL presently has 150 to 180 members, 32 of which also belong to MIDTESOL. The board of KATESOL discussed consolidation with MIDTESOL, but its feeling at present is to not consolidate but rather cooperate with MIDTESOL. It is willing to help with the 2001 TESOL convention and he will serve as liaison in this effort. Mithen asked Mingucci to relay our thanks to the KATESOL board for sending him as liaison and express to them our eagerness to work with them.

13. Awards Committee Report. Eason handed out flyers requesting applications for the travel award competition and nominations for the Pat on the Back award. She reported that she now has three members on her committee and is working on two more. She will extend the deadline for applications for the travel award. Concerning the board's decision to fund an award for attendance at a summer academy, Mithen asked her to write up the criteria and suggested amount of an award and report on that at the fall meeting.

14. Resources and Employment Committee Report. Mingucci, as newly elected chair, asked what her duties were. Mithen clarified that she was to post job opportunities on the website. Shields added that her committee could develop a directory of ESL and teacher training programs for publication on the website. It would be advantageous to form a committee that is representative of different states and levels.

15. Sociopolitical Concerns Committee Report. No report was given. Mithen said Renner had attended TESOL workshops and she will request he send information to the website.

16. State Representative Reports. Nebraska. Chavez Nuncio was unable to attend but forwarded her report via email. She reported that ESL student numbers are unpredictable at present because of Operation Vanguard and the INS's efforts to eliminate illegal immigration throughout Nebraska. She predicts that the numbers will continue to rise, however, because the demand for workers by companies such as IBP and Monfort is high. She writes that this effort by the INS is shameful because the potential for disrupting families and children is tremendous. Concerning recruitment of new members, she reports that she has written letters to encourage people to join and has spent some money on a sign and pencils and tablets that say "Join MIDTESOL" Nebraska. Iowa. Howland reported that she had given out MIDTESOL tablets at the Iowa spring conference on February 1 & 2 to which MIDTESOL donated $200 for the reception. She reported that the state legislature had defeated the "English Only" bill, but had approved the formation of a state "welcoming center" to help immigrants with INS procedures for a fee. Howland asked if Iowa could also do an exchange with MIDTESOL as KATESOL does, selecting a "Best of Iowa" session from its spring conference. Eason, as Awards committee chair, will explore that possibility. Discussion was tabled until the next meeting. Missouri. Fagundes reported that over a hundred people attended their spring conference which was written up in MIDTESOL Matters. She has been working on increasing membership. She will send out a draft of chapter "by-laws" for the board to look at. Adelaide Parsons will chair their next spring conference. Kansas. No official report was given. However, Mike Mingucci reported that there had been a good turnout at their spring meeting where the keynote speech was about cultural sensitivity. Next spring's meeting will be in the western part of the state in Dodge City or Liberal in mid-April.

17. 2000 Conference with NAME. Riedmiller mentioned that MIDTESOL would have to do its own call for papers. Shields asked about listing duties for next year's officers.

18. 2001 Business. Mithen informed us that the local committee consists of Adelaide Parsons, Wes Eby, Rosa Schuette, Linda Dortsh, and Susan Schindler. She showed the board pictures of the convention enter. She said that the board needed to select a MIDTESOL liaison to the convention chair. Discussion followed about procedures in selection of the local committee and liaison and the executive board's role. Jeanne Angel was selected as liaison.

19. Newsletter Editors' Report. Riedmiller apologized for the lateness in mailing out the last newsletter. He explained that there was a delay at the printers. He welcomed comments on the last issue. Eason thanked Mithen for doing the bulk mailing. Riedmiller reported that he had attended an editors workshop at the New York convention and also met with the Argentina affiliate's president. He asked that State reps and other board members who have columns in the newsletter please forward photos of themselves.

20. Midwest Regional Accord. Shields moved that MIDTESOL continue to be involved in the Midwest Regional. Mingucci seconded. Motion carried.

21. Other Business. Mike Mingucci suggested we find out from the Partners of the Americas who each state's partner is. He also asked what the status of our sister affiliate is and if we could set up links with them. Eubank offered to do that.

22. Adjournment. Mithen adjourned the meeting at 1:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Louise Hagen, Secretary