Jan 11-12, 2000, Phoenix, AZ

WESTOP
Board of Director's Meeting
January 11-12, 2002
Four Points Sheraton Hotel
Phoenix, Arizona

APPROVED

I. Welcome and call to order: The meeting was called to order by President Leonard Woods at 1:05pm on Friday, January 11, 2002.

II. Roll Call
Members present: Connie Baker, D. Matthew Benney, Lee Chhen, Irvin Coin, Darlene Conwell, Samuel Cortez, R.W. Hicks, Felicia Nepomuceno, James Oda, Joe Omega, Ricardo Quintero, Norris Sanders, Eliot Schipper, Leonard Woods, Ling Yeh

Guests: Lydia Perez, Anita Blanco, Lucia Delgado Wilson

Members absent: Doreen De Los Santos, Michael Moser, Heinrich Palik, Nancy Vandenberg

III. Arizona Conference Presentation ­ Erin Grisham
(handouts on file)
Ms. Grisham reviewed the process for selection of the Arizona WESTOP conference site. No facilities were available in Flagstaff, and Sedona was too expensive. Thus, the committee chose Tuscon as the official site. They decided to work with the Radisson Hotel, for monetary and logistical reasons, and because they were very accommodating. Ms. Grisham reviewed the hotel layout, and possible uses of the space. She then reviewed the drafted contract policies. She highlighted that we must meet room block by 100%, but that meeting rooms will be free, because of our food contract. Additionally, the hotel is ADA compliant. We must provide AV equipment at our own cost. Mr. Sanders asked about the likelihood of personnel changes between now and time of conference. Ms. Grisham indicated that she asked them about this issue, and that it seems like staff turnover is not a problem. Mr. Oda asked about the room rate guarantee. She answered that it may increase, but not more than 5% per year. She will ask if they can lock it in. Mr. Oda also asked her to inquire about the responsibility for guest charges because the sentences in that paragraph contradict each other. Finally, he asked for clarification about the final paragraph, which addressed deposit and credit billing. It says that we must pay 50% of costs in advance, 45 days before the conference. But if we have good credit, are we still required to pay this? Ms. Grisham was asked to attempt to negotiate this stipulation out of the contract, or to change it to "30 days before the conference." There was some discussion about registrants who cancel at the last minute, and how this would affect the billing. Ms. Conwell suggested that we approve this contract before the new Board comes on. Some people were worried that we might lose the hotel if we don't sign soon. A motion was made to accept the contract, if our terms are met. A discussion occurred about whether the motion was too vague or not, and about what terms we are willing to accept. Ms. Grisham indicated that she could talk to her contact about the modifications on Monday, and believed that they would not really be issues. More discussion took place about wording of the motion. A deadline date of January 25 was selected for signature of the contract, upon a suggestion from Ms. Conwell. Mr. Schipper made a friendly amendment to the motion (Motion #1). Ms. Conwell is giving Ms. Grisham a copy of her contract for the Monterey conference as well, for referral. Mr. Schipper publicly thanked Ms. Grisham for her work in securing a conference site.

IV. Approval of Minutes
Tabled until tomorrow, in order for Board Members to review minutes.

V. President's Report ­ Leonard Woods
(report on file)
National Front
President Woods began by reviewing factors that may affect TRIO. He indicated that the September 11 incidents will not appear to affect TRIO funding. With regards to reauthorization, he noted that Dr Baker made a very informative presentation at the Arizona PDS yesterday. President Woods reviewed the COE Policy Options that were developed (see handout). Mr. Benney highlighted the student loan forgiveness issue, indicating that WESTOP brought it to COE, and now it is being included in the position paper. Dr. Baker had several questions about the policy recommendations. She reported that the Arizona chapter had asked that if GEAR-UP becomes a 6th TRIO program, what happens to the money that has been put into trusts? Mr. Sanders stated that in California, they have started releasing these funds to Talent Search students. Dr. Baker also noted that there is no current threat, but that a big concern is the potential for block grants. She is also interested in seeing that current programs maintain their quality, even though the Department of Education likes to fund new programs to increase the quantity of TRIO programs. President Woods spoke about the 2002 Congressional elections; it appears that Congress will not focus on reauthorization issues until the new members are elected. In the meantime, we need to contact legislators to inform them of our recommendations. Mr. Oda asked about the possibility of placing a checkbox on the FAFSA, to identify TRIO students. Mr. Sanders brought up the issue of GEAR-UP. He is concerned about bringing them into TRIO, because of the potential for significant duplication of effort. Dr. Baker felt that it could be a good move, because they have a lot of funding. It might make sense for GEAR-UP and Talent Search programs to be run under the same director. Mr. Hicks was also concerned about the matching funds stipulation, and whether that requirement would continue. Mr. Benney believed that they would not accept GEAR-UP programs without the matching funds. Mr. Schipper wondered if the concept of matching funds would spread to other programs. Mr. Oda also asked whether we could address the GPA increase requirement in reporting. Dr. Baker indicated that this is a Department of Education issue, not a reauthorization issue. President Woods reported that the FY 2002 Appropriations increase was approved. He also highlighted that Bush nominated Sally Stroup to be the next Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

COE
President Woods informed us that the COE Institutional Membership fees did increase, and reviewed the votes. He added that COE wants us to develop relations with outside organizations such as NASFAA.
WESTOP
President Woods informed the Board that final contracts have been signed with Bonnie Helm and Karin Winnard, for the pre-conference workshops. Copies of the contracts have been turned over to the secretary. He then suggested that WESTOP write our own position paper regarding reauthorization, since we have issues that are unique to our region. Dr. Baker added that we should first host meetings in our respective areas to discuss the impact of reauthorization, and then draft a regional position paper. Ms. Conwell asked whether we could inform members about the plenary session on Reauthorization ahead of time, so that they can educate themselves before the actual conference. Dr. Baker indicated that she would post the information on the website, and over the listserv. Mr. Cortez also suggested that Chapter Presidents discuss it at their chapter meetings. President Woods reported that he asked COE about including the Pacific Islands in their international exchange project, but that they are not interested.

