MIDTESOL Executive Board Meeting October 25, 2002 11:30 am to 4:15 PM Iowa State Memorial Union, Room 230 Iowa State University - Ames, IA Return to Minutes Index | Return to MIDTESOL Index

• MIDTESOL Executive Board Meeting Agenda (Ron L.)
• MIDTESOL Exec Board Mtg Revised Minutes from the June 29, 2002 Mtg (DJ K.)
• Elected Offices – with terms and term expirations (Tom R.)
• MIDTESOL Exec Board Contact List November 2002 (blue) (Ron L.)
• MIDTESOL Treasurer’s Report (Cheryl E.)
• List of Exhibitors to MIDTESOL Conference (Ayse G.)
• MIDTESOL Matters Editor’s Report (Karen S.)
• MIDTESOL.org Report (William E.)
• MIDTESOL Exec Board October 2002 (grey) (Ron L.)
• MIDTESOL Expense Reimbursement Form (Cheryl E.)
• MIDTESOL Matters Summer 2002 issue (Karen S.)
• MIDTESOL Annual General Meeting Agenda for October 25, 2002 (Ron L.)
• Report on Rules and Regulations (submitted by Barbara after meeting)

A catered lunch and social time was enjoyed by exec board members

Handouts were passed out

Ron asked people to look over the Exec Board contact list and make changes but to continue eating and socializing

• Ron Long calls the meeting to order
• Ron welcomes new exec board members: Paula Moore (secretary on one-year appointment) and Jan Rodriguez (elected 2^nd vice-president in charge of membership for a 3-year term)
• Exec board members introduce themselves
• LaDonna Brunk points out that she is also newly elected as the Iowa Representative
• Cheryl Eason is also newly elected
• New appointment announced: Lois Spitzer (not present at meeting) as Committee Chair for Sociopolitical Chair

• Ron asked to add under old business an action for in the general meeting to discuss the constitution and bi-laws
• Added under New Business to approve expenditures for Barbara Schwartre and also for Mary Lou McClousky (to give her a gift in place of an honorarium for her work on the conference)
• Tom asked to make an announcement at the end of New Business

• DJ noted that the last set of minutes to be e-mailed out were by default the revised minutes because no changes were made to the minutes

MOTION:

• Cheryl moved that the minutes be accepted
• Dennis and Cathy seconded
• Motion approved, minutes accepted and approved

• Ron reviewed the new appointments to the exec board
• Ron acknowledged a need for a Kansas Representative at Large for the exec board
• Ron has tried to contact people and work through other connections
• William noted that Kansas has had the most hit on the website and that possibly a note on the website would help out
• Ayse suggested Kristine Mekkau (at Pittsburgh State) as a possible candidate or contact for the Kansas Rep
• Ron points out the two exec board lists (1) gray is the current board (should be 2002, not 2003), (2) blue copy is Nov. 2002 which will be the new corrected version
• Missouri has a permanent sales tax exemption (not applied for, it is automatic), this means that we will no longer need to renew our tax exemption status
• Ron, Cheryl, Karen, and Laura will all have the paperwork needed for the tax exemption for costs in Missouri—please contact one of these four people if you need this paperwork for a purchase
• Each exec board member received a pencil (17.5 cents each) and note pad (40 cents each) (authorized in the last meeting and then the mood magnets (these three goodies were included in the registration materials for the fall 2002 conference)
• Ron apologized for his oversight in correcting MidTESOL on the notepads, which should be MIDTESOL
• Ron asked for questions in the president’s report

• Fall 2002 Conference Update
• 14 people attended the Technology in the Classroom segment of the conference
• 145 was the total number for the conference
• There were 30 presenters plus plenary speakers
• The conference was set to begin at 6pm
• Registration would begin at 5pm near front desk
• Reception at 8pm with a cash bar Campenelle Room
• Dennis echoed thanks for Barb’s work for the conference
• Dennis thanked Ayse for her work on the exhibit stuff
• No questions for Dennis
• Board members confirmed the general meeting set for Saturday the 27^th at 1:00pm
• Cheryl asked Dennis why he didn’t sharpen the pencils, he said he wasn’t asked, Karen did offer up her pencil sharper for any who were in need of a writing utensil

• One travel award was awarded
• Mike Williams (University of Northern Iowa) for using Forest Gump for Teaching ESL
• Reported that some applications came in late, therefore not accepted
• Two pat-on-the-back awards, but would be announced later

• (See her report—submitted to Cheryl)
• Ayse had a list of groups that said at TESOL that they would be here for the Fall Conference
• Only 6 publishers did show up for the Fall conference
• The reason for the low turn out was that other conferences (Regional Conference) were going on close to our conference date
• Ayse suggested we coordinate our conference date around other regional conferences
• Ron okayed giving 5 T-shirts to exhibitors to help bring them back next year
• Barbara did get more volunteers for the exhibit room
• The times for the exhibit will be different this year to allow for exhibitors to eat
• We also have a larger area for the exhibit for the Fall 2002 conference
• Ayse reviewed the report she handed out (with updates of publishers who would be at the exhibition) 13 tables, $685

