June 2007

AAJA meeting minutes June 3, 2007

In attendance: Tom Lee, Lewis Leung, Nancy Yang

Absent: Emma Carew, Nancy Ngo, Mary Tan

NEXT MEETING: 11 a.m. July 8, Lewis Leung

Budget update:

Ÿ Tom: What are our financial commitments the rest of the year? Unity picnic, possible mixer for Asian ethnic media in town, J Camp sponsorship.

Ÿ Lewis: We have three CDs set up, savings account set up and a checking account open. Also have a mutual fund.

Ÿ Mary sent an e-mail about the availability of Community Engagement Funds for AAPI groups. Available grant of $10K.

Ÿ Tom: Someone should go to the informational meetings over the next month – 10-1:30 p.m. June 9 at Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul; 12-3:30 p.m. June 13 Rondo Community Library. Tom and Lewis will attend the June 9 meeting.

Ÿ Tom: Wells Fargo money has fallen through. Contact said we will not be able to meet with the Asian corporate business network to make a presentation, but that she will give us the contact list. We could use them as a future fundraising donor list.

Ÿ We should develop a donor list on Excel. We should include Taste invite and donor list, get Mary to give us the name of corporate contacts. Let’s try to have it done by the end of the summer.

Scholarship/grant update:

Ÿ We had four applicants for the broadcast internship, one was disqualified because all materials were not turned in by deadline.

Ÿ Scholarship committee recommends Brian Kushida. Now Fox will interview Brian and ultimately decide whether to award the scholarship.

Ÿ Tom: Should we allow the same students to win AAJA scholarships year in and year out? Seems pointless to say no when one person applies over and over and they are the only qualified applicant.

Ÿ Nancy: Does the same deal apply for the grant?

Ÿ Tom: Let’s make an amendment saying you can only receive one scholarship or grant from AAJA per calendar year. Applies to students and professional. Excludes internships. Effective 6/3/07.

Ÿ Two convention grant applications: Nancy Yang and Boaz Herzog from The Oregonian. Herzog is working as an assignment editor for Voices. A few meetings ago we agreed to help fund national programs if it helps the local chapter (we have two local students working on Voices). Herzog is a former officer for the Portland chapter.

Ÿ Vote – for Nancy, 2-0 (Nancy abstaining) for a $300 grant; for Boaz, 3-0 for $300 grant.

Ÿ Lewis asks that we book the flight, give Lewis the receipt and he will cut us a check.

Ÿ The Minnesota chapter was in charge of awarding national scholarships. That has been done. The board met to determine finalists and then a committee of local news editors/reporters met to award the money. Awarded 10 scholarships worth $111,500 and recommended eight other students for the Newhouse scholarships.

Unity picnic:

Ÿ Noon, July 7 at Boom Island.

Ÿ Duchesne said he will send us a bill – we agreed to help pay for this in light of Star Tribune cutbacks.

Mixer for Asian ethnic media:

Ÿ Tom: We should reach out to the local Asian ethnic media and try to get them more involved in AAJA.

Ÿ Mary will identify the Asian ethnic media and we will contact them; if there is interest we will set up a mixer.

Ÿ We will try for late August/early September. We could try for a park shelter somewhere and do a barbecue.

Milk carton boat race:

Ÿ July 15

Ÿ Construction will need to begin by the end of June. Tentatively start 11 a.m. on June 30 at Lewis’ house.

Ÿ Mary said we might not have money from the Vikings. Qwest is taking over of the junior quarterback program. Vikings were going to give us $1,000.

Ÿ Lewis estimates it will cost us $400 to build the boat.

Ÿ Design was to be a Chinese take-out carton.

Ÿ Chapter will invest in a canopy.

National board rep elections:

Ÿ Must elect a new board rep by Nov. 1.

Ÿ Nancy will send a note to membership announcing the position is due for election. Candidacy announcements due by September.

Ÿ Elections in mid-October.

Other:

Ÿ Voted to combine the fall karaoke to be a holiday mixer/karaoke event. Mary and Nancy were in charge of the karaoke, they will be in charge again.

Ÿ Next meeting they will decide where we will have it, our budget.

NEXT MEETING AGENDA: July 8

Ÿ Finish building boat