Genetic Toxicology Association - Winter '07 Meeting Minutes

Treasurer’s Report

Presenter: Leon

Discussion: The treasurer’s report was presented (Attached). The Fall 2006 GTA Meeting had a positive balance. Three attendees have still not paid the registration fee.

The Spring 2007 GTA Meeting is projected to have a positive budget balance as well; the increased dues and fees will increase the revenue, while the organizing cost should be approximately the same as for the Fall 2006 Meeting.

The 30-month CD is expiring on April 7, 2007. The rates will determine the renewal action.

It was discussed how to deal with members who already paid for 2007 ("old" due amounts). However, although the Board approved of the new dues on the Board Meeting on 19-OCT- 2006, it was not communicated to the membership. Therefore the dues already paid will be accepted.

The Board decided on its previous Board Meeting (18-OCT-2006) to solicit corporate sponsors for annual donations. No action has been taken, and the same questions remain as in October. Warren has contacted the EMS office for their letter to use as model for the GTA draft. It suggested that EMS corporate sponsor coordinator (R. Snyder) will be contacted.

A variety of opportunities for sponsorship of GTA exist since GTA meets biannually with many activities suitable for sponsorship. Sustainable membership would be one option as well.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:

Reminder to pay to the three participants - Leon
Note will be sent to board before 31-MAR-2007 regarding renewal of the 30-Month CD - Leon.
Contact EMS and Corporate Sponsor coordinator for letter – Warren
Draft a GTA solicitation letter (based on EMS’s) to corporate sponsors, and sent to the Board for review - Warren.
Dan Benz will be contacted regarding the history of sustainable members for GTA - Ofelia

Web Site Report

Presenter: Krista

Discussion: Web site update requested from Jonathan Redburn (webmaster) before the holidays. It is particularly important to get the new dues and fees posted., as well as updated contact information and information about the upcoming Spring Meeting.

Consistency is needed for the Web site; currently the same information appears in several places. There are also links with no associated data.

Once the Web site is revised a Board member needs to accept the task of keeping the Web site updated. Alternatively the webmaster will attend the Board meetings.

Jonathan continues as Webmaster until replacement found.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:

The website will be updated before 19-JAN-2007 – Krista (via Jonathan)
Notify Board when Web site revision is final - Krista
Review revised Web site - Board
Meeting material and Newsletter to Jonathan with deadline - Krista
Dan Levy will be contacted regarding potential interest from Noah Newman - Ofelia
Mr. Rossi at Covance will be asked if he is interested in Webmaster duties for GTA - Leon
Advertise for Webmaster on Web site and in the Newsletter - Krista
If a new Webmaster is not identified by the Spring 2007 Meeting, active recruitment needs to happen there - Board

Membership Report

Presenter: Maria

Discussion: A) Fees: About 100 members paid dues for 2006/2007.

Letter for membership dues to be resent in Newsletter in Feb ’07. Prompting membership should be a regular practice. It was noted that most members pay their membership fee in connection with meetings, not else.

B) Updating the membership list:

The format of the membership list could be simplified to an Excel spreadsheet maintaining predominantly active members.
Should the generic user name and password be distributed after updating the membership list?
Membership brochures will be printed out and brought to the Spring Meeting.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:

Include dues' letter in Newsletter - Krista
Reformat membership list - Maria
Talk with Jonathon about best way to handle user name and password - Krista.

Newsletter Report

Presenter: Krista

Discussion: Ideas for future Newsletters.

Point-Counter Point discussion between Sheila Galloway and David Jacobson-Kram on whether or not to drop in vitro mammalian cytogenetic assay from core battery could be a Newsletter item. (Approved on the Fall Board Meeting).
Person profile – see 1. above. Ron Snyder could be other person to solicitate profile from.
Newsletter need to contain information about student posters at Spring Meeting.

The Board discussed the effort versus outcome of student outreach. The response to e-mails is low (∼1%) and few students attend the meetings. It was considered worthwhile, perhaps with a focus on regional areas, and also to rise GTA awareness and visibility.

The EMS Newsletter editor has requested GTA information. Deadline for submissions is 12-JAN-2007. Ofelia was contacted; in the future Krista will continue being the contact person.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:

Tell Krista by mid-February how many Newsletters need to be printed - Maria
Material for Newsletter to Krista 16-FEB-2007 - Board; Final agenda for Spring Meeting (Ofelia and Patricia); Letter from Chair (Ofelia); Photos (Ofelia)
Labels for Newsletter to Krista by 28-FEB-2007 - Maria
Also photos to EMS Newsletter - Ofelia
Future contact with EMS Newsletter - Krista

Student Outreach

Presenter: Ofelia

Discussion: Ideas for future Newsletters.

Dan Levy will return as outside Board member for student outreach issues.
Advertisement for GTA in SOT student postdoc assembly and graduate student group

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:

Contacts with SOT - Warren