National Business Meeting 2008 Minutes

The 2008 National Collegiate 4-H business meeting was called to order at 5:28 PM (MST) on February 24, 2008 by Amber Mathisen (Western Region Second Year National Action Board Member, University of Wyoming, and proxy for April Mendenhall, Conference Coordinator and National Action Board Chair, Colorado State University). The meeting was held in Banquet Room D at the Renaissance Hotel in Denver, Colorado.

The meeting began with United States and 4-H pledges.

Amy Schwertner (National Action Board Secretary, Texas Tech University) began the meeting by calling roll. Clubs present and their voting delegates are as follows:

College Voting Delegate 1 Voting Delegate 2
Alabama Collegiate 4-H Cody Johnson
Colorado State University Beth Sanfilippo Victoria Scott
Dickinson State University Amy Redman
Florida Southern University Kevin Kersey
Indiana University Jessica Falkenthal
Iowa State University Michael Cooley Jon Kempf
Kansas State University Kylee Grant Becky Greene
Louisiana State University Anna Normand Katherine Coco
University of Missouri- Columbia Jordan Scotten Charlotte Jackson
North Carolina State University Jessica Smith Alaina Parsons
Oklahoma State University Gayle Buellesfeld Melanie Skaggs
Oregon State University Jessica Garinger Grace Mountainspring
Purdue University Keith Carrell Julia Wickert
Rutgers University Alyssa Ross Jacob Quick
State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H Allen Nasworthy Ebony Cullars
Texas Tech University Dan Patterson Sara Schwertner
The Ohio State University Christy Clary Kristen Corry
Troy University Casey East
University of Illinois Joshua Sander Katie Fredricks
University of Louisiana- Lafayette Seth Richard Victoria Leblanc
University of Maryland Ben Brown Charlotte Sanford-Crane
University of Minnesota- Duluth, Member at Large Stephanie Kroseman
University of Minnesota- Twin Cities Beth Neal Megan Johnson
University of Nebraska - Lincoln Heather Borck Stephanie Scharf
University of Nevada - Reno Jessica Poole Tikayla Eaton
University of Tennessee - Knoxville Courtney Holder Ryan Hensly
University of Wyoming Amber Mathisen
University Alaska Keagan Williams
Wilmington College Abby Watson Ashley Willis


Schwertner then read the minutes from the 2007 National Business Meeting. Kylee Grant (Kansas State University) moved to approve the minutes. Jessica Falkenthal (Indiana State University) seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

Jasmine Honore (National Action Board Business Manager, Louisiana State University) Business Managers presented the 2008 National Action Board budget. The beginning balance is $3,069.19, and the ending balance is $2,031.80. Allen Nasworthy (State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H) moved to accept the previous year’s budget. Charlotte Jackson (University of Missouri- Columbia) seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Christy Clary (The Ohio State University) moved to accept the proposed 2008 budget. Kylee Grant (Kansas State University) seconded the motion. Discussion followed. Then a vote was taken. The 2008 National Collegiate 4-H budget was unanimously approved.

Committee reports followed. Jessica Falkenthal (Web Team Liaison, Indiana State University) gave the web team report. Over the past year the website has obtained 800 new links. Eight new collegiate 4-H websites have been started due to the national website and website promotion. A new section was added to the national website this past year titled “Club Development.”

Christy Clary (Advocacy Team Liaison, The Ohio State University) gave a brief update on the advocacy team. Throughout the past year they created, updated, and distributed National 4-H Week promotional materials and three national news letters.

Under old business, National Action Board members updated the national body on the strategic plan. April Mendenhall (Conference Coordinator and National Action Board Chair, Colorado State University) gave an update on the organizational affairs section of the strategic plan. Amy Schwertner (National Action Board Secretary, Texas Tech University) gave an update on the service area. Christy Clary (Advocacy Team Liaison, The Ohio State University) gave the communication and member education section update. Antoine Jefferson (Southern Region Second Year National Action Board Representative) gave the diversity section update, and Jessica Falkenthal (Web Team Liaison, Indiana State University) gave the update on the partnership portion of the strategic plan.

Under new business, Sarah Edens (Southern Region President, Oklahoma State University) spoke about the conference call that the National Action Board had with Cathann Kress (National 4-H Headquarters) in December. During the conference call the National Action Board presented Kress with five benefits that the National Collegiate 4-H Organization has toward the National 4-H Program.

