Western Regional Business Meeting
February 17, 2007
9:04am Central time
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Attendance – 17 members in attendance
New Mexico State
Heather Stumpff
University of Nevada - Reno
Ross Kohlmoos
Takayla Eaton
University of Wyoming
Amber Mathisen
Erin Therriault
Montana State University - Billings
Gillette Viara
California Polytechnic University
Emily Morris
Colorado State University
Dale Leidhauser
Shane Sheridan
Autumn Sheridan
April Mendenhall
AJ Lambert
Mike Macklin
Oregon State University
Alyssa Fortune
Brittany Chrisler
Michelle Martin
Chantelle Hendrikson
Secretary’s Minutes
Autumn Sheridan of Colorado State University moved to accept the minutes as read. Shane Sheridan of Colorado State University seconded the motion. The motion passed by voice vote and the minutes were accepted.
Welcome
April Mendenhall of Colorado State University welcomed all the members to the meeting. The regional officer team introduced themselves. The structure of the western region was explained to the new members. Also mentioned was the new, updated website and the new structure of monthly regional meetings.
Business Manager/financial report
Amber Mathisen presented her financial report, which had a balance of $220. Erin Therriault of University of Wyoming moved to accept the financial report as presented. Shane Sheridan of Colorado State University seconded the motion. The motion passed by voice vote and the minutes were accepted.
Secretary’s report
The new website has been mostly finished and is located at www.westernregion.collegiate4h.org. If there is anything that you find wrong or could be better, please email AJ Lambert, the regional secretary, and those will be fixed. If you have not been updated on the activities of the region, there is the listserv that you can subscribe to and be in the loop.
Old Business
National bylaws
Shane Sheridan of Colorado State University explained what the bylaws are, the amendments that the region put together, as these were going before the national business meeting later in the day. These national bylaws would help in establishing the permanency of the national constitution and lower the number of amendments to the constitution each year.
Strategic plan
Shane Sheridan of Colorado State University presented background information concerning the Strategic Plan, which was a duty given to the National Action Board by the USDA to define Collegiate 4-H and where it is going in the future. This duty is broken down into 5 different categories of emphasis: liability insurance, communication/member education, partnerships (USDA, etc), service, and diversity. This was started in the fall of 2006. The goal of this program is to have the definitions and actions completed within the next five years.
New Business
Club Updates
California Polytechnic University – Emily Morris
Their club is working with state and their section within the state. They have been presenting programs to high school students about transitioning to college, as well as presentations about opportunities beyond their county. They also have participated in their county by judging at presentation days, where there were competitions including public speaking, parliamentary procedure, etc.
Colorado State University – Autumn Sheridan
Their club is working on planning next year’s National Conference. They also are working to design a student shadow program for high school students to experience what life is like on campus. They are in the process of setting up a permanent scholarship fund. They have spent time working with 4-H students at Roundup with and Leadership Development Conference.
Montana State University at Billings – Gillette Viara
They have just formed their club in the fall of 2005. They have been helping with 4h reality check money training, as well as with Yellowstone county family fun night (which was a fundraiser), presenting workshops at a 4H member project day, presenting a dance workshop on campus, and are looking to help with a communication day in Yellowstone county in March.
University of Nevada at Reno - Takayla Eaton
They have been working with Nevada 4H ambassadors and they presented a leadership workshop at the ambassador training. They have also been working on organizing the regional conference, which is potentially going to be held in October.
New Mexico State University - Heather Stumpff
Their club is a smaller group, but their numbers are going up as more people are becoming involved. They have been working in their community presenting workshops, helping with the Halloween Howl (a safe trick or treating situation), and partnering with the local police department for the collection of stuffed animals. They also have been working on a partnership with their College of Agriculture.
Oregon State University - Alyssa Fortune
They have been working with their local county 4H through leadership training, OSU days (a program where college students talk about college life with high school students) AG days, promoting 4h and agriculture, planning summer conference, and volunteering in the community.
University of Wyoming - Erin Therriault
They been putting on different workshops in their area, as well as completing volunteer work in the community. One activity was Safe Treat, a safe trick or treating setting with games and candy, as well as putting on workshops focusing on parliamentary procedure in Jackson and helping with Albany County.
Standing Rule
Amber Mathisen introduced a standing rule (listed below)
Standing Rule
Inserted the following into the #2 slot and all other rules moved down, “Regional dues may be paid at any time during the year and they become effective immediately.”
