NACDEP Transition Team Conference Call
Friday, July 9th, 10:00 a.m. Central
Phone Number: 662-325-8448

Present:
Bo Beaulieu, Southern Rural Development Center
Steve Daniels, Western Rural Development Center
Stephan Goetz, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
Rod Howe, Cornell University
Sally Maggard, CSREES
Jeri Marxman, University of Illinois
Emily Shaw, Southern Rural Development Center
Charles Shepphard, Alcorn State University
Julie Stewart, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
Greg Taylor, Texas A&M University
Kathy Tweeten, North Dakota State University
Walt Whitmer, Pennsylvania State University
Mike Woods, Oklahoma State University

Walt Whitmer presided at the meeting.

Review of Minutes from June 11
Minutes were approved from the June 11 conference call (approved by consensus).

CSREES Funding
Sally Maggard reported that we have support from 2004 budget for conference. May be discretionary funding in '05. $5300 signed off on.

Committee Reports

2005 Conference Committee

Jeri Marxman reported that the call for presentations went out July 8. She brought these issues to the group:

1. Partners. USDA Rural Development, Forest Service, National Ag Library, small community center, etc. There is open space/public space around the meeting rooms making permanent displays from partners possible. These partners would be charged for meals. Maybe have 8-10 agencies. If the group okays, this will be turned over to the poster group. Bo Beaulieu brought up whether we should consider affiliate memberships? (discussed in more detail later in the minutes)

2. General Sessions. The committee is still deciding on the general sessions. Potential invitees were discussed: Colien Hefferan, the new ECS Deputy Administrator, someone from NASULGC, Gary Cunningham, others? Jeri reported that there is time for organizational issues on the agenda, and it is up to group to decide how to use this time. Are these invitees for the organizational time instead of for the general session?

A break down of agenda time followed:

Wednesday morning (8-10 am with keynote speaker),
Thursday (4:30-6 pm business meeting of association)
Friday morning (9:15-11:45 includes presidential address-30 mins-and keynote speaker-hour, hour and a half).

A discussion of how to use the organizational time followed:

Rod -- time for the core competency committee to discuss the competencies.
Sally -- national strategic planning meeting time
Mike -- 2003-2004 plan of work items
Charles -- 1890 membership issues
Others -- maybe time for resource fair, committee discussions, a JCEP discussion
Kathy -- set aside board meeting time on Tuesday
Bo -- strategy to meet with Extension leadership to stress importance of the organization; regional liaison to meet with us for engaging and garnering Extension leadership support; Greg reported that from the directors meeting in Atlanta, according to Chester Fehlis, this in on directors' minds
Kathy -- get on Mid managers conference agenda possibly

Walt, Kathy, Rod to work on this for next conference call to come up with preliminary time plan of conference organizational time

3. Pre-Conference Sessions. Dick Senese had the idea of pre-conference sessions on Tuesday. He wants to do in-depth training of North Central curriculum. This committee would provide interested people with information about who to contact at hotel, but not to run the registration through the conference registration. Discussion followed with Bo raising opposition to these pre-conference sessions. It was decided that Walt would help with the final decision.

4. NACDEP Brochure and Conference Website. Rod reported that he and Emily Shaw would get the brochure posted on the website by the 3rd week of July. The hardcopies will be sent out to the Centers by mid-August, giving the South their copies in time for the PLN meeting. Mike and Bo agreed to work on the Colien Hefferan quote for the brochure with Rod.

Mike reported that there are currently 36 members (from the Tampa meeting). A discussion followed regarding the most efficient way to accept membership applications. Agreement was reached that the SRDC would receive checks and keeping a database of membership applicants. The hard copy brochures will be adjusted accordingly. Julie Stewart and Emily to work out the online membership application.

Proposals are due by Aug. 31. Can we be flexible regarding membership due to status of getting…"as long as you are a member by

(Julie): Conference marketing committee will send out monthly updates

5. Cost. Jeri reported that it is possible that costs may creep up some but will still be affordable.

6. Regional representation on track committee.

7. Research roundtables. Neal Flora will work with RRDC directors to work on research roundtables.

Database Committee

Julie Stewart reported that there is a master membership list and inquired of the group how they wanted to be able to use it and how to make it available to the public. Mike asked if there should be one that references member due information, then a broader database with ability to communicate with group. Other discussion revolved around who should be able to access it (Officers? Members?). The database was sent to Bonnie and Pam Hileman.

Marketing and Outreach committee (Rod Howe)

All items were previously discussed during the conference section.

Membership Committee

No report from John or Jeri. Questions were raised about possible joint memberships with the Community Development Society and the Rural Sociological Society as well as affiliate memberships. Tuesday at the conference may set aside time for membership discussions.

Nominating Committee

Charles Shepphard reported that this committee is still working out the process of getting nominations in, how they are made and trying to finalize plans. They have reviewed two other national organizations nominating process. Walt inquired as to a timeline, and Charles said he would have Greg email members.

Strategic Planning

Sally discussed the national view for new strategic plan. She relayed the recommendation from Colien to look at ways it dovetails with the USDA and CSREES strategic plan. The idea is to launch a national strategic plan that gets buy-in. Dan Kugler will allocate funding for this process. It will have a youth component that would accompany. Time needed in February at the conference for some teamwork and to present to membership where we are in the process. Sally
Stressed how it could be NACDEP's publication, and that the ultimate timeline would maybe be a year from February. A motion was made (Kathy, Rod) that NACDEP be the major publisher for the new strategic plan for CRED.

Next Conference Call
RESCHEDULED August 20th, 2004, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Central (662-325-8448