April 9, 2007 NAB Meeting

NAB Meeting
April 9, 2007

Members in Attendance:
Tommy Inglis- Western Region Representative and NAB Chair
Amber Mathisen- Western Region Second Year NAB
Vanessa Cerny- North East Region Second Year NAB
April Mendenhall- Conference Coordinator
Kristie Storms- North Central President
Beth Bray- North Central Second Year NAB
Sarah Edens- Southern Region President
Jessica Falkenthal- Web Team Liaison
Amy Schwertner- Secretary

Members not in Attendance:
Megan Baker- North East Region President
Antoine Jefferson- Southern Region Second Year NAB
Jasmine Honore- Business Manager

Inglis called the first meeting of the 2007-2008 National Action Board was called to order at 9:15 PM CST. The agenda was approved first. No business manager’s report was given due to Honore’s absence, and no secretary’s report was given.

The first item on the agenda was old business. Discussion began over the position of Agriculture Consortium Liaison. The duties of the Ag Consortium Liaison include representing the interests of the Collegiate 4-H Organization at Collegiate Life Knowledge events, relaying messages from the Collegiate Life Knowledge program to the National Action Board, and attending one or two Collegiate Life Knowledge conferences each year. NAB discussed how a candidate would be chosen for the position. Edens then moved to develop an application to send out to the entire Collegiate 4-H body and put applications for the position on the NAB message board, and then select the Liaison through an e-mail vote. Bray seconded the motion. Inglis volunteered to write the application for the position, and NAB decided that a Liaison should be chosenby May 15. Inglis called to question, and the motion passed unanimously.

The Advocacy Team applications and liaison were discussed next. Mathisen moved to accept all advocacy and web team applications that had been submitted to the secretary. Edens seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and all web team and advocacy applications were accepted. Applications that were accepted for the Web Team included Jessica Falkenthal; she will remain the Web Team Liaison. Applications that were accepted for the Advocacy Team included April Mendenhall and Christy Clary, Collegiate 4-H member from The Ohio State University. Mendenhall said she would contact Clary in regards to the Advocacy Team Liaison position and to give her more information about the Advocacy Team.

Mendenhall gave an update on the 2008 National Conference. She said that the website is up and running. Applications for workshop will be up shortly and e-mails will start going out through the national list serve. She also mentioned that Wednesday night and Sunday night rooms will be available for members wishing to come early or stay late to snow ski; all information regarding these days will be on the applications. The cost will be approximately $150 per person.

Regional updates were the next item on the agenda. Cerny gave an update on the North East Region. She said that the University of Maryland will be hosting their regional conference. The exact date for the conference has not been set yet, but it will be in September. Edens said that the Alabama Collegiate 4-H club will be hosting the Southern Region conference. The Southern Region conference will most likely be held in Birmingham, Alabama in November. Bray reported that the North Central conference will be hosted by Purdue University in November. Inglis said that the Western Region conference will be held at Lake Tahoe by the Nevada Collegiate 4-H Club. He said that it will be like a college leadership retreat so anyone/club will be able to attend, and then they will have separate activities for the non-collegiate 4-H delegate during their regional business meeting. The Western Region conference will be October 18-21 and the cost will be $150 per person.

Falkenthall then gave the Web Team update. She said that all Collegiate 4-H leadership information and NAB biographies have been updated, as well as anything information pertaining to national conference. She is currently in the process of making all NAB contact information and e-mail addresses work properly, and the message boards are set up. She also announced to the regional representatives that if they would like to set up a website for their region she would be willing to assist.

Discussion on the Strategic Plan was the next item on the agenda. Antoine Jefferson, Southern Region Second Year NAB, has an addition to the “Club of the Year” application so that it includes a diversity section; however, it was not ready to be presented to the national Collegiate 4-H Organization at the 2007 national conference. Honore and Jefferson will continue to work on the goals outline in the Diversity section of the Strategic Plan.
Mendenhall updated the NAB on the Organizational Affairs portion of the Strategic Plan. She that the Collegiate 4-H Organization does have a tax ID#; however, work still needs to be done on getting permanent housing for Collegiate 4-H bills, etc. She said that the permanent housing should be kept with the USDA or the National 4-H Council, not a university. She has contacted the USDA, but there is still a lot of paper work that has to be submitted with the IRS. Mendenhall and Mathisen volunteered to work on this section of the Strategic Plan.
Communication and Member Education was the third section of the Strategic Plan that was discussed. Mendenhall said that the club directory database has not been completed yet, and that the Advocacy Team and Web Team have completed most of the paperwork for this portion of the Plan. NAB agreed that it would be most beneficial if the Advocacy Team and Web Team worked as a group on this section of the Strategic Plan. Inglis said that he will also help.
Cerny updated the NAB on the Partnerships section of the Strategic Plan. She said that this really needs some direction from the NAB. She said that she would contact Kristen Barnhat, 2006-2007 North Central President, about more information on Partnerships. Cerny and Storms will be working on the Partnerships section of the Strategic Plan.
Schwertner gave a brief review on what had been done on the Community Service portion of the Strategic Plan. She said that as of the December 2006 NAB meeting, NAB said that it would best if they looked at grant money for providing funds for the Community Service grant discussed in the Strategic Plan. NAB mentioned that Michael Coughly, Operation Military Kids Service Project of Emphasis coordinator, would be a good individual to help with this portion of the Strategic Plan. Schwertner said he would contact him and send out the Strategic Plan time line created by the 2006-2007 NAB via e-mail. Schwertner, Edens, Bray, and possibly Coughly will work on this portion of the Strategic Plan.

The NAB then discussed when future meetings would be held. A decision was made to vote on Yahoo Groups so that individuals that were not able to attend the April meeting will be able to express when they would like future meetings to be held. Falkenthal said that she would send out the vote through the NAB list serve.

The National Service Projects of Emphasis were discussed next. Information about Operation Military Kids has recently been posted on the National Collegiate 4-H Website. The OMK committee is asking that each club participate in two different activities each year that involve military children.
Falkenthal then gave an update on the Resource Library. She is asking that each club submit two items per year to the resource library. Information to be submitted can include club programs, power points, workshops, ice breakers, etc. These items can be submitted through the message boards.

Under other business, Mendenhall suggested that NAB create an awards committee for club recognition. For example, Mendenhall suggested that NAB create a new award for the most active region, best regional website, etc. The idea is to promote more participation throughout the regions. The idea will be posted on the message boards to revamp the idea and to see what other ideas NAB can come up with.

Edens then moved to adjourn the meeting. Bray seconded the motion. The first meeting of the 2007-2008 National Action Board was adjourned at 10:30 PM CST.

Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Schwertner
NAB Secretary