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Updated: 12-2007
ASCLS-Illinois
House of Delegate Meeting
Minutes
April 15, 2004
Hickory Ridge Conference Hotel Marriott
Lisle, Illinois
I. Call to order. The house was called to order at 4:45 pm by President Maribeth Flaws.
Dr. Flaws explained the structure of ASCLS and how the branch, state and regional organizations interrelate.
II. Appointment of Parliamentarian. Gilma Roncancio-Weemer was appointed parliamentarian.
III. Announcements. A written report was distributed.
Websites. The state and regional websites contain useful information, plan to visit them both (www.ascls-il.org; www.asclsregionvi.org). Labtestonline is an electronic source of information on laboratory testing for consumers. The site is a joint effort of many clinical laboratory groups. ASCLS coordinates the section on the site where visitors can ask question answers. The url for the site is www.labtestsonline.org.
Coordinating Council on the Clinical Laboratory Workforce (CCCLW). ASCLS was the driving force in the creation of the CCCLW and continues to be an active participant. The group, composed of over 20 participant organizations, is doing much to alleviate the shortage of trained personnel such as identifying sources of scholarship funds, identifying recruitment resources and developing recruitment strategies.
Important Dates: ASCLS meeting in Los Angeles, July 27-31; ASCLS-IL retreat, September 10, 2004, Morton, IL; ASCLS-IL state meeting, April 12-14, 2005, Springfield, IL.
IV. Secretary’s Report. The minutes from the April 10, 2003 House of Delegates was approved unanimously as written (moved Sherry Miner; seconded, Herb Miller).
V. Executive Secretary’s Report. No report.
VI. Treasurer’s Report. A written report was distributed. Jim Besjak stated that it was a good year financially since revenue exceeded expenses. Noteworthy revenue include: profits from the Peoria meeting ($6,597), earnings from sale of the electronic student bowl game ($2,593), Gantzert bequest to scholarship fund ($1000), and fundraising for the licensure effort by the branch organizations.
VII. Action Items.
Approval of the budget for 2004-2005. A written report was distributed. Some changes were made to allow publication of an additional issue of Illinois Insights. Since the board anticipates high expenses related to the licensure effort, some line items were trimmed to maintain a balanced budget. The budget, as amended, was unanimously approved (moved, Gilma Roncancio-Weemer, second Donna Weaver).
Approval of ASCLS-IL delegates to the national meeting. A motion to grant President Flaws the power of final selection of the delegates to the ASCLS national meeting in Los Angeles was unanimously approved (moved, Frank Hill; second, Jim Besjak).
VIII. Nominations and Elections. Sherry Miner announced the newly elected officers: pres-elect, Wendy Miller; secretary, Donna Weaver; board member, Regina Grigsby; nominations and elections, Paula Garrott and Nancy Knight.
IX. Planning and Scope. President-elect Kristy Shanahan submitted a written report.
Licensure will again be the primary focus followed by fundraising, membership recruitment & involvement and visibility of the profession. New committee chairs should invite extra people (students, former students, new techs, new faculty as well as experienced members) to help with committee work.
X. President's Report. A written report was distributed.
Membership numbers have remained level. Nevertheless, an increase would strengthen our voice so the organization needs to continue membership recruitment activities. The ASCLS scientific assembly structure has been revised. Two new scientific assembly subgroups have been added: generalist/public health and molecular diagnostics.
The role of the CLS/CLT students in the organization is a hot topic nationally. A motion to establish a new ASCLS board level position, first-year professional director, has been proposed and delegates will vote on the motion in LA. Also, monies from the ASCLS education and research fund will be used to support student attendance at the national meeting and legislative days.
XI. Branch President’s Reports.
Central Branch. Wendy Norton reported that the branch sponsored a meeting featuring licensure for medical laboratory personnel.
