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Genetic Toxicology Association (GTA)
Minutes of the Winter Board of Directors Meeting
BioReliance, Rockville, MD
January 15, 2008
Meeting commenced at 9:00 a.m.





Attending Board Members: Matt Cowlen (Chair), Patricia Escobar, Magnus Evertson (Secretary),Jiaqin Yao, Jane Clarke (new board member)

Board Members Participating by Phone: Krista Dobo (Newsletter Editor), Maria Donner (Membership Chair),Warren Ku

Attending Committee Members:

Other Participants: N/A



Minutes from Fall Board Meeting

Presenter:  Magnus

Discussion:  The fall 2007 meeting minutes were reviewed and approved by the Board of Director members.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items: Fall minutes finalized and approved by the Board.
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Treasurer’s Report

Presenter:  Leon

Discussion: Not discussed.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items: N/A

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Membership Report

Presenter: Maria

Discussion: Maria updated on the membership list pointing out that it includes previous and one time members. Membership dues will be mailed in letters as in previous years. For clarification it was mentioned that Memberships are due on January 1 every year.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items: N/A

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Web Site Report

Presenter: Matt

Discussion: Matt updated the Board:
  1. Wendy Anders is now in effect as the new Webmaster.
  2. Web site updates completed at the time of the board meeting:
         - Added correct header logo. (jpg)
         - 2008 meeting program has been added as a PDF
         - Corrected Board member list
         - Corrected abstract list
         - Meeting minutes were updated on the website
  3. Krista mentioned that the previous abstracts were available in the past. (John Redburn was focusing on current content. John may not have pulled historical web-data from the EMS website). The EMS website used to contain abstracts, membership, previous agendas. It was suggested the Board should contact Dan Benz to find details regarding historical files.
  4. Board Discussion:The Board discussed how the organization is going to archive old electronic forms. It was suggested electronic files are to be stored on the FTP site and a portable hard-drive to be used as a back-up.
    Email from GTA website should go to the Secretary.
    Email links: contact and membership application links
    Board Member email links will remain on the Website.
  5. Issues to work out:
         - links to member profile not functional. Articles written up in the newsletter used to be
           added to the member profile. Dan Benz had archived a member profile where a particular
           member had a blurb from newsletter.
         -directory of member profile: should contact list be protected or public (log in for members
           only).
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
  3. Board to give Wendy abstracts from pre-spring 2006.
  4. Board approved Magnus to purchase a portable hard-drive.
  5. Each Board member to go through the Website and provide comments. Comments due by 2/18/08.

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Newsletter Report

Presenter: Krista

Discussion: Krista pointed out that the Newsletter primarily is about the meeting. She suggested we have one newsletter later in spring 2008 once a good draft of the Fall meeting is available. The Spring newsletter should also include abstract deadlines, vendors etc.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items: Newsletter Timing:
Newsletter spring: early March - actual April
Fall newsletter: early August.
Deadline 2 wks prior to mailing ~2/15/08
Patricia to send Krista the word file for the EMS brochure.

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Meeting Evaluations

Presenter: Jiaqin

Discussion: 13 evaluation sheets were received.
     - Networking opportunities and discussions after talks important
     - The survey indicated topic important for deciding to go to meeting
     - 2 day meeting could impact technicians from labs to attend
Ofelia suggested we hand out chocolate as an incentive for people to fill out the form.
Email distribution list to announce agenda etc.

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
Jiaqin/Maria to work with Dan Levy to create email distribution list. - not needed
Board to help Jiaqin with creating the new survey form. - moved to Spring

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Student Outreach

Presenter: Patricia/Ofelia

Discussion: Ofelia suggested using old modus operandi of Board to contact investigators for nominees and abstracts based on EMS abstracts.

[Side discussion: Sponsorship levels - booth, session, general. Magnus suggested sponsorship to student presenting abstracts at the meeting. Brinda suggested contacting Howard Hughes for sending students.
The number of abstracts presented at the meeting will determine how the networking b'fast is organized?
Student posters: sponsored by GTA (~750)
General posters not sponsored
Cash award: to the best poster period
Krista discussed previous discussion on changing the GTA meeting as a pre-meeting to SOT. The discussion was based on frustration on emerging science in practice leaving the applied genetic toxicology science behind. The idea is to link up with SOT on a national level. Matt mentioned the possibility of a one day or half day meeting that is very focused in specific topics. This would then serve as a pre-meeting promote a more complete fall meeting. Krista, Matt, Brinda, Jiaqin, Patricia, Jane to meet at SOT 2008 with the purpose to establish SOT official contacts.
Brinda: Mentioned Kristen Mitchell as a potential contact for attracting students and abstracts for the GTA meetings.
End Side discussion]

Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
Action:  Ofelia and Patricia to create a letter for the travel award.
Patricia will coordinate the poster session.
The board agreed to sponsor 4 students for posters. Board agrees to also have a poster cash award. Matt to contact Leon about the budget on the travel award/cash award.

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New Business

Discussion:

  1. Contracts with Clayton Hall and Marriott (Leon)
  2. Meeting budget (Leon)
  3. Vendors/Sponsors (Brinda, Krista)
  4. Scientific program (session organizers): Early registration = $225, after Aug 15 = $275. See schedule notes. Send official invitation letter via email in mid-Feb. Warren suggested we get confirmation on speakers and then we send out the official letter with all travel details etc.
  5. Excellence in Science Award (Matt)
  6. GTA - EMS effort: GTA (perhaps with GEMS) effort to impact the EMS annual meeting program. Maria is asking what is happening with this effort (GEMS cooperation). Warren suggested the Board bring this topic up at the Fall business meeting with the members. What would be the members' thoughts regarding our relationship with EMS. Warren continued the discussion with if GTA is to expand in philosophy to a more national level organization, then teaming up with SOT would be one possibility to reach that goal. Warren's asked where do we want to take the organization?
  7. A discussion regarding the 2009 Scientific meeting(s) was initiated: Will GTA hold a 1-day or 2-day meeting in 2009?
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
  1. Action: Matt to contact Leon regarding status.
  2. Action: Leon to report what money is needed up front for the meeting. How much is available of the funds not tied up.
  3. Action: Matt to draft the 2008 letter.
  4. Action: Brinda will work on the draft agenda form to be sent out in the confirmation email. Patricia and Magnus to draft a small email template for the initial confirmation notification.
  5. Action: N/A
  6. Action: Matt to ask Ofelia regarding EMS and GEMS

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Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 2:30 pm.

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