NEA Executive Board Meeting Minutes
July 13, 2001, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
- Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by President Bill Ross at 10:30. Present were Liz Andrews, Kim Brooks, Paul Carnahan, Aimee Felker, Cally Gurley, Sheri Kelley, Joan Krizack, Peter Parker, Debbie Richards, Susan von Salis, Rick Stattler and Jane Ward.
- Secretary's Report and approval of minutes
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Stattler, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the last meeting.
Before voting, Andrews sought clarification regarding the depositing of the Hale Award money in CDs. Felker explained the background of the Hale Award fund, the depositing of the money in CDs. She added that it was intended that when the CD came due, the $5,000 in the CD and the $5,000 in the Hale grant would then be combined into one CD. Andrews replied that she was uncertain of the instructions concerning the Hale Award fund so she had not combined the funds into one CD. Krizack then mentioned that there was additional Hale Award money from the campaign so that the total to be put into the new CD would be $15,000.
- Immediate Past-President's Report / Nominating and
DSA Committees
Felker reported Leah Weisse and Gregor Trinkaus-Randall agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee. She said this fall the Distinguished Service Award Committee would consider strategies for making future awards.
MOTION: On a motion by Stattler, seconded by Krizack, the Board voted to approve Leah Weisse and Gregor Trinkaus-Randall as members of the Nominating Committee.
There was a general discussion about when should proposed committee members be appointed, when and for what positions the Executive Board needs to approve proposed committee members. Felker mentioned that were inconsistencies about which appointments needed approval and that she was told that previous nominating committees were formed without Board approvals. The ensuing discussion about the responsibility for calling e-votes and potentially establishing a controlled vocabulary list of subject lines (i.e. new business, e-vote, and so forth) be used for e-mail was moved to new business.
- Outreach
Susan von Salis, chair of the Outreach Committee, reported that she contacted vendors about literature for Archives Roadshow events and wrote a report for the vendors about how many brochures were handed out during these events. There was a short discussion about whether or not sending press releases out was an efficient way of publicizing NEA activities.
- Web Committee
Brooks handed out copies with proposed changes of the homepage of the NEA website.
Krizack moved, seconded by Felker, that the Board vote to change "unpublished records" to "historical records" (in the website text).
Discussion ensued; Krizack, Gurley, and Carnahan agreed to revised the wording and send what they fashioned to the Web Committee. Felker suggested and the Board consensus agreed that whatever comes from that discussion would be acceptable.
Krizack then withdrew her motion.
- Print Coordinator's Report
von Salis requested more letterhead. Krizack has letterhead for any one who needs some.
- Treasurer's Report
Andrews has tax exempt certificates for Board members who need to purchase items for NEA.
Andrews expressed concern about the Fall 2001 meeting going over budget since that would mean that the budget would remain in deficit.
Andrews mentioned that she wanted to delay working on the Treasurer's job description since she was continuing to sort out the job and the files. She added that she was working with the Clerk on a list of legal forms that need to be filed.
Andrews then went over the Hale campaign fund and award fund. She briefly mentioned the Hale CD status, which she had described earlier. She said that the campaign fund was in the general funds currently and liked the idea of putting the campaign fund into a short-term CD until it can be added to the Hale Award CD. She plans to reconcile Hale Award donations to the Award fund every year when the CD matures. Felker said that the campaign was over so that the campaign money could be add to the Award fund.
Andrews asked the Board to send her budget requests by September 1st, when requests are required to be sent to the Treasurer.
- Task Force on Organizational Efficiency
von Salis, chair of the Task Force on Organizational Efficiency, said that she sent out the preliminary report to the Board and was soliciting opinions about the report. Response to date had been limited. von Salis said that the Task Force wanted input and opinions from the Board concerning its preliminary report. von Salis said that many recommendations in the report have already been implemented.
Ward suggested that the Board put together ideas and forward them to the Task Force. Felker added that the next phase of reporting from the Task Force is reporting on the input to the report. Ross asked the voting Board members to look carefully through the reports and give their reactions to the Task Force. Ross then said that a reminder for input should be sent out to the list.
