NYC Antioch College Community Chapter Meeting
July 29, 2008 7:30 – 10:30pm

AGENDA
1. Duffy and Chapters/CRF Sep 20-21 – Noreen
2. Chapter functioning/structure – Noreen
3. Buildings/Memorandum for Adopt-a-bldg – Noreen
4. Suggestions to AB/CRF about alumni engagement – CB Rubin — NOT FULLY COVERED
5. “Beer with Tim Klass” update – Nan Rubin — NOT COVERED
6. Governance AB/ InterimACBOT – Nan
7. Fixing the relationships of the AB to the CRF to the “great unwashed” – Nan — NOT FULLY COVERED

Duffy is CHAPTERS REP to CRF
Gary Hausneck (?) is CHAPTERS REP to AB

DUFFY AND CRF FUNDRAISING WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER
Noreen reports on call/email with Duffy re: “Nationwide Fundraising Weekend” on Sept 20-21.  This brings up extended discussion relating to Agenda items 4 & 7 because no one in the room other than Noreen had heard anything about the Sept 20-21 weekend or ANY fundraising efforts and Noreen only found out today.
How will these funds be used?
Noreen tells Duffy to tell Risa: We need weekly or biweekly report updates from CRF as to how money is being spent.  Duffy says this fundraising is targeted to cover costs owed via contract thru end of FY08 for Nonstop Faculty AND seven (7) additional administrative staff (Executive Collective sharing admin duties?)
Greater accountability for information necessary — very troubling that there has been ZERO communication from CRF/Risa about any fundraising efforts despite many in the room being on several committees (Comm, Governance).  Considered but did not formulate motion calling for accountability of information flow.
Lynda White offers to help coordinate efforts for September fundraising project but only if our chapter is interested in REALLY doing something, ie, trying to raise more than $1000.
Judi suggests we should give CRF the benefit of the doubt in terms of how money will be spent – seems to think they are hoping to raise $1.5M
MOTION: If alumni/chapters are being asked/expected to donate and/or assist the fundraising efforts, we request the CRF provide regular (no less than monthly) information about fundraising efforts, budget plans and expenditures. CARRIED UNANIMOUS

We need communication.
We feel our input and our time is not being adequately represented or returned in the form of information about whatever is going on, we’re lacking in concise and effective communication from AB/CRF — the sense we are viewed with a “give us your money and keep everything else to yourself” mentality.

TRADEMARK VITRUVIAN A AND ANTIOCH NAME LEGAL UPDATE
Judi Church (on the legal team working on trademarks) reports that the name “Antioch” and the Vitruvian A can be used by the POLITICAL MOVEMENT that is “Nonstop Antioch” and the Alumni Association because of a historical precedent.  The Nonstop Institute (or any educational entity) CANNOT use the name or the Vitruvian A.  The LOVELACE FOUNDATION (re: Lillian Lovelace on AUBOT) has provided roughly $500K in funds to the University for legal and spin/PR services.  It is clear the Lovelace Foundation is not friendly to the College.

COMMUNICATIONS TO/WITHIN THE WIDER COMMUNITY
Ed Trippel talked about Bulletin Board concept that had been used on campus being put into use online, using wikis, the “Core Information Directory” idea of a quick, user-friendly centralized clearinghouse webpage of information.  What about Antiochians.org?
The “Craigslist for Antioch” idea to be able to seek out/offer/utilize the skills of all “friends of the College”.

NYC CHAPTER BUSINESS – MEETING DATE/LOCATION AND TASKS
– third week of the month, set next date at current meeting, alternating between Brooklyn and Manhattan, and make sure we have a call-in number
– next meeting target is AUGUST 19 in BROOKLYN
– target meeting after that is SEPTEMBER 16 in MANHATTAN
– someone should volunteer to do minutes and get them out within 3 days

NYC ANTIOCH COLLEGE COMMUNITY CHAPTER MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to support and forward the revival and re-opening of Antioch College as an independent, residential liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, OH.  To the best of our abilities we will support the efforts of our former faculty and various alumni groups to this end.

BUILDINGS PRESENTATION — NOREEN DEAN DRESSER
Noreen reads working re-draft of Adopt-a-Building Proposal to Chapters – the proposal that Chapters choose a campus building to steward.
Review of Stanley Report (Physical Plant Assessment done by firm hired by University).
Discussion of Yellow Springs Historic District; asks us to INDIVIDUALLY write to the head of the YS Planning Cmte before August 11th to get YS Town Council to pass a “Historic Ordinance” — a tool that is available immediately and effective in the process of saving the Campus given its historic buildings.
Based on the National Historic Preservation Act, which is a federal law.  The Historic Ordinance is the necessary local first step which is the teeth and trigger to further action — IT IS THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK to prevent destruction of the Campus — G Stanley Hall was able to be razed because of the lack of this Historic Ordinance.
ACTION:
– write head of YS Planning Committee IMMEDIATELY
– Noreen will provide template language and addresses

ALUMNI BOARD VACANCY
Vacancy on Alumni Board is Penny Lee (member from NYC removed for lack of attendance).  Debate is ongoing as to how to fill that empty seat.  Recent AB elections are in contention for many people because of how vote was conducted and the unusual fact that the entire incumbent ticket was returned.  Robin Rice Lightig reports as a former AB member that she was appointed and that favoritism plays a part on the AB.  Bylaws suggest that the AB will self-appoint to fill the vacancy.
MOTION: AB should not self-appoint but fill the current AB seat vacancy with the person who received the next highest number of votes in the recent AB elections. CARRIED WITH 2 ABSTENTIONS

ALUMNI BOARD STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS/CONCERNS
Overall feeling that AB needs to be restructured since they were elected under conditions that are not pertinent to the conditions we’re in now; they were not elected to the positions they now hold.  Concern that there has been no record of any AB meeting since last summer.  AB structure and roles are currently far too vague and even they appear not to understand what they are supposed to do.  Concern about potential conflict of interest by having a married couple on the AB.  Noreen expresses concern that an ad hoc committee can be essentially ignored; no apparent mechanism for getting information or successfully sending proposals up the chain.

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE OF AB — ACBOT PRO-TEM (INTERIM BOARD)
Draft 5 presented by Nan Rubin which is currently under discussion by the Governance Cmte but not yet forwarded up to full AB.  Recruiting for this Board will be a very hands-on process, but how is this going to relate to Nonstop and other entities without a legal standing vis-à-vis Antioch College? There should be an open nomination process for this Board.  AC3, Ellen Borgerson, Catharine Jordan are among those likely to be making the pitches to potential Board members.

It becomes even more obvious that there is widespread structural breakdown between committees and whether or not they have any impact on the AB.
“It’s the Governance Committee.  We don’t really know aside from that how it goes back to the Alumni Board.”

ALL MOTIONS OF THE MEETING
1. Jeff, Michael and Noreen will remain co-chairs of the chapter for August, and Jeff and Noreen will carry through September.
CARRIED UNANIMOUS
2. Empower a group to propose operating and decision-making processes.
CARRIED UNANIMOUS — No one offers to lead this effort.  CB Rubin offers to be involved.
3. AB should not self-appoint but fill the current AB seat vacancy with the person who received the next highest number of votes in the recent AB elections.
CARRIED WITH 2 ABSTENTIONS
4. If alumni/chapters are being asked/expected to donate and/or assist the fundraising efforts, we request the CRF provide regular (no less than monthly) information about fundraising efforts, budget plans and expenditures.
CARRIED UNANIMOUS