International Association for Language Learning Technology

IALL Board Meeting Agenda

March 19, 2001

Present: Crandall, Gilgen, Higgins, Pankratz, Rosen Guests: Claire Bartlett, Samantha Earp, Nina Garrett

Routine Business

• The Minutes of February 5, 2001 were approved as corrected.
• The Board noted that subsequent to the Feb 5 BCC the membership cut-off date for balloting was changed to January 1, 2000 via email vote.

 Business Manager Report

• Lauren notified the Board that she has signed us up with Verisign for one year to serve our charge card needs. If we desire we can terminate or continue service with them at that time. She and Bruno are working to coordinate our needs with Verisign capabilities. She is also dealing with how we can conduct merchant services, and may need to use local services. More information will be forthcoming, as these issues are resolved.
• Lauren will meet with Bruno to discuss how the IALL website will work for online and membership orders. She noted we must create our own "shopping cart." All efforts will dovetail with the redesign of webpage. Lauren hopes the site will be up by IALL 2001.
• Lauren noted we will be able to accept credit cards at the booth. Orders could be filled out online via computer with an Internet connection. Chris will speak with Claire about having Internet access available at the IALL booth.
• Lauren further noted another membership drive via email has gone out, and this round had only two bounces. Lauren has been attempting to track missing members with relative success.

• Samantha explained the present issue is still pending. The new issue is in layout and should go to press in mid-April. Samantha would like to include election information in the issue if possible. After discussion it was determined we should print more issues for distribution at the conference.
• Samantha asked the Board to reflect on a possible redesign of the Journal for future discussion. She would like to review all aspects including font, internal layout, and possibly size and color.

Claire Bartlett joined the meeting at 1:21.

Old Business

• Discussion of Job Descriptions tabled to April 2.
• Discussion of the Policy and Procedures Manual tabled to April 2.
• Discussion of the Survey tabled to April 2.

• Claire noted that while at the CALICO conference, she encouraged attendees and vendors to attend the IALL conference, and found a receptive audience.
• Program Update
• Bruce and Chris are working on blocking for the program today. Chris divulged we have accepted about 110 sessions of 156 proposals submitted. They have a goal of seven concurrent sessions, with fewer sessions on Saturday to foster higher attendance at the last two sessions of the day. Discussion fora will continue. Chris noted they have accepted more sessions than was expected.
• The Saturday plenary has not yet been set. The first plenary session will be the keynote speaker from the NASA Astronaut Corps who has had experience with the NASA language program. Second is the Henderson Plenary Award Speaker, and the third plenary is a panel session. The committee is considering running four concurrent panel sessions.
• Claire wanted confirmation on the progression of events for the opening plenary. A general welcome will be extended as well as any pertinent business, and 60 minutes for the keynote speaker.
• Housekeeping details will be handled at plenaries.
• Welcoming letters for inclusion in the program are needed from Read and David. The letters should be sent directly to Claire, by March 30.
• Henderson Plenary
• Claire explained program information must be sent to the printer on March 30, thus this lends some urgency to the Henderson Plenary selection.
• Because the selection process must be abbreviated this time, the Board considered alternative selection procedures.
• Read moved the Board adopt an abbreviated selection procedure for the Henderson Plenary Award this year, due to time constraints. Lynne seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
• The Board reviewed the proposed sessions and narrowed the choice to two proposals. In addition to the appropriateness of the suggested topics, both finalists were considered fully capable of providing an excellent Journal paper.
• It was underscored the Henderson Plenary speaker will be so highlighted in the program. The other finalist will be noted as a Henderson Plenary Finalist and will receive a prominent one-hour time slot. Chris and Bruce will arrange the schedule and note Henderson finalist status for Claire. Samantha will work with Bruce to arrange manuscript solicitation.
• Schedule for Board and Council Meetings
• Board dinner/planning meeting will be Monday evening 7pm at the Red Oak Grill. Claire and Bruce will join us. We will meet in the lobby of the Warwick Hotel.
• A Board and Council meeting will be held Wednesday from 12:30-4:30 on the Rice University campus. This will be a working meeting of the IALL Board and Council. Interested IALL members are invited to attend.
• Claire will secure a 50-seat classroom for the meeting with an Internet connection and projector.
• A box lunch will be served at 12:30. Claire will make arrangements per Council feedback. We will provide Claire with a headcount as soon as possible (no later than April 15), inflating the final count by 5 for unexpected attendees.
• Advance reports will be requested, with the meeting reserved for discussion and planning.
• Read will develop the agenda, in cooperation with David.
• A Board and Council meeting will be held Sunday from 8:30am-11:30am at the Warwick Hotel. Claire will make arrangements for a room. She will ask that coffee and juice be provided as well.
• "Business Meetings"
• For Bylaws purposes, the Council meeting constitutes the official, annual meeting. The membership should be made aware that this is where official business is conducted.
• A State of IALL address will be delivered at the "Opening Banquet and Membership Meeting"
• Comments will include a discussion of IALL initiatives and a report on the health and official business of the organization.
• Awards will be given at the Wednesday meeting.
• Member Recognition and Installation of Officers will occur on Saturday.
• Read asked the Board to reflect whether it might be wise in the future to hold the banquet mid-conference and have all business, awards and installation occur at that time.
• Free booth exchanges (CALICO, EuroCALL, IALL)
• Regarding booth space, Claire wondered if EuroCALL wanted a full booth, or if they wanted information available from a "take-one table." If a full booth, it was noted the free booth should be reciprocal. Claire will discuss and determine EuroCALL's needs.
• Also with respect to booths, 8-10 Internet connections will be possible in the Exhibit Hall. IALLT will be charged for the connections and switch. Claire will explore the possibility of a wireless switch.
• Email access will be available to attendees in the Lab. Two Macintosh computers are also available in the Student Center.
• Discussion of the Conference Database was tabled to April 2.
• Chris noted the Grantwriting Workshop is in progress.
• Claire expressed her wish for a Technical Committee to be constituted. She explained the Rice IT staff will be present at all sessions, but would like to have an IALL connection as well. As at Maryland, a student will stay with each session, and will be trained on how to use the podium. Claire asked the Board to send her suggestions for a technical committee.