The pros and cons of having a set registration fee for meetings was discussed. von Salis said that the fee was not set yet and would like to have the factors that would affect the costs so her committee could reconsider a suggested meeting fee. Gurley suggested that if meetings were cheaper than the set registration fee NEA could consider using scholarships, reimbursements, sliding scale fees, and so forth to assist people having difficulties paying fees. Andrews did not like the sliding scale fees because of the complications. Ross preferred simplicity, supported planning ahead for meeting costs, and suggested that there should be standard costs for meetings in a given year. Board members discussed the process for deciding costs. Ward suggested that the budget for a meeting be submitted earlier, perhaps submitted 6 months before a meeting rather than the current 3 months. Board members then discussed the need for remaining flexible in determining costs since variables, such as food, attendance, honoraria, location costs, can change greatly.
von Salis then mentioned that the Task Force was leaning towards recommending that NEA continue to hold two meetings a year.
The meeting broke for lunch.
- Development Report
Ward presented the Development Report and explained that she was still getting commitments for advertisements for the Fall newsletter. Ward hopes for 6 vendors for the Fall meeting; she will add vendor names to the Fall program on the website.
Ross asked if the vendor showcase was a good sell. Ward replied that she needs to let vendors know about the showcase and that she gives the vendors a copy of the newsletter so that they know about the organization. She added that one vendor will not come to meetings because that vendor only attends multi-day conferences. Board members then discussed which vendors are likely to come to the Fall and Spring meetings, vendors who might be interested in coming, and ideas for follow-up.
Ross asked if the Spring meeting would attract vendors because of the meeting time.
Ross then asked about the sale of the NEA address labels. Ward said she looked into the issue and that it appears to be up to Development's discretion to sell the labels. She explained that she does not provide the labels electronically but pointed out that vendors could buy the labels and add the information into their own databases. Ross asked if $50 seemed too low for the price of the mailing labels. Board members then discussed the price.
Then Ward mentioned that NEA charged a $500 exhibition fee for the vendors. Ross asked if there was a reduced rate for non-profits. Board members then discussed contacts for possible non-profits and what fees NEA pays when it participates in another organization's event. Ward and Andrews will develop a proposal for non-profit fees.
- Education Committee
Workshops are set for the Fall meeting and the plans are underway for the Spring meeting.
Maureen Melton, the departing chair, suggested that Karen Spicher should be approved chairperson of the Education Committee.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Stattler, the Board voted to appoint Karen Spicher chair of the Education Committee.
Ross recommended that James Roth be named to the Education Committee to fill Karen Spicher's spot.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Stattler, the Board voted to appoint James Roth to the Education Committee.
- 2001 Spring Meeting (Dartmouth):
Ross reported that Diana Barnard said feedback from the Dartmouth meeting was positive although there were some complaints about local arrangements.
Andrews said that there was no final local arrangements financial report from Dartmouth. Board members discussed whether there would be an addendum to the local arrangements' final report and, if not, if the report could be constructed through other means and where the cost information for Dartmouth would be. Andrews suggested that local arrangements committees should use standard accounting sheets for future meetings. Andrews volunteered to call Anne Ostendarp for the obtain final costs.
Ross discussed meeting costs per person and said that local arrangements can suggest a meeting cost, but that the Board will set the cost.
Gurley suggested that there should be a set list of requirements of a hosting institution and if those requirements can not be met, then the host site can not hold a meeting.
- Vice President's Report
MOTION: On a motion by Felker, seconded by Ross, the Board voted to approve Donna Longo DiMichele, chair, R. Gwen Stearn, Donna Webber, Jeffrey Marshall, Jeffrey Makala, David Weaver and Lois Hamill as the Spring 2002 Meeting program committee.
Krizack reported that she working on finding members for the Fall 2002 Meeting local arrangements committee.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Stattler, the Board voted to approve Kathryn Hammond Baker program committee chair and Jeannette Bastian local arrangements chair for the Spring 2003 Meeting.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Felker, the Board voted to approve Ellen Dyer, Christopher Burns, Joan Gearin, Eliot Wilchek, Ellen Doon, and Chris Weidman as the program committee for the Spring 2003 Meeting.
