Feb. 22, 2007, Burlingame, CA

1. Call to Order (Board) – 1:19pm

1. Call to Order (Service Council) – 1:20pm

1. Roll Call – Board and Service Council
1. Board members present: Lydia Perez, Joy Brittain, Tomasa Mauricio, Melissa Padilla, Marsha Gable, Sylvester Mata, Wendy White, Sam Blanco III, Heba Griffiths, James Oda
2. Board members absent:  Marsha Dupree, Leonard Woods
3. Service Council members present:  Jesse Moya, Stephen Domingues, Anita Blanco, Michelle Scott, Brian Aguilar
4. Service Council members absent:  Michelle McKelvey, Cesar Alvarez

** Quorum met

1. Parliamentary Procedures
1. James Oda gave an overview of parliamentary procedures: Roberts Rules of Orders (RRO).  Bylaws supersede RRO.
2. Discussion included clarification on abstentions, point of information, motions, and point of personal privilege.

1. Review of Board and Service Council By-Laws
1. Missing second page of Service Council Bylaws, and an email copy will be sent to all Board members.
2. Discussion on different committees and members of each committee:
1. WESTOP Board – Executive and Financial Affairs.
2. Strategic Planning – chaired by past president.
3. By-laws – chaired by past president and have representation from all chapters/presidents or other members.
4. Silvester Mata has been selected as the FAC chair.
5. Service council committees – 7 areas; chair of SC is a 2 year commitment, except this year.
6. Question was raised regarding by-laws and service council members who miss 2 meetings, as the SC only meets twice per year.  This will be reviewed by committee, and a suggestion that a committee member could sit in the chair’s absence.
7. Inquiry regarding which Service Council chairs were 2 year terms – Anita Blanco, Brian Aguilar, and Michele Scott.
8. Reviewed organizational chart, and to use as a reference (BOD and SC members/committees).
9. Reviewed goals/duties of Service Council Committees:
1. Michele Scott, Professional Development chair is missing on list of duties and needs to be added.
2. Anita Blanco inquired as to whether the WESTOP website should be included in public relations, not necessarily technology (from a publicity standpoint); and list of funded programs should be added to public relations.

1. Responsibilities of Service Council with additions
1. No additional discussions other than noted above.

 

1. Review of Potential Policy Suggestions
1. Joy Brittain reviewed a suggested list of Board policies to be addressed this year.  She felt that it was important for both groups (BOD/SC) to have this information, and asked for suggestions on possible additions to list:
1. Travel to TRIO Achievers should be formalized within all the chapters to make sure that people (the Achievers) go.
2. Conference site selection, contract, and protocol should be added.
3. Institutional membership should be discussed more.
4. Discussion included: board goals vague last year; board needs to develop a vision/direction on topics; would like to see list prioritized.

1. Break

1. Breakout of Board and Service Council
1. Discussion of Board policies to address, list of 5 to review immediately:
1. Institutional membership
2. Policy travel
3. TRIO achievers travel
4. Advocacy (UB Absolute Priority and Evaluation)
5. Scholarship (Peggy Whitehead by May)
2. Discussion of additional policies to address:
1. Does conference site need to be chapter to chapter?  There is nothing in the by-laws; need to brainstorm changed at an upcoming board meeting for discussion, and possibly adding to FAC manual – will need to include who visits site and board participation in selection.
2. Service Council will be attending the August Board meeting in Long Beach, CA, and Michele Scott will lead viewing of potential sites.
3. TRIO alumni – possibly obtaining a database, or an alumni reception to pass to an SC or Ad-Hoc committee; alumns can be a great resource.
4. Professional development mentor program or in-service workshop prior to board meeting; to get new members to serve and how/when to approach their supervisors for approval to gain certain professional skills.
5. Scholarship, Policy and Achiever travel funds are coming from WESTOP reserved with no plan for replenishing funds annually.  What has been done in the past, and do we create policy on reserves.  Suggestion is to add the list of Board policy, a policy on reserves; instead of using the term “maximizer” to change to “reserve”.