President Woods reviewed his action items. He would like to forward the names of the WESTOP TRIO Achievers to the national TRIO Who's Who list. He brought up the idea of naming a WESTOP scholarship after Peggy Whitehead, with the funds we are raising through WESHOP. Ms. Nepomuceno reminded him that we do not know what our scholarship is for yet. There needs to be a committee to decide these things first, before we should name it. Mr. Cortez asked whether the Member Services Committee is in charge of this task. If not, perhaps this should be a charge. Mr. Sanders suggested that we make it a charge for the next board. Ms. Nepomuceno added that we also need a viable source of revenue. Currently, there is only $100 in the scholarship line item. The committee will need to decide at what point it can become a scholarship. President Woods made the recommendation that we develop a scholarship named after Peggy Whitehead, and that the incoming president handles this. Mr. Coin brought up the fact that it had been requested that Bill Garrison also receive honorary WESTOP membership, along with Peggy Whitehead. Discussion took place about whether he already has it or not, but no one was sure. A motion was made to offer honorary lifetime membership to WESTOP for BG (Motion #2). Motion passed. There was discussion about what this effort entails and whether it is detailed in the bylaws. Mr. Hicks indicated that it Peggy Whitehead (Motion #3). Motion passed. Ms. Conwell pointed out that, as of this moment, we have no Friends of WESTOP awardees. She suggested that we nominate Bill Garrison for the Friend of WESTOP award. Dr. Baker asked whether he has already gotten one. Mr. Benney said that he was given an award at the Las Vegas conference, but it was not formally presented to him. Mr. Sanders asked if we should also give the same award to Peggy Whitehead. Ms. Nepomuceno stated that Ms. Whitehead was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award last year. Rather than honoring the same person for the same things again, we should be looking for others to recognize, for example, government legislators. We need to do some research to find out what we have given these people. Mr. Quintero suggested that we honor Bill Garrison with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Sanders agreed with Ms. Nepomuceno, and suggested that we nominate Representative George Miller for the Friends of WESTOP award. This motion was made (Motion #4). Motion passes. Another motion was made, for the WESTOP Board to select Representative George Miller as the Friends of WESTOP awardee (Motion #5). Ms. Conwell asked President Woods to send a personal letter to Representative Miller, to inform him of the award. Discussion took place about whether he would be available at that time of year, and whether he can accept a gift or not. It was determined that since no gifts are being given, this is not an issue.

VI. Secretary Report ­ Ling Yeh
(no official report)
Ms. Yeh reported that the membership list is being updated with the assistance of Mr. Coin. She will send a list of the necessary Excel fields to him. Bonding insurance renewal dates are between March and May. She will work with Mr. Benney to ensure it is taken care of. With regard to the template for the Policies and Procedures Manual, Ms. Yeh asked Board members about what they felt should be included. Ms. Chhen suggested including a summary of past action items. Dr. Baker mentioned the need for procedures and timelines. Mr. Coin agreed, stating that new Board members don't know what needs to happen at different points in the year. President Woods brought up the question of at-large positions, and whether they would always be at-large, or whether we would develop committees and have people run specifically for those positions. Mr. Sanders commented that this process is definitely needed for some positions, for example Fund Development. Discussion continued about whether one year is long enough for some positions, and whether some committee chairs even need to be on the Board. Mr. Benney reminded everyone that the duty of the Board of Directors is to set policy, and not to actually implement programming. Discussion turned back to the Policies Manual. Ms. Nepomuceno stated that all committee chairs need to know how to create a budget. Mr. Coin requested that this manual be completed before the conference, so that he can use it to train the new Board. Dr. Baker recommended that the manual include a list of committee charges and members, past year action items and outcomes, activities with planning timelines, and a detailed budget. Ms. Yeh will send out an email with a template for the annual report, to be due back to her on Monday, February 4. The deadline for the Policies Manual is Monday, February 11. Ms. Yeh will send out templates and deadline reminders for both.

VII. CFO Report
(Report on file)
Ms. Nepomuceno reviewed WESTOP's balance information. Our CD was valued at $7498.97 in October 2001. A financial review of our account took place on January 3, 2002, by contractor Antoinette Nies (full report on file). Two chapters' books did not arrive on time, so they were not reviewed. The reviewer informed us that some information about our banks and signatories was missing. Additionally, our tax ID number must be on all our accounts. If we have an audit, everything needs to correspond with that number. There was some concern about the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) account, and that we need to consolidate because we have too many accounts. We also need to provide investment information on our taxes and Chapter reports. The reviewer recommended that we consider centralizing our operations. With regards to the Palau account that was set up for the February PDS, the Pacific Islands treasurer was not able to reconcile the PDS balance information with the bank information. Given the serious problem that this poses, Ms. Nepomuceno asked the Board to consider the impact of these types of decisions in the future.

With regards to Chapter treasury books, treasurers have been submitting reports, but have not been submitting receipts, invoices or any other proof of expenditures. This is a problem. Additionally, in developing budgets, we cannot include line items titled "other." Every line item must include a specific title and rationale. Thus, she is asking each committee for a redrafted budget that meets these specifications. Chapter Presidents need to redraft their budgets, and all Chapter committees must submit these budgets as well (Professional Development Seminar, Student Leadership Conference, etc.).

The reviewer's analysis indicated that our highest revenue generators appear to be activity registration fees. Therefore, she stated that whoever is in charge of a particular registration process should NOT be charge of the cash, for purposes of checks and balances. If we were ever to be audited, that is where they would focus their attention.

Ms. Nepomuceno also handed out a Chapter treasury report format. She recommends using Quickbooks as a universal bookkeeping program, which should cost approximately $90. She also asks that each Chapter Treasurer writes a monthly rather than quarterly report, because their reports must correspond with monthly bank statements. She also recommended hiring a bookkeeper, which would cost about $30 ­ $40 an hour, for one or two hours a month. Furthermore, bank statements should not be going to the CFO, because someone with no other cash responsibilities should receive and review bank statements directly from the bank. The FAC Chair or an outside bookkeeper was suggested as an alternate recipient. The reviewer also indicated that we may need to register with each state as a charitable organization, before we can solicit charitable contributions in those states. Finally, we need to start preparing for an IRS audit.

In response to Ms. Nepomuceno's earlier report, Mr. Oda clarified that the Palau account was not the issue ­ it was a problem with the Student Leadership Conference in Kosa Rae. Ms. Nepomuceno stated that there were three different issues, and Palau was one of them. President Woods reviewed the report and asked for major action items. Ms. Nepomuceno identified the following top priorities: 1) we must attach our Tax ID number on all WESTOP accounts; 2) All chapter presidents must bring account signature cards to WESTOP conference, so appropriate signatories can sign. She needs a new budget report from the Pacific Islands chapter; 3) She has provided all chapters with new instructions about how to report appropriately.

