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Minutes of the VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting
Friday, October 24, 2008
The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Chair: Elizabeth Gushee
Secretary-Treasurer: Steve Tatum

Present: Ann Woodward, Lesly Desculer Canossi, Macie Hall, Kathe Albrecht, Christina “Tina” Updike, Bob Willis, Steve Tatum, Sarah Mercier, Carolyn Sheffield, Marianne Martin, Ann Burns, Pam Hawkes, Andrea Gibbs, Gerri Schaad, Gunder Varinlioglu, Elizabeth Gushee.

• The meeting began with introductions and a welcome to new members and guests.
• The minutes of the Chapter meeting held at the VRA conference in San Diego were handed out for reading. They were approved.
• Steve Tatum gave the Treasurer’s report. The treasury had $563.14 at the time of the meeting.
• Dues were collected for 2009.
• There was a discussion whether any changes to the chapter bylaws were necessary, in response to a draft document from the VRA board suggesting possible changes. The board was seeking preliminary feedback.
• There was informal agreement among those present that our bylaws were largely consistent with those the document proposed. There was discussion about the proposed revision #5 to the determination of dues amounts. It was suggested that chapters decide dues by a specific date and the amount be reported to the Association Treasurer instead of the Membership Services Coordinator. Dues need to be set in time for bundling with national dues.
• A related message from the VRA president, Allan Kohl, explained that improvements to MemberClicks would now make it possible to bundle the payment of Chapter dues with Association dues.
• One model in the message suggested that there be an option to pay Chapter dues at the same time as Association dues; continuing with local treasuries as they are now, and retaining the option to pay dues separately from the Association dues. There was informal agreement that this arrangement would be helpful and that funds should be paid quarterly to the local treasuries.
• A second model provided for a Bursar to manage chapter accounts. Chapter treasurers would authorize payments from the accounts.  There was informal agreement that this method would be too cumbersome.
• There was a request from some members for a more formal method of collecting dues than the Chapter’s current practice.  It was suggested that invoices and receipts would be helpful, although bundling of dues, and the possibility of paying on the Association web site by credit card at any time, would alleviate the problem to a great extent.
• Liz Gushee mentioned that her term as Chapter Chair was ending on December 31, 2008 and called for nominations for the 2009-2010 term.
• Announcements
• Please fill out online survey for the VRA strategic plan.
•  The VRA Travel Awards Committee is soliciting applications for awards for travel to the Toronto conference in March.
• The Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) met in New Orleans. Steve Tatum reported on the VR session. The 2009 SECAC conference will be in Mobile. Ideas for the VR session are welcome and attendance is encouraged.
• Ideas for time and location of the next chapter meetings.
• The Newseum would be a great place.
• Early summer is the usual time.
• Ann Woodward recommended a 2 ½ day OCLC subject cataloging course which she had recently taken.
• Tina Updike said the Summer Education Institute at James Madison went very well. The 2009 SEI will be at Simmons in Boston.
• Steve Tatum reported on the workshop he attended at the VRA conference in San Diego, “Seeking the Right Path for Visual Resource Users.”

A recording of the meeting is in the Chapter records.