Annual Report (2001)
Midstates Chapter, ARLIS NA

Submitted by:

Sonja Staum-Kuniej
Chair, ARLIS Midstates, 2001
sstaumku@iupui.edu
Voice: 317.920-2432
Fax: 317.920-2430

2001 Officers:

Chair, Sonja Staum-Kuniej
Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, Cate Cooney
Secretary/Treasurer, Tom Hartmann

Meetings:

Spring Business Meeting – Friday May 11, 2001.  Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Chicago, IL.  Dennis McGuire, MCA Librarian, hosted the meeting.  Standing reports such as the Treasurers report, the Midwest rep report, Newsletter update, Strategic Plan action items, and an update on the Chapter website were given. New business included the announcement of the expected dissolution of the Michigan Chapter to be followed by the anticipated joining of the Michigan Chapter with the Midstates Chapter.  Members present voted to increase annual Chapter dues from $10.00 to $20.00.   Fall meeting will be held in Milwaukee, WI. 

Fall Business Meeting – Friday November 2, 2001.  Eiteljorg Museum of Native American Indian and Western Art.  Kitty Jansen hosted the meeting. Attendance was low.  The low attendance was in great part, most likely due to the lack of turn around available in planning the Fall Chapter meeting.  The Fall meeting was expected to take place in Milwaukee, WI.  Due to unanticipated circumstances, arrangements for Milwaukee were not possible and not known until 4 – 5 weeks prior to the anticipated meeting date.  Sufficient lead-time to adequately organize the Fall Business meeting/program was not possible.  The short turn-around time of the meeting announcement compromised the lead-time members needed when making arrangements to attend the meeting. 

Chapter members’ participation has been on the decline throughout recent years.  The 2001 Nominating committee had great difficulty soliciting candidates for the annual election.  The resignation of the Chair-Elect left a vacancy for the 2002 Chair position.  In order to have an appropriate slate of candidates it was necessary to circulate a ‘call’ for candidates to the broadest Chapter membership possible via ARLIS-L.    A proposed revision to the Chapter bylaws was included with the call for candidates.  The revision of the language proposed to allow for a ‘one-person’ ballot in order to avoid subsequent similar situations.  The suggested revision to the bylaws was approved by the Chapter membership through an email vote.   The Chapter is now awaiting approval of the amendment by the Executive Committee. 

It should be noted that the recent 2001 election did not have to resort to a ‘one-person’ ballot after all.  A viable slate of two candidates per office was achieved. To accommodate the absence of an available Chair-Elect to move into the Chair position, the ballot also included a vote to accept/reject the continuation of the 2001 Chair for the 2002 term.  The Chapter will continue its annual contribution of $400.00 towards the Annual Conference Welcoming Party.

2002 Officers:  ARLIS Midstates Chapter Officers for 2002 include Chair, Sonja Staum-Kuniej; Vice-Chair, Alba Fernandez; Sectretary/Treasurer, Catharine Jansen.  All Chapter Officers reside in Indianapolis, IN.  The Chapter bank accounts currently residing in Chicago, IL will be transferred to a bank in Indianapolis, Indiana.   The Spring 2002 meeting will be held in Indianapolis, IN at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, May 25, 2002. 

Activities: 

Chapter Website: It was determined by consensus that the Chapter web site domain should be within an organization.  It was suggested that the webmaster/newsletter editor be the same individual. 

Chapter Newsletter  - Chapter consensus determined that the newsletter would be placed and maintained at the anticipated Chapter web site.   The consensus was to rethink/reformat the newsletter and place it at the Midstates website under an ‘Announcements/What’s New’ button.

Chapter Membership - It was noted that there was a need for a complete and up-to-date membership list that might be posted at the Chapter web site.  Consensus was to charge the Secretary/Treasurer with the oversight of updating the Chapter membership list.  An ad hoc membership committee was formed.  The updated list would be used to generate renewals as well as for recruitment purposes.  In addition, the Chair would establish a Chapter Listserv through Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis in order to facilitate communication among chapter members.

Travel Award – Membership consensus determined that the Chapter demonstrate support of the ARLIS/NA Strategic Plan via special professional development projects/activities that could be funded in part from the Chapter monies.  The Chapter members approved the establishment of a Midstates Travel Award.  A Travel Award Ad Hoc committee was formed.   

Bylaws amendment – The Chapter membership approved the proposed amendment to the Chapter bylaws that would permit a ‘one-person’ ballot.  Final approval from the executive board is pending.  The language is listed below:

FROM:  Article VII #2:

<The nominating committee shall present at least two candidates for each office at the Fall meeting>

TO: Article VII #2: