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Updated: 12-2007
ASCLS-Illinois
Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes
April 14, 2004
Hickory Ridge Conference Hotel Marriott
Lisle, Illinois
I. Call to order. Maribeth Flaws called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Members introduced themselves by name and position. Each attendee was requested to describe what they liked the most about membership in ASCLS.
II. Appointment of Parliamentarian. Gilma Roncancio-Weemer was appointed parliamentarian.
III. Adoption of Agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously as written (moved, Sherry Miner; seconded, Jim Besjak). A quorum was established.
IV. Announcements. President Flaws announced that the program for the ASCLS annual meeting, July 27-32, 2004, in Los Angeles, looks excellent. Gilma Roncancio-Weemer was congratulated for her contributions as chair of the national program committee. Please check out the Region VI and ASCLS-IL websites that have recently been updated. Labtestsonline.org, an award winning consumer-oriented website, is collaboratively managed by clinical laboratory organizations. ASCLS coordinates responses to questions submitted by consumers and is seeking volunteers to help with this project. Another group spearheaded by ASCLS is the Coordinating Council for the Clinical Laboratory Workforce Shortage (CCCLWS). The Council’s efforts recently secured $50,000 in funding for a CLS/CLT scholarship program from Dade-Behring, Inc.
V. Secretary’s Report. The minutes from the January 23, 2004 board of directors meeting was approved unanimously as written (moved Lisa Warren; seconded, Lillian Mundt).
VI. Executive Secretary’s Report. No activity to report.
VII. Treasurer’s Report. A written report was submitted. Checking balance = $29,608.63; SCUDDER funds = $18,106.92; CDs = $10,421.05. Total assets = $57,591.24. The licensure fund was reported as-$198.65.
VIII. President’s Report. A written report was submitted. The following items were highlighted by President Flaws.
ASCLS News. ASCLS has met its membership level goals and is doing well. The ASCLS.org online store is up and running. Unfortunately, not all states have active societies. Therefore, ASCLS has established guidelines for designating a state society as inactive and will not disburse dues monies to these states. ASCLS will add two new scientific assembly (SA) subgroups: generalist/public health and molecular diagnostics. There is an online form available for those interested in participating in the SA
A new position on the ASCLS BOD, a first year professional director, has been proposed to encourage leadership development of young professionals. Following the national organization’s move, the Region VI council will also consider adding a first year professional position to its board. The ASCLS house of delegates will consider two new position papers: Development of the Advanced Level CLS Practitioner/ Doctorate in Lab Science and Personnel Licensure.
Region VI council news. The 2004-05 assessment will be $1,000/state. The Regional conference calls held this past year were successful so only one interim board meeting and two teleconference calls will be held next year. Along with Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska have initiated state licensure activity. Nominees are being solicited for the Rho Sigma award.
ASCLS-IL presidential activities. Dr. Flaws summarized her activities over the past year and thanked everyone for their hard work.
IX. Planning and Scope. 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. 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.
XI. Annual Meeting Reports
2003. The final written report was submitted by Janice Kinsinger. Profits were $6,596.
2004. Jeanne Isabel submitted a written report and stated that the meeting will likely turn a good profit.
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.
XII. Action/Discussion Items.
Audit committee members. President Flaws announced her appointment of Katie Blackburn (chair), Jamie Montgomery and Gilma Roncancio-Weemer to the audit committee. A motion to approve their appointment was made by Kristy Shanahan and seconded by Taunja LaFountain. The motion passed unanimously.
Executive secretary. President Flaws announced re-appointment of Gilma Roncancio-Weemer as executive secretary. The motion to approve the appointment was passed (moved, J. Radtke; second, Lillian Mundt).
XIII. Committee Reports
Annual Meeting Oversight. No report.
Awards. No report.
Career recruitment. ASCLS-IL members served as judges at Illinois regional and local science fairs. Branch organizations awarded gift certificates and certificates of recognition to worthy projects.
Constitution & Bylaws. Cheryl Ulrich reported that there are currently no changes being proposed to the constitution or by-laws.
