Council Meeting Minutes
African American Alumni Council Meeting
VCU Alumni Association Boardroom
University Student Commons
Saturday, June 1, 2002
MEMBERS PRESENT: Linnie Carter, Daryl Lynn Dance, Regina Harris, Jerry Hill, Vera Jones, Larry Powell, Edward Robinson, Jr., and Nina Sims.
(Minutes from the September 2002 meeting will be posted upon approval at the November 2002 meeting)
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 10:25 a.m.
II. WELCOME
Ms. Carter welcomed everyone and asked for introductions.
III. APPROVAL OF JANUARY 19, 2002 MINUTES
A motion was made to approve March 23, 2002 minutes with the changing of Nina Goodwyn's name to Nina Sims. Moved. Seconded. Carried.
IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS
Budget (Mr. Powell reported for Ms. Mary Cosby)
Mr. Powell gave everyone a copy of the budget. There were no questions or comments.
Professional Development (reported by Ms. Harris for Ms.Debbie Holmes)
Ms. Harris stated that there was no report.
Program and Events (Mr. Powell reported on behalf of Jackie Tunstall Bynum and Rumae Foddrell)
Reunion 2002
Mr. Powell thought that the reunion weekend was successful. Approximately 200+ people attended the dance (a slight drop from last year); the Friday late night social in the student commons was well attended; the Saturday Seminar received very positive feedback from the attendees; and the Sunday Breakfast was well attended.
Feedback regarding reunion:
Statement: Alumni would like to add music to the picnic. Mr. Powell stated that music was not allowed at the park where the picnic was held this year, but the committee will keep this in mind for future reunions.
Statement: Some alumni expressed interest in having VCU's Black Wakening Gospel Choir participate. The choir was unable to participate in the reunion due to the event taking place during final exams.
Question: Why was Rodney Pulliam being memorialized at the Sunday breakfast and others could not be?
Answer: Mr. Pulliam was memorialized at the breakfast because he had served as an officer on the Council for several years, and even after leaving that position, he still supported the Council through his dues.
Reunion 2003
The 2003 reunion will be May 2-4 and the dance will be held at the Sheraton - West Broad Street. Omega Psi Phi Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. both expressed interest in sponsoring the Saturday night dance. Mr. Powell had the representatives of the fraternities discuss co-sponsoring next year's dance. The representatives talked and felt they could work together in co-sponsoring the event.
Public Relations
Newly Elected Officers
Ms. Sims reported that a news release would go out about the newly elected officers for the Council. The release will go to the Richmond Free Press, the Metro and maybe to the Richmond Voice (Mr. Robinson would check to see if the AAAC could submit the news release to the Richmond Voice).
Increasing Membership
Ms. Sims also stated that something needs to be done to try to get more males and older alumni to join the Council and welcomed suggestions as to how to go about recruiting more of these alumni. Mr. Hill discussed becoming more active in the council and encouraging his male classmates to do the same.
Scholarship Committee (Larry Powell reported on behalf of Keesha Massenburg)
Mr. Powell reported that the Scholarship Selection Committee reviewed 41 applications and selected Mark Cheatham to receive the AAAC Leadership Scholarship. Mark will be a junior next year and is majoring in Social Work with a minor in Religious Studies. The AAAC Scholarship yields $775 per year and is renewable through Mr. Cheatham's undergraduate years.
Ms. Sims stated that from viewing the applications of several students, it was apparent that they needed to learn the basic fundamentals of completing an application (jobs, scholarships, or otherwise). In addition to not following the application instructions, many students lacked the basic skills to write a coherent essay. Not only did a few students choose to handwrite rather than type their essays, but there were also others who felt that they could get by without submitting all the items necessary to complete the packet. The scholarship committee automatically disqualified students who did not submit the required scholarship application materials, as well as those who turned in materials after the application deadline. Ms. Sims felt that some of these students were missing out on scholarships simply because they did not follow instructions or seek help on writing resumes and essays.
Ms. Sims again reiterated that a workshop needed to be held to give students insight into filling out scholarship applications correctly and preparing them to go into the professional world. Ms. Sims said she is committed to having a workshop for interested students doing her tenure as president of the Council.
VCU Alumni Association Board Representation
Ms. Sims reported that the meeting was very brief and very informative. She reported that a committee charged with renaming the two VCU campuses decided that it would be best not to make a change at this time. She also stated that this year the VCU Alumni Association varied their meeting sites to include new buildings on campus such as the Sports Medicine, Engineering and the new Life Sciences building. By varying the meeting sites, the board members had opportunities to tour the new campus buildings.
V. Other Business
Memorializing Rodney Pulliam -Linnie Carter
Ms. Carter stated that several recommendations had been made to her about memorializing Rodney Pulliam (Mr. Pulliam was killed in a car accident in March, 2002.) The recommendations were to either rename an existing AAAC scholarship after him or work jointly with the Kappa Alphas Psi, Mr. Pulliam's fraternity, who want to start a scholarship in his name.
Since there were no members of the fraternity in attendance, Ms. Carter tabled the discussion until Mr. Powell contacted a representative of the fraternity. The AAAC felt that the fraternity should be the initiators/leaders in developing a scholarship or any other memorial for Mr. Pulliam. After the project is in place the Council would then consider making a contribution to that effort as well as consider publicizing the effort in its newsletters.
There was also discussion about how the AAAC should memorialize active members in the future. Several questions were raised regarding how to determine who would be eligible to have awards and scholarships named in their honor and whether or not the AAAC needed to adopt written rules regarding memorializing deceased AAAC members.
VI. Officer Elections
Mr. Powell reported that election ballots were mailed to AAAC members. Mr. Powell did not receive any additional nominations from that mailing. The Council members present were given a ballot and votes were tallied. The results of the ballots are as follows:
President Elect, Debbie Holmes; Treasurer, Thurmond Alford; Secretary, Daryl Lynn Dance and Parliamentarian, Deborah Pegram. Ms. Sims will be the incoming president.
VII. Officer Installation
Ms. Carter installed the officers and asked the executive committee to support the incoming president. The newly elected officers will assume their duties on July 1, 2002 and will serve a 2-year term.
Ms. Sims stated that some of the issues she would like to address is increasing the membership, increasing dues participation and trying to get more male participation with the Council.
Ms. Dance stated that she would be honored to serve as Secretary of the AAAC and talked briefly about attending the AAAC reunion when Dr. Quincy Moore was honored. She also said that she wanted to help further the organization in its goals.
VIII. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
Submitted by Daryl Lynn Dance, with the help of Regina Harris.