ABLE President's Report

Carol Budd, ABLE President
St. Lawrence University
cbudd@stlawu.edu

Another academic year greets us, and many more of my hairs are gray. However, the new experiences students inevitably bring to the table keep me young. As background to the following stories, you need to know that I graduated from my institution of employment about (but not exactly!) thirty years ago. I had a lab last fall in which three of the students that I was teaching were children of my former classmates! On top of that, two of the young men’s names were Connor. Has that happened to you yet? This fall, I have a student whose parents were former students. Ye gads! And I just stopped by the bookstore to grab a latte before writing this update when I walked into a young couple visiting campus who graduated ten years ago and who are gainfully employed as fellows of pulmonary medicine in a Virginia medical facility. Again, we unknowingly make a mark on those around us. And it helps when the mark we make is a particularly positive one. That’s what keeps us going.

So let’s talk about what else keeps me going. My involvement with ABLE these past two decades has kept me particularly happy. I have met incredible colleagues who are gracious with their gifts of time and effort. As President this past year, it has been my pleasure to work with a fabulous board that is quick to respond, efficient in their performance of duties, and meticulous in attention to detail. We have a vibrant group of members who step forward when needed and provide valuable insight as requested. Keep it up, folks.

My role as president this past year has centered on getting a more definitive description of job functions for each of the board positions. Many descriptions were written in a time of pen and snail-mail communication. Our ability to communicate with our membership is augmented by our ability to mass e-mail. We are particularly sensitive to the number of posts we make so that your “delete” finger doesn’t develop “phalange-tunnel” syndrome. However, we will be soliciting input from you from time to time. Please take the time to respond, as your input is critical.

This year’s board meeting at the annual conference was particularly long, with many details to sort through. The board spent three sessions on Tuesday and burned the late-night oil to accomplish the agenda. The list of Motions passed, Action Items completed and Suggestions (Recommendations) implemented was impressive. The list follows this report. I was pleased with the volume of work accomplished and the efficiency with which it was done. My most sincere thanks go to those who made it happen.

This past June board meeting generated its share of work to be accomplished over the next year. The number of motions decreased from 8 to 4, but the number of Action Items increased from 10 to 21, while the number of Suggestions (Recommendations) increased from 12 to 26. I have also included these items below for your perusal. If you feel that there is any way that you could assist in accomplishing any of the items on the 2004-2005 list, please feel free to join an already motivated group. My thanks, and all my best for your gray hairs.

Sincerely,
Carol Budd
ABLE President, 2004-2005

ABLE Board of Directors
Motions, Action Items and Suggestions (Recommendations) from two-part board meeting, 3-4 June 2003 at UNLV; current status in bold font.

MOTIONS PASSED

1. (5.4) Create a new Student Membership Fee for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of 1-year duration (renewable) at $15 per year (and get it into the brochure). [Done]
2. (5.8) Major workshops (6-8 per half day was suggested) will be given on Wednesday and Thursday with Friday reserved for mini workshops and alternative formats; on a trial basis at Bowling Green State University only. [This was not changed in the host guidelines for the meeting this year; will be changed for next year.]
3. (5.10) Print 450 copies of the Proceedings, 50 less than usual. [Done]
4. (5.14) Establish an ad hoc BEN liaison committee with Carol Budd as Chair; Carol will choose size and membership. [Done. Cataloguing and validation being pursued by Sarah Deel in collaboration with Linda Akli. Peer review aspect to be worked on by Bill Glider with assistance from Bob Hodson with forthcoming recommendations.]
5. (5.14) We should recognize partnership with BEN in ABLE brochure. [Done]
6. (6.6) Update all relevant sections of By-Laws where paper communication is specified to electronic communication. [Done]
7. (6.6) From Secretary’s duties (in By-Laws) delete mailing annual ballot. [Done]
8. (6.6) Create ad hoc position of Election Officer. [Done; Todd notified 3-10-04.]

ACTION ITEMS

1. (5.1) Doreen Schroeder or Mariëlle Hoefnagels: Put membership application form in ABLE brochure. [Done]
2. (5.1) Bob Hodson: Send out instructions for reaching the University of Delaware “satellite ABLE server” for the general membership and for the Board. [Done]
3. (5.5) Bob Hodson and others: Create and implement online survey to obtain information from previous members on reasons for non-renewal of membership. [Report attached here.]
4. (5.5) Maggie Haag: Create ad hoc committee on membership to deliberate at this meeting. Committee charge: brainstorm ideas for increasing membership and submission of major workshops and report to General Meeting. [Done]
5. (5.8) Catherine Teare Ketter: Create a survey and combine it with Anne Cordon’s survey for ideas about major workshops and other matters.
6. (5.10) Mike O’Donnell: Get information on policies for double publishing workshops (Proceedings and elsewhere).
7. (5.10) Corey Goldman: Post all workshops from volumes 1-19 on the ABLE website. [In progress with help from Sarah Deel and Josh Haag.]
8. (5.10) Anne Cordon and Bob Hodson: Collect information on use of ABLE workshops by ABLE members at their educational institutions. [Done]
9. (5.10) Bob Hodson: Look into the possibility of hosting a forum for comments about workshop experiences and modifications. [Feasible; not pursued.]
10. (5.13) Maggie Haag: Get Board members to suggest updates for positions and clear out old information. [Information sent to Corey last summer.]

SUGGESTIONS (RECOMMENDATIONS)

1. (5.1) Maggie Haag: Brochure should indicate partnership with BEN (see #10 below). [Done]
2. (5.6) Anne Cordon: Approach Todd for putting together a survey of members for major workshop ideas and opinions on other matters.
3. (5.7) Form an informal brain-storming group at this meeting to come up with ideas for next year. [Done]
4. (5.7) Tom Fogle? Create a generic statement or letter to send to authors who have published articles on topics that might be suitable for a major workshop.
5. (5.7) Bill Glider: Have a clipboard at this meeting for attendees to jot down ideas for future workshops. [Done]
6. (5.7) Bill Glider: Set up table at this meeting with information on presenting a major workshop, hosting a conference, and so on. [Done]
7. (5.8) Tom Fogle? Put area on mini workshop application form for stating degree of self sufficiency in materials needed.
8. (5.10) Mike O’Donnell: Interested members should contact Mike for details and input into the content and design of Volume 25.
9. (5.10) Mike O’Donnell? Board should consider the option of putting Proceedings on CD.
10. (5.14) Carol Budd: Put BEN association on back of brochure: have link to our on-line application form; make brochure longer with 4-fold and tear-off application. [Done]
11. (6.2) Anne Cordon: Set up a network of regional members to serve as contacts for new members and potential workshop presenters.
12. (6.2) Anne Cordon: Beef up major workshop evaluation process. [In progress; current general evaluations will be continued.]

ABLE Board of Directors
Motions, Action Items and Suggestions (Recommendations) from three-part board meeting, 8 June 2004 at BGSU; current status in bold font.

MOTIONS PASSED

1. (5.5) – Thank Rudi Berkelhamer (Membership) for all she has done this year. [Done]
2. (5.13) – Put online all volumes of the Proceedings except the last two years available, which will be available only to members.
3. (7.5) – Develop new workshop form for workshop participants for year 2005 meeting implementation.
4. (7.5) – Develop new rubric for use by major workshop committee for major workshop acceptance.

ACTION ITEMS

1. (5.5) – Maggie Haag: Launch membership drive by sending letters. Schools identified were (1) two and four-year colleges that are members of NABT; (2) area schools of future ABLE meetings; (3) area schools of current ABLE members. Letters should be send to (i) department chairpersons, (ii) graduate program coordinators, (iii) specific faculty teaching introductory biology, (iv) new faculty preparing to offer laboratories in introductory biology (and more advanced labs too), (v) programs for preparing teaching faculty, and (vi) regional or state education programs. [Also see suggestion #1 below.]
2. (5.7) – Ralph Preszler: Make it known to NSF that ABLE is willing to serve as a resource for grant PIs needing to do education outreach for the broader impact. From this ABLE might get ideas for workshops.
3. (5.8) – Catherine Teare Ketter: Announce that electronic submission of proposed workshops is required.
4. (5.10) – Ann Lumsden: Look into selling back volumes of the Proceedings at NABT for $20 each.
5. (5.10) – Mike O’Donnell: Investigate cost of printing only a few hard copies of Proceedings and cost of producing editable PDF files of all previous chapters in Proceedings. Results will be sent electronically to board members for decision.
6. (5.10) – Mike O’Donnell: Investigate other possible printers of Proceedings and consider printing a percentage more than current active membership such as 10%. Results will be sent electronically to board members for decision.
7. (5.12) – Bill Glider: Compile list of persons receiving Grants-in-Aid waivers, send to Corey for posting on website. [Done]
8. (5.12) – Corey Goldman: Create link on ABLE website off Lab Initiative grants page to compendium of recipients. This can be used by incoming committee chairperson (4th year Member-at-Large) to keep track of ongoing awards that need follow up. Alec Motten will generate list of recipients. [Done]
9. (5.13) – Corey Goldman: Solicit ideas for redesign of website directory structure (e.g. home page menu driven) and obtain budget commitment for this project; at lunch during meeting (Wed). [Done]
10. (5.13) – Mike O’Donnell: Solicit volunteer (at General Meeting) to create search words (indexing) of recent Proceedings volumes; Mike O’Donnell will do this as Editor if volunteer not found. Should use search words recommended by BEN to do double duty; send vocabulary to Mike O’Donnell.
11. (5.13) – Carol Budd: Find out if the BEN website can launch search of topics specifically within the ABLE site.
12. (5.13) – Mariëlle Hoefnagels: Explore making Labstracts printable (MS Word or PDF).
13. (5.13) – Mike O’Donnell: Send all not-online workshop manuscripts to Corey Goldman for future posting.
14. (5.13) – Corey Goldman: Redesign website to advertise all Proceedings volumes still available for sale and update regularly.
15. (5.13) – Bob Hodson (as Secretary): Update and convert to PDF both the By-Laws and the Board and Chair positions (jobs) documents; the list of positions and their occupants can be presented in current HTML format. Carol Budd will send jobs pages to Bob who will forward to Corey as editable PDF.
16. (6.1) – Ann Lumsden: Invite person(s) from NABT to attend our next conference at Virginia Tech and perhaps give presentation on NABT in a noon time slot. Waive registration fee for one person. [Done]
17. (6.3) – Maggie Haag: Purchase two dozen signed biological photos and precut matting and give one to each long-standing member who retires. [Done]
18. (7.2) – All: Revise activities timeline spreadsheet at this meeting. Carol Budd will send out update for comments. Target completion date Aug. 1. [Done]
19. (7.3) – Mike O’Donnell: Investigate location of incorporation and rules governing its change. Currently it is Lycoming College in Pennsylvania.
20. (7.4) – Mike O’Donnell: Discuss promoting CBE on ABLE website and reverse; pass results to Corey.
21. (7.4) – Carol Budd: Confirm the number of Grants-in-Aid can be up to 10 per year. [Done]