Chicago Branch. CSCLS president, Lillian Mundt, reported that the branch held two continuing education meetings. The licensure presentation at Central DuPage Hospital drew 32 participants. A meeting to plan next year’s activities has been scheduled. For National Medical Laboratory Week, proclamations were distributed by LifeSource, Inc. and a career display was set up in a suburban library.
Northwest Branch. Lisa Warren, branch president reported that two scientific assembly meetings were held. The branch’s spring dinner is planned for May13. Northwest branch members have been very busy throughout the year preparing for the state meeting.
Springfield-Southern Branch. A written report was submitted by Bill Wilson. Taunja La Fountain reported that the branch held two “trivia night” fundraisers for the licensure effort. A meeting with an educational speaker is planned for May 20th.
XII. Annual Meeting Reports
2003. The final written report was submitted by Janice Kinsinger. Profits were $6,596.
2004. Jeanne Isabel, general chair, submitted a written report and stated that the meeting will likely turn a good profit. Jeanne thanked the members of the committee for all the hard work they did in preparation for the meeting. The House applauded the work of the entire committee.
2005 A written report was submitted by Herb Miller, general chair. The theme is "New Horizons.” The meeting will be held in Springfield, IL at the Crown Plaza Hotel, April 12-14. Full and half-day workshops with a separate registration will be held on April 12. A social event is being planned for Thursday night. Lillian Mundt was invited to run the auction. The student bowl may be held on Tuesday.
XIII. Committee Reports
Membership involvement. Kristy Shanahan announced that a few committee chair positions are still open. Anyone interested in becoming a committee chair or helping out in any way next year should contact Kristy.
Government Affairs. Judy Yeager submitted a written report. Key legislative issues for this year include: 1) opposition of the laboratory competitive bidding program as proposed in the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, 2) support for an increase in the medicare collection fee reimbursement (HR 883 the Medicare Laboratory Service Access Act) and 3) support for legislation that would increase funds for CLS/CLT scholarships and program support (HR 623, the Medical Laboratory Personnel Act of 2003 and HR 833, the Allied Health Reinvestment Act)
Scholarship. Monies are still available for ASCLS-IL scholarships to the national meeting. Scholarship criteria will be revised to allow students members to apply for awards.
XIV. Old Business.
Licensure.
Gilma Roncancio-Weemer updated the board on licensure activity. The bill is currently on hold. A meeting with the Illinois Society of Pathologists (ISP) and other healthcare groups, called by Rep. Dunn in order to reach compromise on licensure for laboratory personnel, is planned for the summer. ASCLS-IL plans to sell “licensure” buttons to earn money for the licensure effort.
XV. New Business. None
XVI. Adjournment. A (moved, Lisa, seconded Herb) motion to adjourn was unanimously approved. The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 pm. The next board meeting will be held on September 10, 2004.
Members/guests present: Maribeth Flaws (president), Sherry Miner (immediate past-president/licensure), Kristy Shanahan (president-elect), Gilma Roncancio-Weemer (executive secretary/licensure), Joan Radtke (secretary/awards/licensure), Jim Besjak (treasurer), Nancy Knight (board member-at-large), Ken Lee Hugh (board member).
Chicago branch: Lillian Mundt (pres), Wendy Miller, Herb Miller, Claudia Miller, Marcia Hicks, Rosada Heintz, Donna Weaver, Frank Hill, Omar Dissi, Imran Ali, Jerald Johnson, Michele McCready, LuAnn Eisfeldt. NW branch: Lisa Warren (pres), Jeanne Isabel, Michele Crase, Judy Yeager, Candace Campbell, Gail Williams, Jan Schiro, Marissa Angelin, Katie Howeiter, Karen Klarmana, Joshua Morland, Patrick Baule, Linda Whaley, Brian Norton. Central branch: Wendy Norton, Theresa Wolfe, Regina Grigsby. Springfield branch: Tanja LaFountain, Cheryl Ulrich, Robin Killam.
Respectfully submitted by Joan Radtke, ASCLS-IL recording secretary.