Complete Story
04/28/2009
Argumentation and Forensics Meeting May 2008 Minutes
Argumentation and Forensics Interest Group Meeting
May 3, 2008
Attending:
Name School e-mail
Neil Butt Wayne State University nbutt@wayne.edu
Fran Mindel Morgan State University fran.mindel@morgan.edu
Barbara Sims Alderson-Broaddus simsbf@ab.edu
Melinda Simon Alderson-Broaddus simonmm@ab.edu
Patrick Barton Ohio University 106707@ohio.edu
Brian Swafford Ohio University bs170406@ohio.edu
Dan West Ohio University westd1@ohio.edu
Carl Hyden Morgan State University carl.hyden@morgan.edu
Kim Korcsmaros Bridgewater College kkorcsma@bridgewater.edu
Ted Sheckels Randolph Macon College tsheckel@rmc.edu
Ted Sheckels (TS) called the meeting to order.
TS presented the agenda:
1. Review of the 2008 program
2. Executive Council Report
3. Election of new officers
4. Discussion of the 2009 program
1. Review of the 2008 program
TS explained that we had eight panels this year instead of the four we had last year, and had some better time slots than we have had in the past. He also indicated that we had a good mix of well-received panels.
Neil Butt (NB) suggested that the panel seemed better attended than they had in the past as well.
2. Executive Council Report
Carl Hyden (CH) indicated that we were no longer an "endangered species," meaning that our membership had increased somewhat to approximately 35 members.
CH reported that next year's ECA convention will be in Philadelphia at the Sheraton Society Hill and that rooms would be approximately $169 per night. CH also indicated that the 2010 conference would be held in Baltimore, and that the 2011 conference might be held in the Washington, DC or Virginia area.
CH relayed that next year will be ECA's 100th anniversary and that our interest group had been asked to forward several names as potential Centennial scholars for the Centennial convention's program.
Kim Korcsmaros (KK) explained what was meant by Centennial scholars, indicating that we would submit names to Ann Bainbridge Frymier, and she would make final decisions.
TS suggested the possibility of having panels that highlighted more than one scholar.
3. Officers
The group discussed the possibility of adding a new position to handle the online aspects of the interest group, such as the interest groups presents on the ECA web site. However, since there seemed to be few responsibilities beyond the existing responsibilities of the interest group secretary, the group decided that for the next year it would just try having the interest group secretary handle those responsibilities.
Dan West was elected Vice Chair/Planner.
Carl Hyden was elected Representative to the Executive Council.
Neil Butt was elected secretary.
4. 2009 program
KK reported that the 2009 ECA convention theme would be "Defining Moments." She also reported that there would be an extra day on the front end of the convention for professional development programs, listed a number of the events that were planned, and noted that the convention planners expect a large attendance, suggesting that we book our rooms early.
KK noted that the convention dates would be April 22-26, at the convention hotel would be $169 per night, and that the ECA would consider a reduction in fees for some presenters who are not members of ECA. She also noted that presenter should notify her if they require technology for presentations or if they are bringing their own technology, to avoid unreasonable hotel fees for technology assistance.
KK reported that the paper form of the ECA newsletter has been replaced by an electronic newsletter and that Al Mueller will be setting up list serves for each interest group.
CH added that Mueller would be sending out fresh sets of instructions for using various parts of the ECA web site.
KK noted that all ECA forms are now online.
KK explained that our interest group currently has four slots for the 2009 convention (based on our current membership), but that there was a possibility that we could get more slots, especially if we co-sponsor a session with another group (which only counts as half a slot).
KK noted that ECA is considering New York or Portsmouth, New Hampshire for the 2012 convention.
KK indicated that all paper or panel submissions needed to be sent to her by October 15, that we should know by December which sessions had and had not been accepted and that a preliminary schedule would be online by January 1.
TS, KK, and Barbara Sims briefly discussed possibilities for notifying people about the status of their submissions, including doing so "unofficially" to give them slightly more advanced notice.
KK asked for nominations for various ECA positions.
TS clarified that some of these positions were for ECA representatives to NCA committees. He noted that the total number of votes in the last election was less than 100, meaning only about 12% of the membership voted.
TS indicated that the positions that needed to be filled were:
The ECA K-12 representative to the NCA legislative assembly
The ECA representative to the NCA legislative assembly
The ECA representative to the NCA nominating committee
The ECA First Vice President Elect (becomes ECA president in two years)
KK indicated that the ECA planners were hoping to have Centennial and decade displays for the 2009 convention.
KK suggested that our interest group could produce a multimedia presentation that provided a chronology of some of its prominent members.
The group then discussed possible Centennial scholars and KK collected the names.
TS asked for suggestions for panels consistent with the "Defining Moments" theme, and reminded the group that we could possibly increase our numbers if we can suggest panels that could be cosponsored by another interest group.
KK suggested looking at important political debates, then asked if any of our members were part of some of the "defining moments," noting that we want people to see the connections between what we do (in Argumentation and Forensics) and those "defining moments."
TS suggested we consider some famous debates and speech events.
Fran Mindel suggested that we consider some personal defining moments, with panelists sharing individual personal defining moments and how those moments help define the rest of their lives.
TS brought the meeting to a close at 10:45am.
