Minutes

Meeting of the Society of Professional Journalists, Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter

Nov. 14, 2020, 10 a.m., via Zoom

Started: 10:20 a.m.

Attendees: Tim Eigo, Deb Krol, Mark Scarp, Teri Carnicelli, Doug MacKenzie

Opening

• Secretary’s report and approval of minutes from Sept. 19, 2020 – unanimously approved. Minutes of the July 25, 2020, special meeting – unanimously approved.
• Treasurer’s report – Teri reports our investments with Russell Life Points/Northwestern Mutual as of Nov. 13 gained $274.46 in the past quarter, to $19,212.62. Our checking account as of the same date contained $6,091.11.
• Mark’s Mighty Minute!
  • Mark reported that the national SPJ board, after some delays since the question was first discussed in September, will consider whether to approve a plan to hold the 2022, 2023 and 2024 conventions in the same city, likely Washington, D.C. Mark appeared before the board Sept. 5 to object to the plan, favoring diverse locations throughout the country as a way to have conventions more attractive to journalists from those areas by saving them airfare and extra hotel room-night costs. Destination cities also can attract attendees who might take an extra day to sightsee (some bringing along family members), Mark said. Action: The board’s consensus is that if Mark speaks to the issue when the board is scheduled to discuss it Nov. 21, that he can speak for the chapter by advocating for continuing to hold conventions by rotating them among destination cities.

Old Business

• Update on first SPJ/PRSA webinar – About 40 attendees outside of panelists were on hand Sept. 23 for “Switching Seats: Journalism to PR (and Vice Versa).” Well-organized and panelists had diverse views with none dominating. PRSA/SPJ cooperation was stellar.
• Update on next SPJ/PRSA webinar – Due to lack of time to secure panelists and to promote it, an originally scheduled Nov. 18 webinar on how big changes in media are affecting journalists and PR professionals has been postponed to Jan. 13 or 20. Date will be selected soon, as will panelists.

New Business

• Review of scholarship essays and selection of winner(s): Motion: Mark (m) and Teri (s) that $500 scholarships each be given to Kylie Cochrane of Arizona State University and Amira Johnson of Chandler-Gilbert Community College – unanimously approved
• Discussion of possible December online mixer: Board members agreed that due to Zoom fatigue, even a virtual event might not be well-attended – members agreed to not hold a mixer this year and plan for 2021.
• Discussion of Arizona being the host location of an SPJ annual convention: Board members discussed the possibility generally of whether to propose Phoenix as the host city in 2022, 2023 or 2024. It was noted that the chapter is hosting the Region 11 conference in 2022 and that might not be the year for a Phoenix national convention. See Mark’s Minute above for details on national board action regarding future convention.
• Update from Region 11 and national (Deb Krol): Deb floated the idea of having regional webinars on one topic instead of a full virtual regional conference, as conferences are a lot to organize and still feel like webinars. National SPJ is considering holding a mid-year, mini-national conference in spring 2021 in lieu of regional conferences. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Tim said a committee should be formed soon to start planning the 2022 regional if it is to be Phoenix’s (but it might be 2024 if Hawaii holds a 2022 in-person event and San Francisco follows in 2023). Tim said the board will revisit this issue on the agenda of our January 2021 meeting.
• Virtual visit to chapter board meeting by national president. National SPJ President Matt Hall has volunteered to appear at chapter board meetings. We will explore the possibility of inviting him to a future board meeting.

NEXT REGULAR MEETING: 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, via Zoom.

Adjourned: 11:45 a.m. (85 minutes)

Respectfully submitted,

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary