January 12, 2021: Executive Committee Meeting

by | Dec 14, 2024 | Meeting Agendas and Minutes

 

January Executive Committee Meeting; January 12th 7:00-8:26pm

In attendance:

  • President: Bob Persiko
  • Vice President: Kieran Holland
  • Treasurer: Bruce Truitt
  • Membership Committee Chair: Daniel Foster
  • PR Officer: Lauren Newton
  • Secretary: Sarah Knorr
  • Global Programs: Jennifer Alison Theiss
  • Past President: Melanie Miller Foster

Location:

  • This meeting was held via virtual method (Zoom) due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic

Topics of Discussion

Agenda Items:

  1. Minutes of December meeting – action items follow up
    1. Lauren: composing Monthly Report
  2. Global Programs – Jennifer Theiss
    1. Global Programs is continuing Penn State First program
    2. Jennifer will provide updated enrollment report of international students
    3. Annual Tax Workshop will be in March virtually through Zoom
  1. Included will be a recorded webinar about tax changes for international students and scholars
  2. Contact person: Wenjie Fu ([email protected])
  1. President – Bob
    1. Reviewed Executive Committee officer goals for 2021
  2. Membership Committee –  Daniel
    1. Organization currently has 37 paying dues members
    2. Encouraging Executive Committee (EC) officers and members to consider future of Global Connections (GC) in a physical and/or virtual context
    3. Encouraging mobilization of organization programming: Kieran to reach out to Ten Thousand Villages volunteer base
  3. Treasurer/Finance Committee – Bruce
    1. Recommendation that the organization absorb the membership processing fee until our financial situation dictates that we can/should change this
  1. Increase in membership dues to cover processing fee OR does GC absorb cost without change in membership dues?
  2. Bruce motioned for GC to absorb cost for total of $59.00
  • Motion passed unanimously

 

    1. Account clean up
  1. GC has a total of 87 accounts
  2. Bruce to categorize accounts based on active/priority accounts
  • Bruce to email Excel spreadsheet to EC with all listed accounts for discussion of which accounts to close and which to retain
    1. Global Connections fund at Centre Foundation
  1. As of 1/6/2021 fund has $41, 914.69 (does not include investment Q1 activity)
  2. GC can receive 2020 distribution monies and 2021 distribution monies
  • Do we want one, the other or both distributions?
    1. Bruce proposes taking 2020 distributions and revisit 2021 distribution in April
    2. 2020 distribution will be moved to spending account to be used for operating funds
  1. Move does not need motion due to Bruce submitting in Treasurer report
  2. Bruce to reach out to Centre Foundation on any restrictions of using funds
  1. Program Activities – Kieran, et al.
    1. Bob reports discussion groups continue and are active; English classes are virtual and are active; Global Conversations to continue into February featuring Mexico and Mexico border culture; March featuring Puerto Rico
    2. Melanie reports on opportunity for partnership with Friendship Force for a virtual event and to expand audience, community and to share mission of organization
    3. Kieran to pursue 3 international contacts to present for future Global Conversation events
  2. Public relations; also website and social media – Lauren
    1. PR Goal to focus on making the website organized in a way that targets the right audiences
  1. Plan to direct website vision to have inclusive membership of local and international communities
  2. Global Programs to promote GC to international community and those affiliated with PSU
  1. New business:
    1. Susan Steinberg’s request for $2500 budget for book groups
  1. Bruce to draft Annual Budget, Executive Committee to facilitate
  2. Daniel encourages membership meeting for membership to discuss and vote on budget
  • Susan requests book group members retain books which would require change in policy
  1. Discussion of paying members retaining books which would promote membership growth
  2. Kieran to draft letter to Susan addressing:
    1. Annual budget request, book group members to become members-if there is a financial burden organization will and timing book group needs funds
    2. Will review letter with Bruce
    1. Airport welcome sign (Melanie)
  1. Propose sign at airport and on airport television-ad promoting GC
  2. Plan to apply to Awesome Foundation grant to cover costs
  • Melanie requesting to apply to grant
  1. Executive Committee approved for Melanie to apply to grant

 

    1. Question: Should we continue the monthly newsletter to our members? If so, what is the timing and how should we focus the content?
  1. Content should focus on: Highlighting membership activities, link for Global Conversation recordings, committee meetings
  2. Consensus is to send out monthly newsletter
  • Submit material to Lauren by January 18th for monthly newsletter

Action items

  • Add Amazon Smile account to newsletter, social media
  • Kieran and Melanie to connect to discuss Global Conversations expansion

Unfinished Business

  • Drafting of 2021 annual budget