With regards to investment opportunities, Ms. Nepomuceno gave an overview of money market versus mutual fund accounts (see report for details). With regards to the carryover, she suggested that we refer to it as "reserve funds" and not "carryover," based on the financial reviwer's analysis (see report for details). While an organization can technically spend "carryover" funds, it should not spend "reserve" funds. The reviewer recommended that a cash reserve of at least six months operating costs is essential to ensure the organization's long term viability.
Ms. Nepomuceno recommended moving our money to another account because our current account has fees, and does not yield much interest. It is very easy to do, and does not affect our cash flow. She also reviewed the 2001 and 2002 budgets. The main issue is that most of our 2002 WESTOP registration fees came in FY2001. However, our 2003 conference is scheduled for April, so the income for 2002 is going to be very low. Mr. Schipper asked whether we could replace our reserves when we receive registration fees in 2003. Ms. Nepomuceno indicated that money is not the problem. Instead, this miscalculation just reflects upon our ability to develop realistic, accurate budgets. More discussion occurred about the use of reserve funds. The auditor's concern is that we could be making up numbers from nowhere, because it looks like our timeline and amount projections are not accurate. She is putting these issues out there, for next year's Board to consider. She also suggested that we think about what ad hoc committees we will have next year, and what their budgets will be. Finally, she asked about the Board's decision about whether to invest or not. Mr. Coin recommended that we bring it to the FAC for recommendations. Questions were raised about liability of Board members if accounting is not accurate. Ms. Nepomuceno shared that we just need to make sure that we rectify our errors in a timely manner, and that should be fine. For example, some of our activities are taxable, such as raffles. Therefore, we need to document them as such. Discussion took place about needing to seek outside assistance, in order to avoid these recurring issues. Some benefits of hiring a bookkeeper would be that we would have a corporate address, as well as a place to archive everything. The issue was referred to FAC for recommendations on the following day.

VIII. Membership Report ­ Irvin Coin
(report on file)
Mr. Coin reported that Membership confirmation letters and cards are being mailed out. They are now working on the directory. They have counted approximately 300 paid members up to this point. He also reported that he currently has 24 Board nominations. Ms. Conwell asked about the deadline for the last three nominations for member at large. Mr. Coin indicated that he would need these by the end of the week. Discussion took place about the fact there is only one day of voting, because the candidates' forum is on Monday evening. Board members talked about whether people need to go to the candidates' forum before voting. A motion was made to keep the voting on Tuesday. Motion passed. Mr. Sanders expressed concern about paying membership fees before the previous year expires, and that his institution would have a problem with this. Ms. Nepomuceno asked whether this means that chapters will not get their membership rebates for 2 years. Mr. Coin indicated that this would not be such an issue when the conferences are moved to April, because the early bird registration will take place later in the year. Ms. Chhen felt that this seemed like a good time to separate membership payment from conference registration, and others agreed.

Mr. Sanders reminded everyone about needing to resolve the issue of rebates. Questions were raised regarding the set amount for rebates stated in the policies. Ms. Nepomuceno stated that it is $5 per member, but that it used to be 10% of membership fees for each chapter. A lengthy discussion took place regarding the method of calculating the actual number of members at any given point in time. Since so many people handle membership for each chapter, it is difficult to determine what the exact numbers are. It was clarified that the rebate policy had been changed from being based on paid membership to being based on number of members, in order to avoid this issue. We now need to decide whether we are going to have chapters forfeit their rebates, or go on the best available records for membership numbers. The Board agreed that a $50 flat membership fee was reasonable, and that we did not need to offer the half-year rate option. President Woods asked about the original reason for the rebates. Mr. Sanders replied that they were originally used as Chapter startup funds. If we decide not to offer the rebate anymore, we need to give the Chapter Presidents a reason. Some may feel that the Board owes them the money. Ms. Nepomuceno offered some considerations. One of the services provided to the Chapters is that we are bonding their officers, which costs money. Perhaps that service can replace rebates. Mr. Hicks speculated that perhaps the rebates would encourage chapters to recruit more members, because they could expect some money back. Mr. Omega observed that the Chapters have done without these rebates for two years. We could tell members about the need for a bookkeeper, and perhaps the rebates can be applied to those fees. Ms. Chhen remarked that there has been discussion about professional development as well, and that these rebates could be applied in that arena. Mr. Oda reminded the Board that the rebates are included in the Fiscal policy for 2000 and 2001, so we have to pay those. A brief discussion took place about whether the chapter presidents or the Membership Chair kept track of the membership numbers. Apparently, the Membership Chair had these responsibilities. Dr. Baker made a recommendation to FAC to consider increasing the membership fee to $75. There is no other organization that charges as little as WESTOP. Ms. Nepomuceno expressed that it would be difficult for FAC to determine the fee ­ this was a charge for the membership committee to consider and report back on. Mr. Cortez felt that since there is a financial impact, we would need to provide fiscal reasoning for the fee increase. It was decided that Mr. Oda would provide the membership numbers for 2000 and Mr. Coin would provide the membership numbers for 2001. They are due to Ms. Nepomuceno on January 25.

IX. Strategic Plan ­ Matthew Benney
(report on file)
The final draft of the WESTOP Strategic Plan was distributed. Board members offered suggestions and comments. President Woods recommended that people work with Matt directly to finalize the details. Mr. Benney offered to work on it after the meeting with anyone interested, and present the options tomorrow. A question was raised about who would be using this document. Mr. Benney indicated that the Strategic Plan is a Board document that guides the Board. It does not need to be approved by the membership, although many members have had input. Mr. Cortez asked whether these changes will affect the bylaws. Mr. Benney replied that this is a separate issue. If we want to make this statement the official Statement of Purpose, then we will have to bring it to vote and make it a bylaws change.

 

Meeting reconvened on Saturday, January 12, at 9:10am

X. Strategic Plan (cont.)
Mr. Benney distributed a sheet with a list of the Strategic Plan wording options. He asked people to read all of them and circle their choices. Mr. Benney collected all the sheets, indicating that he would count the votes and report back later.

XI. Professional Development Committee ­ Norris Sanders
(report on file)
Pre-Conference Workshops
Mr. Sanders gave a summary of Pre-Conference Workshop updates. Additionally, he submitted a revised budget to FAC. He also revised his projected revenue. He still has people registering for the workshops; the numbers look good and hopefully even more people will come. Mr. Sanders had several questions about whether people have paid or not. Ms. Nepomuceno clarified that people who have turned in purchase orders are considered "not paid." Ms. Conwell suggested that we may want to consider not accepting purchase orders in the future, because they cause huge problems for registration chairs. President Woods asked about the registration cap for the pre-conference workshops, and what we will do if we get more registrations. Mr. Sanders answered that we will put them on a waiting list. If people cancel, then we can add people from the waiting list. Mr. Oda stressed that if people cancel, they should still have to pay if they cancel after the deadline. However, Ms. Conwell indicated that there is no deadline for the pre-conference. After a brief discussion, it was clarified that January 31, which is the deadline for registration, is also the cancellation deadline. Ms. Nepomuceno added that there is also a problem with people who register on-line, have not yet paid, then decide to cancel. A discussion was held about the $50 cancellation fee. Several people felt that as long as we didn't have to process a refund check, etc, then we don't need to charge the fee. People probably won't pay it anyway. Mr. Cortez pointed out a budget error in the calculation of member fees; it should be $285 rather than $385, which lowers the revenue from $11,500 to $6000.

Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI)
Mr. Sanderes attempted to track down the most accurate paper trail with regards to ELI. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to find anything. He handed out an old report from Masai Minters for us to review. Ms. Chhen distributed a report summarizing what happened with the project. She reported that ELI started in 2000, at the San Diego WESTOP conference. There were 5 members selected, but since the Pacific Islands representative declined, an extra Southern California person was chosen as the backup. Training was provided at the San Diego conference. The next training was scheduled to take place at the Hawaii Board Meeting. Apparently, they were supposed to receive training about leadership styles. However, the presenter cancelled at the last minute, and Mr. Minters came late to the meeting and left early. Thus, the planned activities did not occur. The ELI participants then went to sit in on the Board meeting, but had to leave during part of the meeting because ELI was being discussed. At the Southern California PDS, there was more training about leadership, but it was somewhat repetitive. Meanwhile, the ELI members all talked to each other and decided to resign because they never received a curriculum, and because the ELI Chair did not communicate with them. This is why there are holes in some of the activities. By the 2001 WESTOP Conference at Reno, there were no ELI members, but noone knew about it. In summary, Ms. Chhen felt it was a good learning experience. The concept of ELI is excellent, but the problem is that there is no curriculum. There are objectives, but objectives do not constitute a curriculum. WESTOP members should know that most of the former ELI participants are very active in their chapters now. It is difficult to know whether this was a result of ELI participation or not. The former ELI participants requested that this program remain a priority, but that one individual (whether on the Board or not) is selected to develop and implement a curriculum that includes information about WESTOP, but also about other topics, such as Policy Seminar and Reauthorization. For example, Ms. Chhen felt that Dr. Baker's Reauthorization presentation would have been perfect for this purpose. She also stressed that people need to hold each other accountable ­ if there are questions or challenges they should bring them up. She also suggested that ELI participants be included in the process of designing the curriculum or discussing ideas. She emphasized the need for the curriculum to fulfill the objectives. Finally, in order for the ELI program to be successful, it also needs to be supported by the whole membership, which they felt was not the case. Mr. Benney made a clarification that the Board was told that things were happing, while they were not actually happening. They were told that a fully completed curriculum had been developed, and that the ELI members were happy, but in actuality, these members had never been communicated with. Ms. Nepomuceno felt that the concepts behind ELI were already taking place. The WESTOP Board committees are supposed to serve this mentoring function, in addition to the Chapter PDS and other events. She does not know whether we need to have a separate ELI, because this type of training is already happening. Instead, she feels that it is important to focus on educating our large numbers of new members. $9000 was spent on ELI. For that amount of money, we could probably pay someone to write a TRIO training grant, and with that grant train many new members. We need to shift to a new paradigm, instead of focusing on what happened in the past. Ms. Conwell wondered if this information was going to be brought to the members, or if it was just for our review. Mr. Sanders wanted to bring this information to the current Board, in order for us to pass it on to next Board. He doesn't think that this current Board needs to decide whether to reinstitute the program or not ­ that is for the new Board to decide. He also referred to the ELI budget, indicating that this was one of the major stumbling blocks to the program. Ms. Conwell noted that the original project was put together by a graduate student, and at that time, she was already concerned that there would be no continuity. She felt that we need to make a statement to members that we are working on something new. Ms. Chhen stressed that she and the other former ELI participants do not want to dwell on the past. This report was not meant to be negative; it was just meant to be an evaluation. The process, interrupted as it was, did work, because most of them are now involved in WESTOP. She recommended that the PDS Chairs take on this project, and hold the leadership trainings there. The participants do not need to go to all the Board meetings. However, they should ultimately know what it takes to be the President of a Chapter or the Board. President Woods agreed that we do need a TRIO Training Program in this region. But we need to find one person who will take the full responsibility for carrying it out.

 

 

Cathy Avila's proposal
Ms. Sanders indicated that he has been in contact with Cathy Avila, who currently runs a year-long leadership program at Stanford University. Ms. Yeh distributed handouts and made a brief presentation about this program, in order to introduce some new ideas about leadership programs. Mr. Sanders felt that, with Ms. Avila, we may have the outside person we need to provide structure and continuity to a quality leadership program. This type of program is a long tern project ­ it cannot happen overnight. Perhaps our mistake with ELI was that we tried to rush things. President Woods felt that we should report back to the membership about what happened with the ELI pilot project. Ms. Nepomuceno stated that we already made a report to the membership in last year's Annual Report. Mr. Sanders suggested that we move on from this issue, but that we do need to secure someone for a longer-term commitment. He recommended that we develop a 5-year plan within the next 12 months. There also needs to be a permanent line item in the budget for Board members to travel to various Chapters, so that leadership participants do not have travel to all the Board meetings. President Woods stated that this issue is something for Mr. Coin to take to the next Board.

XII. Conference Report ­ Darlene Conwell
(report on file)
Ms. Conwell reported that the Ads Committee Chair asked whether the Board would be interested in purchasing a full-page ad in the program booklet. We could either put in our individual business cards, or we could design an ad together. Ms. Nepomuceno would rather have us send a congratulatory message to the new Board. Everyone agreed. Mr. Omega offered to put it together, because he is the interim Communications Chair. The cost is $10 per person, and all Board members will need to turn money in to Mr. Omega. President Woods agreed to inform the Board members who were not present at the meeting. Ms. Conwell asked whether there were questions about anything else. She reported that no motivational speaker had been secured for the Achiever's Luncheon as of yet. If we want to submit names to Macheo Shabaka, we are welcome to do so. The Awards nominations are closed ­ we received enough nominations. Mr. Sanders asked why we have a speaker for the luncheon; he feels that it detracts from the achievers. Ms. Yeh expressed that she really enjoyed the speaker at last year's luncheon, and felt that having a speaker provides a framework for the luncheon. Ms. Conwell continued to report that the scheduled entertainment reflects all cultural aspects of our members. The contracts are available, but she is still waiting for one or two more. The Board needs to review and approve them as soon as they are available. In the future, she requests that the Board keep a set of contract templates, in order to avoid all the last minute contract approvals. Ms. Conwell reviewed the Ads update. Ms. Nepomuceno asked about the need for chapters to pay for WESTOP ads, because we are just paying ourselves. Currently, the money from ads is considered income, so we are paying taxes on it. This does not make sense for accounting purposes. Ms. Conwell asked about the status of the Certificate of Insurance. Mr. Benney is having it sent. Ms. Nepomuceno clarified that in the future, the Secretary will be handling insurance matters. Ms. Conwell reviewed the tentative conference schedule. Chapter meetings have been moved to Sunday afternoon. President Woods wondered if one of the workshops would address the CAS Standards. Ms. Conwell answered that she needed to ask the Workshops Chair. She asked President Woods if he plans to request a workshop on this topic, and whether he has a speaker in mind. President Woods replied that he did not, but that he would refer this topic to the Professional Development Chair for next year. Some concern was expressed about holding the Chapter meetings on Sunday. Mr. Sanders was also concerned that we seem to be filling the schedule too much, which may turn out to be an actual disservice to the members. President Woods agreed that in the future, we may need to build in time to relax, or put a cap on the number of workshops offered. Ms. Conwell went over the contents of the program booklet, and asked about where the Strategic Plan should be placed. Mr. Benney replied that it would be included in the Board report. Discussion took place about whether it should go in the WESTOP Directory or not. It was decided that this would not be necessary. Ms. Conwell indicated that she needs statements from the President and President Elect by January 25. She also asked Mr. Omega to send the Board pictures to Allan Bee. Other conference details were discussed. Mr. Sanders was concerned about why we are not printing the Strategic Plan in the WESTOP Directory. He feels that the membership deserves to see it. Ms. Conwell presented the tentative schedule for the New Member Orientation. All agenda items will need to fit within the one-hour time slot, so there is no time for the Board to make presentations. Ms. Conwell also announced that if any other documents need to be included in the Conference Binder, people must tell her today. She also requested that Chapter Presidents encourage their members to participate in the WESTOP stars. Another discussion took place about whether the Strategic Plan should go in Directory or not. Mr. Sanders argued that it is good for people who are considering serving on the Board to know what the Strategic Plan is. Members voted; 7 voted to include the Strategic Plan in the Directory, 6 voted no. It will be included.

