Minutes of the June 15, 1999 SGB EC Conference Call

1) Welcome incoming leaders and farewell to outgoing leaders -

Chair Ellis welcomed and congratulated Alain Chenais on his election to Member at Large. Rick Furuta and David Notkin were congratulated on their reelections. Ellis thanked Rick Snodgrass for his service and emphasized the groups excitement with regard to his continued oversight of the Computing Portal project.

2) SGB EC Assignments/Reassignments -

Ellis indicated that with new members, the members-at-large would be given the opportunity to decide what roles they would play for the next year. They could keep their current position or rotate into another. The positions available to them were:

VC Operations - Preside over SGB and SGB EC Meetings, including SGB EC conference calls.
VC Development - Identify emerging technical areas, oversee transitional SIGs. The SGB Information Director, SGB committees, and SIG Liaisons to ACM Boards, other than those who are members of the SGB EC, will report through the VC Development.
Secretary - Act as elections advisor, policy advisor and financial and budgetary advisor.
Large SIG Advisor - Act as liaison for large SIG issues.
Small SIG Advisor - Act as liaison for small SIG issues.
Conference Advisor - Oversee issues related to conferences as directed by the SGB.

The Members-at-Large decided to send their preferences to Ellis and requested that she and Baglio work together on the assignments.

3) October Meeting Update -

Based on the decision of the SGB EC, HQ liaison Baglio has been finalizing the details to hold the SIG Leaders Orientation, SGB and SGB EC meetings in Newark at the Sheraton Hotel. The meetings will take place as follows:

Friday, October 1 - SIG Leader Orientation. This will overlap an SGB EC meeting in the afternoon. The meeting and orientation will be followed by a joint dinner.
Saturday, October 2 - SGB Meeting
Sunday, October 3 - SGB EC Meeting

4) Agenda Items for SGB Meeting -

Vice Chair Notkin asked the group for agenda suggestions. He would certainly want to see Barbara Simons, John White, and other senior staff members at the orientation and the meetings. Their participation sends an important message to the SIG leaders. Some possible agenda times include:

  1. Program Review - 45 minutes session in addition to the actual reviews to be conducted.
  2. Election Task Force - 15 - 30 minute session
  3. SDF Funding - 15 - 30 minute session
  4. Societies and Alternate Models - 45 minute session
  5. Computing Portal Update and Discussion -
  6. Best Practices Session to allow the SIG leaders to share their experiences and programs
  7. Conference Review Software
  8. FCRC discussion led by invited speaker, David Johnson

The SGB EC decided that there would be an introduction to the portal concept during Friday's orientation. The SGB meeting would then include an update and discussion.

There was some discussion on how to proceed with the new style of program reviews. David Notkin is preparing a recommendation on how reviews should be conducted in the future. He prefers to let the current reviews go on as usual and the new review outline to be used for the future if acceptable to the SGB. He will consider providing a prototype to the SIGIR leadership for their October review.

Action: Baglio to place program review discussion on July conference call agenda.

Action: Baglio to distribute call for action items for the October meeting.

Notkin suggested that the SGB EC carefully review all agenda items before finalizing the October agenda. He does not want the meeting to be too frantic and he wants the SGB to get as much out of it as possible.

5) SIGAPL Newsletter -

Baglio reported that the recently submitted SIGAPL newsletter was submitted without the appropriate copyrights in place. The newsletter is the 1997 APL Conference Proceedings. The conference was sponsored by the local SIGAPL chapter in Toronto. HQ is doing their best to work with the leadership of the SIG, the conference and other interested parties in order to get the issue out. The SGB EC decided that HQ was to do what they could to get the issue in order without spending massive amounts of time on it. If it gets to that point the SGB EC will take a look on how to proceed.

Action: Baglio will review SIGAPL newsletter status with Associate Director Goetz and report back to SGB EC.

6) IFIP Travel Expense Motion -

Baglio read the motion recently made and voted on with regard to ACM representative/IFIP travel funds.

Motion: Move to make $1,500 in travel funds available to each TC Rep from the SIG Board budget.
(Ellis, Cohoon)
motion passed

Action: Baglio will include $1,500 in travel funds in future SGB EC budgets for each TC Rep. This will cover travel of those individuals not covered by a SIG.

7) Update on Society Committee -

Large SIG Advisor Soffa reported that the task force to discuss the definition of a society was being put together. It is currently made up of: Soffa, Whitton, Atwood or new SIGCHI Chair, Lidtke, Glinert and Baglio. Soffa intends to ask a newly elected SGB member. She was going to ask a member of Lewis Johnson's Alternate Task force committee to participate as well but it was decided that Baglio could report back to both committees when appropriate.

Soffa will find out if Atwood or the new SIGCHI Chair will be the participant from the CHI leadership. Soffa is aiming to have a report and recommendations for the October meetings.

Action: Baglio will send Soffa the Zweben report.

8) Publications Update - Publications Advisor Cohoon will report on the activities in this area

Cohoon reported on the Pubs Board conference call held today. SIGMOD has proposed a CD Rom publication which was wholeheartedly supported. Cohoon will talk to Snodgrass off-line.

9) SGB EC Member Reports -

All EC members may provide a report if they wish to. It would be helpful if the following people could provide information: Baer - Election Task Force, Furuta - SIG Model Task Force and Technical Standards Committee and Awards Procedure, Notkin - Program Review

Cassel reported that she would get in touch with the SIGBIO leadership and provide them with feedback on their recently submitted program plan. She will let them know that it needs solidification and will work with them on better structure.

10) Setting up New Conference Call Schedule -

The group discussed possible call schedule for July and August. Recognizing the difficulty in scheduling a call for 12 people, Notkin suggested that they provide their availability with a copy to Baglio. he'll work on putting the schedule together.

11) Review status of Current Action Items -

There was no time on the call to review action items. All SGB EC members that have completed actions should provide them to Baglio.

 

Participants:

  • Jean-Loup Baer
  • Donna Baglio
  • Boots Cassel
  • Alain Chenais
  • Jim Cohoon
  • Carla Ellis
  • Rick Furuta
  • Doris Lidtke
  • David Notkin
  • Richard Snodgrass
  • Mary Lou Soffa
  • Mary Whitton