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MN SPJ Board Meeting Minutes
Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Time: 7p.m.
Location: WCCO-TV, 90 S. 11th St., Minneapolis, MN Continue reading →

MN SPJ Board Meeting Minutes
Date: Monday, Feb. 11, 2013
Time: 6:30p.m.
Location: Bring Me the News Offices, 110 5th St. N, Minneapolis, MN Continue reading →

SPJ Meeting Minutes
Sept. 12, 2012 7pm
The Loop Bar and Restaurant
700 Washington Ave. N.
Minneapolis

Present:
Pres. Amanda Theisen, Sara McKenzie, Kelly Smith, Sarah Bauer, Art Hughes, Anna Pratt, Drew Kerr, Chris Newmarker, Joan Gilbertson, Alyssa Ford

II. Treasurer’s Report – Newmarker
See handout – Finances are on track. ‘Down about $1,000 from this time last year’.

III. EIJ Convention update – A Theisen
Sept 20-22
Six board members going to National Convention in Fort Lauderdale.
Nothing of major controversy on agenda.
New procedure – one member, one vote–every member votes on candidates, not just convention attendees.

IV. Programming – Smith
Thursday, Sept 20th – at Psycho Suzies, voting party and happy hour.
Director at Large and student representatives are the contested races.

Outline for the programing year:
(handout)

Exciting about narrative writing in Oct.

MJC – A. Theisen
Oct 6 or 20 for the first MJC meeting with AP, NBNA, Emmys, RTNDA
Conference tentatively first week of April.
Balance of periodic programs – question: have one a month or have fewer that aim for better attendance.
Preliminary preference is for fewer/better. Focus events on what journalists need.
(brainstorming)

Bauer – reminder to go with 4-6 week lead time to ensure adequate planning.

If members have programing ideas – talk to A. Theisen or A. Pratt. Specifically looking for print (as opposed to broadcast) ideas.

V. Membership – Pratt, Bauer
Bauer – month of Sept. is national Membership Month for national, based on Minnesota’s pioneering idea. ‘Each One, Reach One’. Members reach out to one non-member and ask them to join #joinspj.

VI FOI – Kerr, Hughes
Kerr asks for ideas to tackle
MnCOGI is planning an event in Oct on Camera’s in the Court
‘Johnny Northside’ case.

VII. Communications – Bauer
a. Email maintenance – if ever request needs response, all people with access to email account can forward to Bauer. Could mean the difference between a member joining and not.
b. Website needs updating. Newmarker says he’s willing to update.

VII. Old Business
Theisen – split cost of attending Journo 360 conference in November with AAJA or TCBJ to send people to fundraiser for a table on Nov. 2. SPJ would pay $250.
Bauer asks whether this might be something that sets precedent that we would have to then apply to other journalism groups.
Motion – Hughes – direct President to discuss possibility with other journo groups
(McKenzie – 2nd)
Vote – 9-0 in favor

IX. New business
(none)

X. Set next Meeting Date

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.

MN SPJ Board Meeting
Date: March 22, 2012
Location: Finance & Commerce, 720 Second Ave. S, Minneapolis

Present Board Members: Alyssa Ford (President), Chris Newmarker (Treasurer), TaLeiza
Calloway (Secretary), Amanda Theisen (President-Elect), Art Hughes, Kelly Smith, Anna Pratt,
Dan Haugen, Scott Theisen, Joan Gilbertson, Sarah and Bauer (Past President). Absent Board
members: Sarah McKenzie.

I. Treasurer’s Report
Board Treasurer Chris Newmarker informed the board that we are about $1,000 down from
2011. President Alyssa Ford and Past President Sarah Bauer told him that they had money to
turn in for previous events.

