Epsilon Sigma Phi The Extension Professional s Organization National Board Conference Call March 12, 2007, 1:00 p.m. EDT Cook did a roll call of ESP board members. Board members present were: Della Baker, Ellen Burton, Nancy Crago, Donna Downen, Gwen Wolford, Nancy Wallace, Randy Brooks, Duane Johnson and Linda Cook. President Baker called the meeting to order at 1:03 pm. She asked for additions to the distributed agenda. Crago asked that the National Handbook Update be added. Crago moved that the amended agenda be accepted. Wallace seconded. Motion carried. Brooks and Wolford were asked to serve as reviewers of the minutes by Baker. Baker asked for approval of the January minutes. Crago moved approval of the January minutes as distributed. Wallace seconded. Motion carried. President s Report: Baker reviewed her report as distributed. Action items included: o Submitted to Executive Director an article for the next Communique pertaining to the 360 Leadership Competency Evaluation: The link has been listed in the article that will be distributed. Questions were added pertaining to how many committees respondents have served on and how many total years of committee service they have had. The article also contains information for the process for e-mentoring. o Presented to the JCEP Board video from Vermont, Justin Morrell, Land for Learning with ESP s offer to assist in the development of an Extension concept package. o Presented ESP s proposal to JCEP on Reaching Four Generations in Programming. o Requested and received additional PowerPoint presentations from 2006 concurrent session presenters. They have been posted on the ESP website. o Attended the Southern Region JCEP Meeting and gave an overview of the PowerPoint developed on Understanding the Multi-generational Workplace. o Met with the Executive Board and corresponded with the Public Issues Committee Chair about a proposed Public Policy Institute. Executive Director s Report: Cook reviewed the distributed Executive Director s report. Items highlighted included: o ESP Membership Report: Membership dues for 2007 have been received and processed from all active chapters except New Mexico. Ten of the chapters met or exceeded their 2006 membership. o 2007 ESP National Conference/Professional Development: Cook has worked with South Carolina to get the Pre-Conference Tours and a tentative agenda posted on the ESP website. A draft of the registration form has been prepared in both an Excel and fill able word format. The goal is to have the forms posted by the first of April. The application has been submitted for cancellation insurance. The hotel can provide computer hook-up in guest rooms and lobby area for $9.95 per day. The meeting room level and registration area is $100 per connection fee per day. There is wireless access in the hotel coffee shop. Financial Report was reviewed by Brooks. Cook distributed the report in Brook s absence. Brooks reviewed the asset statement for February 28, 2007. The Organization has
approximately 47% of the assets while Development accounts for 53% of the assets. Total assets are $641,923.62. Cook pointed out that when we compare membership income for 2007 with 2006, the income is less than projected. The profit and loss statement was reviewed by Brooks. We are already seeing some areas where we will exceed the budgeted amount. At mid-year board, we will have one quarter of income and expenditures and be better able to assess our financial status. Brooks pointed out that with the same membership numbers, the extra $10 in dues being assessed in 2008 will generate approximately $30,000 in additional revenue. JCEP Report: Crago reported that JCEP met January 9-11, 2007, in Ashville, NC. There was good attendance. JCEP has a priority to expand the relationship between ECOP and JCEP. Crago is chair of the Partnership Committee. Diane Baker was present to discuss the Galaxy III conference and available time slots for each association and the concurrent sessions. They are trying to free-up 100 slots for concurrent sessions. If you do not stay in one of the conference hotels during Galaxy III, you will be assessed a $250 facility fee. A Galaxy III PowerPoint presentation is being developed for associations to show during their annual meetings. Johnson reported that ESP will be at the Hyatt in Indianapolis. ESP has been given eight slots for concurrent sessions but that might change. Baker reported that the proposed topic for the 2008 regional workshops Multi-generational Programming was accepted. Gretchen Ferenz from the Professional Development Committee is putting the session together. Baker reported that the Extension video from Vermont Justin Morrell, Land for Learning was very positively received. They are looking for support from ECOP to make copies available for states. JCEP has made a decision to stay with the same management company. The June meeting will be in New England. Crago will participate in the ECOP Leadership Advisory Council in Kansas City in May. This year attendees are to interview representatives from their organization. Results of the interviews will be shared with the group and the organizations. Committee Reports Professional Development Committee report was given by Johnson. o Webcast of the Ruby: The committee has looked at the cost effectiveness of webcasting the Ruby lecture. The committee fells that it was not cost effective when only two sites hooked up. Crago expressed a need to do more with publicity with Extension Directors and continue the practice. It will be discussed later. o 2007 Pre-conference: A subcommittee is working on a proposal for the National Board to review, but the proposal does not seem to be coming together at this time. If it is not here by Mid-Year, there will not be a pre-conference in 2007. o 2007 Conference Concurrent Sessions: Johnson reported that 48 proposals (7 poster only, 15 concurrent only, 25 for either) are currently being reviewed by the committee. They will select 14-15 concurrent sessions and four committee sessions. About 20% of the applicants will be selected for concurrent sessions. Seventy percent will be included through the poster presentations. The committee is looking at past presenters when considering who will be invited to present. Johnson reported that concurrent sessions needing computer hook-up will cost $100/day/site. Resolution 3.12.1 Computer Connections for Concurrent Sessions Johnson moved that concurrent sessions needing an internet connection will be scheduled on the same day in the same room so there is only one connection charge being funded by ESP. Wolford seconded. In the future, ESP will need to look at sites that are wireless. Motion carried.
