Minutes of the VASTA Board Meetings

Present August 8: Carolyn Blackinton, Kate Burke, Kate DeVore, Marian Hampton, Dudley Knight, BettyAnn Leeseberg-Lange, Dorothy Runk Mennen, Mandy Rees, Janet Rodgers, Sandra Shotwell, Kate Ufema, Joan Melton

Pres BALL called meeting to order and distributed:

• chart for Managing Complex Change
• Table of Contents and detailed Outline of VASTA Retreat
• VASTA Vision Goals­1998-2005

Board discussed transition to member directed organization, and agreed that VASTA Vision Goals would be distributed at conference and sent to the full membership in the fall, along with the Newsletter.

Brief discussion re VASTA archival materials and where they should be housed.

Minutes of November meetings reviewed, corrected, and accepted as revised.

KDV discussed 1998 conference arrangements and budget. Fifty-nine persons registered, excluding presenters. Very effective to have had KU, SS and KDV working on conference; strongly suggest continuation of three person team for conference planning.

Report by CB on VASTA programming at ATHE. List of VASTA workshops, panels and meetings distributed. Detailed discussion of process of workshop/panel development, role of conference planner, board. Board agreed that final decisions are made by conference planner, board is advisory.

Board voted unanimously to pay 1997/98 ATHE Conference fees for CB. VASTA is responsible for ATHE conference fees for conference planner. SS moved, MR seconded.

VASTA Special Conferences and Regional Conferences. Detailed discussion. Board agreed that "Special" should include "Regional" conferences, that VASTA Bylaws make that provision already, and that Barbara Acker, as Director of Special Conferences, also serves as Regional Conference Director.

Report from SS, Editor of VASTA Newsletter. Would like more feedback re what members want to have included. Ideas discussed:

1. how to subscribe to VASTAVOX;
2. conference summaries by three VASTA members;
3. VASTA news on the internet.

ATHE Forum report by JR. Formal report distributed and discussed. There are 23 focus groups, four separately incorporated. Important that VASTA maintain visibility. "We have pathed the way for many other focus groups." JR suggests that VASTA apply for Special Projects grant of $1,000 to get journal off the ground.

Discussion of college/graduate credit for attendance at conferences.

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New Officers, Chairs, Conference Planners and Associates. JR distributed report re need to fill five positions:

1. Yearly conference planner for 1999,
2. Assistant to Conference Planner,
3. ATHE Conference Planner for 1999 and 2000,
4. Assistant ATHE Planner,
5. Treasurer.

Lengthy discussion followed. Final decisions would be made during the conference.

VASTA awards. DRM announced that the Clyde Vinson award would go to Kate DeVore and the service award would be a surprise.

Treasurer's Report. KU distributed handouts/update on VASTA budget. Budget is in excellent shape. Discussion/brainstorming re financial support for journal.

Donna Aronson delivered official welcome to San Antonio and Incarnate Word College.

GOALS 2005 REPORTS

1. International Relations.

Conference 2000. Will be in Washington, DC, at George Mason University August 6-8 (ATHE August 2-5). JR presented details re excellent facilities at GMU, its proximity to capital, especially for international attendees.

Board discussed possibilities for financial assistance to international members. Brainstorming re actual events during conference and possibility of co-sponsorship.

Relations with International Organizations. Board discussed relationship of VASTA to other organizations of Voice and Speech trainers. Consensus was that VASTA should link and collaborate with, not seek to be an umbrella for, other groups.

2. Communications

DK presented report on VASTA journal. Distributed letter from Rocco Dal Vera, journal editor. Discussion of name, decision to ask membership at conference for suggestions, then meet August 10, to consider and finalize title. KU to take care of ballots; DK to announce title on final day of conference.

Discussion of publishing strategies, financial support, and advisory board for journal. Pamphlet prepared by RDV to go out with fall newsletter.

DK reported on VASTAVOX. Doing well, many non-member subscribers. Reminded that if messages do not apply to entire group, send to individuals. BALL suggested guidelines for appropriate material, also reminder that all messages go into archives.

Report from SS re Newsletter. Discussion of specific ideas and topics, e.g., theatre voice and singing, voice/movement therapy, technology bibliography, articles by presenters.

Website report from Eric Armstrong­email distributed. Board consensus granted permission for EA to purchase software to make Professional Index a searchable database. Discussion re what should be members only searchable; all current info is public.

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