XIII. Nevada Chapter ­ Lee Chhen
(report on file)
Ms. Chhen reported that the Nevada Chapter is consolidating their 2 accounts (1 at Bank of America, 1 at University of Nevada at Reno). The UNR account posed problems for Board access to the account, as well as for signature bearers, so they decided to merge everything into a Bank of America account. However, they cannot meet the minimum balance for the Bank of America interest-bearing account and must be charged $10 a month. Thus they have requested permission to open a non-interest bearing account at the same bank. The Nevada President-elect is Reginald Stewart. Ms. Chhen reviewed the other officers for next year.

XIV. Southern California Chapter ­ Lee Chhen
(report on file)
Ms. Chhen reported for Ms. De Los Santos. Several California Lutheran University professors, who are performing research for the National Science Foundation, would like access to the WESTOP directory in order to possibly contact members. A discussion was held about whether we could support this project or not. There was also concern about whether or not we could give them member information or not. Mr. Omega suggested that the researchers make a presentation at the Southern California chapter meeting, and make contacts that way. Ms. Yeh suggested consulting the Research Committee on this issue. Ms. Chhen will bring these suggestions back to Ms. De Los Santos.

XV. Arizona Chapter ­ Eliot Schipper
(report on file)
Mr. Schipper wanted to know how to calculate the number for quorum. Mr. Oda answered that it should be calculated the same way that the Board calculates it. Mr. Schipper reviewed the Arizona Chapter officers for next year. He also thanked the Board members who attended the Arizona PDS.

XVI. Northern California Chapter ­ Joe Omega
(report on file)
Mr. Omega reported that the Student Leadership Conference has been moved to April. It will be hosted at UCBerkeley. National TRIO Day will be observed on February 11. He reviewed rest of his report. He is still trying to negotiate an Upward Bound grant-writing workshop for the NorCal Chapter, which may not be as formal as originally planned. Mr. Omega also shared that the people behind the "UC Reverse the Ban" effort contacted him ­ they are planning a press conference and other events to protest the ban on affirmative action. He asked whether he needs Board approval to speak in support as a WESTOP member. President Woods answered that he is a WESTOP member, so that is fine. Finally, Mr. Omega indicated that he is working with Mr. Lucas to set up the NorCal voting process before the WESTOP meeting at the conference.

XVII. Pacific Islands Chapter ­ James Oda
(report on file)
Mr. Oda reviewed the Pacific Islands report. He has one action item, which involves approving a theme for next year's conference (see report for details). The proposed theme is "From Palau to Phoenix: A History of Diversity, a Future of Excellence." Ms. Conwell shared that the theme for the NorCal conference was developed through the chapter, and that he would have time to do it later. Others agreed that it seems a little early to decide on a theme. They should wait until a conference chair is selected, so that person can decide. Mr. Oda indicated that they want to include the theme on the conference ad, which will go in this year's program booklet. If the Board is comfortable with the possibility of a later theme change, then that is fine. Mr. Oda further reported that they already have a working conference committee, even though there is no official chair yet. The possible themes have already been discussed at the chapter level, and this is the theme they have chosen. Ms. Conwell felt that, if they are putting this theme in the ad, then we shouldn't change it afterwards. Board members asked for the reasoning behind the theme. Mr. Oda explained that Palau and Phoenix are the two extremes of the WESTOP region. One person felt that this decision belongs to the next Board; others disagreed. A motion was made to accept the Pacific Islands proposed conference theme (Motion #7). Motion passed.

XVIII. Member Services Committee
(report on file)
Nancy Vandenberg was not present. The Committee report was passed out and reviewed by the Board. It was decided that the action items on the report were not really action items; they were committee items so they will be referred back to the committee. Ms. Conwell indicated that she has been trying to contact Ms. Vandenberg because she needs to see a breakdown of how the money is being used. Ms. Nepomuceno pointed out that we approved $1000 for Member Services; we should not be calling it TRIO Thinkquest. The services we are providing involve recognizing and awarding the students who participated in the competition. Mr. Hicks recommended reviewing the minutes, to review what was decided at the last Board meeting. President Woods agreed that we need to suspend the discussion, accept the Committee Report and review the minutes.

XIX. Approval of minutes
Minutes from November 9-10, 2001 were accepted as amended, by unanimous consent.

Discussion regarding the Member Services Committee Report resumed. Ms. Conwell stated that she understands that certain programs are supporting the travel of their members, but she needs to see how the $1000 is being used. Specifically, she needs to know who is being reimbursed and who is getting paid for from their own programs. President Woods recommended that she just keep trying to contact her. Mr. Sanders pointed out that she should not use the word "reimburse" for travel, and should use "assist" instead. Mr. Cortez commented that she should remove "it appears at this point" as well. President Woods will contact her to revise her report accordingly. Board members wanted to know whether there would be a formal recognition of the winners. Ms. Conwell confirmed that the award certificates have been printed, and the recognition would take place at the opening ceremony. She will have to work with Ms. Vandenberg to figure out the details at some point.

XX. Communications Committee ­ Joe Omega
(report on file)
Mr. Omega will be sending out an email to request submissions from Board members (see report for timeline). He has started taking pictures of Board members, and will include them in the newsletter. He is still looking for a few more articles. He requested space to include this document in the conference packet.

