Present: Jerry Parish, Chair and Past President, University Division (Texas A&M University, Commerce); Sid Connor, President, CCTI Division; John Craft, President, Graphic Communications Division (Appalachian State University); Mark Franco, President, Student Division (Co-Venture Resources); Mr. Ed McGarry, Past President, CCTI Division (Gwinnett Technical Institute, Retired); Ron Meier, President, Manufacturing Division (Illinois State University); Art Rosser, President, University Division (Central Missouri State University); Executive Director Alvin Rudisill. Also present: Associate Director Dave Monforton (Recorder)

1. Call to Order and Opening Remarks: The meeting was called to order by Chair Jerry Parish at 1:05 p.m. The Chair welcomed all those in attendance.
2. Review and Approval of the Minutes: The Chair asked for a motion for approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. The members reviewed the minutes. It was moved by Connor and seconded by Franco that the minutes of the NAIT Executive Board Meeting of November 17, 1999 and November 20, 1999 be approved. The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.
3. Review and Approval of the Agenda: The Chair asked for a motion to approve the agenda. By consensus of the Board, the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Membership was added to New Business, as item 9.e. It was moved by Franco and seconded by McGarry that the agenda be approved as revised. The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.
4. Reports from the NAIT Office: Rudisill reported on various items of NAIT business:

• The membership application for CHEA (Council of Higher Education Accreditors) will be submitted in the next 45 days; as CHEA has informed NAIT that there is a backlog in the review and approval process, it may be some time before NAIT's application is acted upon.
• NAIT foundation activity has been proceeding slowly, as the Chair of the NAIT Foundation Board, Dr. Clois Kicklighter, regretfully has not been able to devote significant time.
• The Chair of the NAIT Board of Certification has been devoting extensive time to filling unfilled positions on the Board and to development of specific agenda items for board/committee work.
• Membership: Total NAIT membership as of March 31, 2000 was 2028, compared to 1878 at June 30, 1999. CCTI Division membership: 146 (3/31/00), 121 (6/30/99); Industry Division membership: 455 (3/31/00), 378 (6/30/99); University Division membership: 487 (3/31/00); 456 (6/30/99); Student Division membership: 822 (3/31/00), 805 (6/30/99)
• Certification: After achieving a high of 824 certified NAIT members in 1994, certified membership declined through the 6/30/99 total of 448 members. Certified membership total as of 3/31/00 was 457 members.
• Financial: Rudisill noted gradual improvement of financial balances but stressed need for continued improvement in interests of organizational stability and as an element considered in review of NAIT's application for membership in CHEA. Rudisill also brought the Board's attention to the portions of the financial report detailing NAIT Foundation pledges and to the effort to recruit a total of 40 Charter Institutional members of the NAIT Foundation.
• Conference: Rudisill noted that though NAIT's 1999 Conference did turn a profit, the net was less than budgeted, and that was primarily accounted for by higher than expected catering and AV charges.
• Publications: The Boardbook detailed income and expenses for recent NAIT publications and it was noted that NAIT realized increased revenue and profit from the 2000 Baccalaureate Program Directory. Rosser raised issue of potential for increased revenue for the IT Insider, but Rudisill noted that costs are still below that of printing the JIT and that small circulation for the IT Insider does impose a limit on potential advertising revenue. The board briefly discussed printing of publications versus maintaining them as online publications.
• Accreditation: There are a total of 58 institutions with NAIT-accredited programs, with more than 200 concentrations/options accredited amongst them.
• Awards: Rudisill directed the Boa's attention to the Association awards schedule and requested that they follow up to ensure that their division's are participating in the annual awards process.

• Conference Schedule: Rudisill reviewed the draft schedule for the 2000 conference and noted that revisions, scheduling of meetings and other detail items would be reviewed during the meeting.
• National Office: Rudisill reported generally on NAIT Office operations, personnel and productivity, noting that NAIT employs approximately 2.5 FTE through UCI for all of it's activities and compared that to ACC which has four FTEs for their accreditation program alone, which only accredits 40 programs with 40 options.

1. Reports from Divisions:

1. Industry Division: Due to absence of the Industry Division President, Tom Hjertquist, and Past President, John Reese, due to scheduling conflicts, Rudisill reviewed the written report submitted by Hjertquist (attached). Hjertquist's report noted the healthy increase to 457 members since November 1998, current status of distribution of the NAIT Student Recruitment CD-ROM and raised the issue of further production of the CD-ROM for discussion by the Board. McGarry moved to accept and file the report, seconded by Connor, and the motto was approved on a voice vote. The Board briefly discussed the Industry Division report and agreed to hold further discussion of the CD-ROM project until the New Business portion of the agenda.

The meeting was recessed at 2 p.m. to allow a tour of the convention facilities that will be used at the 2000 NAIT Convention. The meeting was called back to order and resumed at 2:45 p.m.