Krizack mentioned that she was planning on special events for the Spring 2003 Meeting in Boston and that there would be a reception Friday night before the meeting at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Jeannette Bastian would be approaching the Dean of Simmons for a financial contribution Gurley asked about setting a date for the Fall 2003 Meeting. Board members replied that it would be up to her as host to set the date. There was a brief discussion of the issues involved in planning a meeting.
Krizack also said that she had arranged and was publicizing the NEA social at the annual SAA conference in Washington D.C. Board members then discussed ways of funding the social and of publicizing the event to SAA attendees. Krizack added that she would contact Simmons to request funding for the social. If funding is secured, the social will be advertised as a NEA-Simmons Alumni reception.
- 2002 Spring Meeting (Newport): Program and Local
Arrangements
Board members discussed its unsuccessful efforts to contact the chair of the local arrangements committee, and the efforts to form a new committee.
MOTION: On a motion by Felker, seconded by Krizack, the Board voted to disband the original program and local arrangements committees for the Spring 2002 Meeting.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Felker, the Board voted to approve Jane Ward and Rick Stattler, co-chairs, Bob Schnare, Evelyn Cherpak, and Tara Hunt as the Spring 2002 Meeting local arrangements committee.
- 2002 Fall Meeting with MARAC (Poughkeepsie): Program
and Local Arrangements
Krizack reported that Barbara Austen, NEA chair of the Fall 2002 Meeting program committee, wanted to know what the arrangements were with MARAC concerning the program, printing and mailing responsibilities, and which policies would be followed. Felker related the history of what she understood the agreement was between MARAC and NEA. She said that the information should be in previous reports for this meeting and the organizations' Treasurers were to draw up an agreement. Andrews found in the Treasurer's files an unsigned agreement concerning the program. Krizack and Ross requested that copies of this agreement to be sent to them for their review and that Andrews and Felker send copies of any other pertinent information to them as well. The Board does not have a complete answer for Austen yet.
Andrews wondered who would draw up the budget for the meeting. Felker discussed with Ward the responsibility for contacting vendors for the meeting.
- 2001 Fall Meeting (New Haven): Program and Local
Arrangements (conference call)
(Diana Kaplan, via telephone from New Haven)
Board members asked Diana Kaplan, chair of the Fall 2001 Meeting local arrangements committee, about the budget for the Fall meeting. She replied that a budget for the meeting had been passed in May and she wanted to set the meeting fee. Krizack said that current cost was $42.17 per person and the expected attendance was 150. Felker applied the cost estimation formula and suggested a fee of $50 for the meeting.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Felker, the Board approved that the Fall 2001 Meeting cost $50 for NEA/CRAG (Connecticut River Archivists Group) members, $70 for non-members, and $25 for students.
Ward said that she preferred a $45 fee for the meeting. Krizack pointed out that NEA was working with a deficit budget for the year and other Board members agreed that the cost was not unrealistic.
Board members then discussed the mailing list for the meeting and why it was large, what to include in the mailing, and the program. Kaplan said that she would hear soon from the printers.
The Fall 2001 Meeting program committee requested that the registration fee be waived for student presenters at the Fall meeting. Board members discussed whether students compete to present at meetings and most had the impression that students did not.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Felker, the Board voted to waive the registration fee of student presenters now and forever.
Board members discussed whether students attended on award money and how program committee arranged for student paper sessions.
- 2003 Meetings
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Felker, the Board voted to appoint Paul Bergeron to the Spring 2003 Meeting program committee.
- Newsletter
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Stattler, the Board voted to appoint Christopher Burns NEA newsletter editor.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Felker, the Board voted to extend the NEA Executive Board's thanks to Senior Editor Sarah Demb for a job well done.
The editors are looking into a more cost-effective and accurate desk-top publishing service and will present an alternative to the Board in the near future. Two editors are leaving the newsletter. Sarah Demb's term is up in October 2001 and Angela Reddin will resign in August for personal reasons. Joanie Gearin will replace Sarah Demb as Senior Editor. The editors requested that the Board approve Chris Burns as Inside NEA editor. They are searching for someone to replace Angela Reddin as News and Notes editor.
