April 23, 2002 ESP Board Meeting

Minutes of the
Epsilon Sigma Phi Board Meeting
April 23, 2002
(Via Teleconference)

Present: Gail Carlson, Dale Hagerman, Wilma Jean Lower, Roxanne Miller, Rex Ricketts, Bob Schultheis, Pat Snodgrass, Georgia Stuart-Simmons.

Absent: Karen Funkenbusch, Tom Henderson, Ina Metzger, Karla Spencer.

Call to order. President Georgia Stuart-Simmons called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.

Approval of 1/10/02 minutes. Approved as read.

Financial report.

Tom Henderson’s financial report was emailed to the Board prior to the meeting. The recent account statement from Mizzou Credit Union included the following:
Basic Savings account total = $2,630.98
Year-to-date dividends = $8.03
Checking Plus account total = $246.57
There was one draft of $35 to the National Office for Brent Robinson’s new membership dues.
Year-to-date dividends = $ .51
Treasurer’s report was approved as e-mailed.

Agenda change.

Rex Ricketts suggested the annual ESP meeting option discussion be moved ahead of committee reports. Board agreed.

NEW BUSINESS

Annual ESP meeting options.

Georgia Stuart-Simmons introduced the issue of what could be done this year to handle ESP annual business, in light of UO/E Annual Conference not being held in October as usual. She said the lack of an Annual Conference would impact ESP’s annual meeting, which is usually held during Annual Conference. The annual election and Board member/member installations are held at the annual ESP meeting in the fall. She asked the Board for suggestions.
The Board discussed pros and cons of holding a one-day meeting on a weekend or during the week. Gail Carlson said if a one-day conference were held on a weekend, no expenses would be covered. She asked if there was any discussion to allow a one-day meeting on a workday. Georgia Stuart-Simmons said it could be pursued. The possibility was discussed of holding an evening session, followed by a session the next day with the other associations, and perhaps making it a family event at a location such as Lake of the Ozarks. Problem of some people belonging to more than one association was discussed and the need to hold separate meetings.
Rex Ricketts suggested an ESP meeting at 10 a.m., UMEA at 11:00 a.m., a luncheon with awards, followed by other association meetings in the afternoon. Georgia Stuart-Simmons said ESP needs to decide an approach first. She said she felt the other association leaders were supportive of a joint meeting of some sort.
Action: Rex Ricketts moved that ESP offer a two-day event during the week (Thursday and Friday suggested) that includes an optional social get-together one evening, followed by association meetings the next day at Lake of the Ozarks. Pat Snodgrass seconded.
A bit more discussion was held about incorporating professional development as part of the event. Georgia Stuart-Simmons said scheduling it was a challenge: if held during the week, it would be easier for staff, but families would be eliminated. Georgia Stuart-Simmons said a survey to members was planned to get their feedback.
Rex’s motion was unanimously approved.
Georgia Stuart-Simmons and Rex Ricketts said they would help plan the activity. Other names of people who might help were mentioned: Susan Mills Gray, Virgil Woolridge, Rebecca Travnichek. (Note: Gail Carlson mentioned at the end of the meeting she would also be willing to help.)
The possibility of providing a professional development opportunity in connection with the annual meeting was discussed. Gail Carlson noted that this was discussed at the previous Board meeting in January and that Karla Spencer could pursue the idea. Pat Snodgrass suggested offering professional development early in the morning before any association meetings.
Georgia Stuart-Simmons said it sounded like the Board was in agreement that professional development would be a good idea. She said she would talk to Karla Spencer about it.
Georgia Stuart-Simmons said the association presidents had been in communication about various options by e-mail and all planned to talk with their boards to get feedback.

Committees

Memorials/Courtesy.

Wilma Jean Lower said four people were honored this year by our chapter:
Ardellah Hixenbaugh, Ozark Gateway Area Textiles and Apparel Management Specialist (Nov. 3, 2001)
Raymond Smith, Area Director (Jan. 10, 2002)
Clarence Klingner, State Extension Economist (Jan. 22, 2002)
James Francis Claxton, County Agent for Carroll, Perry and Cedar counties (Feb. 5, 2002).

Loan & Fellowship.