• Nina has received 85 ballots to date, and has not yet begun to tally results. Read noted 10 ballots were returned from the postal services as undeliverable.

• Discussion of the sharing of digitized materials was tabled until April 2 when Bruno Browning will join the discussion.

New Business

• Read relayed a CALICO request that we review a CALL statement with the possibility of an endorsement by IALLT.
• Nina expanded on the history of the document reminding the Board a prior version, begun at EuroCALL, had been brought forward for discussion some time earlier.
• The document was created to inform others of what CALL is about, why people should support it and what is required of institutions in the way of support, development and recognition. CALICO asks IALL to endorse the same or a similar document so we can present a united front and use this document as leverage for the betterment of the profession. It is hoped the document could be used to foster support and tenure issues for the profession.
• The Board should review the document and prepare commentary. Read will poll the Board via email.

Claire left the meeting at 2:40pm. Nina left the meeting at 2:45pm.

• Per recent email discussion binder needs for new kits must be reviewed and determined.
• There was some discussion of using old binders, but there was significant concern that the former name of the organization (Learning Laboratories) was used. The former name is printed on the binders, while the new name was found on the printed materials inside.
• David related a conversation between Lynne and him regarding the hard work of the authors, the credibility of the organization and the need to use an accurate organizational title on these new works.
• Chris suggested the possibility of using stickers printed with the new organizational name to cover the titles, but the Board decided against the idea.
• David will coordinate preparation of binders and labeling with LMM and LDK editors. He will discuss local printing possibilities with Ron Balko, as Ron will be responsible for distribution.

• David informed the Board of recent conversations with Kathleen Ford regarding her present ability to work on the LMM, and what revised timelines the Board might approve. Kathleen has done considerable conceptual work on the project, and is at the point of beginning work with the authors.
• The Board discussed several possibilities which might assist Kathleen in her present situation, but did not arrive at a decision. The Board suggested David contact people to see who might be available to assist. Kathleen's availability will need to be solicited and further discussion will be necessary before a final decision can be made.

Chris left the meeting at 3pm.

• Discussion of Samantha's proposal to reorganize the Journal columns was tabled to April 2.

• As IALL 2001 approaches, it is time to move forward with award nominations. Read asked the Board to send him suggestions via email for consideration at the next meeting. Read will send a message to the Council soliciting nominations.
• Nominations will be needed for the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Henderson/Sheppard Awards.
• Lynne suggested the Board review the most current guidelines found in the draft Policy and Procedures Manual.

• The Board lamented the death of Fawn Whitaker. Read declared he would send a letter to her family, on behalf of the organization, mourning her passing.

• The next scheduled meeting is April 2, 2001 at 1pm EDT.