Minutes of the November 18, 1999 SGB EC Conference Call
1) Review status of current action items -
The following action items were reported as complete
Action: Notkin will contact Hightower to discuss the future of SIGCUE. (8/23/99)
Action: Lichtenstein is to transfer SDF funds to the SPF. (10/2/99)
Action: Snodgrass to establish Portal Mgt. Board. (10/2/99)
Action: Notkin to revise SOR for program reviews. (10/2/99)
Action: Baglio and Chesnais to find possible locations for next set of SGB meetings to be held in hub city/airport property in February 2000. (10/2/99)
Action: Arnold to forward membership discussion slides to Baglio from the October 3 meeting for posting.(10/3/99)
Action: Ellis to bring the SIGGRAPH request for waiver (A/V contract) to the ACM EC for approval (10/28/99)
Action: Baglio to distribute the recent SDF submittals (10/99) to the SGB. (10/28/99)
2) Report on ACM EC And Council meetings held November 6th and 7th in Denver -
The following actions took place at the EC meeting:
By a vote of 4 For, 1 Absent, recommends that Council dissolve SIGNUM.
By a vote of 4 For, 1 Absent, granted an exception to policy to permit the SIGGRAPH EC and CAG to explore the re-negotiation of a three year contract with AVW (audio visual contractor) of the annual SIGGRAPH conference. Negotiations would be based upon a maximum 5% increase over current costs for work performed today.
By a vote of 4 For, 1 Absent, granted an exception to policy to permit the SIGGRAPH EC and CAG to explore the re-negotiation of three year contracts with Smith Bucklin and Associates of conference management and marketing and public relations services for the annual SIGGRAPH conference. Negotiations would be based upon a maximum 5% increase over current costs for work perfumed today. [The exception to policy was granted contingent on SGB EC endorsement].
By a vote of 4 For, 1 Absent, recommends that council approve the establishment of the ACM-SIGUCCS Penny Crane Award. Approval is granted contingent upon approval of the proposed award by both the awards Committee and SGB EC.
The following motions passed during the Council meeting.
Council approves the creation by SIGUCCS of an award named for penny Crane, contingent upon approvals from he SIG Governing Board and the ACM Awards Committee.
Ellis reported that the SIGNUM dissolution was taken care of as well as the UCCs award. She reported to Council that SIGIR completed a successful program review and was continuing in their current status as a multi-service SIG.
During the Council meeting there was a discussion with regard to named awards being approved at the Council level. Johnson indicated that the discussion was tabled and will be discussed further during their next meeting. He is already working with the Awards committee on this.
Ellis reported that changes in the ACM fee structure for the DL and dues were approved for economically disadvantaged countries.
Council supported the International Driver's License Program. This is not for professionals but basic computer literacy. The people that run this program outside the US requested that ACM run in the US. Council discussed and decided to go froward with it. There are serious questions on whether or not this will fly in our culture but is worth the risk. The request came through the Ed Board. The program has been successful in BCS and Sweden and Ireland. It viewed as an objective assessment to an individuals credentials intended for the general workforce. The business plan calls for the program to generate revenue for ACM.
Ellis reported that there was discussion on expanding the role of a Washington office to deal with policy issues. This cannot be resolved until ACM's certificate of incorporation is changed. ACM cannot currently participate in lobbying activities.
During the Coucnil meeting, Chuck House was available to discuss ACM1. The fees were out of line with history and perceived to be too high for academics. Council requested that this be reviewed and that a revised budget be submitted. Whitton indicated that the fees and the attendance projections did not match up with the history. The theme proposed was space. For many members of Council that theme did not work for many of reasons; its' a turn-off to women, doesn't address really important issues that are around today. They are reworking the theme as a result.
3) SIGGRAPH Waivers -
As indicated above, the ACM EC supported the SIGGRAPH's request to explore re-negotiation of the SIGGRAPH Conference's A/V, PR and conference management contracts. The waiver to policy was supported and issued by the EC for this round of contracts, they expect SIGGRAPH to go out for competitive bid the next time these contracts are due.