Gillette Viara seconded. Dale Leidhauser posed debate and questions about if the region had a set of regional bylaws and how standing rules function within the parameters of the constitution. In answer to these, the region does not have a set of bylaws, and standing rules do not going into the constitution permanently, effective until they are changed. Discussion focused on the differences of a standing rule and focused on clarifying this question. Motion moved to a vote, which passed.
Regional Club Awards
April explained the structure of the awards up through nationals, where clubs put their awards to the region and the region then turns the winners over to the national competition. Usually, the region decides on these awards at nationals, typically after the due date for the national contest. Question was posed if the region should do this at a different time. Amber Mathisen commented that it would make it smoother to present award nominations to nationals if the date was moved. Takayla Eaton posed the question of who would judge the awards. Would it be put to the region or to the executive board?
Dale Leidhauser brought up the point of logistics, when would we have it due? Could have it at the regional conference, or a few weeks before nationals? Shane Sheridan questioned how would things like scrapbook be judged. He pointed out that the scrapbook could be judged at nationals, or regionals. The one problem with judging at regionals would be that there would be a big gap if it was judged at regionals. Activities would be missing. Autumn Sheridan moved to table discussion and send it to a committee of interest to be returned to the next meeting. AJ Lambert seconded.
Club of the Year/New Club of the Year/Scrapbook
These applications were already due for the national contests, though next year, the region would like to see multiple applications for each area. This year, there was a Club of the Year and a scrapbook submitted.
Ideas In Motion
This program is from advocacy team. The idea is to have a compilation of community service ideas to be shared with the nation to aid in helping other clubs. There have been no submissions to date, but it wasn’t advertised very well thus far.
Website
There is the website mentioned previously, as well as groups on facebook and myspace for anyone interested in being involved in them.
Orientation for Advocacy and Web team
The advocacy team focuses on creating advertisement paraphernalia, templates, and promotional materials for any club interested in utilizing such means. Web team works on the website. For anyone interested in working on either team, there is a meeting at 6 pm tonight to cover information pertaining to these teams.
National service project
Last years service projects were Operation Military Kid and the National Database. Operation Military Kid focuses on working with students who may have one or both parents in the military. They do a variety of activities, including hanging out and backpacks filled with different things for the kids. The national database is a internet based project combining all of the different ideas that clubs have for activities, workshops, team builders, etc. The national database is looking for a committee member. If interested, there will be more information at the National Board Meeting.
Positions at national level
These are open to one applicant per region and include Business manager, secretary and Ag Consortium representative. Anyone interested applying can. There was some discussion about what the Ag Consortium is and 4H’s role on this group. The floor was open for nominations for Ag Consortium Liason. Erin Therriault and Mike Macklin
were nominated. The election was put to a vote.
Colorado State University – 2 Mike Macklin
Montana State University – Billings – 2 Mike Macklin
New Mexico State University – 2 Mike Macklin
University of Nevada – Reno – 2 Mike Macklin
University of Wyoming – 2 Erin Therriault
8 Mike 2 Erin.
AJ Lambert nominated Erin Therriault as Business Manager. Erin Therriault declined the nomination. Shane Sheridan nominated Autumn Sheridan as Secretary. Autumn accepted the nomination. Shane Sheridan nominated Gillette Viara as Business Manager. Gillette declined the nomination. Autumn Sheridan nominated Takayla Eaton as Business Manager. Takayla Eaton accepted the nomination. Amber Mathisen moved to close nominations accept the nominations. Gillette Viara seconded. Motion passed.
Nominations to National Officer Team:
Mike Macklin – Ag Consortium Liaison
Autumn Sheridan – Secretary
Takayla Eaton – Business Manager
Regional Conference
Takayla Eaton reported that Tommy Inglis has been doing most of the planning work on the conference. As he is not in attendance due to family issues, there is little to report. It is possibly going to be at the end of October, during the weekend of October 19 to 21.
National Conference 2008
Shane Sheridan discussed different aspects of the 2008 National conference. The dates are February 20 – 24. As the hosting region, the host clubs would love for other clubs to help. Colorado State University, University of Wyoming and University of Nevada – Reno are the host clubs.
Communication
Dale Leidhauser raised the question, in light of past incidents, what do you want from our national representation? Shane Sheridan discussed that he would like to see the representatives listen to the opinion of those that they represent. Gillette Viara discussed the possibility of using facebook and myspace to pass on information. Discussion proceeded focusing on the different means of passing information. The listserv was mentioned, and the NAB blog. The outcome of the discussion was again identifying that uniting the region is a goal of the region.
Amber Mathisen moved to adjourn the meeting. AJ Lambert seconded. Meeting was adjourned at 10:21 am.