Society of Professional Journalists
Minnesota Pro Chapter
Board of Directors meeting
Feb. 18, 2008
Minnesota News Council offices, Minneapolis
Feb. 18, 2008 Meeting Minutes (PDF)
Board members present: Joan Gilbertson, president; Dave Beal, treasurer; Nicole Garrison-Sprenger, President elect; Scott Theisen, secretary; Art Hughes, past president; Sarah Bauer, Amanda Lutz, Alyssa Ford, Jeff Achen, Andy Tellijohn and Karen Lundegaard, directors.
I. Treasurer’s Report
The total of the Wells Fargo accounts was $30,292 as of Jan. 1, 2008. $17,110 in the savings account, $2,470 in the checking account and $10,712 in a CD. Treasurer Beal also reported that $783 has been earned from interest on the three accounts. Estimates show that the organization is down about $1,000 from this time in 2007.
CD Renewal- The Wells Fargo CD has been renewed with a five-month certificate that expires on 6/28/08 and carries an annual percentage yield of 3.45% vs. 3.75% four our previous seven-month CD. Rates on CDs fell sharply in January and are still dropping.
II. Programs
A. Ethics in Online Journalism
The online ethics program is scheduled for Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at Minnesota Public Radio’s UBS Forum, which has a capacity of 120 people. Notices and flyers have been e-mailed to members and media contacts. Director Achens plans to video tape the event for the Web site and MPR plans to stream live video on their site during the event. Board members continue to work on preparing posters, programs and contacting bloggers to blog from the event.
The event will be hosted by Bob Collins, the creator of MPR’s News Cut blog, joined by Dan Gillmor, director of the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School for Journalism and Mass Communications.
B. Regional Conference
The Regional Conference is scheduled for Mar. 28-29 in Bloomington. The St. Paul Pioneer Press and St. Cloud Times are planning to contribute money, while donations from other media companies are still being sought.
(Regional Cont.)
Panels are in the process of being arranged and include: Political Showdown, Comment Boards, Life After Buyouts, Breaking into Print and Facebook/Myspace.
C. Ethics
Bauer and Kirtley are coordinating the Ethics Week program discussing wartime journalism. The event will be either Monday, April 22 or Tuesday, April 23. The New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt has been proposed as a possible speaker.
D. Ethnic Media Training
An ethnic media-training event is being planned for April. The training covers Freedom Of Information for ethnic media members. Board members are continuing to work on finding a location and setting a date.
III. Page One
A. President Gilbertson asked the board members to think of a possible speaker.
B. The Town and Country Club in St. Paul will likely be the venue for the dinner and awards presentation. The Town and Country Club has been the venue of the two previous banquets.
C. Popovich Award Nominees
Board members are considering nominees for this year’s Popovich Award. Secretary Theisen will search for a list of previous winners and report back to the board.
IV. Other Business
A. Scholarships
Volunteering board members will gather with director Lutz to judge scholarship candidates. Lutz reported that she had received 11 applications.
B. Scripps Training
President Gilbertson asked who would be interested in attending the Scripps training program. Interested members will let her know.
C. Sort Page One Entries
As we have received entries for the Page One contest, the board will sort the entries into categories and package them to be sent for judging.
Next Meeting: The next meeting is planned for Mar. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at WCCO-TV.
The board adjourned on a motion by Theisen, seconded by Lutz.