Members present (14): Jan Larsen (president), Kim Kubiak (first v.p.), Pam Lannom (2nd v.p.), Lois Self (executive secretary), Jim Slonoff (treasurer), Jim Killam (communications coordinator), Randy Swikle, Richard Parmater, Roger Ruthhart, Joe Corrado, Colin O'Donnell, Cheryl Wormley, Tom Martin, Jeannine Otto.

Staff present: Dana Ditrichs-Kunkel.

Members absent (7): Lonny Cain (past president), Ray Karges, Rick Nagel, Owen Phelps, John Etheredge, Wally Haas, Greg Rivara.

Larsen called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m., following 9 a.m. meetings of the program, education and membership committees.

Approval of April 5 minutes: (We forgot to do this and will catch up at the Oct. 24 meeting.)

Treasurer's report: Slonoff reported a checking account balance of $3,223.08. About $600 in expenses are due to NIU, which will bring the balance to about $2,600. Spring conference expenditures were $359.11 and revenue was $925, for a profit of $565.89.
Treasurer's report approved unanimously (O'Donnell motion, Lannom second).

Executive secretary's report: Self said a program review is in progress for the NIU Department of Communication, including the Journalism area. The amount of state revenue invested in the program is far below the state average, considering the number of degrees awarded. The department is "dangerously inexpensive," she said.
NIU had 206 declared journalism majors as of May, the most since the 1995 merger of the journalism and communication departments. 225 majors are anticipated for the upcoming fall semester. All classes are full. Of those journalism majors, about 50 percent have a public-relations emphasis. Print journalism makes up the next-largest proportion, followed by broadcast and photo/graphics.
The department has acquired NewsKing software for use at the Northern Television Center and in broadcast-news classes. Also, a photo/graphics lab in the basement of Cole Hall now has 10 Macintosh G4s.
The department was not able to fill an approved position for a visiting photo/graphics professor, so it is using two adjuncts - Martha Stone and Jim Killam - to teach the news design classes this fall.

Program committee report: Lannom said a debate between the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial doesn't appear likely. Instead, the committee is looking at a "Journalism Jeopardy" concept - an interactive discussion between several panelists, "contestants" and audience members. Several notable Illinois journalists will be contacted about being panelists. This program would run from 10 to 11:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon keynote speaker and the annual awards ceremony.
Lannom asked that NINA members contact her with ideas for questions and speakers. E-mail to plannom@pioneerlocal.com.
O'Donnelll suggested making evaluation forms part of every NINA workshop or conference, in order to gather feedback from participants.

Membership committee report: Kubiak read a list of newspapers/groups that did not renew their memberships this year. They are: Boone County Journal, Chicago Citizen Newspapers, Lakeland Media, Liberty Suburban Newspapers, Metamora Herald, Mirror Democrat, Pioneer Press and Star Publications. She also has a target list of potential new members that the committee will pursue.
About 10 free-lancers have joined NINA as a result of the flyers mailed to editors in May.

Education committee report: Larsen, substituting for Haas, reported that the Sept. 18 high-school advisers workshop has been planned and is ready to be promoted. It will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Herald News in Joliet. Topics and speakers are: law and ethics, Randy Swikle and Jim Killam; digital photography, Steve Buyansky; and page design, TBA. For the $25 registration fee, participants will get dinner, the program and 4 Continuing Professional Development Units from NIU.
Killam will prepare a flyer and mail it to advisers by the last week of August.
Larsen read a note from Etheredge, thanking those involved with promoting, judging and awards for the high-school scholarship contest.

Clip Contest: The board voted unanimously to discontinue the best-clip and best-photo contests, because they have lost money the past two years and interest does not appear to have grown. (Slonoff motion, Wormley second)

Communications coordinator's report: Killam will work with Lannom to coordinate the fall newsletter as a promotional tool for the Oct. 25 fall conference. Deadline will be in early September.
Killam also has contacted the new owners of the Belvidere newspaper about NINA membership, and talked with the Chicago company 1871 Media about potential membership.

President's report: Larsen said all material had been covered earlier in the meeting.

Old business: Self and Ditrichs-Kunkel will have a report soon on the number of contest entries.

New business: The line of succession for NINA president was discussed. Kubiak and Lannom have agreed to trade places for next year, making Lannom the next president (subject to board vote in December).

Shop talk:

• Wormley's Woodstock Independent has hired a sports editor and general-assignment reporter, Rich Rostron. And, she became a grandmother (of triplets!) Aug. 3 .
• Lannom said The Doings is working on a Sept. 11 anniversary issue, and talking with two local families that lost loved ones on the hijacked planes.
• Corrado said the Naperville Sun's Sept. 11 issues will include writing from many community voices. Also, the Sun went to 100 percent digital photography two weeks ago.
• Ruthhart's Rock Island Argus and Moline Dispatch have focused heavily on the film, "The Road to Perdition," since the book was written by a local author. The papers also did a history series on real Rock Island gangsters.
• O'Donnell said the Daily Herald's new printing center in Schaumburg is nearing completion and is scheduled to open in December.
• Parmater's Regional News has hired two new reporters. The paper is working on several oral histories for a Sept. 11 issue.
• Martin said the Bureau County Republican is experimenting with its editorial page, adding a member of the community to its editorial board as each board member writes about a "question of the week."
• Otto said the Dixon and Sterling papers are preparing a wrap-around edition for Sept. 11, and are continuing to plan coverage in the event of Ronald Reagan's death.
• Killam said the Northern Star's Web site will experiment this fall with a pseudo-radio station, offering local music and news.
• Swikle spent two weeks teaching high-school students at a workshop this summer at Ball State University. He also attended a First Amendment workshop in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Freedom Forum and Newsweek magazine. He plans to conduct several First Amendment workshops this year for high school advisers and administrators.
• Larsen said the Herald News has seen high interest in its Open Line feature, and in guest columns from community members. The paper has gained 1,500 in circulation and is instituting performance bonuses for the newsroom in relation to editions for new circulation zones.

Next meetings: Thursday evening, Oct. 24 for dinner at Carl's Fargo in Sycamore; Fall Conference Friday, Oct. 25; regular board and committee meetings Friday, Dec. 6, at the Northern Star.

Meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m.

Minutes submitted by Jim Killam, communications coordinator, 8-9-02.

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