Minutes of Special IEEE Executive Board Meeting Concerning Restructuring of Section Meetings

October 10, 2000 at Miller Inn

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 by Val Werner.

V Werner announced all four ideas for the November social meeting had fell through and asked for ideas.

L Hause will see if there are any open days at the Museum. G Wrate will see if there are any open dates at the Mitchell Park Domes. Both will get back to V Werner with answers tomorrow.

V Werner passed out copies of email from John Gassert and Ivan Howitt which expressed their opinions on restructuring of the Section meetings. They each had prior commitments and could not attend.

Thirteen members, officers and chairs attended this special meeting on restructuring of the section meetings. Several individuals discussed attendance problems and it was suggested that something must be done - why prolong the agony of poor attendance.

A pole of chapter attendance by chapter chairmen indicated a count of 2 to 10 members attended recent meetings depending on the topic. Several said that attendance has shown a decline in recent years. A significant drop in power attendance was reported after the restructuring of WE. The EMC group reported good attendance of 15 to 30, noting that EMC uses an email list of IEEE members and non-members.

J Blaha and W Henning suggested that sessions include educational, tutorial and CEU options so that there is take-home value for attendance. A general educational theme was recommended by J Blaha.

The group recommended:

1. Two Section meetings per year in early November and in March.

2. Four section organizational (executive board) meetings per year during the second week of January, February, September and October.

3. One Section Student meeting in April. This meeting, with the others mentioned above exceeds the six section meeting requirements of IEEE. (After next year we may go with three board meetings instead of four, however, because the format is new, it was felt four meetings would be needed next year.)

4. Two chapter meetings per year can be held at section meetings or independently. Combined chapter meetings were recommended for chapters with low attendance. The IEEE two meetings per chapter per year requirements were considered secondary to adequate attendance needs. The section receives only $180 more per year per active Chapter from IEEE (two meetings a year to be active.) Chapters wishing to have more than two meetings per year can arrange those independent of the Section.

5. The chapter meetings would consist of short-courses/seminars and/or educational speakers. Vendor exhibits will be encouraged at Section meetings with tables available to vendors for a charge or free to vendors who sponsor short-courses/seminars and/or educational speakers.

It was moved by J Blaha and seconded by P McKenny that these changes in format be implemented for IEEE meetings in 2001. This was approved by a unanimous voice-vote.

It was recommended that a list of short courses be included on the section web page.

The existing policy of including a free page in the Informer for chapter events was confirmed.

It was suggested the Executive Board meetings continue at the Miller Inn.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 by V Werner after a motion by J Blaha seconded by G Wrate.

Attendees:

Val Werner, Bill Henning, Larry Hause, Robert Molthen, Hue Tran, Jim Blaha, Brian Cunningham, Glen Wrate, Keith Corzine, John Liegeois, George Hanson, John Brauer, and Peter Mckenny

Respectfully submitted by L. Hause