MINUTES — Jan. 8, 2017, Meeting of the Board of Directors

Valley of the Sun Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists

Members present: Amanda Ventura, Tim Eigo, Teri Carnicelli, Robert Leger, Mark Scarp.

Members absent: Kaely Monahan, Debra Krol, Perri Collins. Mark Scarp took minutes in the absence of Kaely Monahan.

The meeting was called to order at 10:14 a.m. by President Amanda Ventura.

Minutes of the Nov. 6 meeting were not available for approval.

Teri submitted the treasurer’s report, showing that the chapter had $6,660.84 in its checking account on Jan. 6 compared to $6,807.76 on Nov. 6. The chapter had $16,739.91 in its investment accounts on Jan. 6, compared to $16,665.18 on Nov. 6.

Holiday party recap — Board members liked the location of the Dec. 8 party at Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill-Biltmore at which about 35 attended. Board members also liked that the appetizers expense was only about $150, including a generous tip, with no room rental fee.

• ACTION: For 2017, board members agreed by consensus to have the event co-sponsored by several local media organizations, as it had been in the past, with each group contributing something toward the cost (last time, in 2015, it was $50 each). Co-sponsorship is seen as a more reliable way to insure that each group promotes the event to its members, as opposed to SPJ-only sponsorship. Planning for the 2017 holiday party should begin in July.

Scripps Leadership Institute recap (Tim) — Tim reported that he got a lot out of the leadership training at the Dec. 2-3 event, although he found its application to newsroom management not very strong. He also made a good contact in Chelsey Heath of The Arizona Republic at the Scripps event. Tim will invite the Univision newsroom to be the host.

Shoot/edit video with a smartphone workshop — Kris Baxter-Ging, former chapter president and today with the city of Tempe, will lead with a co-panelist a workshop on this subject likely  in the second or third week of February.

• ACTION: Amanda will seek out possible locations to hold it so we can charge admission. Tim suggested the Univision newsroom for the event.

Suggested March programming — Board members discussed having a Q-and-A with reporters about credibility in the media and media literacy.

Suggested national programming — Board members discussed an idea to get SPJ President Lynn Walsh on “Meet the Press” to discuss credibility/media literacy.

• ACTION: The board agreed that this suggestion should be forwarded to SPJ Executive Director Joe Skeel in Indianapolis.

Chapter scholarship — Teri asked that the chapter once again offer an annual scholarship to a journalism student, suggesting that it be a $500 award, now that the chapter has fully taken over the Publicity Summit and is deriving all proceeds (no longer sharing them with PRSA Phoenix).

• ACTION: The board agreed. Deadline to apply will be April 30. Teri has a template for the scholarship application/essay submission that she will modify for the 2017 award. The board will publicize the 2017 award this winter and spring. (Previous years had no more than five applicants per year.) A scholarship selection committee made up of people outside the board will be formed and decide on a recipient(s) before June 1. The award will be given out during the summer to enable the winner(s) to apply it to fall tuition. The template will now have only one writing prompt; a suggested specific topic is about how a journalist or piece of journalism inspired the applicant to rebuild or preserve credibility in the industry. Board members should send contact information for suggested judges to Amanda so she can invite them to participate.

Freedom of Information Awards — Board members discussed reviving the awards after taking 2016 off.

• ACTION: The board agreed to do so, deciding on recipients of the Phil Alvidrez Award and induction into the Order of the Silver Key at its May meeting. Mark will inform Paula Casey of ANA that we will return to its September convention to give out those two awards. We will inform Paula Casey by June 1 of our recepients, giving her plenty of time to insert them into the program.
• ACTION: The board agreed that the 2017 recipient of the Phil Alvidrez Award for Excellence in Journalism will retired Arizona Daily Star executive editor Bobbie Jo Buel, who retired in 2016 after 36 years at the Mark will inform Buel’s successor, Jill Jorden Spitz, of the decision and ask that Buel be contacted to invite her to the September ceremony.

The board adjourned at 11:35 a.m. The next meeting will be 10 a.m. Sunday, March 5, at the Normal Diner at Forest Avenue and Apache Boulevard in Tempe.