Ellis provided the SGB EC with some background on this issue. During the last SGB EC call the waiver for the A/V contract was approved by the SGB EC. After that call, John Fuji, SIGGRAPH CAG Chair contacted Jean Loup Baer and indicated that he'd sent two others (one for PR and one for conference management). Baer hadn't received those. In order to expedite EC approval, Ellis took all three requests to the ACM EC. She indicated that two were granted the exception to policy contingent on the endorsement of the SGB EC. A question arose as to whether or not these requests were endorsed by the SIGGRAPH EC. Chesnais reported that the requests had been mentioned at the end of the last EC meeting but he could not comment on whether they'd been endorsed. The SGB EC endorsed the waivers contingent on verifying that the SIGGRAPH EC supported them.
Motion: Move to approve waiver, granting exception on the competitive bid process as requested by the SIGGRAPH CAG Chair contingent on verification of SIGGRAPH's EC support.
Cohoon, Notkin
unanimous
Action: Baer to contact Judy Brown and verify that SIGGRAPH EC had supported requests for policy exceptions on the competitive bidding process for the annual conference's A/V, PR and conference management contract.
4) Publications Update -
Cohoon reported that a Publications Board meeting is to be held over the weekend. He has received 4 nominations regarding the nominating committee for Computing Surveys which he'll provide to the Pubs Board.
Cohoon received a request from SIGCSE's Newsletter Editor. Newsletters are 4-8 page "newsy" informational pieces. The publication distributed by SIGCSE and others are more that and include reviewed papers. The editor suggested they be permitted to use the word magazine. Cohoon explained that ACM already has a definition for what a magazine is. The SGB EC discussed the terms refereed and reviewed. Based on input from the SIGs it appears they need to go back and look at that again. Baglio suggested that Cohoon verify that SIGs can use the following on their newsletters: ____ a quarterly publication of the Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education. A single word isn't going to fit all SIGs. Cohoon suggested that adding the term reviewed, could satisfy all.
5) SGB EC Member Reports - All EC members may provide a report if they wish to. (up to 20 min)
Notkin sent out the SOF for review and requested approval from the SGB EC on moving ahead with the changes.
Motion: Move to approve the SIG Operating Rules as issued by David Notkin.
Baer, Cassel
(8,0,1)
Notkin reported that he had a conversation with Jim Hightower, Chair of SIGCUE. It appears that he'd like to pursue dissolution of the SIG. There are a few issues which will need to be worked out to the satisfaction of the SIG. He was concerned about their conference activities. Cassel indicated that the ITiCSE conference could continue as a SIGCSE conference. Their cooperation with the NECC conference gives them a seat on that Board. There was concern that ACM could lose that seat without CUE. Baglio indicated that Israel was working with the K-12 committee and ACM could contact NECC, let them know that SIGCUE was being dissolved and in their place we'd like to offer cooperation with ACM's K-12 committee. Notkin will work with Hightower on the future of SIGCUE.
Baglio reported that Vitter of SIGACT had contacted HQ to request that EATCS members be given a discount to join SIGACT and requested that the change needed to go into effect immediately. She explained to him that it was against policy to offer non-members of ACM a lower rate than ACM members. He then requested that the discounted dues being offered to EATCS members also be offered to ACM members. He wanted to raise the affiliate fee as well. Baglio informed Vitter that an external agreement with EATCS would require ACM EC approval. She met with HQ staff to see if it was possible to make dues changes mid year. Policy indicates that requests for dues changes are to be submitted by March 1 prior to the start of the fiscal year in July. A mid-year dues change would be possible only through e-mail and could not be offered on renewals but only on new members. Based on this information the SGB EC will request that Vitter start this program in FY'01 and that he get the appropriate approvals from the ACM EC prior to that.
Action: Notkin will inform Vitter that the SGB EC has been updated on his request and that it can be handled for FY'01. Notkin will offer to assist him with the approval process.
Participants:
- Jean-Loup Baer
- Donna Baglio
- Boots Cassel
- Alain Chesnais
- Jim Cohoon
- Carla Ellis
- Rick Furuta
- Mark Scott Johnson
- David Notkin
- Mary Lou Soffa
- Mary Whitton
- Doris Lidtke