NEA Fine Arts Caucus Agenda & Minutes 1/13/2011

Thursday, January, 13 2011 7:00 PM CST * 5:00 PST * 8:00 EST

Conference Dial-in Number: 605.475.4000

Participant Access Code: 604735#

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 CST

I. Roll Call

Members present included: Tom McLaughlin (IA), Deb Turrici (PA), Pam Gibberman (CA), Oscar Forseman (IL), Charlie Fry (PA), Rich Nicklay (IA)

II. Adoption/modification of Agenda

Adopted without objection.

III. Regional Meeting Format & Goals

The group agreed that the Regional Conference goals should include: (A) Membership promotion (a form will be sent by Tom to all members); (B) an introduction and welcome of new members; (c) a discussion of the caucus, its goals, its work this year (including the NEA Fine Arts Task Foce and its work so far; (d) the roll out of revised resolution B-29 and NBI’s (enclosed); (e) strategy for getting these introduced at Regional Conferences; (f) presence at both the Legislative Hearing to promote “the Arts as Core”; (f) visiting with candidates or surrogates from their campaign to solicit endorsement interviews; (g) promotion of the NEA FAC Logo and Design Contest; (h) an update on the revisions in our Constitution, Bylaws and Operating Procedures.

IV. Signage (customizable signs enclosed)

Signs will be provided to our contacts throughout the nation.

V. Membership Recruitment (membership form enclosed)

• Recruiting new members is our major objective. We must organize. Those who are not at the table are on the menu. We will not be on the menu.
• Updated membership forms will be provided to our contacts throughout the nation.

VI. Resolution B29 & Others (Executive Board language enclosed)

Other Resolutions that deal with the arts are posted on our website. We encourage our leadership and membership to study these for meaningful revision.

V. Legislative Action

We urge our members to be present to make sure that we advocate for language that ensures that the arts are considered part of the core in any reauthorization of ESEA.

VI. NBI’s

Although time precluded us from talking about this at length, we urge the support of the NBI written by Deb Turrici to advocate a national “Fabric of Unionism” contest to promote the importance of organizing and unions amongst our students.

VIII. Endorsement of NEA Candidates

A working draft of our survey will be submitted to our contacts throughout the nation. Finalizing this will be a priority in our February/March meeting. We will appoint a Czar for the interviews, for contacting the campaigns and for leading the interviews. Interviews will happen in April or May. We will vote as an Executive Board in April or May on the candidates we will work to support at the RA.

VIII. NEA FAC Logo and Design Contest

We are seeking a new design. We hope to have this in place by April or May. Deadline for the competition will be in middle April. Prizes will be given to those selected.

We need to communicate with the rank and file of our membership to let them know about the great work we’ve done on a monthly basis.

• We need to point our “new members” to the recent addition of NEA TODAY that describes the climate and position of arts education in our country.
• We need to provide our members an update of the work that we’ve done on Constitution, Bylaws and Operating Procedures so that the framework of our organization can be shared at Regional Conferences.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:39 PM CST.

Submitted respectfully,

Tom McLaughlin,