B O A R D M I N U T E S
Chicago Headline Club
Board of Directors Meeting
August 14, 2002
President Molly McDonough called the meeting to order at 8 a.m.
Present: Molly, Christine Tatum, Howard Dubin,Diane Monk, Paula Brien, Phil Kadner, Ed Cooper, Casey Bukro, Steve Rynkiewicz, Art Menke, John Camden, Abdon Pallasch, Rob Hess, Carmel Carrillo, Bob Roberts and Susan S. Stevens.
Minutes of January, June and July board meetings were approved. February and March are still missing.
President’s report:
Molly presented a general statement to outline what we will seek in candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Award. As amended, it reads: “The Chicago HeadlineClub each year honors one or more Chicago-area journalists for extraordinary contribution to the community and/or the profession.” She suggested we might limit this year winner(s) to those active in the Chicago Headline Club.
The target date for distributing a new membership directory is November, but might be done in time for the Brownlee Series.
A newsletter is in the works.
Molly distributed a list of committee assignments. Steve Rynkiewicz will be chairman of the Lisagor Awards, John Camden is chairman of membership, Ben Bradley head of programs, Christine Tatum heads the Brownlee Series, Phil Kadner is FOIA chairman with Bob Roberts remaining on the committee, Casey Bukro is Ethics chairman and Art Menke the high school/college internship/scholarship student liaison with Jennifer Leopoldt the Medill Liaison.
Membership:
John Camden said he is coordinating CHC and SPJ data, and putting in a system to constantly monitor changes. He noted at least 25 percent of us move every year. His goal is to refine the database by the end of September, then definitely have a directory out in November.
Ethics:
Casey Bukro asked for $5,000 to continue our partial funding of the Ethics AdviceLine in the coming year. “It does fill a need,” he said. It has received at least 130 calls. Christine Tatum suggested the amount be increased to $8,000 to set an example and to possibly do reports on the kinds of calls and seminars. Board approved $8,000 with a requirement of at least two programs over the 2002-2003 year.
FOI:
Phil Kadner reported he is writing letters to newspaper editorial boards, urging editors to question candidates about their stances on the FOI and the Open Meetings acts. Illinois has some of the weakest laws in the nation, he said. The Illinois Press Association is sending similar encouragements and also suggesting the creation of a special counsel for FOIA mediation, perhaps in the Illinois attorney general’s office, Phil said. Indiana does it, he said. It avoids news outlets having to go to court. Board approved including the IPA suggestion in the letter.
Bob Roberts said he is sending a letter to the Governors State University president, urging settlement of a lawsuit filed by muzzled student newspaper editors. Christine asked Bob to have the editors file a formal request for SPJ Legal Defense Fund money. He will.
Bob also said new U.S. Health and Human Services Department rules, effective in April 2003, will make reporting very difficult. Hospitals won’t be required to release information about patients unless reporters have patients’ names and unless patients give written permission for the release of information. He could not suggest a specific line of attack yet, but said we should get involved in the fight against the rules. Rob Hess said he would spread the word among news directors.
Brownlee Series:
Christine Tatum said her biggest concerns at this point are setting up workshops for Oct. 12 and publicity for the events. She said Stanley Fish, University of Illinois Liberal Arts dean, Bill Gaines of the UIUC journalism faculty and other VIPs will be at the opening party. Bill Perry raised thousands of dollars from companies that want to display technology journalists can use, she said.
The day of the board meeting or the next day, PR Newswire was to send its first Headline Club mailing.
Student Outreach:
Art Menke reported a session on how to assemble a clipbook will be in October and a clipbook review session will be in November. He needs 10 volunteers to help in the November event at the University of Chicago.
Treasurer:
Rob Hess said we had, on July 31, $2,799 in a Banc One checking account, $3,619 in a Vanguard money market fund/scholarship fund and $83,685 in a Scudder investment account. Payment of the scholarships, $3,400, was approved.
Rob asked that everyone note the new address dropbox:
Chicago Headline Club
Attention: Membership/Billing/other
333 N. Michigan Ave. #2032
Chicago, IL 60601
Board vacancy:
Board approved Molly’s nomination of Lucio Guerrero of the Sun-Times to replace Damon Adams, who resigned.
Meeting adjourned at 9:07 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan S. Stevens
Secretary