Chapter Minutes--Feb. 10, 2006
South Mountain Campus
Phoenix, AZ

In attendance: Hector Acosta  (hacosta@pima.edu), Mary Bruce (mary.bruce@erau.edu), Kevin Chase (kevin.chase@nau.edu), Irv Coin (irvin.coin@asu.edu), Wiley Davis (w.davis@gwmail.maricopa.edu), Randee Dermer (randee.dermer@erau.edu), Olga Diaz (diazcdb@erau.edu), Helen Dow (dow@gatewaycc.edu), Michelle  Figueroa (mfig@email.arizona.edu), Sara Gjere (sara.gjere@nau.edu), Sianna Kent (sianna.kent@smc.maricopa.edu), Stuart Levy (stuart.levy@smcmail.maricopa.edu), Silvester Mata (silvester.mata@asu.edu), Matt  Matera (mmatera@pima.edu), Robert McCune (rmccune@u.arizona.edu), Malcolm Parker (malcolm.parker@nau.edu), Todd Peapenburg (todd.peapenburg@asu.edu), Lydia Perez (lydia.perez@asu.edu), Amalia Prado (amalia.prado@gwmail.maricopa.edu), Ruben Saenz (ruben.saenz@smcmail.maricopa.edu), Eliot Schipper     (eliot.schipper@nau.edu), Mary Tiradani (mary.titadani@erau.edu), Amy Torgerson (amy.torgerson@pcmail.maricopa.edu)

• Called to order by Michelle Figueroa at 10:10am

1. Welcome and Introduction.  Dr. Martin from SMCC gives a welcome to the TRiO Programs.  Introductions of all professionals in attendance.

• Approval of the Minutes

1. Sara forgot the minutes today.  She will email them to the list serve.  She also asked for a volunteer to take minutes at the meeting in Las Vegas.  

• President’s Report

1. Report handed out her report. 
1. Moderators are needed for the Las Vegas Conference. 
2. There is still time to nominate former students for the TRiO Alumni Achievers Award. 
3. There will be a browsing session during the conference where universities are encouraged to bring information from their admissions office. 
4. There will be an Emerging Leaders pre-conference.  We have three additional spots if people want to attend.  Right now Silvester is the only one attending. 
5. This year you must be a paid member in order to vote and attend the meeting of the members.  There is discussion about the membership, Lydia recommends that you still pay dues at this point and you should be able to attend the meeting.
6. Next year we will implement a voting procedure so that only members can vote.
7. We are in need of a chair for fair-share.  Lydia explains what this is.  It involves donating money for COE.  WESTOP’s fair share is around $180,000 because we are so large.  The chair would assist with the chapter challenge at the Annual WESTOP Conference.  There is also a phone-a-thon involved.  Asking what contributions people are doing. 
8. Once again President Bush has proposed a budget with a zeroed out budget for Talent Search, Upward Bound, and Gear Up.  SSS was funded but at a significant amount less. If possible we should try to attend policy in March.  Taking students is great so they can explain the impact.  Irv adds that last year the president proposed a similar budget, this years’ is worst.  You should take time to read an email from Anita Blanco that explains what can be done.  EOC is higher to compensate for the Veterans that would loose the Veteran’s Upward Bound.  EOC is not designed to handle the needs of veterans. 
9. The second reading of the bylaws was done at the Board of Director’s meeting.  It will be voted on at the Annual WESTOP Conference. 
10. The next board of director’s meeting is March 3-4, 2006.

• Treasurer’s Report

1. The profit and loss statement is from January 1, 2006 to February 9, 2006.  This is the income from the PDS.  We made money from the event.  On the balance sheet, we do balance. 

• Old Business

1. Committee Breakouts
1. Fund Development- help with student scholarships and money to send students to policy.  Will email ideas, decided that each school was different and should be able to choose from different ideas.  They will funnel ideas through Linda.
2. TRiO Day and policy- TRiO Day will be a national day of service.  It will be combined with the TLC.  Policy is going to DC, March 25-29, 2006, information about the importance of TRiO Programs.  Please take pictures and provide a summary to Lydia about the event.  Lydia will compile a report for the region.  As far as policy, Lydia will schedule appointments with Senators and Representatives.  Lydia needs to know who is going and how many students.  Please let Lydia know by the end of the month at Lydia.perez@asu.edu.  After that she will set up a state advocacy group to invite members of congress to events when they are on recess. 
3. TRiO Leadership Conference- finishing touches on the conference later this month.  The service event will be letters, dolls, blanket to give to a children’s hospital.  Thursday will be pre-college, Friday and Saturday will be both.  It looks like about 50 high school and 20 college students.  Agendas will be sent out on the list serve. 
4. TRiO Recognition Lunch- lunch will take the place of TRiO day to recognize students.  Scheduled to take place in April.  It will be a much smaller affair.  Three awardees per program and will be able to bring a guest and staff will be welcome to attend.  It will be Saturday April 22, 2006 from 11:30am-2pm.  They are thinking of Prescott as it is more central.  Olga is going to look for something at Embry Riddle for 100 people.  It is going to be a distinguished event with a gift (golf shirt).  Each school can determine their criteria.  The certificate will be the “Building an Army of Leaders Award.”  It will be sent out via email. 

• New Business

1. Upcoming chapter elections will take place at the conference in March.  The treasurer position will be available.  Michelle was told that she does have one more term as president.  Michelle will be running for chapter president for 2006-07 and Silvester will continue being president elect.  The secretary position remains the same as it is a two year position.  The treasurer duties are to keep the finances in check, especially the PDS and TLC.  Those are the two main times we have income and expense.  He gives reports at the meetings.  There is additional training in Las Vegas on March 8, 2006.  He submits reconciliations statements to the CFO Joy Britain.  He uses Quicken software to do that.  He inputs the chapter budget into Quicken.  All the registrations for the events go through the treasurer.  Hector wants to know if he is a member.  It is a two year term.  Irv adds that to become an army of leaders we need to have staff step up to the leadership positions.  There will always be an excuse, not to run.  Just do it, you’ll learn and make time.  Lydia needs a board of directors; she is three people short; for bylaws, fund development (COE), WESTOP Fund Development (sponsorship for events).  Michelle adds that you can attend the Emerging Leaders Workshop.  Nominations are open until February 27, 2006).

• Announcements

1. Next chapter meeting is March 6, 2006 in Las Vegas. 
2. Found out who needed to be added to the list serve.  Hector asks for a list of who went to Tombstone. 

• Meeting adjourned

Respectfully Submitted,

Sara M Gjere