Pat Snodgrass said the committee had met and changed its previous policy on the award limit for faculty. The change was brought about as a result of only six fellowships being awarded in 2001 for a total of $5,000 out of an available $16,471.
The new maximum amount allowed for faculty was set at $1,500 instead of $1,000. Faculty also are now permitted to apply for the full $1,500 all at one time. She said faculty could now apply any time by e-mail by going to the web site; there were no longer restrictions on applying at a certain time of the year.
The Board suggested publicizing the committee’s policy changes again since several Board members said they were unaware of the change.
Dale Hagerman asked if the Loan & Fellowship funds could pay for professional development activity in the fall. Pat Snodgrass said she would ask the committee.
Gail Carlson said National ESP also offers mini-grants to faculty. After checking for more information on the National ESP web about the grants, Bob Schultheis said applications were accepted for four grants per year at $1,000 each, and that applications are accepted at any time. This $1,000 amount had recently changed from the previous $500 grant amount. Bob said he would change this information on our ESP web site. Gail Carlson said the mini-grant application form could be found in the National ESP Handbook in Section E, pages 5-8. (The form is available under the title “Mini-Grant Application” on the National ESP web site at http://espnational.org/forms.htm under “Scholarships/Grants.”)

Membership.

Rex Ricketts asked what the deadline is for submission for national awards and whether we had submitted nominations. Gail Carlson said it was March 1. Georgia Stuart-Simmons said she would check with Karen Funkenbush.

Retirement.

Dale Hagerman addressed the challenge of contacting retirees. He suggested taking a more proactive approach to that effort. He said this was needed to stay in touch with UM system-wide retirees, not just those who were in ESP. He said John Parker is leading an effort to contact retirees, but that a more comprehensive approach is needed due to the size of the task. The idea was brought up of including a notice in the “Life After Extension” publication that comes out every spring and fall, inviting retirees to submit their contact information and e-mail address. Dale said he would check on some possible ways to communicate with retirees to stay in touch.

OLD BUSINESS

Newsletter.

Newsletter deadlines: Upcoming ESP newsletter deadlines:
June 3 (June 14 publication)
August 30 (September 13 publication)
Georgia Stuart-Simmons asked what topics needed to be addressed in the upcoming newsletter. One topic identified was the ESP dues increase, especially in light of cancellation of UO/E Annual Conference and the fact that ESP would not have its regularly scheduled annual meeting at Annual Conference this year.
Georgia said she would ask Tom Henderson to write an article for the next newsletter explaining the dues increase to members. The Board discussed ESP benefits to members, such as professional development and networking, and agreed those should be stressed.
Georgia Stuart-Simmons said this year’s budget needs to be reviewed due to cancellation of Annual Conference and no ice cream social this year.
Other topics identified for the June newsletter: ESP awards (Karen), National Public Issues committee article (Roxanne), and JCEP meeting (Ina).

NEW BUSINESS (continued from earlier in the meeting)

Report on Administrative/Program Leader meetings.

Georgia Stuart-Simmons reported that she, as ESP president, and the other association presidents were invited by UO/E Administration to attend a series of administrative/program leader meetings to brainstorm ways to reduce expenses and generate revenue. Ina Metzger represented ESP at the meeting in March 2002, and Georgia attended a follow-up meeting in April 2002. Georgia said she thought the meeting she attended was very productive.
Georgia said one topic that was brought up was the request for UO/E to continue funding faculty attendance at their annual professional meetings to stay up-to-date with the latest in their fields. Other topics that were discussed: hold 16 positions in the state vacant, cancel Annual Conference, limit PIE/PDE training, schedule PIE/PDE training one week in the fall and one week in the spring, idea of offering opportunity to staff to work a reduced number of hours per week, and redirection of Outreach Development funds to other uses.

Next meeting.

Georgia Stuart-Simmons said the next Board meeting is at 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 27, 2002, in Columbia.
The need to discuss nominations procedure was mentioned. The positions of President-Elect, Secretary, and Annalist are up for election this year. The Board will discuss a procedure for holding an election if a meeting is not possible this year in any format. Georgia said National ESP had conducted business electronically successfully in the past, and an e-mail election might be an option. Gail Carlson said she was willing to help plan a joint association meeting as one possibility this fall.

Meeting adjourned: At 9:45 a.m. by President Georgia Stuart-Simmons.

Respectfully submitted,

Roxanne T. Miller, Secretary

Web Manager: Bob Schultheis
Webster County Extension Center
Email comments to: schultheisr@missouri.edu
Last revised: 11/05/09