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 18th 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.