• Cheryl pointed out her paper report
• At the time of the meeting MIDTESOL had $500 more since (last report?)
• No money lost, some gained!
• Cheryl recommended that $22,000 we have be put in CDs rather than just sit in checking
• Cheryl pointed out that few asked for reimbursement for the summer exec board meeting
• Discussion of investing the money

• Cheryl moved we put $10,000 in CDs
• Cathy seconded
• All agreed, motion passed

• No further questions

• Ron pointed out the bright pink membership directory that Theresa created

• Past election – Tom referred us to his handout
• 220 ballots were sent out
• 67 received completed (more than 25%)
• Some complained about not receiving their ballots
• Suggestions for next year: use one color for each state for ballots to help look for demographics
• People need to know that they can vote for state representatives even though they are not from that state; next election’s instructions should reflect that to help increase voting
• Tom asked people to review the elected offices report to make corrections on term amounts, etc.
• Committee members commented on their liking of the report because it is easy to read and only one page

QUESTION:

• Ayse asked about the amount of time that must pass between serving in different positions on the exec board
• No specific rules

• Stats from website hits from June 20 through October 23 (2002)
• William reviewed the stats on his colorful report and highlighted some stats
• The website is accessed often, most often on weekdays, many articles and class projects have been receiving a lot of hits
• William requested that people proofread their own submissions before submitting them, he also asked for people to point out any errors or corrections to be made when visiting the site

ISSUE:

• Spam has been generated from putting up people’s e-mail addresses on the website
• William would like to make e-mail addresses graphic files; although it is more work for William and for the user, it would reduce spam significantly

• Barbara would be in attendance later

• Lois Spitzer had been recently appointed, but was not present for meeting
• She would be attending the conference

• Brought exhibitor application for the Iowa conference
• Cost is $150 for exhibitor registration and $150 for conference support (sponsorship)
• Cheryl said that last year $150 for spent for registration and $200 given for support
• LaDonna said we could specify what our conference support would go for
• Cathy said that it usually went for the reception
• Board members agreed that the support money would go for the reception
• This was motioned in a previous meeting and is now a precedent; no motion or vote was needed to take this action
• William Penn applied for some grant money—2 grants were awarded
• LaDonna reported on these grants
• Announcement: 15-20 people from Iowa would go to the National Summit on English Language Learning in D.C. in November (this is in regards to Title III)
• Discussion of Iowa’a Language Library website (which will be password protected, no URL given)
• Cheryl corrected herself that last year $300 was given

• Jane asked for us to take a break at 2:04 PM
• A break was taken

• Meeting resumed at 12:22 PM (called by Ron)
• Jane was working with Ron on a Missouri conference/meeting for Spring 2003
• Jane suggested a Saturday meeting with a speaker and then afternoon sessions
• This way public school teachers would not need a substitute
• Jane had been working on the budget for this
• Jane thought that her institute at Southwest Missouri State University could host it
• Jane showed the last mailing that was used (in 1999), but is cost about $1100 (they were working under a grant)—so a more economic mailing would be needed
• Jane asked if a one-day meeting/conference would be a good idea
• Suggestions for pre-conference, night before social and/or post-conference afternoon social were proposed
• More discussion of the possible Missouri meeting/conference

• Karen referred us all to her handed out report
• November 15^th is the next deadline for submissions
• Karen requested that submission be made in an on-line format (in an e-mail, text attachment) rather than as a hard copy—this makes it easier for her to create the newsletter
• Karen would like to consider letting the printers also handle the mailing because the rules of doing the mailing are always changing and the mailing process with sorting is one of the most time-consuming elements
• Cheryl brought up the issue that the cost of the newsletter exceeds the cost of the newsletter, and we are losing money on the newsletter
• Cheryl also wants Karen to look into having printing bills submitted to her for reimbursement to save Karen out-of-pocket expenses to have reimbursed
• Tom suggested that we consider electronic distribution
• Ron asked Karen to bring proposals for changes to distribution to the winter meeting

• If we put the newsletter on-line, people might stop joining and paying the fee
• But putting the newsletter out there may help bring more people to the group
• Discussion of charging extra for paper copies
• Also discussion of raising membership fees for MIDTESOL
• Suggestion to ask at the general meeting about this issue of hard copy vs. on-line version
• Additional issue of using .pdf or .html

• Ayse called (begged) for submissions for teaching tips, articles, etc. for the newsletter
• Ayse added that on her handout the Pearson figure should be $135 not $35

Secretary (DJ Kaiser)