SUGGESTIONS (RECOMMENDATIONS)

1. (5.5) – Send addresses for membership invitation letters to Maggie.
2. (5.5) – Set up regions for membership drives.
3. (5.5) – Collect demographic data on membership form if there is room, e.g. primarily involved with lecture or lab, tenured or untenured position, etc. [Done]
4. (5.7) – (i) Membership subcommittee (members other than co-chairs) should cease reviewing workshop submissions and put effort into soliciting workshops. (ii) Committee should be expanded to include regional chairs that can help solicit workshops and memberships.
5. (5.7) – Push in the summer to do as much workshop soliciting as possible and then finalize the major workshops mid-fall rather than starting the process then. Can then move all other associated deadlines up too.
6. (5.7) – Workshop committees: Rework major and mini workshop online application forms. For example, the application form (especially for mini workshops) should foster having workshops be more self contained (providing materials) to ease the burden on the host.
7. (5.7) – Major Workshop Committee: Send confirmation letter to workshop presenter also containing paragraph about peer review, to serve as evidence of scholarly activity.
8. (5.7) – Stress importance of a balanced variety of workshops now that the number per meeting is down to 16. Also let members contacted to give workshops be aware that they may be postponed to achieve the desired balance.
9. (5.7) – Post on ABLE website workshops (titles) as they are accepted.
10. (5.7) – When future host presents facilities at the General Meeting, the number of simultaneous wet labs and computer labs should be addressed.
11. (5.7) – Some theme threads should be identified for mini workshops, e.g. pedagogical, technology (software), organismal, inquiry based, etc.
12. (5.7) – Major workshops should stress “wet labs”. Mini workshops can deal with TA training, education outreach to public schools, etc.
13. (5.7) – Put workshop application form in binder.
14. (5.10) – To keep cost of Proceedings down, put additional content of manuscripts such as sample student laboratory report and data from presenter’s classes on limited access auxiliary ABLE server (currently at UD).
15. (5.12) – For application for Waiver of Registration grant, base acceptance on reason for request and have decision made by committee chairperson; do not send to all Members-at-Large.
16. (5.12) – For those persons receiving Lab Initiative grants, make sure in the final product, the workshop presentation, that it is made known that it was developed with help from the grant.
17. (5.12) – In Labstracts, highlight Lab Initiative grants by having abstracts of awarded Lab Initiative grants to spur others to develop ideas for new labs and apply for grants; also give links to more information on ABLE website.
18. (5.12) – Hold off on decision (motion) on how Lab Initiative grant budgets may be used until Carol has looked at previous minutes to see what the existing policy may be. Consider that grant approval should be based mostly on quality of proposal and not how money will be spent.
19. (5.12) – Mention the Lab Initiative grants in the letters Maggie Haag will be sending out to 2-year and 4-year colleges.
20. (5.12) – Have article on Lab Initiative grants and Waiver-of-Registration in both issues of Labstracts each year.
21. (5.15) – Arrange Board meeting next year for Monday evening with carryover to Tuesday morning as needed.
22. (6.1) – Watch ABT journal for possible workshop presenters.
23. (6.1) – Set up a trade of one or two attendees between NABT and ABLE, resolving differences in fees if needed.
24. (7.1) – Send workshop presenters a spread sheet describing host computer and computer room facilities available.
25. (7.1) – Have space on workshop application form for specifying software needed by workshop and who will provide it.
26. (7.3) – Keep term of non-elected members at renewable 3-year increments and be aware that all terms do not end at the same time.
27. (7.5) – Host sends plan for registration form to past host (1st VP) for proofreading. Final conference program is needed for website by Feb. 1, and it needs to be copy ready (PDF).

Submitted 6-25-04
Robert C. Hodson, Secretary