XXI. FAC Report ­ James Oda
(report on file)
Mr. Oda began by recommending that we place $150,000 to a higher interest bearing account. The committee also suggested consolidating the Certificate of Deposit into this account. FAC recommended giving Chapter Presidents authority to sign for contracts, especially regarding food and facilities. Contracts would still need to be approved by the Executive Committee. It was recommended that WESTOP hire a professional bookkeeper, and they selected the Southern California area from which to base our corporate address. Each Chapter Treasurer will need to submit monthly reports on 15th of each month, but the first one is due on February 11. Additionally, from now on, everything needs a uniquely numbered receipt. Mr. Oda recommends that we print up receipt books for all chapters to use. All Board members will also need to sign a conflict of interest statement. The next recommendation was to eliminate the half-year membership option, as well as the Chapter rebates. The issue of raising membership fees was referred to the Membership Committee. The WESTOP Federal Tax ID number must be on all Chapter bank accounts, and each Chapter must bring signature cards to conference to be signed by the incoming WESTOP CFO and President. Mr. Oda reviewed the Professional Development Committee request for a budget increase. FAC has approved the food increase, but did not approve the increase in committee travel. The FAC Report was accepted.

Ms. Conwell inquired about how they chose Southern California as the place to look for a bookkeeper. Perhaps it would be easier to obtain referrals, as opposed to looking for someone in a particular geographical location. Mr. Sanders asked why the Professional Development Committee travel increase was not approved. Mr. Oda answered that the committee is already a part of the Board, so there are already travel funds allocated. FAC felt that increasing it by such a large amount would not be appropriate. Mr. Hicks was concerned about Chapter Treasurers needing to provide monthly reports. He suggested hiring 2 bookkeepers in order to alleviate the extra work. Mr. Oda replied that this process would be a lot of work in the beginning, but would eventually make things considerably easier for all the Treasurers. Mr. Benney explained that the reason for submitting monthly reports is that all accounts must be reconciled with their monthly bank statements. It is a standard accounting procedure. If each Chapter wants to hire a bookkeeper to do this, they can do so. Mr. Sanders recommended that we review each action item separately for approval or rejection. A motion was made to allocate $150,000 of WESTOP funds to the Bank of America Business Interest Maximizer account (Motion #8). Motion passed. A motion was made to dissolve the Certificate of Deposit and to transfer the balance to the Bank of America account (Motion #9). Motion passed. A motion was made to give Chapter Presidents signature authority in some instances (Motion #10). Revised policies would take effect with the next Board. Mr. Sanders did not understand why this change would be necessary. This opens up the option for chapter presidents to drain their budgets. Mr. Oda explained that all Chapter Presidents would receive proper training to avoid such a situation, and this ability would make contract negotiations much more expedient, eliminating the need to find the President to sign everything. Mr. Sanders was concerned that this motion would be a step backwards, allowing Chapter Presidents to make lots of decisions without any oversight by the Board. It is a very dangerous thing to do. Mr. Omega pointed out that if he makes any changes in his budget, he must report it to the Board anyway, which serves as a checks and balances system. Mr. Oda added that part of the training would indicate that all contracts would need to be reviewed by an executive committee within the Chapter. Mr. Benney articulated that the issue is not about money; instead, the issue is about liability. Can we ensure that the Board training will convey the ability to review contract issues that may result in lawsuits or significant financial loss (re: ADA issues, cancellation policies, etc)? Mr. Sanders expressed concern about the Chapter executive committee that Mr. Oda mentioned earlier. Each Chapter is set up differently and has people with different skill levels ­ who would be on these executive committees? He is concerned that some of them may not be experienced enough to make decisions about the issues that Mr. Benney raised. He would be more comfortable if there were a designated limit to the amount that a Chapter President could function under without needing to consult the President. Mr. Oda assured him that all expenses are based on line item amounts, and no one can spend more than the line item amount without permission. Additionally, all Chapter Presidents will get training about contract issues. Mr. Omega expressed that if the Board wants that much control over the Chapters, then there is no point in having Chapter Presidents. They are professionals who are trying to do their jobs. Other Chapter Presidents agreed. The motion was called to question. Motion passes. A motion was made to hire a bookkeeper for WESTOP (Motion #11). Mr. Schipper recommended that a preferred qualification for the bookkeeper would be that he or she would be a TRIO alumnus. Motion passes. A motion was made to eliminate the half-year membership fee (Motion #12). Motion passes. A motion was made to eliminate chapter rebates (Motion #13). Motion does not pass. A discussion was held about whether we should provide start-up funds for new chapters. If we want to add a line item for this purpose, we can do so. If these funds are instituted as a rebate, then it is implied that each Chapter will receive one every year. It was decided that if a new chapter is started, they can approach the Board for start-up funds. A motion was made to eliminate chapter rebates beginning in fiscal year 2002 (Motion #14). Motion passes. A motion was made to amend the Pre-conference line item from $1500 to $2500 (Motion #15). Mr. Sanders requested to have a discussion about the travel line item for his committee. Ms. Conwell pointed out that she and Mr. Sanders have to be at the conference site for 9 days, which will cost approximately $1700. She does not know how he will cover this cost. President Woods inquired about the policy regarding comp rooms. Perhaps those rooms should be used by the committee people who have to be there early. Mr. Benney noted that many other people have to stay for a longer period as well. Ms. Conwell indicated that she has not yet decided how the comp rooms will be allocated. Currently they have 21 comp nights. Some are allocated to TRIO ThinkQuest students, and some are for the TRIO Achievers. Mr. Sanders stated that in past years, comp nights were used to support Committee Chairs. He was upset that he would be asked to come lead two workshops and then be asked to pay for his own room. Dr. Baker agreed with Mr. Sanders. When she was WESTOP President, they paid for the rooms of the entire Conference Committee. A motion was made to allocate 2 comp room nights to the Professional Development Committee. The motion was not seconded. Discussion took place about whether other nights are needed, and about who is considered a VIP. President Woods asked former presidents about how these issues were previously decided. Mr. Benney reported that his comp rooms went to speakers (one room night each), and to committee chairs and members who had to come early or stay late. Dr. Baker shared that when she was President, they did same thing that Mr. Benney did, but they billed the rooms to the master account so that people would not have to pay up front. The Board decided who was considered a VIP and who was not. Mr. Sanders named several people who will need to stay, including the CFO, President, and others who have to stay late to resolve hotel issues. Ms. Conwell indicated that she does not have any problem giving comp rooms to people, but feels that the Registration Chair and the CFO should get comp rooms. She requested recommendations about how to calculate the totals. Further discussion was held about the wording of the motion. A motion was made to prioritze comp rooms for those who needed to be at the conference site for additional days, as determined by the Conference Committee (Motion #16). Motion passes.