1. Additional items discussed:
1. There will not be a Board meeting in November; will need to discuss budget prior to June 30th, to set July 1 budget.
2. Expectations of Board members at meetings- arrive on time and expect to stay until 5pm on Saturdays after each board meeting.  Do not make travel plans to leave meeting early.

1. Adjournment – 3:10pm
1. Motion to adjourn by Tomasa Mauricio, and second by Heba Griffiths.

ADDENDUM TO WESTOP BOARD MINUTES

WESTOP Executive Board Conference Call
Friday, March 23, 2007 at 9:00am
Re: WESTOP Budget

1. Joy Brittain called Executive Board Conference to order.
1. Members present: Joy Brittain, Marsha Gable, Lydia Perez, Tomasa Mauricio, Silvester Mata, Melissa Padilla.

1. Joy Brittain gave an overview of the crisis with the WESTOP organizations budget. 
1. Reviewed and discussed the following:
1. Outstanding payments yet to be made from the WESTOP budget to pay for costs related to conference and insurance, and the checking account did not have adequate funds to cover expenses that must be paid to vendors/hotel.
2. There continues to be deficits between conference planning budget and final outcome/income made.
3. There have been no net incomes from conferences for approximately 5 years.
4. Discussion on the need to transfer funds from reserve account into checking account to have adequate funds for check to vendors/hotel (past due).
5. Reviewed upcoming WESTOP expenses to take into consideration of forward funds and upcoming fiscal year budget.
6. Lydia Perez stated that per the Bylaws, the Executive Board can make the decision regarding a transfer of funds; however all Board members must be notified prior to a vote to transfer funds.
2. Discussed suggestions on cutting costs and spending:
1. May BOD meeting to be held at ASU to avoid costs associated with hotel conference room and computer/wireless connection fees; and seeking most budget conscious lodging and room sharing of BOD members.
2. Consideration of a freeze on committee spending until budget is balanced and costs projected.
3. Reviewed possible expenses for May through August.
4. June/July memberships are due, therefore income will be received.  Also must consider new institutional membership, and the fee that has yet to be determined by the Board this year (from membership vote/approval at conf.).
5. Reviewing and researching optional or different insurance companies that specifically work with non-profits to help alleviate high insurance costs for the Association.

1. Joy Brittain will send an email out to all BOD members regarding the budget concerns to make them aware of the issues and what the Executive Board is working on.
1. Set up a follow-up conference call for Monday, March 26, 2007 to review budget spreadsheets and to vote on actions to allow for payment of outstanding WESTOP bills and going-forward plans for the Association.

 

1. Conference call adjourned at 10:05am.

WESTOP Executive Board Conference Call
Monday, March 26, 2007 at 8:00am
Re: WESTOP Budget

1. Joy Brittain called Executive Board Conference to order.
1. Members present:  Joy Brittain, Marsha Gable, Lydia Perez, Tomasa Mauricio, Silvester Mata, Melissa Padilla.

1. Joy Brittain reviewed and gave a brief history (2003-present) of the WESTOP budget and areas of deficit; and included an overview of the change to Quick Books.
1. In 2005 annual conference only net $3,300, and was over $12,000; discussed the over-projections of conference planning budget vs. the final outcome/income made.
2. The 2006 conference generated income, however, remained a cumulative shortfall.
3. Discussed no foundation or other funding for WESTOP scholarships.
4. Membership income has been steady through the years.
5. Another costly expenditure was updating WESTOP technologically.
6. Reviewed WESTOP Finances Budget vs. Actuals for 2006-2007.

1. Strategies and decisions to implement for budget-savings:
1. May BOD meeting at ASU.
2. August BOD meeting location/lodging to be researched.
3. Significantly review and discuss WESTOP budget at the May BOD meeting.

5.   Conference call adjourned at 9:30am.

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