Notes from AALS ASP Business Meeting

(Please note: any errors are mine. If I made any egregious errors, let me know and I will fix. RCF)

Meeting of ASP Academic Support Business Meeting

January 7, 2009

Start of meeting: 6:25 pm

Kris Franklin: open meeting

Discussion of conflict with Balance in Legal Education Business Meeting. Motion to join the Balance business meeting was tabled until we addressed unique ASP issues.

Usually business meeting is held at close of the session, this is a change from previous years because we wanted an opportunity to talk with one another during a meeting when so many ASP folks are in one place.

First order of business: Last year, a number of committees were formed and met. They did a lot. Brief reports from the committees:

Bar Passage Committee: Many members, including the leader of the committee could not make it to the meeting. As a committee, they put together a letter regarding bar passage, that was not adopted, but there was a positive response to the letter. Move to continue the meeting.

Program Committee: Thank you to those presenting, did a wonderful job this year on the joint session with Teaching Methods. Thank you Vinita and Robin.

Website Committee: Started to help “jump-off” from Barbara Glesner-Fines website that we have been using as a group for some time. This year, AALS will be building a website for each section. Additionally, RuthAnn McKinney is creating an ASP resource website through LSAC, which is going “swimmingly”. Decision to wait and see what else is going on before we go forward and expend additional resources on a website.

Nominations Committee: Pavel is moving onto Chair, Kris is moving to immediate past chair, replacing Nancy Soonpaa. This moves Kristin Holmquist to chair-elect, Mike Swartz to secretary, Robin to treasurer, and moves onto and among the board members:

2009-2010 Slate:

Officers, serving one year terms:

Chair: Pavel Wonsowicz—UCLA Law

Chair Elect—Kristin Holmquist--Berkeley Law School

Secretary--Michael Hunter Schwartz—Washburn Law

Treasurer—Robin Boyle—St. John’s Law

Executive Committee Board Members:

Board A (expiry 2011)—Paula Manning—Whittier Law School

Board B (expiry 2011)—Rebecca Flanagan—Vermont Law School

Board C (expiry 2010)—Jeff Minetti—

Stetson Law

School

Board D (expiry 2010)—LaRasz Moody—Villanova Law (filling the seat vacated by Vinita Bali)

Kris Franklin moved to accept the board. Seconded. Kris moved to accept nominations from the floor. No nominations from the floor were put forward. Move to accept new board. Voted; Congratulation to the new board.

Carry-over business from 2009 business meeting:
Suggestion from last year—creation of a section award to recognize those who serve in ASP and have done extraordinary things for the field. The idea was put through the listserv as well as discussed at the meeting last year. There was some consternation about singling out one or two people when so many people are doing so many wonderful things; it doesn’t feel “ASP-ish.” A committee was formed that was favorable to creation of such an award. A draft has been circulated among the board, however, the AALS Executive Committee must approve. Because of this, the award can only be provisionally adopted at this point.

Commentary from the Award Committee—Jeff Minetti
Only three people responded from the listserv. Thank you to Barbara McFarland for her had work on this issue. The committee felt it was time to start honoring those who made significant contributions to ASP. Discussion of by-laws and how to approve the award. Discussion of what was meant by “present for quorum” in the bylaws, and how to approve such an award.

Barbara McFarland
Should note that the committee was not “balanced”; because those who volunteered for the awards committee were those in favor of creating the award.

Alison Nissen
This is one more thing, along with student support, to honor us, and additionally benefit our students when we are recognized for the work we do with them.

Jeff Minetti
This award will help us decide who we are as a field by recognizing who is the very best among us.

Kris Franklin moved that this year’s board tinker with the details on the award and get started. All in favor, vote was unanimous.

Open topics:
Should we have a section newsletter?
The Learning Curve hasn’t come out in a while, and isn’t an “official” newsletter of this section. Ken Rosenblum, as a past editor of The Learning Curve, volunteered to assist getting The Learning Curve started again. Noted that Hillary Burgess is working with David Nadvorney to get things started again. Also noted that we should be making repeated appeals for articles for a new issue of The Learning Curve by everyone in ASP. At this time, no new section newsletter was approved.

Transition to new chair: Pavel Wonsowicz

Continue with the nominating committee. Noted by Ken Rosenblum that this committee is actually required by the AALS bylaws. If chose t be on the nominating committee, cannot seek or accept an executive position while serving on the nominating committee.

Bar Passage Committee: Paula Manning noted that a number of people committed electronically to continuing the committee. If others want to join, contact Paula Manning, “the more the merrier.”

Planning Committee: Robin Boyle has served as the head of the planning committee for three years; Vinita would have taken over but has moved on from ASP. Emily Randon of UC-Davis volunteered to take over for Robin, with Robin’s wise assistance, Kathy Garcia, Hillary Hoffman, and Barbara McFarland also volunteered for the planning committee.

Joanne Koren noted how it was wonderful to combine with another section. This year ASP combined with teaching methods for a joint session at annual meeting, maybe explore joint session with Balance in Legal Education?

Kris Franklin moved to discuss whether to continue with the ASP breakfast. There is significant concern over the cost of the section breakfast.

Announcements:

LSAC National Meeting will be Wednesday June 3-June 6 at St. Louis University.  Barbara McFarland received approved from her Dean to host a small regional ASP meeting at Northern Kentucky. Contact Barbara if interested. The proposed date is immediately after the LSAC National conference to provide an opportunity to share materials with those that cannot attend.

Emily Randon solicited interested people for a western regional ASP meeting. Contact Emily if you want to get involved.  They will meet tonight after the meeting to organize.

No further business-Meeting adjoined.

(RCF)