Midwinter Minutes, 2001

Midwinter Meeting
March 2, 2001

The meeting was called to order at 7:51pm

Present: Cliff Kuhn, Art Hansen, Tom King, Rina Benmayor, Madelyn Campbell, LuAnn Jones, Mary Marshall Clark, Linda Wood

Cliff asked Council to review the agenda.
Council was asked to review the minutes and consider what format would be appropriate for publication on the OHA website. It was decided that minutes would be limited to statements of issues and action items

Executive Secretary's Report (Campbell)

Campbell reported on 2000 Annual Meeting and gave an update on the 2001 Annual Meeting. Much of the fall and early spring was devoted to balancing financial accounts, negotiating with UCPress about mailing lists, publicizing OHA awards; working with the auditor, making some changes in the OHA Website. The Web Link policy adopted by Council has worked well.

It was discovered that OHA has been filing tax returns for a number of years under the wrong tax identification number. The problem has been solved. A financial statement will be prepared by Walz, Deihm, Geisenberger, Bucklen & Tennis after April 15. The audit firm suggested that the Executive Secretary should be bonded

It was moved, seconded and carried that the Executive Secretary be bonded. (Benmayor/King)

The total giving to the Endowment Fund for 2000 was $14,555. As of 12-31-00, total endowment fund was $105,052. Some of the endowment money is in CD and some in a Vanguard Fund. The Operating budget had a balance of $38,223 at the end of 2000.

Campbell suggested that it would be a good time to contact Dickinson College to determine its interest in renewing the contract with OHA. It was decided that Kuhn would write a letter of inquiry to Neil Weissman.

President's Report (Kuhn)

Kuhn and Mercier wrote an Endowment Fund appeal, which was mailed to the membership in November. Kuhn appointed awards committee members. Kuhn will announce the Martha Ross Pre-Collegiate Teaching Award at OHMAR meeting in April 2001.

Kuhn reported on the Veterans' Oral History Project, sponsored by Congress and administered through the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Kuhn asked Don Ritchie to attend a January 2001 meeting in Washington. Clark suggested that Kuhn contact congressional representatives and urge appropriation that is large enough to support a good oral history project.

Kuhn presented 2001 budget for discussion. Kuhn noted that OHA had a balanced budget for 2000 and that the 2001 would also be a balanced budget so that the current reserves would be preserved. Further discussion was postponed till later.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m.

March 3, 2001
Meeting reconvened at 8:30 a.m.

Committee Reports

State Regional Forum (Jones)
Jones sent out requests for updates and didn't get anything back. Not an official committee. They met at Durham, but had no recommendations to council and no report.

International (delivered for Morrison by Kuhn)
Morrison requests we designate $2000 to bring a panel from South Africa to St. Louis. Council discussed the request. Council agreed that $2000 should be designated to support South African panelists accepted to the St. Louis conference.

It was moved, seconded, and carried that an additional $2000 be allocated to support participants from South Africa and that an advisory committee, to include Mary Marshall Clark, Will Schneider, Ian Evans, Anne Ritchie, and Bruce Stave, will make recommendations to the International Committee regarding the disbursement of these funds. (Benmayor/Hansen)

Nominating (Hansen)
It was moved, seconded, and carried that the Nominating Committee solicit CVs, targeting underrepresented constituencies in OHA leadership. (King/Jones).

Council reiterates its commitment to diversity at all levels of OHA.

It was moved, seconded, and carried to accept the Nominating Committee report placing Rose Diaz in nomination as First VP, and Charles Hardy and Tracy K' Meyer in nomination for Council. (Kuhn/King)

Council created a list of potential candidates for the Nominating Committee for 2001. Hansen, with the help of Benmayor and Clark, will coordinate the process and submit a slate of candidates to fill three positions. Council will also forward several names to the Nominating Committee for their consideration for the 2002 elections.

Publications (delivered by Kuhn)
Quinlan submitted a revised budget for the Newsletter. She recommended that the Newsletter be spread more evenly over the year with publication dates in April, August and December. She will plan to expand one of the issues to 16 pages.

It was moved, seconded and carried to approve Quinlan's budget and recommendation that the Newsletter be published in April, August and December with one of the issues expanded to 16 pages. (King/Hansen)

Council thanks Mary Kay Quinlan for her continuing service as Newsletter editor and applauds her persisting efforts to use the Newsletter as a tool to communicate with OHA's diverse membership.

Council discussed moving toward an electronic newsletter, in the interim staying with both hard and electronic copy and eventually phasing out toward a predominantly electronic form.

It was moved, seconded, and carried to authorize up to $2000 from Endowment funds to the President to explore electronic publications.(King/Benmayor)

(This motion was later modified during budget discussions and it was decided to allocate only $1000 from the endowment for this purpose.)

Council reconsidered the feasibility of printing the annual financial reports and a list of new members in the Newsletter in odd numbered years.

It was moved, seconded and carried that requests for annual financial reports and new members in odd numbered years, when the Membership Directory is not printed, be directed to the Executive Secretary's Office and that an announcement to this effect will be published in the Newsletter. (King/Jones)

Council discussed the status of the pamphlet series. The Evaluation Guidelines will be reprinted and sold for $5.00. It was moved, seconded, and carried that the education pamphlet Oral History Projects in Your Classroom will sell for $15 for the shrink wrapped version and $20 with the binder. (Benmayor/Hansen)

The budget for publication and design of the pamphlet series was presented and discussed.