o Emerging Leaders will be one of the concurrent sessions. Michelle Rogers, PA, is sending the information. Public Issues Committee report was given by Wolford. o PILD Update: PILD conference is coming together. The number of registrants is very strong again this year. Theme for PILD is Connectivity: Community to Capitol. ESP is sponsoring the closing reception. The Deputy Administrator, Dr. Gale Buchanan, will be speaking. Our scholarship recipients will be recognized as well as the poster presentations. o Best Practices of Advocacy modules: Wolford indicated that the challenge is finding a way to get a representative sample of best practices from the chapters. Global Relations Committee report was given by Downen. Go Global Website Update: The goal is for everyone who is doing international work to be recognized. Downen is currently going through the various website links to check what is posted and that the links are working. Downen will work with Cook to get the Espanola link from Texas connected to the ESP Go Global site. Member Services Committee report was given by Wallace. o Selection Practices for Recognition: The query to chapters about their selection process for recognition nominees will go out this week. o PILD Scholarships: Wallace reported that there were nine applications for PILD. Four recipients (Barbara Petty, ID; Jackie Ramsey, AL; Robert Halman, FL, and Michael Wildeck, WI) have been approved by the National Board to receive the scholarships. Based on the PILD applications, the committee wrote some suggestions for future application submissions. These suggestions were included in the March Communiqué. o Other Scholarships/Mini-Grants: Wallace reported that the following applications have been received and are currently being reviewed: Angus 3, Administrative Leadership 1; and Mini-grants-4. o Friends of Extension will go out soon. o Mentoring of Member at Large in the Northeast: The PA chapter will mentor Judy Branch, Member at Large, in Vermont. Member Recruitment and Retention Committee report was shared by Crago. o Collection of Life Membership Dues will be discussed on March 16 th Conference Call. A recommendation will be forthcoming. Resolution 3.12.2 Marketing for ESP at Galaxy III Crago moved that one concurrent session presented at the 2007 Conference be designated as a Blue Ribbon presentation and be given a scholarship for attending Galaxy III to promote ESP. Wallace seconded. The Member Recruitment and Retention Committee will develop a criteria for a Blue Ribbon presentation and review the presentations in Charleston to make a selection. The selected presentation would receive a $100 scholarship to attend Galaxy III and include a 5-7 minute promotion of ESP as part of the presentation. This would be the MR&R presentation for Galaxy III. Motion carried. o Handbook Review: Crago has spent considerable time reviewing the sections of the National Handbook which relate to assistance for inactive and at-risk chapters. She has asked
board members to review with her and give feedback by committee conference call on Friday. The feeling is that the board can not financially support the actions currently presented. Resource Development and Management Committee report was given by Brooks. o Financial Futuring Committee is floundering. Brooks is having difficulty getting responses from committee members. There are plans for a meeting next week regardless of how many participate. The plan is to have a report for the mid-year board. Brooks invited board members to send ideas for Financial Futuring Committee. o Resource Development Committee POW was submitted but needs revision. Chapter Relations/Marketing reports were given by Burton. o Chapter Relations: Committee has met and POW has been submitted. o Marketing Committee: Burton is looking at the chapter reports and working on a summary. The Marketing Matrix and Blogspot will be discussed on next conference call. Further review of the ESP website is part of the POW. The development of the Marketing plan and updates on the website will coincide. The committee will be asking for $5,500 in next year s budget for marketing. o 2008 National Committees: Burton s main work at present is the National Committees for 2008. Currently there are 27 nominations. She encouraged board members to help in the recruitment. Contact has been made with all the current committee members about need to reappointed or move to another committee. Unfinished Business: o ESP Banner: Cook shared the wording from the lost ESP banner. She will move ahead to get a new banner made. Downen asked that consideration be given to making Epsilon Sigma Phi in larger and bolder letters. o 2006 National Meeting Evaluation has been distributed by Cook. o JCEP Leadership Workshops: Regional VPs reported that the sessions were well attended. o Mentoring: Baker reported that four chapters will mentor other chapters. o CD s of first Reflections session has been posted on the website. o Marketing Ideas will be posted on the website. o ESP Proposal to JCEP for 2008 Leadership Workshops was presented and has been accepted. o Chapter of Merit form says mentoring not just e-mentoring. o Date for Chapter Leadership Conversations. Tuesday, July 31 st, at 1:00 pm EDT has been set for the West. Downen will work on setting up the southern region meeting: o Chapter Reports: Regional VP s were asked to send a direct e-mail to chapters who have not submitted a report. o Public Policy Forum: Wolford reported that the Public Issues Committee reviewed the proposal from the Public Policy Institute. The results were that four were supportive of the effort and one had great hesitation. Baker reported that the forum has been put on hold for this year by the institute. New Business o 2010 Conference Bid from the Western Region: Cook reminded the board that a bid is needed for the 2010 National Conference. Johnson reported that nothing would be ready for
mid-year board and recommended we wait until September to discuss. Brooks will send out a message to chapters in the West. o Second VP Candidate: Crago reported that letters have been sent to all chapter leadership in the NE and it was on the NE regional meeting agenda. Nothing concrete has happened. o Plans for Mid Year Board Meeting: Baker has asked that board members send their agenda items and committee meeting needs so the agenda can be finalized. Cook called attention to the information sent about hotel confirmations and the general format of the meeting. o Mid-Year Report: Cook reminded the board to bring their report to the mid-year meeting. o Handbook Revisions should be to Linda Cook by March 15th. Meeting adjourned at 3:00 pm. Respectfully submitted by, Linda D. Cook Executive Director