Attending

Jennifer Peebles

Frank Gibson

Milt Capps

Kent Flanagan

Sandy Dickerson

Amy Smith

Absent

Gary Cunningham

Sharon Fitzgerald

Pat Embry

Bill Lewis

OTHER BOARD MEETINGS

Minutes of the April 3, 2003 board meeting

Held at 12 noon in The Tennessean's Board Room. Jennifer Peebles provided lunch for attending board members.

Jennifer Peebles called the meeting to order.

Frank Gibson moved that the minutes of March 6, 2003 be approved. Milt Capps seconded. All approved.

Peebles announced that since the last meeting Larry Burriss of MTSU and Gene Policinski of the First Amendment Center have been invited to sit on the Board of Directors. Burriss was elected. He was officially welcomed.

Kent Flanagan moved that Gene Policinski be elected to the Board. Gibson seconded. (Clarified that his addition would be to fill a vacancy). No discussion. Approved unanimously. Policinski officially welcomed to the Board.

Peebles asked Gibson about Jennifer Perry being invited to sit on Board. Gibson said he will try to reach her by phone so that she can be added to slate if she is willing.

Peebles asked if there is any additional business from Amy Smith. Gibson suggested that Amy do reports only quarterly. Noted that check was written for NFOIC from the Gridiron account and for service plaque.

The next item on the agenda was the update of the Scholarship Committee. It was acknowledged that Kent Flanagan agreed to serve as chair of the committee.

Flanagan proposed to fashion a steering committee to write the rules of the scholarship program and to involve academics and others to establish a means of evaluating students. He discussed three points:

The student who applies for the scholarship must have a statement with full backing of the attended school's department head and have a written plan of action.

The individual applying must write an essay of no more than 500 words that would detail the student's goals as a professional journalist. This would weed out several applicants.

Our program should continue with the upper classman designation as we don't need to provide scholarships for those who will change majors.

Flanagan said he has checked on Terra Grant, current scholarship recipient, who has another year to graduate. She is producer of "Close-Up" at MTSU.

Peebles asked Flanagan if there is anything the Board can do to assist him. He said he will draw up the plan and present it at the next Board meeting.

Gibson gave a report on the Nomination Committee. He suggested bringing in new blood and mentioned a young man from Western Kentucky who is currently working on The Hill.

Flanagan also suggested that Karin Miller or Amber McDowell from AP would be good candidates. Gibson will ask Amber McDowell. Flanagan confirmed that Karin Miller is already a member of SPJ.

Peebles said that these are good candidates to replace Board vacancies.

Gibson said that he will present slate at the next meeting and ask for nominations from the floor.

Capps asked that the April 23 meeting be scheduled to hold the elections.

Peebles said the elections are scheduled for April 23. Gibson will provide the nomination list to post. Jennifer will also post on the website.

Capps presented an update on programs. He said that four journalists are signed up for the April 9 meeting. Peebles asked that Carol Stuart be added to the attendee list. Capps asked that news of meeting be placed in all newsrooms. Gibson mentioned that an appeal for membership should also be made at this meeting. Peebles asked Capps to make the appeal for new members at the April 9 meeting.

Capps reported that several journalists have inquired about the April 23 meeting.

The next item on the agenda was Gridiron and/or Drue Smith dinner.

Capps reported that he met with Sally Weatherford and that she is ready to help. Capps also said that he talked with Lee Farrah and tried to reach Hank Dye. He asked Amy Smith if she has any sense of what Hank might say or be interested in exploring Gridiron. Capps thinks we can market the tickets and hold October 28 and 29.

Gibson said that we need a group to write the script and get started before Sally gets involved. He said that past discussion with Hank determined that Gridiron is a waste of energy if the Chapter doesn't make a profit. He said it makes sense to put the Drue Smith memorial and Gridiron efforts together. He said that possibly the Gridiron could be dedicated to both Drue and Don Belcher.

Capps said that he thinks the organization has to adapt. There is the opportunity to make Gridiron bigger than five years ago. This is partly influenced by similar programs in other cities.

Peebles said that she will commit to upholding the SPJ tradition of holding a Gridiron program.

Capps said that we need to commit ASAP to find the production space and lock in a date that is not conflicting with other events.

Peebles inquired about 501(c)(3)s—directed question to Gibson. Gibson explained that in the past we didn't tell people the show was tax deductible. If we had the 501(c)(3) vehicle available, that might attract more ticket sales.

Discussion on SDX Foundation's proposal on starting scholarship accounts with national foundation, using the Foundation's 501(c)(3). Can probably send money to national, and they keep 5 % for paperwork. The Nashville Community Foundation would keep 1%.

Capps said he didn't think Gridiron attendees attend for the write-off. He said he believes we can come up with a plan to re-institutionalize the Gridiron and capture membership.

Peebles said she will schedule a Board meeting the first Wednesday in May, May 7, to decide once and for all if SPJ will hold a Gridiron in 2003. She will open up for discussion any motions made.

Flanagan reminded the Board that he will also try to have a scholarship report available for the next meeting, but he won't be able to attend because of his wife's surgery.

The Board meeting was officially scheduled for noon, May 7, at The Tennessean. Capps will need to check on availability of facilities for October 29 and 30 (Weds. and Thurs.) to hold the show.

Capps said he will ask Sally Weatherford to attend. Gibson said that Gail Kerr also needed to be invited.

Discussion deferred on Gary Cunningham's memorial dinner for Drue Smith, because he was not present.

Peebles asked that Gibson give an update on the new Tennessee Coalition for Open Government and update on finding an average citizen to recommend to serve on its board. Gibson said that he will get the program to Peebles to put on the website. The next scheduled meeting for TCOG is June 19 in Chattanooga. Now have a $250 contribution, placed in the Gridiron account, by a news organization. He reported that a draft of the legal document, bylaw draft and 501(c)(3) are being worked on by an attorney.

On finding an average citizen, Peebles asked if any Board members have any names in mind. Gibson said that the SPJ Chapter has one seat—that is Jennifer Peebles. Capps asked about identifying candidates for average citizens. Jennifer asked for any other business.

Flanagan moved that the meeting be adjourned. Seconded. Adjourned. Peebles was thanked by the Board for providing lunch.