Members present (16): Pam Lannom, Owen Phelps, Randy Swikle, Jan Larsen, Rich Rostron, Greg Rivara, Jim Killam, John Etheredge, Richard Parmater, Lonny Cain, Tom Martin, Jeannine Otto, Wally Haas, Roger Ruthhart, Colin O"Donnell, Rick Nagel, Jim Slonoff.

Members absent (4): Lois Self, Kim Kubiak, Joe Corrado, Ray Karges

Guest present: Dana Ditrichs-Kunkel

New President Pam Lannom called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m.

Minutes of 12-6-02 board meeting approved.

Treasurer's report: Slonoff reported a Dec. 31 checking account balance of $2,151.78, and a savings account balance of $5.94. Report approved unanimously.

NINA's revenue and expenses for 2002 were:

Revenue

Spring conference	$625.00
Dues	$3,445.00
High school advisers conference	$170
Fall conference	$2,705
Total	$7,095

Expenses

Spring conference	$359.11
Newsletter	$305.00
Postage, mail:	$764.34
High school scholarships	$698.73
College scholarships	$2,000
High school advisers conference	$129.08
Fall conference	$2,326.91
Communications Coordinator	$600
Board dinner	$340
Total	$7,523.17

Proposed budget for 2003

Revenue

Spring conference	$750
Dues	$3,750
High school advisers conference	$300
Fall conference	$3,000
Total	$7,800

Expenses

Spring conference	$500
Newsletter	$360
Postage, mail	$750
High school scholarships	$800
College scholarships	$2,000
High school advisers conference	$125
Fall conference	$2,400
Communications coordinator	$600
Board dinner	$250
Total	$7,785

Budget approved unanimously (Phelps motion, O"Donnell second).

Communications coordinator's report: Killam noted that Kim Kubiak has regretfully resigned from the board, having taken a job as executive director of the DeKalb area chamber of commerce.
The Illinois College Press Association convention is Feb. 21-22 at the Holiday Inn City Centre in Chicago. Killam reminded board members of the job fair Feb. 21 and asked them to contact him or John David Reed at Eastern Illinois University if interested.

President's report: Lannom read resignation letters to the board from Kim Kubiak and Cheryl Wormley. She said she also has not heard from board member Ray Karges about whether he is interested in continuing as a member.
The board unanimously voted to:

• Accept Rich Rostron of the Woodstock Independent as a new member, for a three-year term (Ruthart motion, Cain second). He replaces Kubiak, who resigned at the end of her three-year term.
• Approve renewed memberships for the board class of '05: Killam, Etheredge, Martin, Phelps and O'Donnell. (Larsen motion, Ruthhart second)
• Approve new officers and committee assignments for 2003. They are:

Executive committee:
President - Pam Lannom
1st Vice President - Tom Martin
2nd Vice President - Joe Corrado
Past President - Jan Larsen
Treasurer - Jim Slonoff
At-Large Member: Colin O'Donnell
Executive Secretary - Lois Self

Program Committee: Chair Tom Martin, Lonny Cain, Colin O'Donnell, Jeannine Otto, Richard Parmater

Education Committee: Chair Joe Corrado, John Etheredge, Wally Haas, Rick Nagel, Greg Rivara, Rich Rostron, Randy Swikle

Membership Committee: Chair Jan Larsen, Owen Phelps, Roger Ruthhart, Jim Slonoff

Resource Committee: Chair Colin O'Donnell, Jim Killam

The resource committee may be abolished. Lannom plans to proposed bylaws changes prior to the April spring conference, at which members would vote.

Slonoff asked if the bylaws also should include an attendance stipulation for board members to remain on the board. The board consensus was to handle those situations informally rather than create a formal rule.

Potential members were discussed, to fill the one-year vacancy left by Wormley's resignation. Lannom will contact several people to gauge their interest.

Program committee report: Martin said the spring conference theme is "Taking the Pulse of Your Medical Community." Three yet-to-be determined speakers will address how newspapers can investigate how well doctors and hospitals are serving their communities. The spring conference will be held April 25 at Oak Trust Credit Union in Oakbrook Terrace (map at www.oaktrust.com)

Education committee report: Etheredge (for Corrado) said at least two workshops are planned this year, one around March and one in late summer or early fall. The latter will be another workshop for high school advisers, which also may include sessions for students. Also, the approved budget includes $800 for high school scholarships: $400 for first place, $200 for second, $100 for third and $100 for plaque expense.

Membership committee report: Larsen said four members officially have dropped: The Boone County Journal, Chicago Citizen, Metamora Herald and Mirror Democrat. She plans to continue emphasizing individual memberships, especially for stringers, and will send out a recruiting letter this spring.
Also, free one-year memberships will be offered to targeted newspapers/groups which haven't been members for two years or more.

Shop Talk:

• Rivara: Kane County Chronicle working on its Progress edition. He also is down two reporters.
• Killam: The Northern Star's Internet radio project launches Feb. 3. It will include local music and Northern Star news.
• Etheredge: Lost his best stringer to retirement. Is looking at retired teachers as a potential resource.
• Cain: Ottawa's Kroger store closed. It had been a big advertiser.
• Martin: Looking for stringers.
• Otto: Papers focusing coverage on several school referendums.
• Haas: The Register Star is partnering with the Freeport Journal Standard, Beloit Daily News and Janesville Gazette for an experimental project looking at growth and development in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Coverage will appear in all four papers in early April.
• Ruthhart: Progress editions under way.
• O'Donnell: The Daily Herald's new printing facility went online in December. It's located on the Elgin-O'Hare expressway. The paper's transition to 50-inch web is under way.
• Nagel: A change in duties has him in charge of A-section content and working a night shift.
  Slonoff: Said he's noticed a lot of talented graphics people looking for jobs. The Doings won six national awards in the Suburban Newspapers of America contest, including Lannom winning first place for editorial writing and second place for column writing.
• Phelps: Teaching a graduate course on organizational design.
• Swikle: His student editor at Johnsburg won a Gannett "Free Spirit Award" which includes $1,000 and a trip to Washington. The school also plans a First Amendment week in March, to celebrate Johnsburg's recognition by the Freedom Forum as a First Amendment School. The school has been traumatized, he said, by the disappearance of a student in December, in which foul play is suspected.
• Larsen: The Herald News' circulation is up more than 3,000 from this time last year. Matt Cappellini has been promoted to city editor.
• Rostron: The Independent is looking for a part-time graphics person. He also is planning a grammar workshop for his stringer staff.
• Ditrichs-Kunkel: The communication department's search for an assistant journalism professor continues. 18 applications were received and three people will be interviewed.

Next meeting: Friday, April 4 at the Northern Star

Meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m., followed by a lunch discussion with NIU students about the RedEye and Red Streak newspapers.

Minutes submitted by Jim Killam, communications coordinator, 1-27-03.

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