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ORTESOL Board Meeting
Sunday, March 7 at 10:00
Chemeketa Community College
Building 22, Room 108

The meeting was called to order by President Bill Walker at 10:00.
Members present were Amanda Franzoni, Tal Saunders, Kelley Fitzpatrick, Anna Becker, Bill Walker, Reuel Kurzet, Linda Steinle, Kathleen Kuba, Kathryn Long, Bruce Arendt, Kathleen Fallon, Joel Glick, Tim Van Slyke, Juliet Pursell, and Betsy Kraft.
I. Approval of Minutes 
A. The minutes from January 26, 2004, were approved with the following changes:
1. Item I-B: Tim, not Time
2. Item III-J: WASOL, not WESOL
3. Item V-I: things, not thins

B. The minutes from the OTESOL Meeting on Nov. 8, 2003 were approved.

II. Fall Conference
A. Friday day at St. Mary’s is not available. Maybe we could have an evening event there? Is PSU available? We have to book PSU far ahead, although regular classroom space may be available on a Friday. PSU can’t let you know until late (October?), until Fall enrollment is known. K-12 would want a Friday. Where can we go during the day on a Friday? We are trying to capture the 50% who want something available on Friday.
B. Bill asked for a sub -committee to find a location for a Friday meeting: Anna, Joe, Linda. Juliet recommended the new SE Center at PCC or the Workforce Training Center.
C. No big name presenters on Friday; 90 minute to 3-hour presentations; recruit K-12 members.
D. Publishers’ concerns
1. Five or six publishers gave feedback about the problems at St. Mary’s and using round tables. The elevator was the biggest problem; a lot of people had to carry boxes up 3 flights of stairs. It was recommend we hire some people to do the carrying up and down the stairs. Or, what about the library in the basement? Can we push tables out of the way and set up our tables? Publishers like to be near the food, and this could be a problem. The art room is down there also; can we hold some sessions there if we use the library for the publishers? Or, put all the publishers on the first floor and no sessions on the first floor; that might bring people past the publishers. There’s a problem with outlets on the first floor.
2. It was suggested we have a drawing at the coffee break.
3. Bill: Can we get in Friday night? Bruce will look into light- weight tables; Tal will find out about using the basement. We’ll settle this by next meeting.

E. Theme 
1. We generated ideas for a theme by writing free associations on the whiteboard. We voted on the following possible themes:
Bridging Cultures, Bridges to a New Beginning, Gateway to Tomorrow; Connecting Cultures, Bridge to the Future, Bridging Cultures, Building Bridges.
2. After lunch, we selected Building Bridges, Connecting Cultures. Kat has an appropriate poem to look at next time.

III. ESL Awareness Week
A. Bill will write a letter inviting the governor to pronounce ESL Awareness Week (April 25 – May 1).
1. Handout – Kathleen Kuba and Bill’s thoughts regarding the content of the letter and the economic impact of ESL students in Oregon. Reuel reported that PCC’s president reported that 5 private ESL schools closed last year. Ask the governor to foster future business and cultural contacts by promoting our ESL programs. Contact Jim Sager, former president of OEA, governor’s advisor on education, about inviting the governor to a meeting or Friday’s conference session for a discussion.
2. Try to get each institution to do an event around ESL Awareness week. See the website for ideas on what you can do.
** As a note, put the date on anything posted on the WEB
IV. TESOL complimentary memberships
A. Bill, Reuel, and Kat are the committee. Two people have applied. TESOL said it can’t go to an “executive board member”. Amanda’s membership has lapsed, her board position is not an executive position, so this is fine.
B. Bill moved that Amanda, Anna, and Kelley be awarded the three complimentary memberships. Tim seconded. Unanimously approved.

V. ORTESOL Journal
A. Note from Frank: he wants to drop the deadline for articles.
Bill put out a request for articles. He is willing to mentor one first-time contributor.
B. Articles don’t have to be strictly research; this might bring on more writers.
C. Kat will talk to Brian Lynch to talk at something about publishing. Bill will talk to Frank, Martha, U of O instructor about mentoring.
D. Reuel said the TESOL Journal was discontinued, which has created a vacuum in teaching-centered articles.
E. Kelley wondered about encouraging conference presenters to submit their workshops. Include a synopsis and handouts on the website as well. Tim said it should be packaged so it’s easier for him to post it (pdf file, etc.). May meeting – talk about requiring this as part of presenting (getting their conference fee paid for).
F. Kelley wondered if it is possible to have some items on the website
“members only” access? Bill has thought about this: Some things like the newsletter would be good for public view. Maybe have workshop synopsis and handouts available to members only. We’ll talk about it in May.

VI. Spring Workshops
A. Handout: Clackamas Community College Book Group
1. The plan is to discuss Diane Larsen-Freeman’s new book, Teaching
Language: From Grammar to Grammaring
2. The proposal was accepted; Kat will settle on a date(s).
B. Kat said that MHCC would like a workshop of service learning. Reuel suggested that PCC instructors Diedre Cain, Kim Sahiba-Smith may present on Service Learning.
C. Debra Healey and Michael Krauss: Bill will talk to them about putting together an early May workshop
D. Kelley: suggested that the Book Group post their discussion topics on the website. Kat said the group may be able to write up a book review, present at ORTESOL, as a result of meeting.
E. Kathleen Kuba suggested looking into ORTESOL sponsoring a workshop with co-presenters from Literacy Commission.
F. Reuel wondered if several small workshops might take care of a need for a big fall workshop.
G. Michael Krauss presents a good workshop. Maybe he would be willing to do Friday evening at PSU or Lewis and Clark for Fall Conference.

