MinneTESOL Executive Board Meeting

Minutes

Saturday, September 9, 2006

3:30-5:30pm

MLC Library

Members Present:  Nima Salehi, Patsy Vinogradov, Peiling Liu, Anita Dualeh, Andrea Poulos, Kim Johnson, Helen Ahearn, Jennifer Leazer

 

Executive Assistant Items: (Patsy)

Ø      Membership—482 until Sept. 1; 200 memberships expire in Sept.

Ø      Finances

o        Overall healthy

o        current balance $7958.44

o        $2700 from exhibitors from conference

o        New fees seem reasonable to new/renewing members

Ø      Middle School IS

o        Andrea shared formal petition for new Middle School IS to be submitted to Board

o        New MS IS members would be part of MS IS plus other IS

o        Patsy asked whether creation of new IS requires membership or board vote—board voted and new MS IS was approved (if it is up to board)

Ø      IRS letter

o        Patsy shared that filed for I-90EZ.  Notified that penalty of $1200 for late filing (IRS had old fiscal year on record, but MinneTESOL currently using new fiscal year); currently waiting to hear from IRS about appeal

Ø      State Fair

o       Patsy, Andrea, Nima shared that MinneTESOL table went well, children and adults enjoyed games and prizes, and cost was low

Ø      Essay/Poster Contest

o        Board liaison/coordinator needed—Anita volunteered to coordinate

o        Need to get notice in folder at MinneTESOL Conf. this year—Nima will make up flyer; Patsy will contact Darlene Kunze

Ø      3rd VP and 1st VP Nominating Committee needed

o        Andrea shared that a nominating committee had been formed and contacted, but heard nothing back; sent email to IS leaders to form a committee, but has not heard anything definitive back; has a list of about 5 people recommended individually, not through formal process.

Ø      Harold B. Allen Award Nominating Committee needed

o        Paul suggested past MinneTESOL presidents make up nominating committee.  Paul will contact.  Past recipient (Robin Murie) will be invited to present award, and if not, Paul will present.

 

Fall Conference (Jennifer, Kim)

Ø      Planning update

o        Jennifer shared that progress is going well

o        Next registration mailing going out on Sept. 20, update website in next week

o        Kim shared that 45 or so proposals (more than last year); readers are ready; decisions will be made in the next few weeks

o        Keynote speaker Bruce Corrie will meet with planning committee and share information about recent immigration information.  Andrea requested that address not be same as presented recently to Adult IS.

o        Board discussed payment for Fri. night speaker of about $400

o        Andrea shared that she will contact IS leaders to send ideas and write-up for conference to her

o        Andrea brought up question of leadership of Adult IS, and how to give opportunity for new leadership.  Jennifer raised concern of timing at fall conference and need for clear direction especially at that meeting.  Andrea will contact Adult IS leaders about invitations for new leadership

Ø      Exhibitor update (Patsy)

o        Patsy shared that we are currently at about ½ of total from last year, but there is a history of late responses.  Numbers may be down because of raised fee, but responses still coming in

o        Some new exhibitors

o        Need to give credit thanking TESOL for grant helping to fund last year’s speakers, David and Yvonne Freeman.

 

Ø      St. Thomas for 2007 MinneTESOL Conference

o        Nima, Jennifer and Andrea met with St. Thomas (downtown Mpls.)—excellent facilities, ample space, all inside connected by skyways, large auditorium space and overflow space

§         Move would be an expense savings

§         No room fee charge

§         MinneTESOL must pay for refreshments, catering, etc.

§         parking comparable to MCTC

§         St. Thomas staffing included in cost

o        Nima presented some considerations:  implications of move from public to private (Catholic) school; recent newsworthy controversy.  Board discussed at length.

o        Board resolved to add in by-laws or mission statement non-discrimination policy—will revisit in January meeting

o        Board agreed to St. Thomas for 2007.

 

Ø      ACTIVA

o        Jennifer reported that she has explored on-line registration possibility for this year; not in place for this year

o        Jennifer shared that Peiling notified her about company that helps with conference on-line registration and fee collection.  Transaction fee of about $2, 2.5% for credit card transaction, event activation fee of $100 good for a year for each conference and membership (=$200)

§         Advantage:  customer service

§         ColoTESO, MichTESOL and IndianaTESOL also using this service—Andrea and Kim will contact these about ACTIVA

o        Board discussed expense savings (Executive Assistant, conference registration, etc.)

o        Consider at Jan. MinneTESOL meeting

 

Other Board Member Updates

 

TESOL Opportunity (Nima)

Ø       From Nima: There is an opportunity to have a “Best of” panel for our annual convention. This means we would choose and submit up to 3 presenters from previous MinneTESOL conferences to submit presentations for TESOL. These presenters if they are chosen by the subsequent TESOL review process would get free registration to the 2007 conference. We would need to submit this by October 6.

 

Maybe we could be looking through the past 2 years of conference programs to select out people we might think would be appropriate for this, so we can contact them for potential submission.

 

o        Nima shared a compiled list of a variety of grant opportunities from TESOL that are available.  Patsy will put a link to these in the newsletter.

 

Workplace English and Cultural Training IS?  (Kim)

o        Kim brought up a suggestion from Caren Abdelaal regarding a new Interest Section devoted to Workplace and Cultural Training.  Andrea will contact Caren, who'll write a blurb for Patsy to send out to the membership.

Ø      This from Caren Abdelaal:  Could another interest section be added which encompasses the field of "Workplace English and Cultural Training" or some similar name--even "Customized English and Training."  The group of people that this would include (who currently cannot find a home in one of your interest sections--not K-12, not university, not adult) are those who tutor, do cultural training or English contract work in companies (which can't be considered Adult Ed) or other "non-traditional" kinds of English/culture teaching and training(like workshops for Au Pairs, etc.)

 

I fall into this group of non-traditional teachers (an an interesting world it is!)  I would be willing to chair this group at the fall conference if the board is willing to list it as an option and provide a room.

 

Handbook/Bylaws revision (Nima)

o       The MinneTESOL Handbook and Bylaws were discussed.  It was agreed that serious updates are needed.  Board members are asked to read through their portions of the Handbook and get them to Nima by SEPTEMBER 30th.

o        Patsy will "track changes" in the updated file of the Bylaws.  As the Board adds/changes items in the Bylaws, she'll keep track in order for the membership to vote at the fall conference.

o        Andrea will confirm the process for altering the Bylaws.

New Business

o        The business meeting at the fall conference was discussed.  Patsy will send the 2005 agenda to Nima and Andrea for updating for this year.

Next Meeting:  January 27, 2007 including general leadership meeting, IS meeting, and separate Executive Board meeting.