Oct 8 2007 board meeting minutes

Oct. 8, 2007 board meeting minutes

Attendance: Bacha, Ball, Kemper, Kostyu, Lorz, Meyer, Monnin, Richter, Regan, Warren, Williams

President Mike Lorz called the meeting to order at 12:07 p.m.

Minutes accepted with amendments: The board accepted a motion by Dave Richter, seconded by Kevin Kemper, to accept the minutes from the Sept. 10, 2007, meeting prepared by Paul Kostyu (filling in for secretary Joe Meyer), with two changes: Name of the site for the Oct. 27 Ohio SPJ Awards banquet is the Confluence Park Restaurant (not River Club) and Mike Lorz’ mention of past Ohio SPJ financial accounting by the Cincinnati pro chapter was that we’ve never had access to the records, not that we are certain the contest funds were intermingled with Cincy chapter funds.

Minutes were approved with the changes, unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: See attached financial statements of Fifth Third checking account; PayPal account and Vanguard account from Treasurer Sarah Bacha.

Past Treasurer Dave Richter and President Lorz gave an update on getting proper billing for two past events at the Radisson Worthington: The Chapter owes money that could range from $800 to $1,400.

Programming: Jennifer Monnin was unable to attend but provided an e-mail list of upcoming events in various stages of planning.

Sherri Williams provided an update on the planned Nov. 15 Diversity event at the Jewish Community Center, which will focus on how the media are covering religion news; what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong; and spark lively discussion to provide journalists who attend with good story ideas in this field.

Lorz noted that the application deadline for a grant to stage an Ethics in Journalism program is Nov. 12; the program must be held between April 21-27, and we are looking for input on the programming. Subject matter this year is to focus on the SPJ Code of Ethics’ Act Independently section.

Mike also led discussion on two programs on New Media planned for January and February; Board discussion included suggested speakers and formats, perhaps for one full-day program split into two sessions on What’s New and Newsroom Applications. Hillary Warren offered Otterbein as a good site for any kind of “backpack journalist” program.

Other upcoming programs also were discussed, including another Meet the Kiplinger Fellows social; a Meet the Authors program with Connie Schultz and Cliff Treyens; and another National-packaged Newsroom Training Program.

Membership: Kevin Kemper provided written report and oral review of the 2007 SPJ National Convention, which he attended as the Chapter’s delegate.

Jeremy Steel of the Lansing State Journal, a business reporter and chapter president of the Mid-Michigan pro chapter, was elected as the new Region 4 director; Ohio University’s student chapter won the student chapter of the year award; The 2008 regional will be held March 14-15 in Pittsburgh; Kevin met with the Ohio State chapter head at the convention, and its members would like to participate in a social mixer with our Chapter members.

State and Regional SPJ
Ohio SPJ: Ball reported we need a volunteer to print award certificates for the Oct 27 event; Meyer suggested we job out the work to a printing company; Kemper volunteered to take the job to Advance Printing, which has done good work for us at reasonable rates in the past. Ball encouraged members to make reservations through the Chapter’s Web site/PayPal account.

Old Business: Kostyu remarked that the Law and Media Conference in early October, which the Chapter has co-sponsored for the last three or four years, went well. Jennifer Davis also attended and journalism students from OU and OSU were represented in another good program, staged by the Ohio State Bar Association.

Chapter President Julie Truck is back in town and now on the faculty at Ohio U., where her husband also is on the journalism staff.

New Business: None.

Adjournment: The board approved a motion by Richter, seconded by Ball, to adjourn at 1:02 p.m. Next meeting set for noon Nov. 12 at Plank’s Cafe, 743 Parsons Ave.

Minutes prepared by Joe Meyer, Chapter secretary