| Association of Biology Laboratory Education
Annual General Meeting
June 8, 2006
The ABLE annual General Business Meeting was held at Purdue University in Lily room G-126.
The meeting was called to order by President Bill Glider at 12:03 PM.
- Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved as presented.
- Reports from Officers and Committee Chairs
- President (Bill Glider)
Sue Karcher and Anna Wilson were thanked for hosting the meeting. Maggie proposed the ABLE motto “work hard, play hard …. and laugh”. Charlie Drewes was remembered for so many biology education activities, freely offering a helping hand and participating in ABLE, NABT, secondary school education and other venues. Grants-in-Aid waivers were changed to honor his memory, and ABLE also contributed to a memorial fund. His Iowa State website is rich with biology information and ABLE is looking into participating in its preservation. There is a memorial fund also for Roberta Williams at UNLV to which ABLE members are invited to contribute. Finally, members were urged to recruit, and then recruit some more.
- Membership (Maggie Haag) and Proceedings Distribution (Carol Budd)
Our membership of about 250 members is relatively stable but we should have more for financial reasons and infusion of new ideas. However, even though we do not have quantity we have quality. New members were applauded. The fiscal year has been changed from June 1 – May 30 to July 1 – June 30. Carol has a collection of Proceedings that she would gladly send to new homes.
- Nominations and Elections (Anne Lumsden)
There were three elected positions this year. Mike O’Donnell is our new President-Elect. Kelly Bohrer is a new Member-at-Large, and Bob Hodson continues as Secretary for another 2-year term. Next year we will need one Member-at-Large. Duties of this position are described on the organization website. Todd Nickle was thanked for running the successful and easy to use online election.
- Major Workshops (Donna Bozzone, Anne Cordon)
Donna described in her usual very serious manner that there were fourteen major workshops this year. Mary Schaeffer replaces Anne as co-chair, and Kelly Bohrer continues as spy: the responsibility of detecting (uncovering?) potential work shop presenters for next year. The proposal due date is reset tor October 15, 2007.
- Mini Workshops (Ralph Preszler)
There were 19 proposals and we want about the same number next year. The due date is not changed. A 60-min session was requested but no action was taken.
- Posters (Tom Fogle)
Eight posters were presented and all were excellent. Posters can be published in the Proceedings and in an expanded version.
- Proceedings (Mike O’Donnell)
This is the first year for publishing in a CD format. There was less cost, $11 versus $17 per item. The CD provides opportunity for extra material such as a video. Kari Clase from Purdue University will help with the Proceedings this year.
- Labstracts (Marielle Hoefnagels)
Barbara Stegenga from Duke University takes over as editor and Marielle assumes the new position of Website Manager.
- Grants-in-Aid (Marsha Fanning)
Robert Williams Lab Initiative grants requests are due in May and a decision is made in June. Grants are up to $2,000. Five Charlie Drewes Waivers-of-Registration were granted this year. Marsha graduates from the Member-at-Large position and her 4th year duties are assumed by Ann Lumsden.
- ABLE Web Site (Mike O’Donnell for Corey Goldman)
All volumes of the Proceeding authorized to be available (all but the most recent two years) are now on the website. Corey will continue hosting the website but has more time limitations and requested help. Marielle Hoefnagels stepped in as Website Manager and will provide a conduit for final version information to be sent to Corey for posting.
The Board discussed some long term issues. One is to have a Members-Only portion at the website where, for example, the most recent two years of workshops would be available prior to the normal posting cycle. A second is the possibility of hosting the website from a different location.
The website has had a subject index to the Proceedings. This is now unnecessary because a Google search bar is available. Sarah Deel and Karen McMahon were thanked for scanning pre-digital Proceedings volumes so they can be added to our online resources.
- ABLE/BEN Partnership (Carol Budd)
ABLE has a substantial presence at the Bioscience Education Network (BEN) portal and more will be added. Mary Schaeffer with do some needed cataloging.
- Treasurer (Alec Motten)
Our checking account balance of $6,667.32 is a comfortable amount for meeting anticipated expenditures over the next 12 months. We also have a healthy reserve of $23,585.16 conservatively invested as Certificates of Deposit. There is continuing concern over running a yearly deficit. Savings are being realized by publishing the Proceedings as a compact disc. The best long-term solution is more members. Alec kiddingly threatened to bring the society checkbook to the track at the Kentucky meeting next year.
- New Business
- New Fiscal Year
The new fiscal year is July 1 to June 30 starting this summer.
- Formation of Two New Committees
A Website Committee is formed with Marielle Hoefnagels as Chair.
The Publicity Committee of Kathy Nolan will get information about ABLE out to other organizations.
- Charlie Drewes Waiver of Registration
The waiver program is renamed in honor of Charlie Drewes.
- Next Year’s Meeting (Ruth Beattie)
Plans for the 29th meeting at the University of Kentucky were presented by host Ruth Beattie. The dates are June 5-9, 2007. The 2008 meeting will be at the University of Toronto-Mississauga and hosted by Ann Cordon.
The meeting adjourned at 1:03PM
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert C. Hodson
Secretary
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