• DJ received the secretary binder and disk from the past secretary
• Hard copies of minutes from the last three meetings have been placed in the secretary binder (summer exec board, phone meeting, and Lee’s Summit general meeting)
• The binder and disk have been turned over to Paula the new secretary
• DJ said he would finish up the minutes for this exec board meeting, work with the corrections, and then pass on the revised minutes to Paula for her to archive with the other minutes

• Ron asked people to refer to the newsletter (page 6)
• These proposed changes would be brought up in the general meeting
• Ron expounded on what these proposed changes, some of them are "house cleaning" issues (especially the issue of fiscal year)
• Ron asked for additions on proposed changes
• No additions made, matters to be covered in the general meeting

• Discussion of job postings (re)posted on the MIDTESOL website

• Ron asked for a motion to recognize those who worked on the conference

MOTION:

• Dennis moved that a gift of $100 for Barb and $50 for Mary Lou be given
• Karen seconded
• Cathy and Cheryl had reservations; Ron commented that the amount was too much
• Cathy asked that the board consider the precedent of past people helping with the conference and awards that were given/not given
• Ron suggested that these people be recognized with gifts rather than money awards
• Ayse suggested that something more in terms of recognition or thanks like a plaque be given
• Karen commented that a gift certificate would be better than cash
• Discussion continued about appropriate manners for showing appreciation and the different perceptions that the different genders have on this
• William suggested flowers and Jane added chocolate
• Dennis withdrew his motion

MOTION:

• Cheryl moved we use a $50 gift certificate to Borders to thank Mary Lou
• William seconded the motion
• No further discussion
• All in favor, motion carries

MOTION:

• William moved that to show appreciation for the local chair (Barb) that a bouquet of flowers and box of chocolates in an amount not to exceed $100 be given
• Tom seconded
• No further discussion
• All in favor, motion carried

• Ron asked for a volunteer
• Cheryl volunteered to take care of it
• Ron suggested we create a new membership table to go along with registration
• Cheryl reminded the board that registration for the conference took care of membership because the registration for nonmember included membership

• We need the information for new members
• Cheryl would like the people who do registration to ask new members to fill out the form included in the newsletter
• Ayse would like to make copies of the registration form from the newsletter for new members to fill out

MOTION:

• Ayse moved that we copy the form from the newsletter for the issue above
• Jane seconded
• All in favor, motion carried

• Ron sent around an agenda for MIDTESOL General Meeting
• It was noted that MIDTESOL had been mistyped
• One item is missing from the agenda (the issue of the constitution)
• Karen suggested that 30 copies of page 6 from the newsletter be made to hand out at the general meeting
• Ron asked for changes or additions to the agenda
• Cathy inquired about when the pat-on-the-back award would be given
• Ron suggested it be given at the social Friday night and that an announcement be made at lunch on Saturday
• Cathy asked that this be made contingent on both being present Friday night
• Tom asked about some glass orbs that had been passed around and whether more were still in existence
• Cheryl stated that none were left over
• Ron asked for additions or corrections to the general meeting agenda, again
• No additions
• Ron announced that he would give certificates for the outgoing board members to recognize them (it would occur at the same time as the pat-on-the-back awards)
• Tom reported that we expect about 8000 participants at TESOL 2003 in Baltimore and gave some highlights for the conference
• Cheryl suggested we only announce the pat-on-the-back awards once
• Ron brought up the previously discussed issue of the membership fee
• Ron asked for a committee to look at the membership fee and present it at the winter meeting
• Jane noted that this might also raise the registration fee for the Fall conference
• Ron pointed out that the conference registration fee is based on the actual cost for the conference dependent on negotiations for the conference for the particular site
• Rather than form a committee, LaDonna suggested we place this issue in the minutes and the issue be re-discussed at the winter meeting
• Dennis reminded us that Nebraska would be the next site for the conference
• Discussion of the order of the Fall conference
• The order was read from the minutes of the last meeting: Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas
• Ron mentioned that the University of Nebraska at Lincoln might be interested—not set in stone, but a possibility
• Discussion of trying to have the following Fall conference site and date set a full year in advance so that it may be announced and promoted at the conference before
• This issue would require further discussion in an exec board meeting
• LaDonna asked the board to go back to the registration/membership form collection issue
• Ron asked for volunteers to sit at the registration booth to ask for new people to fill out the membership form

• William moved that we all clap for Ron
• All applauded

• Tom had a number of handmade cards that MIDTESOL had purchased with the intent to sell
• William suggested we give the cards to Ayse to use as prizes; Cathy added that these would be good to keep and use as thank you cards
• The president accepted the cards to keep them
• The cards would be used to send thank you’s (like to publishers) and other thank you cards
• Ron asked for other issues

• Tom moved to adjourn
• Cathy seconded
• The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 PM

Return to Minutes Index | Return to MIDTESOL Index