MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes March 2013

University Club

East Lansing, MI

March 17, 2013

Present, MPC  Board members:, Marilyn Frye, Ralph Hutchison, Laura Pierce, Michael Rudy, E Schmitt, E. Waiess.  Past President: Murray Meisels. President Elect: D. Klein. Members: Janet Boyer, Jennifer Rahn.

1. The minutes of the meeting of Feb 17, 2013 were approved unanimously.

2. Treasurer -Michael Rudy

• The organization’s net worth is hovering around $50K. The development fund has increased.
• The checking account may not be quite as much as is desirable at this time of year.
• Membership is good.
• It is significant that we had no income from the conference that was cancelled last fall.  As we think about expenditures, consider that we’re not quite flush.  Meetings are 50% of our expenditures (advertising and expenses).  Board members are asked to ommunicate with Rudy as we see expenses coming up.
• The Sophie Lovinger Fund, is entirely separate.  Also an entirely separate emergency fund.
• Laura Pierce: we must keep in mind the expenses, including advertising, for the retreat.

3. President - Elizabeth Waiess

• No president report.
• Accreditation report (Ralph Hutchison): The work continues. The committee is  composing possible discussion guidelines. The process is on track to present at the self-study group.  The people planning the retreat are waiting for some info on this.

4. Past President –  Murray Meisels .  No Report

5. President Elect – David Klein

• Margery Adelson will run for programs. (Hooberman has committed to helping with programs.) And Alice Michael will run for Secretary.  There are 2 more  positions without candidates so far: VP for certification and Member-at large.   Atwell asks  how to proceed. The process is slow, using phone calls and conversation; the ballot will not be out timely, but this is a good way to find committed people. Janet Boyer notes that there will be a hold on the Directory until we know who the Board members will be. We need the board selected by the end of April.
• The board thanked Klein for the Bulletin…beautiful.  Klien wants book review section to grow.  It tends to reflect the previous year, intellectual life of the organization.

6. Education and Training –  Peter Wood    no report

7. Programs – Michelle Rivette   no report

8. Certification – Sonya Freiband   no report

9. Committee Reports

• Membership – Janet Boyer

letters/reminders were sent out. Membership is up to 85, which is a little low; it’s usually round 100.  She e-mailed everything….it went smoothly.

• Klein: There have been 4 membership chairs in the last 4 years. Is there something wrong? A large turnover rate. It is a lot of work. Issues:  the website going down, and Google.  It is suggested to look into using Paypal.

The board discussed the membership categories. The definitions of “inactive” and “retired” seem not clear or as useful as they should be, nor clearly enough related to certification. We want to encourage those who move away to stay connected and continue to support the organization, and not penalize them by how the membership structure works. We don’t have an out-of-state category.  David: moving out of state would be of no consequence, if not retired. Perhaps we should have a category of “friends” of the MPC?    Need to clarify $50 certification fee if there is, indeed, such a thing. Meisels says that being certified, for any reason, costs $125. Hutchison moved that the discussion of membership categories be turned over  to a committee and produce a recommendation.  Pierce seconded.  The motion passes, 6 in favor, 2 against.

• Elections – Marybeth Atwell     see above
• PCD:  No Report
• Bulletin:  David Klein    see above
• Website - Reena Liberman    no report
• Social Action: no report
• Gender  & Diversity: no report
• Newsletter: no report
• Parliamentarian & Bylaws:  no report
• Strategic Planning:  no report

• Programs:

We have to decide whether Fall conference is 1 or 2 days.  If 1-day, Saturday. The invited speaker and some members enthusiastically favor  a 2-day event on grounds that it would be a good way to draw people into the organization. One idea is to make one of the days a class, a professional development class.

Klein: Brenda Lepisto and Fran Waters (invited speaker) have a lot of energy for this and a 2-day event might generate excitement; it  makes sense to go with people’s energy.  On the other hand, if we don’t draw enough people it will be demoralizing and financial problem for the organization.  Hutchison: would pre-enrollment ease the anxiety?

It was moved by _Pierce and seconded by Schmitt that we proceed with a Friday night/Saturday event, in the format we have commonly used for our conferences. The motion passed unanimously.

Michael Rudy moved Board that we make sponsorships available for this conference. Pierce seconded. The motion passed unanimously.  A committee is needed to work out and set the dollar-levels of sponsorships, e.g.  half page =250   full= 500,  .25 = 125.    This will be discussed at next board meeting, when Michele Rivette is here.

• Bylaw Committee.  Art Brickman.  No Report
• Library Committee – Kay Sorrell   No report

10. New Business

Waiess:   We have a general mailing list. People who are not members get mailings free..  It will cost about $170  to send a letter with options for them to stay on the list.  Non-members could stay on the list for a small fee.  We might make a distinction between snail mail and e-mail lists. Ask the folks to move from mailing to e-mail. We should work to expand the mailing list.     Rudy:   Using the mailing list is a form of publicity and as such, this is the cost of doing business.    No motion made.

The meeting was adjourned.  10:45.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Marilyn Frye, board secretary.

Note:  it is MPC policy that Board meetings are open to all MPC members.  Priority is given to Board members to address issues, but all MPC members may speak at meetings, time permitting.