IASPRR Executive Board Meeting

Wan Chang Room, Friendship Hotel, Beijing, China

7:30 pm  Saturday, August 21, 2004

Present:  President Anna Koltunow, Past President Vipen Sawhney, Vice President Scott Russell, Treasurer Christian Keijzer

Absent:  Secretary-General Ewa Szczuka, Representative Yi-Qin Li, Representative G. Titova

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm CDT by President Anna Koltunow.

1. Approval of the minutes from July 10, 2002 in Lublin (President Anna Koltunow)

• Past President Sawhney moved that the minutes of the Executive Board meeting of July 10, 2002 be accepted; Vice President Scott Russell seconded.  Motion to accept Board minutes of July 2002 was carried.

2. Meeting report of the 18^th ICSPR Beijing 2004 (Professor Wei-Cai Yang, representing the local Organizing Committee)

• Professor Wei-Cai Yang reported attendance by 65 overseas participants and 85 to 90 local participants for a total attendance of approximately 150 participants.
• He reported that principal organizer Yi-Qin Li was very effective at the early organization and much of the initial planning.  As health problems arose for her, however, she delegated key responsibilities.  Professors Wei-Cai Yang and Shu-Nong Bai received abstracts, conducted much of the communication with participants, selected and corresponded with session chairs and organized the scientific program.  Principal support came from the National Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany (Beijing) and from four companies: Chinese Super Market for Experimental Instrumentation, Chinetek Scientific, Shanghai Bio Chip, and The Oriental Science & Technology Co.  Professor Yang observed that some additional grants and funding requests were submitted, but not very many were funded; a complex system of approvals resulted in some applications being delayed until deadlines were past.  In the end, external support was not adequate to meet all commitments.  Waiver of registration for all invited contributors was given and airfare/accommodations and registration was given for the plenary speaker, but unexpected expense arose for the latter.  Professor Yang estimated a shortage of funds on the order of $5000 was possible.  Local departments may contribute toward meeting the debt.  Professors Lin and Bai were critical in helping to provide funding.
• Past President Sawhney pointed out the bylaws separation of funding between the Association and the meetings, but indicated that IASPRR could perhaps make some reimbursement (in whole or part) as the expenses seemed justified.  He also noted that a discount was provided for members who attended the conference, and that the organizers were not reimbursed for this discount.  No action on this matter was taken, however.
• President Koltunow indicated that in the future, reports from local organizers could be useful in anticipating potential financial difficulties in the future.  Past President Sawhney recognized the value of this, but also pointed out that such reports should not be numerous enough to provide an additional burden on the local organizers, who are after all accepting ultimate responsibility for the conference expenses and execution.
• President Koltunow indicated that the differential fee for members could be combined with an automated application/renewal for membership.  Past President Sawhney indicated that an application for membership could be included with the registration materials. 

3. IASPRR award program for senior scientists (Past President Vipen Sawhney)

• Past President Vipen Sawhney noted that IASPRR had not developed a set of specific procedures or terms of reference for recipients of the IASPRR senior scientist awards.  He noted the procedures for the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, which has one gold metal for distinguished scientists.  The Canadian Botanical Association/l’Associacion Botanique du Canada has a Lawson medal that may recognize either lifetime accomplishments or a single achievement award. 
• President Koltunow suggested that no matter what the final format may take, the key elements of formal nomination, curriculum vitae, and letters of support be required, committee organized by the President.

4. Young scientists awards for Beijing meeting 2004 (President Anna Koltunow)

• President Anna Koltunow announced that the following had accepted to serve as judges for the presentation award: Gary Drews and Scott Russell. 
• President Anna Koltunow announced that the following had accepted to serve as judges for the poster awards: Ross Bicknell and John Harada. This was accepted without vote.
• Travel:  President Sawhney recalled that the Board had considered adding a cash award to the normal awards given to young scientists at the biennial meetings sponsored by the IASPRR.  The local organizers and IASPRR President should decide on the recipients, and the Treasurer will facilitate the award.  In the future, it was suggested that this might be done before the meeting.  Past President Sawhney suggested that these travel funds (up to $500 each for up to three young scientists) should not be termed as “awards”, but as “bursaries” or “grants”.  This suggestion was agreed without vote.

5. Treasurer's Report

• Treasurer Keijzer presented a verbal report.  Balances for past years:  2001 €25,376.78 2002: €27,140.52 2003: €27,891.64.  Most revenues and expenses are when the meetings are held.  Treasurer Keijzer noted that the interest generated by our savings yielded approximately €1500 per two years, whereas our awards currently total €1900 per meeting.  This is a pretty close match that is more than compensated by membership dues.
• Other funds of the IASPRR were reported:  Vice President Russell, who serves as North American regional coordinator, reported that the US treasury currently has US$1381.16.
• There was a brief discussion of life membership.  Past President Sawhney
• Past President Vipen Sawhney noted that there needed to be a reduced emphasis on increasing membership dues as a means of increasing the treasury and a greater reliance on increasing the collection of dues. 
• Vice President Russell presented a plan for Internet collection of dues that would provide multinational coverage for dues collection.  This system would need to provide for secure online transactions.  The plan should be relatively low in cost and fees for exchanges and should be implemented with relatively little work.  After looking at these requirements, Vice President suggested that PayPal would be a reasonable option, as it serves as a money brokering service, has a long track record and provides service for 27 countries currently.  (Presumably this will increase as the EU expands and new countries adopt the Euro.  Members need to join PayPal to use the service and need to provide credit card information, from which a transaction can be processed.   This plan was approved without vote and will be presented at the General Assembly.
• Certification of the accuracy of the statements was signed by Dr. J.H.N. Schel and Dr. A.A. M. van Lammeren.  Acceptance of the amended Treasurer's Report was approved.

6. New Business.

• Representative Yi-Qin Li was thanked by President Kolutnow for her many contributions to the IASPRR and to the Executive Board.  Due to health reasons, the resignation of Representative Li was accepted.  In her place, the Executive Board recommended and approved the addition of Professor Wei-Cai Yang to serve as new Representative to the Board and Councilor for China.
• Vice President Vipen Sawhney suggested that he and President Kolunow speak informally with Beata Barnabus, the local organizer of the Budapest meeting in 2006 to speak about plans for the meeting and to coordinate advertising for the meeting.  She has a DVD with a short presentation that will be shown at the General Assembly.

7. Adjournment.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:58 p.m.