XXII. Technology Committee
(no report on file)
Michael Moser was not present. No report was made.

XXIII. Bylaws Committee ­ RW Hicks
(no report on file)
Mr. Hicks referred to Section 8.10 of the Bylaws, regarding the Executive Committee. He recommended that we may want to change the wording so that the executive committee can meet without having to call an emergency meeting. Mr. Hicks also noted that if a new chapter were added, it would have a significant impact on the Bylaws. Mr. Ferguson now has the 2001 Bylaws posted on the website, as requested by members. Mr. Benney recommended to the Bylaws Committee that we differentiate between the Executive Board, which only convenes for emergency meetings, and the Executive Committee, which meets for planning and brainstorming. Mr. Oda also stated that we need to change the wording about FAC to be more specific as well, as to who sits on the committee. Ms. Nepomuceno pointed out that the Bylaws currently define the Executive Board, but not the Executive Committee. We need to change the word "Committee" to "Board," and add a section defining the Executive Committee. Dr. Baker asked whether we would need to add a section about the Executive Committee just to allow them to meet. Ms. Nepomuceno agreed that this is not a policy change. Mr. Schipper offered that the fiscal policies state that the Executive Committee must approve contracts, which is not an emergency. Thus, we need to change the wording. Mr. Hicks will review the document and make recommendations about any necessary changes.

XXIV. WESTOP Fund Development
(report on file)
Heinrich Palik was not present. Mr. Oda reported that T-shirts will be available to sell at the conference. Ms. Nepomuceno stated that Mr. Palik will need to be informed that we only approved WESHOP proceeds to go towards scholarships. All other funds from the silent auction, t-shirts, and other functions are going into the general fundraising account.

XXV. Research Committee ­ Ricardo Quintero
(report on file)
Mr. Quintero passed out the latest revision of the membership survey. He asked for suggestions about when and where the survey would be distributed and collected. Ms. Nepomuceno recommended that it be included as part of the Conference evaluation packet. Ms. Conwell and Mr. Quintero agreed with the idea. The issue was raised about whether the survey should ask people to identify themselves, and whether doing so would hinder honest answers. Mr. Quintero responded that when the original charge was given to him, it was asked that this document be used to gather membership information as well. A lengthy discussion took place about what changes to make to the document, and whether it tries to cover too much information. The following recommendations were made: 1) make the personal information section optional, 2) include a question about how many years the person has been with TRIO, 3) remove the section about how they would like to become involved with WESTOP (and perhaps include it on the membership form), and 4) organize the questions by functional area. Ms. Nepomuceno asked what would happen to the information once it is collected. Mr. Quintero answered that he would compile the information with Mr. Moser and give the results to the next WESTOP President. Mr. Sanders also thought that the results should be given to the Professional Development committee and the Chapter Presidents, for training and workshop development purposes. Mr. Quintero stated that he would make the recommended modifications and email the final draft.

XXVI. COE Fund Development ­ Samuel Cortez
(report on file)
Mr. Cortez reported that WESTOP is not doing as well as last year, in terms of meeting COE Fairshare. He reviewed the different amounts raised from Institutional Memberships, Equality Packages, and personal contributions. Personal contributions are especially low this year and they are hoping to raise this amount by at least 10%. He did note that COE has had a 2-month delay in their receipt of mail, so it is possible that they have received more money at this point. Mr. Cortez then distributed an analysis of the impact of Institutional Membership fee increases for WESTOP. All the information should be accurate, including funding of new SSS programs. He reviewed his chart and calculations, highlighting that only 65% of WESTOP institutions are Institutional Members, which is a lower percentage than last year. Dr. Baker pointed out that much of the database information is wrong. Mr. Cortez indicated that he had downloaded it from the Department of Education website, but he would go back and check it again. Ms. Nepomuceno asked about when they plan to recalculate Fairshare. Mr. Cortez answered that it should happen at the next campaign, which is scheduled for July 1. Ms. Nepomuceno then asked how they would account for newly-funded programs. Since we have to pay a fee per program, those institutions that have applied for new programs will have to pay without knowing how many programs they have. How should institutions respond if they get additional bills? Mr. Cortez felt that this issue would be something that COE would have to figure out. Several Board members indicated that they supported his cause, but also expressed concern about rising costs, and how programs would find the money to pay these fees. Mr. Cortez shared that COE has promised to provide more programs. Dr. Baker recommended that they put together a one page fact sheet that specifically outlines the monetary supports they have given, so that TRIO members can bring them to their institutions. Mr. Cortez referred to the COE statement paper, and explained the reasoning for the fee increase. Furthermore, COE feels that in order to compete with other similar organizations, they need money for lobbying. Dr. Baker recommended that he speak to the programs who are having difficulty getting money, and ask them to highlight the extra funds they have gotten from various COE initiatives over the last few years (technology grants, direct aid for SSS programs) and use this a selling point. President Woods expressed some concern because, in looking at the COE budget, it is difficult to tell which of those monies are going to lobbying; if the funds are going towards other expenses, then he is reluctant to give. A discussion was held about organizational operating costs, in addition to lobbying.

XXVII. Legislation and Education Committee ­ Connie Baker
(report on file)
Dr. Baker reported that she has been in correspondence with Edward Pohlert, of the EOP association. He has invited us to attend the annual EOP conference in April. She requested that the new Legislation & Education Committee Chair be supported to attend this conference. She is moving ahead on Policy Seminar arrangements. Mr. Cortez shared that the EOP conference may be cancelled, because the CSU's have had a freeze on their travel monies.

XXVIII. Unfinished Business
Strategic Plan
Mr. Benney reviewed the votes for the wording of the Strategic Plan. Final statement was approved.

XXIX. New Business
Board Attendance
President Woods brought to the Board's attention that there are 4 members who have missed 2 Board meetings. He wanted to know whether anyone felt we should take any action. Board members asked what we would do, at this point in the year. It was noted that the Bylaws state that we "may remove them from the Board." Several Board members felt that we at least need to formally acknowledge that they are in violation of the bylaws. President Woods offered to draft a letter to those Board members, citing the bylaws. Ms. Perez (guest) wondered why these Board members have not resigned, if they needed to take care of personal issues. People were also concerned that many Board members have been leaving early, when they should already know what the meeting schedule is and should have planned for that. Mr. Coin asked about what happened to the excused vs. unexcused stipulation. Mr. Benney indicated that it was taken out ­ an absence is just an absence. A lengthy discussion took place about what we were obligated to do, and what would be appropriate at this point in the year. It was suggested that we may need to change the policy later, to address this issue. The least we can do is show that we did take action, in case general members want to know if we are upholding the bylaws or not. It was suggested that we could take away travel funds for the last meeting, or post an attendance list to the general membership. President Woods indicated that we could draft list of people who were present to vote, but he does not want to penalize the people who had legitimate reasons. Mr. Benney remarked that these are things to think about for next term. With regards to the new Board Training, we need to stress the importance of being present at the meetings. We should also let them know that they need to plan to stay until at least 5pm. He also recommends sending a proxy. Dr. Baker supported that idea. There has to be some other option for those who want to fulfill their duties, but are unable to for valid reasons. The proxy issue has been referred to the Bylaws committee. President Woods will send a letter to the Board members who are in violation.