VII. Newsletter Editor recruitment
A. Tal visited Methods classes at PSU and got some letters of interest. Bill also put out a call. The application process is new. Tal has created an application form including previous experience, technological background, amount of time willing to commit, etc. The job description needs to be revised to include technology. Kelley asked about graduate students and the issue of continuity. Will they stay with it, or will there be a regular turn-over? We should ask for both a recommendation and a letter of interest, which would reflect their writing skill. Note: this is not a paid position. Mention to grad students that they could set it up as a Reading and Conference credit(s) at their institution. Tal will keep the board informed as the process proceeds.
VIII. Membership drive and Listservs
A. How to recruit new members?
1. Those who belong to a staff have a stronger sense of belonging. K-12 staff tend not to belong; it isn’t advertised. Why would K-12 want to join? Fall K-12 workshops have been successful.
2. Fall statewide inservice has irregular attendance. Teachers tend to
come one year, then go to something different the next.
3. Statewide should serve K-12 ESL as opposed to sheltered themes. Then, ESL teachers would show up and become members.
4. Schools pay for membership on state inservice day. If we change the focus that day to ESL, teachers would get their membership paid.
5. If teachers sign up for October inservice day workshop, then the fall ORTESOL conference would be cheaper because they would already be members.
6. Send Portland Public Schools a flyer for the November ORTESOL conference.
7. We should have K-12 sessions at the fall conference to attract teachers.
8. We should look at the ESL needs of the whole family (children and adults).
9. We should include a session on learning to identify special ed. students (children and adults).
10. Spring workshops are free to members. If teachers pay for their membership, the workshop is free. Non-members pay $20, the cost of a membership.

IX. Bylaws amendment
A. Reuel spoke about a need to amend the Bylaws. Sometimes, people are unable to complete their board duties. She suggested changing the Bylaws so that if a commitment cannot be filled, the person is to notify the president and resign so that the position can be refilled.
1. In order to amend the Bylaws, 2/3 of the board members must be present, with 30 days notice before the vote.
2. A second change to the Bylaws would define the membership year from conference to conference, beginning with the K-12 inservice each fall.
B. Proposal to amend the Bylaws of the Constitution to read:
Section 3 Membership Year
The membership year shall consist of twelve months beginning
October 1 and ending September 30. While members may join or
renew at any time, fees are not pro-rated.
C. Pre-registration for the conference automatically renews membership.
D. Given 30 days notice today, we will vote to amend the Bylaws at the May
meeting. We will vote on both bylaw changes. We will ask Pati to unofficially put them in the membership book.

X. Nattinger Grants      
A. There were no applicants this year for the Nattinger Grant, and it’s too late to review applications for this years TESOL conference.
B. Reuel moved that since we have no applicants, we roll the money into our
general budget. Kathleen Kuba seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved.
C. Reuel suggested we move the deadline for applications to February for next year so we can decide on the recipient(s) in early March.

XI. Members’ Reports
A. Treasurer: Juliet presented a handout of the figures since the last meeting.
1. The amount designated for the Nattinger Grant is lower because the conference is on the west coast this year. We can take it out for this year since there were no applicants.
2. Add $2,000 in the blank space next to Journal Editor.
3. Last year there was a short fall because there were two journals and we paid Martha. We won’t have those expenses this year.
4. We received a letter from the IRS saying that we need to fill out a 9-90 if our gross receipts are over $25,000. Last year, we were just over that amount. We have money budgeted for an independent accounting service. We decided that we should pay someone to handle this correctly.
B. Volunteer Coordinator: Anna reported that she needs names and sources for volunteers for the fall conference. She will contact the student group (SOAL) at Portland State.
C. Technology: Time is researching private vendors who could set up online
registration.
D. Second Vice-President: Amanda will compile an email list for recruiting
members, and will have it by the next meeting.
E. Mailing Coordinator: Kelley reported that the newsletter is at the printer, and will be in the mail soon.
F. Newsletter Editor: Tal is searching for a replacement editor. She posted the newsletter on her website and we can see it there.
G. Publishers’ Liaison: Bruce will look into tables and the possibility of book donations with the publishers.
H. Workshop Coordinator: Kat will go ahead with the book club workshop. She will check with the publisher to see if we can get some copies free for the first members to register for the workshop.
I. Socio-Political: Kathleen Kuba wants to get a listserv going, and find out what topics people are interested in. Members can subscribe to the listserv online at the ORTESOL website.
J. Elementary/Secondary/Bilingual: Linda reported that they plan to hold their fall conference at the Red Lion Inn. The cost is about $2,000 but the revenue was about $6,000 last year.
K. Past President: Reuel reported that by the next meeting, we need to start recruiting next year’s board members. Email her with recommendations.

XII. Time and Place of next meeting
A. PSU, the Sixth Avenue Building (SAB) Room 204
B. Sunday, May 16, from 10am-1pm

The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 by President Bill Walker.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Betsy Kraft.