Minutes of NINA Board of Directors Meeting
Note: A quorum was not present. The three voting actions taken today should be revisited for an official board vote at the next meeting.
Members present (10): Sharon Boehlefeld (1st VP), Colin O'Donnell (past president), Roger Ruthhart, Jim Killam (communications coordinator), Brian Thornton (executive secretary), Rick Nagel, Mike Cetera, Josh Albrecht, Pam Lannom, Jim Slonoff (treasurer).
Members absent (11): Greg Rivara (President), Pete Nenni (2nd VP), John Etheredge, Joe Corrado, Jay Dickerson, Penny Wiegert, Wally Haas, Denise Renckens, Kim Kubiak, Lonny Cain, Randy Swikle.
Boehlefeld (for Rivara) called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m.
Minutes of the Jan. 19 board meeting were approved (Ruthhart motion / O'Donnell second).
Treasurer's report:
Slonoff said the February end-of-month balances were $5.94 in savings and
$5,157.71 in checking. This does not include $2,310 in Fall Conference registration
fees that he deposited Thursday, nor the $220 NINA cleared from Thursday's
news writing workshop. Also anticipated soon are payments for Fall Conference
expenses and the annual scholarships for NIU journalism students.
Report accepted (Ruthhart / Lannom).
Executive secretary's report:
No report
President's report:
No report
Program Committee report:
Boehlefeld is finalizing details for the April 27 Spring Conference. Speaker
is Dirk Johnson. Details to be mailed in a flier in the next week.
Fall Conference ideas were discussed. The committee is looking at an over-arching
theme of journalistic ethics, where reporters and editors might split into
groups arranged by beats - a sort of "ultimate networking" situation
where they would discuss ethical issues particular to those beats.
Education Committee report:
Nagel (for Nenni) said Thursday's writing workshop was a success. There
were 27 paid attendees and presenter Denise Crosby of the Beacon News did
a great job.
Next workshop is June 14, and will focus on new media. Site will either
be The Observer in Rockford or (more likely) a computer lab at NIU-DeKalb,
if hands-on training is needed. Potential presenters and/or organizers include
board members Denise Renckens and Killam, along with people from the Rockford
Register Star and the Daily Herald. More details soon.
36 high-school seniors have applied for the annual scholarships. Nagel and Etheredge are meeting April 12, and the encourage other board members to help judge the entries, starting at 9 a.m. at the Beacon News in Aurora.
Membership Committee report:
No report.
Resource Committee / Communication Coordinator Report:
Killam plans to introduce a blog - and maybe several - aimed at reporters
and editors at member newspapers. Also possible is expanding NINA's listserv
so individual newsroom staffers would receive e-mail reminders of upcoming
training events.
Instead of a traditional spring newsletter, he will do a flier for the spring
conference, which also will include information on other workshops coming
this year.
Old Business
None.
New Business
Thornton and Killam showed the board NIU's suggestions for contest revisions
in rules and categories. After board input, the list will be refined and
a final draft will be sent to board members before implementation for this
year's contest.
The board authorized $300 - $100 for a winner in each of the three circulation
categories - for NIU to award as cash prizes for a yet-to-be-specified category
(Slonoff / Ruthhart)
Next board meeting: Friday, June 22, at the Northern Star, NIU-DeKalb.
Meeting adjourned at 11:35 a.m.
Minutes submitted by Jim Killam,
communications coordinator, 3-23-07.
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