Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
Sheraton-Austin Hotel, Austin, Texas
Monday, February 25, 2008
The President of the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS), Philip Langlais, convened the Executive Committee meeting at 7:35 am in the Bickler Room of the Sheraton Austin Hotel. In attendance were Patricia Bishop, Jeannine Blackwell, Philip Cohen, Karen DePauw, Craig Edelbrock, Elaine McNiece, Mitchell Muehsam, Max Poole, Jean Pugliese, Rebecca Saunders, Maurice Taylor and John Watret. Also in attendance were former Executive Committee members C. Eddie Palmer and Paul Starkey.
Following introductions of the Executive Committee membership, the President thanked the immediate past president, Karen DePauw, and the Treasurer, Max Poole, for their assistance in organizing the 36th Annual Meeting Program.
The Executive Committee discussed the dates for its next meeting in order to prepare for the CSGS 38th Annual Meeting and 37th Meeting Program. After reviewing several dates, the Executive Committee agreed to hold its next meeting on June 20 and 21 in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Executive Committee reviewed recommendations from the CSGS membership for changes to the annual meeting program. The President stated that he has received suggestions to include in the annual programs scholarly papers written by members of CSGS that are consistent with the meetings’ themes. The Executive Committee agreed that the submission of scholarly papers would provide opportunities to increase participation by CSGS members in the annual meetings. The Committee discussed the logistics of the submission, review, and organization of the papers’ abstracts in the organization of the annual meeting programs.
The Executive Committee then reviewed recommendations to include a graduate student panel in future annual meeting programs. The Committee discussed costs to CSGS associated with graduate student panels including transportation and housing for the panelists. Philip Langlais and Karen Depauw suggested experimenting with a panel comprised of students from graduate programs in Virginia for the 2009 Annual Meeting Program scheduled for February in Norfolk, Virginia. They noted that the Virginia graduate programs are likely to provide support to defray the costs associated with the student panel. Maurice Taylor encouraged the Committee to consider ways to insure participation of graduate students from historically black colleges and universities and from other minority serving institutions. After further discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded it was
RESOLVED: that the Virginia Council of Graduate Schools be authorized to invite graduate students of graduate programs in Virginia to organize a graduate student panel for the 2009 Annual Meeting Program.
Next the Executive Committee discussed potential sites for the 2010 Annual Meeting and Program. The Committee discussed the merits of several meeting locations including Birmingham, Alabama, Memphis, Tennessee, Orlando, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia. The Committee also researched the last time an annual meeting was held in each city. Jean Pugliese stated that the Alabama Council of Graduate Deans is a strong organization and would work closely with CSGS in hosting a meeting in Alabama. Max Poole stated that after the Committee agrees on a location he forwards request for proposals (RFP) to the hotels and/or chamber of commerce in the city to serve as the host hotel for the meeting. He said that the RFP is followed up by an on site visit and a final report to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee tabled further discussion of the 2010 CSGS Annual Meeting pending the report of the Treasurer.
Upon the call for Committee reports and consistent with CSGS procedures it was agreed that as the immediate past president, Karen Depauw, would chair the 2008-2009 Nominating Committee.
Rebecca Saunders, Chair of the Awards Committee, noted the difficulty in securing full participation from the membership in submitting names and theses and/or dissertations to be considered for awards. She reminded the Executive Committee that it has been suggested that the Committee consider changing the New Scholars Award to an award acknowledging mentoring. The Committee agreed to table further discussion of proposed changes to the various awards until additional information about issues related to the awards is received.
The Executive Committee observed that the terms of four of its members including Jeannine Blackwell, Craig Edelbrock, Mitchell Muesham, and Rebecca Saunders expire in 2009. The Executive Committee agreed that among the factors to be considered in filling vacancies on the Executive Committee are diversity, geographic representation, academic discipline and work experience, and whether a nominee has the potential to emerge as a leader in CSGS. It was agreed that Troy Terry will serve as Chair of the 2008-2009 Membership Committee.
There being no further business, the President adjourned the Executive Committee meeting at 8:30 am.
Maurice C. Taylor, Secretary