Jessica Falkenthal (Web Team Liaison, Indiana State University) then explained what the NAE4-HA organization is. Christy Clary (Advocacy Team Liaison, The Ohio State University) explained the partnership that the National Collegiate 4-H Organization currently has with the NAE4-HA organization, as well as further partnership opportunities that the National Action Board has been reviewing. Clary presented the benefits of combining the National Collegiate 4-H Conference with the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) National Conference. Discussion and questions followed. Sara Schwertner (Texas Tech University) then moved that the National Collegiate 4-H Organization pursue combining the two organizations national conferences to pursue Collegiate 4-H’s relationship with NAE4-HA. Victoria Scott (Colorado State University) seconded the motion. Discussion followed. Questions were asked by delegates about the partnership and National Action Board members answered. Kristen Corry (The Ohio State University) called for a point of question. All delegates voted unanimously to pursue the question. Motion carried with a vote of 41 in favor, 7 against, and 2 abstentions.
Jessica Falkenthal (Web Team Liaison, Indiana State University) then presented an amendment to the constitution. She first explained how the current constitution elected the National Action Board Chair. She then presented the amendment to allow incoming National Action Board members vote on the National Action Board from the four regional presidents and 4 second year regional representatives. Christy Clary (The Ohio State University) moved to accept the proposed amendment. Michael Cooley (Iowa State University) seconded the motion. Motion carried with 47 in favor of, 3 apposed, and 0 abstentions.

Antoine Jefferson (Southern Region Second Year National Action Board Representative, Louisiana State University) then presented a diversity addition to the Club of the Year application. Christy Clary (The Ohio State University) moved to accept the proposed addition. Allen Nasworthy (State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H) seconded the motion. A brief discussion followed. Jessica Falkenthal moved that a friendly amendment be made to the addition; she requested that the definition of diversity be changed to reflect the USDA’s diversity guidelines. Change was accepted by the author. Allen Nasworhty (State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H) then called for a point of question. Motion to add a diversity portion to the Club of the Year application passed unanimously.

Jessica Falkenthal (Web Team Liaison, Indiana State University) then presented one of the National Service Projects of Emphasis. She presented information of Access 4-H. Allen Nasworthy (State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H) moved to accept Access 4-H as a National Service Project of Emphasis. Kylee Grant (Kansas State University) seconded the motion. Discussion followed. The motion carried with 38 in favor of, 5 against, and 7 abstentions.

Christy Clary (Advocacy Team Liaison, The Ohio State University) then presented the Operation Military Kids National Service Project of Emphasis. Victoria Scott (Colorado State University) moved to accept OMK as a National Service Project of Emphasis. Jon Kemp (Iowa State University) seconded the motion. Motion carried with 39 in favor of, 6 against, and 5 abstentions.

Antoine Jefferson then yielded his time to discuss to next National Service Project of Emphasis to Eddie Mentzer (National 4-H Headquarters Liaison.) Mentzer explained that the last National Service Project of Emphasis dealt with the Digital TV change that will occur in February 2009. He also explained how this change could act as a service project for collegiate 4-H members. Kristen Corry (The Ohio State University) moved to accept the Digital TV transition as one of the organizations national service projects. Allen Nasworthy (State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H) seconded to motion. Motion carried with 26 in favor of, 16 against, and 8 abstentions.

Kristen Corry (The Ohio State University) then moved to accept the education goals put forth by Christy Clary (Advocacy Team Liaison, The Ohio State University.) Cody Johnson (Alabama Collegiate 4-H) seconded the motion. Discussion followed, and Clary reviewed the education goals. The motion then carried with 47 in favor of and 3 abstentions.

There was then discussion about the vote of the Digital TV National Service Project of Emphasis. It was not a 2/3 majority vote, and therefore, question was called as to weather or not it was acceptable. Christy Clary (The Ohio State University) moved to strike Mentzer’s comments from the agenda. Allen Nasworthy (State of Georgia Collegiate 4-H) seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

Amber Mathisen (acting National Action Board chair) then called for a short recess. During recess the National Action Board reviewed the agenda and found that a 2/3 majority vote was not needed on a national service project, but only on amendments to the constitution. When the meeting reconvened this was announced. Therefore, the Digital TV was accepted as a National Service Project of Emphasis.



Christy Clary (The Ohio State University) moved to adjourn the meeting. Barrett Smith (Kansas State University) seconded the motion. Mathisen adjourned the national business meeting at 7:15 PM (MST.)