Board Meeting Minutes 2014

Society for the Scientific Study of Reading

Santa Fe Convention Centre (201 West Marcy Street)
Tesuque Boardroom, 2nd floor
July 16, 2014
2:00 – 4:30 pm

Type of Meeting: Board Meeting
President: Catherine McBride
Present: Dorit Aram, Penelope Collins, Don Compton Carol Connor, Helene Deacon, Alexandra Gottardo, John Kirby, Catherine McBride, Fred Morrison, Ludo Verhoeven, Lesly Wade-Woolley, Rick Wagner

1)   Call to order 2:05 pm
2)   Approval of minutes from 2013 Board Meeting
3)   Welcome new board members: Ludo, Alexandra

New business:

Carol discussed the policy on reimbursement for travel. Travel will be covered for the president, treasurer, and conference chair, executive secretary and others with permission of the executive committee. She noted we should formalize the policy that we use the federal per diem and federal mileage rates, they must stay at the conference hotel at the conference rate, or another hotel at the federal rate for local hotels. The foreign exchange rate will be that of the day moneys are spent. The maximum will be set at $2,000 (USD). Lesly made the motion that this policy be adopted and put in the handbook. Motion was unanimously passed.
Carol presented that those who should have complimentary conference registration are the local organizer for conference, webmaster, and the distinguished scholar who is giving that year’s presentation. Lesly moved, and the motion was unanimously passed.
Carol presented the need to secure a second bank for SSSR business. Currently, Hugh Catts, Don and Carol are signatories for SSSR. Ally Bank is online and has the highest interest rate available. SSSR will open an additional savings and chequing account at Ally Bank for all funds above the FDIC limit at the current bank, with Carol, Penelope and Lesly serving as signers.
Policy on paying for services to SSSR (Carol) Carol requested that the Board empower the executive committee to make decisions about payments or purchases for unanticipated expenses. These expenses are to be reported to and/or confirmed by the Board at subsequent full board meetings. If there is any dissent among the executive committee, full board will be consulted and vote, either in a face-to-face meeting or virtually (including an electronic vote). This was supported unanimously.
Carol reported that SSSR continues to have tax exempt status. We must file the long form of I90, which must be signed by executive committee and filed. Because we do not have employees, we do not need to file employee taxes.
Cammie addressed issues concerning where the annual meeting is hosted. The current practice, two years in North America, one year elsewhere should be included in the handbook. The 2016 meeting will be in Europe.
Alexandra raised issues concerning how information would be shared from one Board to the next. Don and Fred will contact Darlene Beeman’s daughter for the boxes of archived materials stored at her home. We will create digital archives and establish a systematic way of maintaining materials. A temporary person, local to Penelope, will be hired to work on the archiving these materials once they are retrieved. Penelope and Fred will work together on the digital archive.
Cammie provided an update on the SSSR website. Website management will continue with Inner Circle for a year. Amy Scarborough will be hired at $25/hr to communicate with them and updated details and information. An online communication committee will manage social media and the website.
Carol raised the need to have clear policy concerning complimentary memberships. There are no complimentary memberships for the Distinguished Scientific Contributions award, nor should there be for founding board members.
Carol raised discussion on whether the $25 discount for early bird registration is sufficient. The Board approved raising the early bird discount to $100, with a $25 cancellation fee up to one month before the conference. There will be a no-refund policy starting one month before conference.
Cammie addressed the need for policy concerning dietary restrictions and conference fees. Participants with dietary restrictions may be reimbursed for food at the federal rate for lunch and breakfast.

2013 Conference Report:

Cammie distributed the 2013 conference report (see attached).

2014 Pre-Conference Report

Lesly presented the 2014 pre-conference report. There were 464 registrations, with registration fees totaling $169,000. Among the registrants, there were 68 non-members. 152 conference dinners were purchased, and 54 conference t-shirts sold. SSSR had contracts with four hotels, and the room block (180 room nights) was met. The student preconference will spend 1.75 days on publishing and writing, and one day on eye-tracking. The Breakfast with a Researcher will enable students to meet with four-five researchers each morning of the conference.

2015 Conference update

Lesly reported that the 2015 conferences will be in the Big Island, Hawaii at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. Of the 335 rooms, 200 are booked. Because the closest other hotels are one to nine miles away, the question arose whether to arrange shuttles. Due to the limited number of rooms, there was discussion about whether registration should be staggered, with registration opening to first authors a month before opening registration more widely.

2016 Conference update

Ludo announced the 2016 conference will be in Europe.

Report from Publications Committee

John presented the attached report of the Publications Committee.

Report from the Editor of Scientific Studies of Reading

The new journal editor will be Karen Landerl. Cammie suggested that the size of the publications and awards committees be increased to seven.

Report from Awards Committee (Rick)

Rick reported that there were fifteen candidates for the Rebecca L. Sandak award. The two awardees are Sara Hart and Suzanne Adlof. There were five candidates for the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, and the winner is Rebecca Treiman.
There was discussion about how the criteria for the Rebecca L. Sandak Young Investigator award should be changed to consider parental and medical leave, particularly in considering whether the timeline should be modified. There were questions that the current criteria were unclear whether ratings were based on the paper or the candidate. There was the suggestion that the criteria should focus on the investigator and have a best paper award.

Report from Nominations/ Membership Committee

Don reported that there are currently 650 members. Fourteen members applied for voting membership status and all met the criteria. This year, we need to elect a new General Board Member to replace Helene.

Handbook /By-laws

Fred noted that there are no known issues that require attention.

Treasurer’s Report

Carol presented the attached report.
Lesly noted SSSR received a 5% signing bonus on the master account for the Hawaii conference. However, sales tax is 4% and SSSR cannot get tax exempt status in Hawaii.

Other business

Cammie presents awards, and Julie Van Dyk for the RS award
Ludo: every 2 years, about 40 students spend a 5-day summer literacy school for PhD students – can convert to a pre- SSSR event.