Minutes from New York ATHE 2009

Minutes
for the Membership Meeting of the Theatre and Social Change (TASC) Focus Group
of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE),
Marriott Marquis Hotel, New York, NY
August 2009

Presiding:
Lindy Bumgarner, Focus Group Representative
Amy Sarno, Outgoing Conference Planner 2009
Peter Harrigan, Conference Planner 2010

The Meeting began with attendees briefly introducing themselves and their research interests.
Present:
Lindy: U of R/City of R juvenile Court System/ FG Rep
Amy Sarno: outgoing conference planner
Peter Harrigan: Conference Planner 2010
Chanelle Vigue: Secretary 2009
Doug Patterson: founder/pto
David Kaye
Robin Stone
Micheal Mufson
Laurie Mufson
Susan Burgoyne
Dannie Snyder
Kelly Howe: Grad Rep 2009
Gail Campbell
Allison Moon
Theresa Morrow
Cheryl Kaplan
Shiela Kerrigan
Liz Foster-Shaner
Linda Hallmark
Reggie Brown

Agenda:
-Highlights/Announcements
-TASC Award
-Discuss Increase visibility, viability
-Elections

Announcements:

TASC 16 Panels this year - 7 ours only, 9 multidisciplinary

Applied Theatre Network precon - Tasc Co Sponsored that this year
Do we want to do this every five years?

David Kaye: Chair of selection committee for leadership in theatre in CB theatre and civic Engagement. Looking for a new chair! Contact David Kaye if interested!
Norma Bowles won this year (1st time the award was ever given)

Nina LeNore (ATHE Conference Planner 2010)
Theme: Theatre Alive! Theatre, media, and survival
Conference will be Tues-Friday…
Let Nancy know about needs as far as space/precon, etc.
Peter will go to meeting tomorrow.

Fred Rubeck: Operations Comittee: Members at large increased role? Talk to us! Let us know what you have concerns/coments, etc. So they can speak for you in gov’t council.


Elections:
Job descriptions given:
Focus Group Representative: mid year meeting, FG Rep meetings, Advocacy
Graduate Representative: meets with the GSSC at conference and represents graduate concerns to gov’t council, precon meeting meet and greet, symposia.
Member at Large: meets with other members at large and presents concerns to governing council.
Secretary: responsible for taking minutes, applying for grants, and communications

Chanelle Vigue (chanellevigue@gmail.com )was chosen as Secretary. She will apply for ATHE grant monies for the TASC award, and Chanelle will also set up a Facebook group and work to improve communication in conjunction with FGR and Conference Planner
Cathy Plourde (cathy@addverbproductions.com) was elected as Focus Group Representative-Elect.
Liz Foster-Shaner (fostershaner@wisc.edu) and Kelly Howe (kellybhowe@yahoo.com) were chosen as Graduate Student Representatives. They will attend the Graduate Student Symposium and Forums to represent TASC.
Robin Stone, Suzanne Burgoyne, and Megan Alrutz were chosen as Members at large to assist the other leaders and offer additional opinions and resources.
We also can provide members to ATHE-wide committees - please tell Lindy if you are willing to serve

Business and Discussion of Concerns:


TASC Award -
-Honors an individual or organization in the community where conference is held that works with our mission statement, invited to conference, dialogue and present award.
-Applied for grant for the award this year to fund day pass...but we didn’t get funding. So, we cancelled the panel that was slotted for this morning.
-Ideas for the future:
Gov’t grant?
Attendance is an issue. Cost for day pass $250…
David Kaye: Day passes: 250 requests for daypasses this year.
- Maybe we could suggest to governing council: Guest rate for artists? Or Specific # of passes per focus group?
Present award offsite? At a show?
Create a Research panel that is dedicated to the kind of work or history of work that the honoree utilizes?
Paid workshop? Workshop as a Hands-on Panel?
- These groups need the recognition, don’t have resources.
MOTION: (Lindy) committee to discuss these options to present to TASC Leadership and Governing Council.
MOTION APPROVED.

TASC Award Subcommitte (volunteers):
2010: Micheal M, Norma Bowles,
2011: Chanelle, Melanie, Dannie Snyder
Criteria: Lindy, Brian Francois, Michael Mufson

Publicity, etc.
-Bi-Monthly: Highlights and Member updates! Lindy will send out call for updates. Deadline based on ATHENEWS deadlines. Publish to ATHENEWS FG Spotlight.
-Duty will be split between FG/Secretary.
-Note: Anyone can submit to ATHE News.

Communication:
-Blog begun last year doesn’t work because it is not utilized.
-Facebook Group! Approved by membership.
-Add upkeep of group to Secretary’s duty.
Keep LISTSERV...even if its problematic.

AATE people cannot be leadership in ATHE b/c of conference conflicts. Suzanne’s Panel ATHE and AATE ...this needs to be addressed, FG Rep and Members at Large - please take this concern to GC.

Doug: Mission, Focus? Push towards crossroads.
-Acknowledges 20 Year anniversary of TASC. Began in NYC.
History of TASC from Doug: AATE was an umbrella organization that got too big.
1985: blew up in toronto. Seriously unpleasant.
1987: ATHE was founded.
1988: Doug advocates for place for the activists.
1989: TASC is founded. Commitment, energy, passion….all things this group fosters in members.

TASC sponsored sessions this year include:
-Michael Mufson: Tomorrow 11:15 Brainstorming about TFSC as green economy.
-Suzanne B: AATE/ATHE Cooperation
-David Kaye: Student groups.
Lots of other fabulous panels!


Submitted for Approval 8/24/2009 by Chanelle Vigue