2. CCTI Division: Connor filed a written report (attached) and reviewed the major points, including discussion of accreditation of CCTI institutions, which is being pushed in Alabama, Virginia and Missouri due to a legislative mandate. Connor expressed hope that NAIT support for these accreditation efforts will result in increased CCTI accreditation and professional memberships. Connor also reviewed the status of actions on CCTI goals. Past President McGarry noted the effort to contact past CCTI members, but that responses to the mailing were very small and inconclusive. Meier moved to accept and file the report, seconded by Franco, and the motion was approved on a voice vote.
3. Student Division: Franco filed a written report (attached) and reported that primary activity has been his effort to update the IT/IQ Contest by transfer of questions to projectable format and in development of new questions. He recruited Board members to assist in development of questions, and several Board members volunteered. The Student Division is also exploring a Student Scholarship award to be initiated for the 2001 Conference. Other efforts for the 2000 Conference include:

• A new contest for the 2000 Conference that would involve teams; from individual schools;
• Need for a tour activity for students;
• Need for a social activity;
• Assistance in obtaining prizes for contest winners.

1. University Division: Rosser filed a written report (attached) and reported that activity to achieve goals is underway. Rosser reported revised numerical goals with respect to membership, certification and accreditation. Rosser moved to accept and file the report, seconded by Connor, and the motion was approved on a voice vote.
2. Graphic Communications Division: Craft filed a written report (attached) and reviewed the Division's effort at promoting membership. He reported that the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation will provide a tour of their headquarters facility near Pittsburgh during the 2000 Convention, along with offering training opportunities. The Division plans to again produce a "mini-program" highlighting the Graphic Communications presentations at the 2000 Conference. Meier moved to accept and file the report, seconded by parish, and the motion was approved on a voice vote.
3. Manufacturing Systems Division: Meier filed a written report (attached) and reviewed the Manufacturing Systems Division membership promotion efforts. He noted that the report includes a current roster of members. He went on to review plans for the Divisions all-day program for the first day of the 2000 Conference, and mentioned the beginning of an effort to establish a repository of manufacturing curricula. Meier moved to accept and file the report, seconded by parish, and the motion was approved on a voice vote.

6. Reports from Boards:

1. Board of Accreditation: Rudisill noted the need to recruit a new chair for the Board of Accreditation who would be designated at the 2000 conference for a term to begin at the close of the 2001 Conference.
2. Board of Certification: Rudisill reported on the efforts of the Chair, Dr. Dennis Field, to reinvigorate the Board, to establish a policy review committee similar to the Standards and Accreditation Committee of the Board of Accreditation, and that suggestions regarding Board or Committee personnel should be forwarded to Dr. Field.
3. NAIT Foundation Board: Rudisill reported on the effort to wrap up the Institutional Charter Membership campaign by recruiting a total of 40 institutions by the 2000 Conference, to double the 20 Institutions who have joined thus far.

6. Reports from Committees:

1. Public Relations Committee: John Reese, member of the committee and Past President of the Industry Division, though absent from the meeting, filed a written report on the CD-ROM project. No discussion was undertaken as the CD-ROM Project was set for discussion under new business. Motion by Rosser to accept and file the report, seconded by Parish, and the motion was approved on a voice vote.
2. Ad Hoc Committee on Membership Policy: Connor, chair of the committee, filed a written report on behalf of the committee (attached). By way of introduction, Connor reviewed the charge of the committee to look at potential changes in the institutional membership policy that could generate more professional memberships in NAIT. He noted that the committee desired to not negatively impact membership dues revenue and that they tried to devise a recommendation that was sensitive to differences in the sizes of institutions. He then briefly reviewed the report, noting that it recommended various levels of institutional membership at different fee levels that would include designation of various numbers of individuals as professional members of NAIT as a result of an institution obtaining an institutional membership. Connor moved to accept and file the report, seconded by Parish.

6. Old Business:

1. Outstanding Industrial Technologist Award - Guidelines and Funding: Rudisill reported on OIT funding, noting that though funding has been pledged by Industry Division President Tom Hjertquist for the 2000 Conference, but that there is no long term funding strategy in place. Rudisill also stated that he believed there is a need to expand criteria for the award to include industrial technologists who have made a career in education administration as they do not currently fall under purview of OIT Award or the divisional Outstanding Professor and Faculty awards. The Board discussed various ideas for continued funding of the OIT Award and for addressing award eligibility for industrial technologists in education administration.

By consensus, the Board agreed to put over item 8.B., Strategic Planning, and to take it up when the Board meeting resumes on Saturday, April 15.

2. Location Guidelines and Selection of Future Convention Sites: Rudisill reported that efforts at obtaining a reasonable proposal from sites in Las Vegas, Nevada for 2001, which included site visits to three properties, were not met with success. All proposals included charges for meeting rooms and lodging room rates significantly above those recommended by the Board (up to $125/night) and did not include weekend dates. Rudisill reported on other proposals:

• Marriott Bay Point Resort, Panama City Beach, Florida for two sets of dates in November 2001; room rate ~ $99/night;
• Hyatt Regency, Dearborn, Michigan for October and November 2001; room rate not quoted but hopefully can obtain quote of ~ $119/night;
• San Destin Resort, Destin, Florida for 10/29-11/3/2001; room rate ~ $109/night

The meeting was recessed at 5:45 p.m.