Winter 2001 p. 7

VASTA BOARD MEETING MINUTES

George Mason University-Fairfax, Virginia
August 5th 2000

Compiled by Phil Thompson, Secretary,
The Ohio State University

Present at the meeting were Deena Burke (DB), Rocco Dal Vera (RDV), Karen Ryker (KR), Dorothy Runk Mennen (DRM), Lisa Wilson (LW), Kate Ufema (KU), Janet Rodgers (JR), Marlene Johnson (MJ), Mandy Rees (MR), Betty Ann Leeseberg-Lange (BALL), Kate Burke (KB), Kate Devore (KD), Craig Ferre (CF), and Phil Thompson (PT).

[This is an abbreviated version of the minutes, a complete copy can be obtained by contacting Phil Thompson (see page 12)]

Saturday, August 5

9:10 A.M. Meeting called to order with the song, “Whom Doddy.”

KR MOVED THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 6&7, 1999 MEETING. BALL SECONDED. CORRECTIONS [CONCERNING THE BY-LAWS] WERE OFFERED. [THEN] THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

LW made a preliminary report on the budget. LW drew our attention particularly to increased expenses for the November board meeting. DB made a report on her investigation of travel expenses for the upcoming November meeting. The difficulty we face is that cheap airfares tend to be available only for those travelers with more flexibility. We know where we want to go and when and we know it far in advance. Unfortunately that doesn’t help us to get cheaper fares.

RDV gave his report on the Voice & Speech Review, a steaming fresh copy in his hand. He laid out the costs involved, demonstrating that, as currently constituted, the Journal is a money-losing proposition. We discussed some ways to save:

1. Reduce the scope of the Newsletter, publishing only twice yearly.
2. Publish the Newsletter on line for those who can receive it that way.
3. Separate membership dues from the price of the journal.

Discussion shifted to ways of increasing sales of the journal. BALL suggested contacting ATHE Forum Reps. MR suggested a call to our membership working at academic institutions to approach their libraries. RDV asked for guidance as to who should receive the journal. LW reminded us that our dues increased January of 1999, in order to cover expenses of beginning publication of the journal. She suggested that anyone joining since that date should be entitled to a journal. There was general assent. We further determined that August 15 should be the watershed date for receipt of a journal. That is to say, a member joining after August 15, 2000 will receive the 2001 journal and not that of the previous year.

Discussion then moved to the question of complimentary copies of the Voice & Speech Review and who should receive them. JR assented to BALL’s suggestion that a free copy should be sent to those contributors who wouldn’t already be receiving a copy as a member of VASTA. RDV’s working estimate was 20 recipients. In addition copies will be sent to the Advisory Board and to ATHE President Donna Aaronson.

After a break of five minutes we returned to hear DRM’s report on the current status of efforts to establish a dialogue between NATS, ASHA and VASTA. Some suggestions came forward for advancing this cause: BALL could write an article for the Review detailing work she has done creating a joint statement between acting and singing voice teachers of their shared understanding of voice training. DRM urged making contact with speech pathologists within one’s institution. KD made the fine distinction between speech path and voice path. She reminded us that only those concerned with voice (rather than stuttering or audiology let’s say) would be likely to form useful partnerships. JR recommended joining the Voice Foundation and attending their annual meeting in Philadelphia. KD suggested that someone put down on paper what the theatre voice trainer can offer the speech pathologist. We suggested that “someone” was she. KR suggested bringing up the topic at “Things That Work.” DRM, KR, and BALL are the subcommittee charged with advancing communications between NATS, ASHA and VASTA. They will continue that work. DRM also mentioned that she had been approached by Dora Orenstien of the New York Singing Teacher’s Association with the proposal of a joint conference of our two organizations. KU cautioned that we not commit ourselves as far as we had with our joint conference with ATME. JR empowered DRM to continue exploring the possibility of co-sponsoring such a conference.

We adjourned for lunch.

Upon our return, MR gave her report on the final edits to the by-laws. [After considerable discussion concerning Membership Categories in the by-laws, the following was proposed.]

MR MOVED THAT UNDER ARTICLE 4 OF OUR BY-LAWS, SECTION 4.1 (CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP) BE CHANGED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

Section 4.1 CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP. The Association shall have at least 4 classes of membership open to all persons interested in furthering the purposes of the organization, as well as other classes provided from time to time by the Board of Directors. [See page 3 for the new categories and the rationale behind the changes reached by the Board in this discussion.]

DB SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED WITH SEVEN VOTES IN FAVOR, ONE AGAINST.

MR MOVED THE ADDITION TO SECTION 7.1.B OF THE FOLLOWING OFFICER POSITIONS:

11. Director of Technology/Internet Services

12.Archivist

TOGETHER WITH AN ADDITION TO SECTION 7.7. DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

N. The Director of Technology/Internet Services shall:

1. Be responsible for maintaining the VASTA website.

O. The Archivist shall:

1. Be responsible for maintaining the VASTA archives.

DB SECONDED THE MOTION, WHICH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

We then moved on to a brief report on internet issues from Eric Armstrong delivered by KD. She passed on Eric’s suggestion of possibly maintaining our membership database online with read-only access by the membership and access for editing by the relevant officers. LW made it very clear that she was not interested in having to learn an entirely new interface. It is difficult enough to keep things up to date as it is. The suggestion was also made (by whom, the recorder’s memory fails to recall) that the by-laws should be placed on the web page.

BA gave a brief report on the current conference, reminded us of the first day’s schedule. KD, again speaking for Eric Armstrong, reported on initial plans for the 2001 conference. The conference will be held in Chicago, hosted by Roosevelt. A discussion of next year’s conference dates led finally to the proposal that we poll the membership for their preferred dates.

JR planted in our collective bonnet the following bee—that 2006 will mark our twentieth year.

JR solicited suggestions for replacements to the offices of Bibliography Editor and Marketing/Membership Chair.

We then turned to the choice of President Elect. Our initial discussions narrowed our selection to KU and MR. After a long sequestered discussion of the Board, less officers and the two candidates, KU was elected to the office.

CF gave a report on the Newsletter, which amounted to this simple fact: All costs for the Newsletter increased. JR made three recommendations for reducing costs:

1. Publish twice, rather than thrice yearly.
2. Publish the Newsletter electronically (Either on the web or through e-mail)
3. Print on less expensive paper. CF expressed some reluctance to shift from 3 to 2 yearly publications. CF and Paul Meier will follow through, investigating these and any other means of reducing costs.

Meeting dates were chosen for November’s board meeting in Chicago. At JR’s suggestion . . . MR MOVED THAT FRANKIE ARMSTRONG BE GRANTED HONORARY MEMBERSHIP. KR SECONDED. THE MOTION PASSED WITH 5 VOTES IN FAVOR, 1 ABSTENTION AND 1 VOTE OPPOSED.

KR presented the Promotion & Tenure Guidelines suggesting that we continue our discussions of revisions via email.

BALL made a report on this year’s ATHE meeting. She suggested sending VASTA members to each of the many ATHE meetings. She also reported on new changes to the guidelines for requesting funds from ATHE for focus group activity. CF suggested linking one of our high profile VASTA presenters to an ATHE presentation. ATHE could then support that presenter’s travel costs.

And then, the ending time being upon us, we adjourned.

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