- Membership Committee
Sheri Kelley, chair of the Membership Committee, went over the look of the new directory and mention that the cost was $1090 for the directory. She said that 800 copies would be printed.
Krizack asked if Board members would like to have electronic copies of the directory before the directory was published. Board members discussed the usefulness of the electronic copy. Felker suggested that members with legitimate business needs contact Membership for the electronic file but hold off on other requests until after the final Task Force on Organizational Efficiency report. Board members then discussed error fixing and updating information about the Board and committee members. Krizack reminded the Web Committee to update the local arrangements and program committees. Felker said that information needed to be sent to web coordinators. And she added that web coordinators should not be seeking updated information but that information should be sent to them.
MOTION: On a motion by Krizack, seconded by Stattler, the Board voted to appoint Ellen Doon a member of the Membership Committee effective October 2001.
- Membership Secretary
No action taken.
- Haas Award
Felker reported on her meeting with the Haas Award Committee. The Haas Award Committee now has half Boston ARMA members and half NEA members. The Boston ARMA Board is small and meets monthly. The Committee is looking at offering scholarships to attend Bruce Stark's workshop in lieu of an award; they have not received applications for the award. They would also like to sponsor attendees to a future ARMA International meeting in Boston and have thought about appointing a Haas Fellow. They are considering a campaign to increase the Haas Award fund, similar to the Hale campaign. And in future, the Haas Award Committee will submit reports to the NEA Board.
Felker suggested that Haas Award Committee co-chairs be listed on the website. Krizack recommended instead that the NEA representatives only be listed on the website.
- Hale Award
Gurley reported that she had no news about the Hale Award. She did note that the Committee needed to send thank-you notes to donors.
Board members discussed ways of publicizing the Hale Award. Krizack suggested a mention in the newsletter; Andrews sending out notices to schools. Krizack recounted that the Board had worked on ideas for publicizing the award previously. There was a general discussion about sending information about the Hale Award to instructors. von Salis suggested mentioning the Hale Award in the President's Column. Ross agreed and thought he could include something concerning the tangible benefits of belonging to NEA, such as the Hale Award, in the column.
- President's Report
Ross said that Andrews has copies of NEA's unaudited financial statements for anyone interested. He then said that Carnahan would be the Board representative to the Education Committee and that Representative-at-Large Peter Parker would serve as Board representative to the Outreach Committee.
Krizack asked if the Board voted on workshops held at meetings. Board members replied that the Education Committee arranges for workshops and sets the fees; the Education Committee is self-supporting. Ross prefers the $40 cost for workshop and that extra fees may be assessed when necessary.
- Old business - Position Descriptions
Ward suggested that the Board could work on the position descriptions through e-mail. Ross proposed that the person holding the position now should work on the job description first. There was a discussion about needing retention schedules for organizational records.
Ross asked whether the paper or the web version of the position descriptions were official. Board members replied that the copy held by the Secretary is official and should match the web page.
Andrews mentioned developing commonalties among the job descriptions. Von Salis suggested working on four descriptions a month until the project was completed. Krizack said she was not sure if e-mail was the best way to discuss the job descriptions. Board members discussed whether to hold the job description discussion during a Board meeting or during a separate meeting, or even to discuss the descriptions before other business at the next meeting.
Krizack suggested holding discussion at the New Haven meeting. Ross then suggested that the discussion on job descriptions be broken into three groupings: voting member, non-voting members, and committees.
Ross mentioned that some business can be done through e-mail, such as appointments. Board members discussed which business could be conducted over e-mail and what could be done prior to a meeting. It was agreed that for the fall meeting, the Board would work on the voting Board members job descriptions and on Board meeting efficiency.
Andrews reminded members to send out budget requests over e-mail and that they would be discussing the budget at the fall meeting.
Discussion of the proposed Archival Advocacy Award was tabled until the fall meeting.
- New Business
No new business.
- Adjournment
There being no further business, Ross adjourned the meeting at 4 p.m.
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