Board Minutes – 11/2000

B O A R D M I N U T E S

Chicago Headline Club
Board of Directors Meeting

November 15, 2000

President Marsha Barancik called the meeting to order at 5:40 p.m.

Present: Barancik, Ed Avis, Molly McDonough, Casey Bukro, Maria Traska, Diane Monk, Mary Myers, Howard Dubin, Pat Kosar, Christine Tatum and Susan Stevens.

Ed, a former Headline Club president, presented a fund-raising plan. He is publishing a book of writing coach Paula LaRocque’s articles in Quill. He proposed that the Headline Club get 25 percent and Quill Endowment, part of the SDX Foundation, get 25 percent of the books sold under the plan. He distributed brochures, which have an order form that enables us to do this. A motion to approve the plan passed. We will provide free ads in the Chicago Journalist and talk up the book at meetings.

Marsha reported on a Chicago Journalist meeting held two nights earlier. Another meeting was planned the following night. She said a staff structure is in place for mailing a monthly update of one page, with quarterly Journalists that will be larger than they have been.

Marsha reported for Ilyce Glink and Paula Brien that the Internship+ program is moving ahead. An internship fair will be conducted Jan. 20. Board members should plug it with their employers.

Howard said SPJ has given him insurance-provider information. He did not have a quote by meeting time. His financial statement: We spent $9,433.26 fiscal year to date, July 1 to Nov. 15. Our revenue was $2,042.

Pat said the Lisagor Contest entry forms have a few changes. The major one: Spanish-language print and broadcast news and features categories. We will increase from $35 to $75 the fee for plaques ordered after the banquet and for ones that need to be corrected because wrong information was submitted because this what they cost us. She will provide a deadline for late orders.

Casey reported he and Howard since Oct. 30 attended three ethics training sessions and had homework. Another session was coming up. Carol Marin and Rob Hess had been unable to attend, and other broadcasters were still being sought. The hotline probably will be launched in mid-January. Howard is asking David Ozar to get a grant proposal going. Marketing is being worked on. Mary suggested small cards with phone numbers be distributed. All agreed. Phone numbers for other things, such as FOI, the chapter and Legal Defense Fund will be included. Loyola and Casey want to do seminars on ethics for journalists at Loyola.

Maria reported the Web committee is a small but enthusiastic group. Karen Hansen at the Sun is working on on-line chat. Chris Terry is working on an on-line directory.

Molly distributed a list of programs through March. She said she did not want to fill it too far in advance because of the possibility of better speakers/topics coming along. Jan. 20 will be the Internship Fair. On Jan. 26 at the Brown Bag Becky Beaupre and Dan Haar of the Sun-Times along with Jim Lichtenstein of assignmenteditor.com will discuss covering breaking news on the Internet. On Tues. Feb. 13, NPR’s Rod Abid will do an evening program: “Two Hours of Good Talk.” Mystery writers Hugh Holton and Barbara D’Amato will speak at the Feb. 23 Brown Bag. Jonathan Scott, creator of “Dad’s Magazine,” will speak at the March 30 Brown Bag.

Christine reported eight new members. She will be sending out more letters to recruit members. Also, she plans to solicit associate members in the public relations and advertising communities. She and Howard will decide how much to charge, probably $160 to $175 a year. She also displayed one of 10,000 postcards which are available as SPJ recruiting tools.

The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan S. Stevens
Secretary