II. Programming
Anna Pratt (Programming Chair) gave the board an update on upcoming events. The Midwest
Journalism Conference is March 30 & 31 in Bloomington. The lineup includes the following
events:
-April 12: A panel discussion centered on cameras in the courtroom
-May 3: Marriage Amendment Event. Pratt said details are still being determined.
-Page One: (the search continues for a speaker so that a date can be locked in)

Board member Dan Haugen updated the board on a summer outing for journalists. Haugen said
we could take in a St. Paul Saints game July 10 and could save money by setting up box seating
for $20 per person. The total cost for the event would require an up-front payment of $400.
Board members agreed to charge SPJ members $10 to attend and $20 for non-SPJ members. A
maximum of 30 people is needed for the event to take place.

Haugen made a motion to cut a check for $400 for the St. Paul Saints event and charge members
$10 and non-SPJ members $20. Amanda Theisen seconded the motion. The motion passed
unanimously.

III. Taylor Cisco’s Resignation
Board President Alyssa Ford announced that board member Taylor Cisco has resigned from the
board. The board agreed to keep his seat open and fill it during the approaching election.

IV. Page One Speaker
Board member Amanda Theisen informed the board that she has submitted a request for Soledad
O’Brien. Other possible speakers include Bill Weir, Ira Glass and Lisa Ling. Board member Art
Hughes was asked to campaign for Ira Glass. Stressing the need to lock in a speaker, the decision
will be based on who accepts our invitation first, Theisen said.

V. Judging High School Contest
Board member Kelly Smith gave a brief update on the judging of a high school essay contest.
She had received three submissions and requested some board members stay a few minutes after
the meeting to read/judge the essays.

VI. Scholarship Update
Minnesota SPJ will offer two scholarships in the amount of $2,400 this year. The deadline to
apply is April 13. Theisen said it is time to start contacting local businesses and restaurants for
donations to the Silent Auction that helps fund the scholarships. She also suggested that the
board not match the amount raised at the auction.

VII. First Amendment Free Food Forum
Alyssa Anderson, president of the student SPJ chapter at the University of Minnesota requested
a $200 grant from the chapter to help fund their signature event, a First Amendment Free Food
Forum. Anderson explained that the chapter has a budget of $700 and most goes to this event.
Amanda Theisen made a motion to give the UofM SPJ chapter $200 for their annual First
Amendment Free Food Forum. Board member Joan Gilbertson seconded the motion.
During discussion of the motion, board member Art Hughes suggested the motion be amended
and to give the chapter $300 highlighting Anderson dedication by attending the board meeting.
Hughes made a motion in support of the amending the amount of $200 to $300 for UofM grant
request. Board member TaLeiza Calloway seconded the motion. The vote passed unanimously.

VIII. Cameras in the Courtroom
Board member Hughes said the grounds for this discussion come from board member Gilbertson
being the first TV reporter to have a camera in a courtroom. Progress continues but at a slow
pace. Details about what’s next are still taking shape. Gilbertson said judges are concerned about
who the journalists are when it comes to bringing the cameras in the courtroom.
Hughes said there have been five cameras in courts. Gilbertson said one of the problems is that
court calendars are not available thus reporters are at the mercy of the judge.

IX. Other Business
Brief discussion of Hoff vs. Moore and the chapter’s involvement. Past president Sarah Bauer
informed the chapter that it is still a party to the case.
Judging Round1: Bauer thanked those board members who assisted in the first round of judging
for the Detroit SPJ contest. Round 2 of judging has started as entries from the Indiana chapter
have come in. Bauer and board member Scott Theisen asked for volunteers to assist with
judging. The deadline to submit results is April 2.

X. Next meeting
The next board meeting is 7 p.m. April 26 at the St. Cloud Public Library.

MN-SPJ Board Meeting Minutes
Nov. 1, 2011
Location: Joe’s Garage, 1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis, MN
6:30 p.m.

Board Members Present: Alyssa Ford, Anna Pratt, Sarah McKenzie, Kelly Smith, Scott Theisen, Chris Newmarker, Art Hughes Dan Haugen and TaLeiza Calloway.
Board member Amanda Theisen was not present.
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