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Fifth Annual Meeting Minutes
May 25, 2006
Montreal, Canada
Kathleen Sideli, Chair of the Board of Directors, called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., and welcomed the membership, thanking them for their support and patience as the organization tries to meet the needs of its diverse membership. She commented that this year’s meeting was characterized by many transitions that ranged from bitter to sweet. She pointed out that the meeting was dedicated to the memory of Peter Wollitzer, the first chair of the Forum’s Advisory Council, who died in February, a sad moment for the field of education abroad. She recognized other transitions, including the move from Smith College to Dickinson College, asking the membership to thank Adrian Beaulieu for giving the Forum its first home. She also thanked Geoff Bannister, the Forum’s first executive director and current president, for bringing his unique skill set to the Forum which helped put the organization on the map of international education. She welcomed Brian Whalen, the incoming executive director and president, who has so successfully led the Advisory Council in recent years. She recognized that this would be the last annual meeting over which she would preside, given that she was stepping down as chair on June 30, but that she was pleased that Mary Dwyer would be succeeding her. She mentioned her great pride in seeing how successful the Forum has been, recognizing that there is no greater sign of the vitality of an organization than its continuing success under a series of different leaders.
II. Annual Report and Status of the Membership
Geoffrey Bannister, Executive Director and President, referred the membership to the annual report for 2005-06 that was included in the meeting packet. He said he was pleased to note that the membership had grown 16% in the last year which was ahead of the growth projected in the organization’s strategic plan. The membership currently stands at 213 institutional members with an additional 200 associate and individual members. He commented on the successful conference in Miami that drew 231 participants. He also mentioned the impressive activity of the Standards Pilot Project which has been possible because of a generous grant from the IFSA Foundation. He remarked on the smoothness to date of the transition from Smith College to Dickinson College which is near completion.
III. Report from The Treasurer
Mick Vande Berg reported on the solvency of the organization, pointing out the financial statements in the packet. The net assets of the Forum in 2005 were $399,031. He explained that the Forum had undergone its first official audit which found the Forum’s finances as well as accounting procedures to be in good order. He pointed out that there will continue to be challenges ahead, as to be expected. He also thanked the IFSA Foundation for the grant funding that has contributed to the success of some of the key Forum projects.
Bill Cressey explained that Sideli had asked him to chair an ad hoc committee on bylaw changes given that the original bylaws did not have term limits for board members and officers, the quorum issue needed attention due to the organization’s growth and there was a request from the Advisory Council to change their name as well as their election procedures. He invited Al Balkcum and Jerry Wilcox to work with him on these issues. The membership received a red-lined copy of the proposed bylaw changes in the latest electronic newsletter and there were printed copies available at the meeting.
ACTION ITEM: On behalf of the ad hoc committee, Cressey moved that the membership accept the proposed changes (three-year board and officer terms with a limit of three consecutive terms, meeting quorum set at 25% of the membership, AC name change to Forum Council and electronic voting for future Council elections). Tom Roberts and Jim Gehlhar seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
V. Report from Board’s Nominations Committee
Mary Dwyer, Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Nominations Committee reported that the committee (Madeleine Green, Bill Hoye, Jerry Wilcox and Brian Whalen (ex-officio) had considered the importance of balancing various issues when considering whom to invite as new members of the Board, including balanced perspectives, diversity and leadership experience. The Board invited Mike Woolf to join the Forum’s Board in January of 2006. New members who will join the Board in July of 2006 are Barbara Rowe, Assistant Dean in Yale College and Director of the Office of International Education & Fellowship Programs, and Roberto Gutierrez, Principal, The Dilenschneider Group. He was formerly the Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, Advisor to the President, and Spokesperson for The University of Notre Dame. The new officers of the Board who will join Dwyer on the executive committee beginning July 1, 2006 are Jerry Wilcox, vice-chair, Bill Hoye, secretary, and Mick Vande Berg, treasurer.
VI. Activities of the Advisory Council
Brian Whalen, chair of the Advisory Council, reported that under Peter Wollitzer’s leadership the Council met last summer at Smith College to set their agenda for the coming year. Whalen highlighted the Council projects related to the Forum goals committees that are described in more detail in the annual report for 2005-06.
