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MINUTES
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
NOVEMBER 1, 2007
VIA CONFERENCE CALL

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
With President Clint Brewer presiding, the meeting of the board of directors of the Society of Professional Journalists was called to order at 4:02 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2007, via a telephonic conference call.

ROLL CALL
In addition to Brewer, the following were in attendance: President-Elect Dave Aeikens; Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Smith; Vice President, Campus Chapter Affairs Neil Ralston; Immediate Past President Christine Tatum; Directors at-Large Sally Lehrman and Bill McCloskey; Campus Adviser at-Large Sue Kopen Katcef; Student Representatives Melissa Patterson and Taylor Rausch; Regional Directors Ann Augherton, Darcie Lunsford, Jeremy Steele, Gordon Govier, Travis Poling and Deb Hurley; and Legal Defense Fund committee chairwoman Molly McDonough. Staff members present included Executive Director Terry Harper; Associate Executive Directors Chris Vachon and Julie Grimes; and Editor Joe Skeel.

LEGAL DEFENSE FUND REQUEST
McDonough reported that Carlos Miller, a freelance photographer in Miami who had already been awarded a $1,000 grant from the Legal Defense Fund, was requesting an additional grant for his upcoming trial. McDonough reported that the LDF committee supported an additional grant of $1,000 even though there were some concerns expressed that Miller violated a direct police order to stop photographing prior to his arrest.

Aeikens made a motion to make an additional $1,000 grant from the Legal Defense Fund to assist Carlos Miller. Kopen Katcef provided the second. Tatum offered a friendly amendment to increase the grant to $2,000. The amendment was accepted. The motion passed unanimously.

STRATEGIC PLAN REVISIONS
At the SPJ board of directors meeting on October 3, Lehrman proposed a number of additions to the Inclusion section of the Strategic Plan. The board was asked to consider the revisions to be voted upon a later date.

Upon proper motion and second by Lehrman and Lunsford, respectively, the board adopted the following changes relative to Inclusiveness in the Strategic Plan:

Under Broad Goals:
4. Educate journalists on and promote the tenets of inclusive journalism.
5. Ongoing assessment of professional development and other content to support the goal of inclusive coverage.

Under Master Document:

Objectives for this area will integrate and institutionalize inclusiveness in all Society efforts so they are relevant to the diverse individuals (both in terms of demographics and discipline) represented in the profession and in news audiences.

4. Educate journalists on and promote the tenets of inclusive journalism
a. Incorporate diversity in all SPJ training and professional development.
b. Market and maintain tools to promote inclusive content.
c. Highlight connections between the SPJ ethics code and inclusion in content.
d. Collaborate with other organizations on content and staffing issues.
e. Participate in advocacy for inclusive newsrooms.
f. Participate actively in the industry’s Diversity Week (2007-2008)

A copy of the revised Strategic Plan is available on the Web.

ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the board, Brewer declared the meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2008.