It was moved, seconded, and carried that the publication budget be approved as submitted. (King/Clark)

Council commended Kim Rogers and Kris Driscoll for the outstanding job they did in designing the new pamphlet series. For the pamphlets' photo-collage cover, they were asked to select images that represent the diversity of OHA's constituency and depict contemporary settings for work in oral history.

Council discussed the possibility of additional pamphlets. Benmayor suggested developing a set of pages available on our website regarding how to do a family history. Council agreed that the website could be enhanced using new technologies.

Education Committee (Wood)
Wood presented the Education Committee report. The committee made three recommendations:

1. Workshops at the annual meeting which are of interest to teachers and educators should not overlap.



2. Website should be more useful and should promote educational and teaching programs.



3. The new classroom guide should be promoted in teaching associations and with history day. An announcement regarding all new pamphlets could be placed in the Newsletter and on the website.

Diversity Committee (Benmayor)
Nilsa Olivero, Chair, requested increased funding for students to participate in the annual meeting. Council noted that there is already $1000 allocated to support a panel. It was suggested that the Diversity Committee could sponsor one of the panels already accepted by the Program Committee. Benmayor volunteered to give the Diversity Committee a list of sessions that would qualify for funding. There was some discussion of a possible Co-chair for the committee. It was recommended that a database of members who have been nominated for positions, served on committees, presented at meetings or served in leadership positions be created.

Scholarship Committee (Kuhn)
Kuhn will appoint a chair for the committee. $4600 is proposed for distribution for attendance at the annual meeting. Application information will be posted on our Website and in the next Newsletter. (This was later amended to $4500, $2500 of which would come from the Endowment Fund.)

Martha Ross Award (Kuhn)
A report from Linda Shopes was presented regarding the status of the new Martha Ross Award, which replaces the Precollegiate Teaching Award. The award is now endowed and will be announced at the OHMAR meeting in April.

It was moved, seconded, and carried that the first Martha Ross Award will be given at the 2001 Annual Meeting and will be accompanied by a $200 cash award. (King/Jones)

Council recommends that the Ross funds be kept in a separate endowment account.
Oral History Review (delivered by Kuhn for Andy Dunar)

Dunar recommends we continue with University of California Press for both the print and on-line versions of the Review for now, but consider moving the on-line version to the History Cooperative when feasible. A redesign of the Review cover was discussed. Council would be interested in being as contemporary as possible. Images should reflect the values of the organization.

Council encourages Dunar to research the possibility of a relationship with the History Cooperative for on-line publication.

University of California Press
The report from UCPress was reviewed. Membership renewal rate already exceeds last year to date. Kuhn asked council to develop criteria to evaluate our relationship with UCPress. Jones and Hansen volunteered to investigate UCPress performance in light of our contract and prepare a report for the October meeting.

2001 Annual Meeting Report (Mary Marshall Clark)
Clark announced that the Missouri Historical Society would completely underwrite the President's Reception and a presentation of Through the Eyes of a Child, by Jacqueline Dace. Other sources of funding are being explored. A budget was presented and all committees are in place. The program will consist of about 237 presenters and several well-known speakers. One quarter of the sessions will be presented by international scholars. Publicity will be the key to a successful meeting. Jackie Dace will be working on this in her capacity as Local Arrangements chair.

Council accepted Clark's report with enthusiasm and gratitude.

2000 Annual Meeting (Kuhn)
Council discussed the program report from Alicia Rouverol and Mary Murphy, including the suggestion that the annual meeting be held on a biennial basis. Their report will be forwarded to the Annual Meeting Taskforce. It was generally agreed that the Durham meeting was successful.

2002 Annual Meeting (Hansen)
Hansen described the site selection process for San Diego and recommended the Doubletree Hotel, Mission Valley. Hansen also discussed the search for Program and Local Arrangements chairs and possible conference objectives.

2003 Annual Meeting (Kuhn)
Kuhn discussed correspondence with OHMAR president, Donita Moorhus. In conjunction with OHMAR, Kuhn will appoint a three-person site selection committee. There was general discussion about issues and challenges surrounding the annual meeting.

March 4, 2001
Reconvened at 8:39am.
Kuhn presented the amended minutes from October.
It was moved, seconded, and carried that the minutes be adopted as amended. (Benmayor/Wood)

Kuhn presented a revised 2001 Operating budget based on earlier discussions. He suggested that a separate accounting be developed for the Endowment income and expenditures. At the suggestion of the Finance Committee that OHA attempt to maintain a balanced budget, total income is projected to be $52, 309, expenditures, $52,291.

It was moved, seconded, and carried to accept the 2001 budget as presented. (King/Wood)

It was moved, seconded and carried to allocate from the endowment $500 for scholarships, up to $1000 to investigate electronic publishing, and $2000 to support South Africans' attendance at the St. Louis Meeting. (Benmayor/Jones)

2001 Program Committee Report (Leslie Brown, Anne Valk, Jessica Weiderhorn)
The committee received over 300 submissions and presented a tentative program. Brown expressed concern regarding time and resources required and suggested that the current committee should meet with the 2002 Program Committee during the conference. The Program Committee also strongly recommended that the Annual Meeting be held biennially due to the extraordinary effort needed. The Committee felt that OHA should consider centralizing its conference planning with a Secretaritat, as other large professional associations do. Hotel facilities were discussed and it was felt that more space was needed to fully accommodate the proposed program.

Publicity will be presented in the next Newsletter, brochures will be mailed to non-members and local press releases will be developed. It was suggested that a monthly announcement be made on H-Oralhist.

Jackie Dace presented information about tours and other local arrangements. Wolford will be handling audio visual needs.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 am.