MN SPJ Board Meeting
Date: April 26, 2012
Location: Bravo Burritos, 68-33rd Ave. S, St. Cloud, MN, 7 p.m.
Present Board Members: Amanda Theisen (President-Elect), Art Hughes, TaLeiza Calloway (Secretary), Kelly Smith, Anna Pratt (via conference call), Dan Haugen, Scott Theisen and Sarah McKenzie. Absent Members: Alyssa Ford (President), Sarah Bauer (Past President), Joan Gilbertson, Chris Newmarker (Treasurer).
I. Treasurer’s Report
President-Elect Amanda Theisen informed the board the chapter has $15,147.87 in its checking account; $10,038.74 in savings; $10,242.73, CD. The chapter total is: $35,429.34.
Payments made in April include:
-$250 for Ethics Event with Silha Center.
-$200 to St. Cloud State University for First Amendment Forum
-$100 to Alliance Francaise for Journalists’ Welcome Luncheon
-$400 for down payment on St. Paul Saints event
II. Programming
Board member Anna Pratt informed the board of an upcoming joint social hour with AAJA/ONA. The Happy Hour is slated for May 17 at The Republic.
Pratt made a motion to spend $100 for the Happy Hour. Board member Kelly Smith seconded the motion. The vote passes unanimously.
-June AAJA Event at WCCO: Pratt said the programming committee is still waiting on confirmation.
-Media Training with Minneapolis Fire Dept.: President-Elect Amanda Theisen said the date of this event could be in June. Board members thought September might be better. Details are still being finalized.
-Board member Dan Haugen provided an update on the St. Paul Saints outing planned for July 10. The cost is $10 for SPJ members and $20 for non-SPJ members. A minimum of 20 seats is needed for the reservation. We will need an exact count for the day of the event.
III. FOI Update
No report
IV. Page One Event
-Page One is tentatively planned for June 19 at Town and Country. Board member Theisen is working with speaker Rebecca Jarvis to confirm the date.
-Board members discussed a possible change to ticket prices. The consensus was to continue to charge SPJ members $40 and non-SPJ $50.
-Theisen asked board members to start soliciting donations for this year’s silent auction. Board members also considered adding a donation form to the chapter website.
-Board member Art Hughes explained the criteria for the Popovich Award and the award’s history. It is an honor for lifetime achievement. The plan is to select the winner at the May meeting.
V. Membership
-Board members wrote thank you notes to new members.
-Elections: The annual meeting is set for June 28 at Joe’s Garage. Ballots will open May 25 and the election will close June 27.
With this being the first year for an online election, board member Haugen suggested calling members to announce the approaching election.
VI. Student Relations
-Scholarship recipients Grace Webb (MSU-Mankato) and Lindsay B. (SCSU) will attend the Page One banquet to claim their award.
Theisen made a motion to pay $80 for the Page One admission of the scholarship recipients. Board member TaLeiza Calloway seconded the motion. Vote passes unanimously.
VII. Chapter Business
-Theisen reminded the board that the chapter’s annual report is due May 15.
-board members were asked to think about who will represent the chapter at the National Convention (Sept. 20-22, Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
VIII. New Business
-Board member Hughes is attending a NFOC conference in Wisconsin the coming weekend.
-Theisen was headed to spring board meeting in Indianapolis April 27.
IX. The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at The Republic.
Meeting Adjourned at 9 p.m.
Our keynote speaker will be Rebecca Jarvis, co-host of “CBS This Morning: Saturday” and business/economics correspondent for CBS News. Jarvis, a Minneapolis native, began working for CBS News in 2010. Prior to that, she worked as a business journalist for CNBC, Crain’s Chicago Business, and Business 2.0. Jarvis is a 2003 graduate of the University of Chicago. 
