SRP Executive Board Meeting, Sunday October 10th
Attendees: Tom Oltmanns, Michael Pogue-Geile, Ted Beauchaine, Shaun Eack, Suzanne King, Kate Harkness, Howard Berenbaum, Wendy Heller, Sheri Johnson, Patty Deldin, Deanna Barch
Secretary’s report: Deanna reported that she will be making a Secretary’s Manual
Treasurer’s Report:
Suzanne the good news that the expected deficit for this meeting was reduced to 1/3 of the original estimate. This is because of the record number of on-site registrations, and the flexibility at the hotel for lowering some costs below the contracted F&B minimum of $30,000.
Suzanne reported that there were a record number of onsite registrations. We discussed whether this reflected a glitch in PayPal. There may have been some problems with the interface that made it so that people didn’t actually register when they thought they did. We decided to revamp the registration process and problem solve avoiding obvious registration glitches. Suzanne would like to make it more clear how to know whether the person should register as an Associate Member, postdoc etc.
For future meetings, it was decided that the goal for the local host is to make the hotel and other local costs match the expected registration income; that the costs of the invited speakers (travel, honorarium, lodging) should be covered by membership dues and other income.
We discussed the need to put together handbooks for each position, and that these will be lodged on the web site such that they are accessible to Executive Board members, and editable by only relevant positions. These should include:
President: Jill, Tom O, and Michael PG will create one.
Treasurer: Suzanne King and Michael Young
Secretary: Deanna Barch and Sheri Johnson
Smadar Levin Award: Does one exist? Ask Ann Kring, Howard Berenbaum was one, certificate. Bill Horan will work with Nancy Docherty to create handbook.
Program Chair Manual: Bob Krueger has one
Local Host Manual: Ted Beauchaine
Early Career Award: Sheri Johnson
Sustained Mentor Award: Kate Harkness
Publication Committee: Jason Shiffman
Membership Chair: Jack Blanchard
Local Program Host: The virtual presentation by Bruce Cuthbert did not go well and seemed to reflect technical difficulties on his end. If we try this in the future again, we will need to pilot it more extensively.
There was discussion of whether to move the banquet to a luncheon, there were mixed feelings and many people felt that the banquet was more fun than a luncheon. There was discussion of whether we could do it an offsite venue, but that may make it impossible to meet the food and beverage minimum, but this could be an option.
Need to make it clearer that the student social hour is for students, and not for general membership. This should be made clear in the program.
Suzanne and Christine Hooker will explore luncheon costs. If it looks like a luncheon is less expensive, we will do a member survey to see whether people want a banquet or a luncheon.
Bob Krueger
Program Issues
Banquet should pay for itself
Should Honorarium, Hotel and Air Fare Expenses be only part of the registration costs or whether we should use dues to help cover those costs.
Deanna will construct a standard letter (Bob Krueger will forward what he used)
Honorarium: $1500 ($4,500 per year)
Air fair expenses and $100 per diem (~$4,500 per year)
Hotel costs (not incidentals)
For the upcoming year, we will consider the speaker costs to come out of dues, and the conference costs to be self-contained to the costs of the actually conference – minus the speaker costs.
Patty Deldin made two suggestions:
Move the members meeting to a different time?
Create a party that involves a band after the banquet.
Saturday lunch could be luncheon and business meeting?
New Committee Chairs:
2011 Program Committee: Jack Blanchard and Bob Krueger will remain on the committee
Early Career Award: Tom Kwapil
Smadar Levin Committee: Nancy Docherty with Bill Horan as continuing member
Sustained Mentor Award: Kate Harkness
Membership Committee: Wendy Heller
There was discussion as to when the program chair should be appointed. Last year Bob started one year in advance, but Sheri had more difficulties. Lee Ann has not yet picked a program chair.
Registration of SRP in the State of Iowa
Don Fowles is changing it to Michael O’Hara.
Liability Insurance
We do not have any, but do we need it?
Check with other organizations as to whether they have it and how to get it.
BGA
Arpana Argawal
SPR
Who
Dues
There is a proposal to raise the dues.
We will provide an explanation.
We voted to increase full member dues from $50 to $75, but not to change it for associate members.
Funds for Local Host and Program Chair
There was a proposal to provide the local host with a fixed sum to help with organizational costs. Students who people the registration table get free registration and banquet.
We agreed to allow the local host to have $500 to pay for help.
We agreed to pay the program chair – if needed – up to $200 to pay for help with organization aspects.
Dual Track/Single Track
3 Dual Track and 3 single track – we will stick with this.
Coordinating with SPR
Scott Sponheim had raised this issue. It was agreed that Michael PG, along with help from Patty Deldin and Wendy, would explore options.