Standards
Peer reviewers are currently being recruited as part of the Standards pilot project that involves more than 20 institutions.
Curricular Integration and Academic Design
The committee continues to work on curriculum issues, collecting case studies that will be posted on the Forum website. The recently published baseline survey was included in the meeting packets.
Outcomes Assessment and Research
The committee is working on a Guide to Outcomes Assessment, an impressive collaborative effort that will be the first publication of its kind in the field. It should debut at the Austin conference. The student research competition continues to be very successful. The third round is currently in process.
Data Collection
The committee is working on a state of the field survey and is working closely with IIE to partner on Open Doors data. They are also developing an on-line searchable research data base.
Advocacy
The committee is forming important alliances as well as working on a toolkit for education abroad advisors.
Whalen announced that the Forum and Frontiers will partner on an exciting new project which is a History of Education Abroad from its beginnings until 1965, written by Bill Hoffa, with special funding from the IFSA Foundation. The volume will debut at the March, 2007 conference. The Forum and Frontiers will be inviting multiple authors to write a second volume that will cover the field from 1965 to the present.
Whalen thanked the Forum staff and the Forum Council members as well as committee members for their work on these projects and activities. Over 100 individuals have been involved in Council projects this year.
VIII. Election of Advisory Council Members
Lynn Anderson chaired the election process for new advisory council members. They had received 21 nominations for five positions and narrowed the slate down to eight individuals, trying to balance the needs of the Council with the expertise of the nominees. The biographies of the candidates were circulated electronically before the meeting and were included in the packets. They included William Anthony (Northwestern), Amy Bartnick Blume (IFSA-Butler), Mell Bolen (BCA), David Comp (U Chicago), Kate Darian-Smith (U Melbourne), Dennis Gordon (Santa Clara), Lance Kenney (Villanova) and Natalie Mello (Worcester Polytechnic). As per the current bylaws, Anderson asked if there were any nominations from the floor. There being no additional nominations, the membership was asked to vote, using the ballot in their packets. Members were asked to submit their ballots at the end of the meeting and the results would be announced electronically following the conference.
IX. Gratitude to Previous Advisory Council Member
Whalen thanked J. Scott Van Der Meid for his service to the Council from 2002-2005, including his strong advocacy on behalf of mid-career professionals, and presented him with a plaque.
X. Gratitude to Retiring Board Member
Sideli thanked Jim Langridge for his service to the Board from 2003-2006, underscoring his indefatigable efforts on behalf of the Forum’s international partners, and presented him with a plaque.
XI. Special Award Announcement and Presentation
Sideli made personal remarks about Peter Wollitzer (see: Peter Wollitzer tribute) and paid tribute to his contributions to the field of education abroad. She also announced that the Board had decided to name an advocacy award after Peter and to bestow the award upon him posthumously this year. She invited Peter’s EAP colleagues to accept the award on his behalf.
Bannister circulated a handout that summarizes Peter Wollitzer’s career and contributions to the field and describes the guidelines for future nominees for the annual award (see Wollitzer Award Guidelines).
XII. Forum Conference in Austin, Texas, 2007
Sue Mennicke encouraged the membership to come to the Forum conference on March 1-2, 2007 in Austin. She and Jerry Wilcox were on hand to speak about the welcoming and hospitable environment of Austin and the University of Texas, a Forum member that will be partnering with the Forum for this conference in exciting and stimulating ways.
XIII. Closing Remarks and Passing of the Gavel
Sideli reiterated that she was delighted with the appointment of her successor, Mary Dwyer, President of IES, who had played a significant leadership role in the Forum for the past five years as the vice chair and also chair of Nominations. Due to her efforts, the Forum currently has the necessary depth and breadth of experience necessary to ensure its ongoing fiscal and strategic success. Her strong administrative and leadership skills will confidently steer the Forum into its exciting future.
Bannister surprised Sideli with a plaque to acknowledge her contributions in helping to establish and lead the Forum from 2001-2006.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
Approved by Al Balkcum, Secretary
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