Central California Pilot Chapter Proposal.
Mr. Cortez distributed the proposal. He explained that the format is similar to a grant proposal. It addresses the needs, objectives, plan of operation, and evaluation for the end of the year. He would like members to consider allowing Central California to operate as a pilot Chapter for one year. They have had several meetings, and the largest meeting had 45 people in attendance. He clarified that they are not currently asking for money, official recognition, or Bylaws changes. They would like to unofficially hold a Student Leadership Conference and a PDS. Mr. Cortez also emphasized that they are not trying to divide the state of California; instead, they are only trying to get more members involved, who might not get involved otherwise. He requested for this proposal to be put on the ballot at the WESTOP Conference, to see what the membership thinks. Ms. Nepomuceno pointed out that the California membership was already surveyed, and both Chapters had already declined. She suggested that they consider what members will say about being asked once, and then being asked again. Secondly, the question was raised about whether the NorCal and SoCal Chapters should stop inviting them to participate in their PDS, SLC and scholarship competitions. Mr. Cortez felt that this was a good point, because some people aren't participating in either Chapter, while others attend events for both Chapters. A detailed discussion took place regarding whether or not the proposal should be considered a pilot or not. Mr. Cortez responded that this kind of project cannot happen overnight. They are trying to make this a gradual process and they want to prove that they can successfully operate. Ms. Nepomuceno suggested that they be more proactive in their wording; they should just ask for approval of the chapter, and begin the pilot, while allowing the Bylaws and other logistical things to start to change. It was also recommended that they include copies of the pilot chapter proposal next to the ballot, so members can educate themselves about the issue. Additionally, Central California should draft a letter to Norcal and Socal to define what relationship they want to have with these Chapters. A motion was made to include the establishment of a Central California chapter into the ballot. The motion was not seconded. There was more debate about whether the word "pilot" needs to be included in the motion or not. It was also suggested that they include a clause about being "based on bylaws ratification," so that members can have a chance to evaluate the Chapter after a year, to see what the ramifications are and to determine whether or not they were successful. A motion was made to include the establishment of the Central California Chapter in the 2002 ballot measure (Motion #17).
Motion passes. Mr. Schipper emphasized that this information needs to be distributed immediately, perhaps on the listserv, so that people will know about the issue long before the conference. There was discussion about whether a Central California representative should make a presentation at the Candidates Forum or at the Meeting of the Members. It was decided that the Elections Committee would determine when this would happen. Mr. Benney gave ballot wording suggestions to the Elections Committee. Mr. Coin will work on it and send a draft out to the Board.

Registration and membership issue
Questions were raised about member versus non-member fees. Ms. Conwell reported that if Paula Gray has received membership payment prior to the conference, she will accept the member rate. Those who show up at the conference with the membership fee will be invoiced immediately with the additional fees. Mr. Oda asked whether there is a way to generate letters or reminders to let people know that their membership has expired. Mr. Coin indicated that there are about 60 people who currently fit into this category. He is already planning to send an email reminding people that they need to have their membership fees paid by February 1 in order to be included in the directory. President Woods recommended that Paula Gray send the list of registrants to Mr. Coin. Mr. Coin then needs to reconcile the list of paid members and set deadlines for process. Mr. Benney stressed that we need to support Paula Gray with specific deadlines, otherwise we cannot enforce anything. Ms. Conwell requested that Mr. Coin send a letter to those 60 people, indicating that we have received their member registration, but we have not received their membership fee. If we do not receive their membership payment within 7 days, they will be charged the non-member Conference registration rate. Ms. Nepomuceno requested that the Membership Chair be responsible for telling people whether they will be invoiced at the conference, rather than having the Registration Chair perform this task. Mr. Coin agreed.

Motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:15 pm
Motions

Motion #1: Motion that, upon completion of the negotiations with Radisson, the President sign a contract for the 2004 WESTOP Conference by the 25th of January.
Move: Felicia Nepomuceno
Second: D. Matthew Benney
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #2: Motion to offer honorary lifetime membership to WESTOP for Bill Garrison.
Move: James Oda
Second: Darlene Conwell
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #3: Motion to offer honorary lifetime membership to WESTOP for Peggy Whitehead.
Move: James Oda
Second: Darlene Conwell
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #4: Motion to nominate Representative George Miller for the 2002 Friends of WESTOP Award.
Move: Lee Chhen
Second: Norris Sanders
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #5: Motion to select Representative George Miller as the 2002 Friends of WESTOP awardee.
Move: Norris Sanders
Second: Matthew Benney
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #6: Motion to keep the voting on Tuesday.
Move: Eliot Schipper
Second: Norris Sanders
Vote: 11 yes, 2 no, 1 abstention

Motion #7: Motion to accept the Pacific Islands proposed conference theme.
Move: James Oda
Second: RW Hicks
Vote: 7 yes, 0 no, 7 abstentions

Motion #8: Motion to allocate $150,000 of WESTOP funds to the Bank of America Business Interest Maximizer account.
Move: James Oda
Second: Eliot Schipper
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #9: Motion to dissolve the Certificate of Deposit and to transfer the balance to the Bank of America account.
Move: James Oda
Second: Eliot Schipper
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #10: Motion to modify fiscal policy to allow Chapter Presidents to have signature authority for facilities, food, speakers, and vendors within approved Chapter budgets.
Move: James Oda
Second: Eliot Schipper
Vote: 6 yes, 3 no, 2 abstentions

Motion #11: Motion to hire a bookkeeper as recommended by the CPA.
Move: James Oda
Second: Sam Cortez
Vote: 10 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention

Motion #12: Motion to eliminate the half-year WESTOP membership option.
Move: James Oda
Second: Ricardo Quintero
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #13: Motion to eliminate Chapter rebates.
Move: James Oda
Second: Ricardo Quintero
Vote: 3 yes, 5 no, 3 abstentions

Motion #14: Motion for WESTOP to eliminate chapter rebates beginning in fiscal year 2002.
Move: Norris Sanders
Second: D. Matthew Benney
Vote: 10 yes, 2 no, 0 abstentions

Motion #15: Motion to amend the Pre-conference line item from $1500 to $2500.
Move: James Oda
Second: Eliot Schipper
Vote: Passed unanimous

Motion #16: Motion to prioritize comp room nights for speakers, committee chairs, and committee members who are required to absorb extra nights as part of their duties, as determined by the Conference Committee and approved by the Board.
Move: D. Matthew Benney
Second: Felicia Nepomuceno
Vote: 11yes, 0 no, 2 abstentions

Motion #17: Motion to include the establishment of the Central California Chapter in the 2002 ballot measure.
Move: Felicia Nepomuceno
Second: D. Matthew Benney
Vote: 8 yes, 2 no, 0 abstentions

Motion #18: Motion to adjourn
Move: Felicia Nepomuceno
Second: RW Hicks
Vote: Passed unanimous

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