Finance. The proposed operating budget for 2004-2005 was reviewed. Some line items on the budget were trimmed to accommodate funding of the licensure effort and to maintain a balanced budget. The Gantzert bequest will be used to fund scholarships in 2004 – 2005. The budget, as amended, was unanimously approved. (moved, Jim Besjak; second, Nancy Knight)
Fundraising. Wendy Norton reported that the Tastefully Simple (TS) fundraiser held by the Central branch was profitable. She proposed that ASCLS-IL consider having a TS party in each branch. If the branch societies support the idea, Wendy agreed to become a TS consultant in order to maximize profit. Wendy Norton will also look into having a golf outing fundraiser at the same Pekin, IL golf course as last year.
Government Affairs. Judy Yeager submitted a written report. Five ASCLS-IL members attended the 2004 ASCLS/CLMA Legislative Days. Key issues included:
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)
State Legislative/Key Contact Network. The key contact network currently has 303 individuals enrolled. Many thanks to Jim Beam for the work he is doing.
Leadership Development. Nancy Knight will present a leadership development plan at the fall retreat.
Membership Development. Sherry Miner submitted a written report. As of 4.13.04, ASCLS-IL has 402 members (137 PF1, 116 PF2, 112 students, 16 FYP, 16 em/hon, 3 col). The national organization has 9, 513 members. There will be a $2 due increase in the PF1 and PF2 categories this year. A membership recruitment board featuring VOICE-VALUE-VISION theme has been prepared using the model provided by the national membership committee. ASCLS-IL incoming branch presidents should contact Sherry for membership and recruitment information. The membership development chairperson and the state president have electronic access to the state’s membership information.
Nominations and Elections. Newly elected officers: Wendy Miller, president-elect; Donna Weaver, recording secretary 2004-2006; Regina Grigsby, board member 2004-2006; Nancy Knight and Paula Garrott, nominations committee members.
PACE. Lillian Mundt emphasized the importance of sending program information to her at least 2 weeks before the session in order to ensure that the PACE forms will be received in time.
Professional Affairs and Public Relations. No report. This committee was charged with investigating the availability of data on CLS/CLT vacancy rate in Illinois and documenting proof that laboratory errors are linked to poor personnel training.
Publications and ASCLS-IL Website. A motion was made (moved, Lisa Warren; second, Nancy Knight) to publish an additional newsletter this year at a cost of $1000.
The ASCLS-IL website was moved to a server at Northern Illinois University in order to improve turn-around-time for website revisions.
Scholarship. Monies are still available for scholarships to the national meeting. Scholarship criteria will be revised to allow students members to apply for awards.
Scientific Assembly. No report.
Student Bowl. Taunja LaFountain submitted a written report. Twelve teams are registered to compete this year. CLS and CLT games have been combined due to the low number of CLT teams. Volunteers are needed for next year’s games. The student bowl committee proposed a change in registration guidelines which would require each university/clinical program to provide a minimum of 2 volunteers for their first registered team, and 1 volunteer for each additional team.
Student Forum. No report.
XIV. Old Business.
Licensure. Gilma Roncancio-Weemer updated the board on licensure legislation activity. 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. Jeanne Isabel suggested that we write for copies of the Illinois Handbook of Government 2004-2005. It contains helpful information and copies are available free of charge.
XV. New Business.
XVI. Adjournment. A motion to adjourn was unanimously approved (moved, Ken Hugh, seconded Sherry). The meeting was adjourned at 9 pm. The next board meeting will be held on September 10th at Janice Kinsinger’s home in Morton, IL.
Members Present: Maribeth Flaws (president), Sherry Miner (immediate past-president/licensure), Gilma Roncancio-Weemer (executive secretary/licensure), Joan Radtke (secretary/awards/licensure), Nancy Knight (board member-at-large), Jeanne Isabel (2004 meeting chair/licensure), Kristy Shanahan (president-elect), Wendy Miller (scholarship/nom&elect), Lillian Mundt (Chicago branch president-elect), Ken Lee Hugh (board member-at-large), Michele Crase (publication), Judy Yeager (government affairs), Herb Miller (2005 meeting chair), Candace Campbell (NW Branch sec/treasurer), Wendy Norton (fundraising), Jim Besjak (treasurer), Claudia Miller (career recruitment), Tanja LaFountain (student bowl), Lisa Warren (NW branch president), Cheryl Ulrich (constitution & bylaws), Marcia Hicks (Chicago branch board member).
Respectfully submitted by Joan Radtke, ASCLS-IL recording secretary.