I've attached the Business Meeting minutes from the last FEAST conference.
We have some important pending issues
Issue One: Elected and Appointed Positions
We have a bunch of different positions to fill. Please nominate or self-nominate for the starred positions. Please send your nominations to our new elections chair: [log in to unmask]
Positions are: (a) Member at large: Voting member on Steering Committee. Direct participant FEAST planning for conference and other decision making (3 year term)
(b) Treasurer: Creates budgets, handles funds, distributes funds (3 year term, must live in US for fiscal reasons)
(c) Chair Elect: Will become FEAST Chair on 1/1/18 until 12/31/19 and will be Chair during FEAST conference 2019.
(d) Grad Student Representative (3 year term): The Graduate Student Representative is expected to provide the organization with the graduate student perspective and is a full voting member of the steering committee. Recently, FEAST has been trying to restart the graduate student-faculty mentoring program. Once this program is installed, the graduate student representative will be responsible for managing the program and matching graduate students (who are looking for mentors on specific issues) and faculty (who are willing to serve as mentors).
(e) Diversity Chair (3 year term): Helps FEAST plan and execute diversity initiatives.
If you're involved in FEAST please do not hesitate to self-nominate for these offices.
Issue Two: Next Conference Location
We did not decide where the next FEAST would be held. Time constraints require us to choose one of the two hotels we've previously worked with.
People at this FEAST had positive things to say about the Florida location vs. the Arizona location. What people like about the Florida location was the beach, easier access to non-hotel restaurants and other leisure activities and the hotel itself. We found the hotel willing to making some physical changes to create a more accessible space for members.
What people said in favor of the Arizona location was that it is easier to fly to from the West coast, and may also be less expensive for people from the West. (This year, flights to Tampa from many Western locations were inexpensive ($300 range) for months. When fuel prices increase, this may not be true though.
Please respond to the Survey Monkey at this link to vote on location and give us conference feedback:
• $100,00+ $100 membership fee
• $70-99,000 $80
• $50-69,000 $60
• $40-59,000 $40
• $30-49,000 $20
• Student, part time, retired $10
• If you have a generous research budget or are otherwise able to pay more, we appreciate your paying the higher fee so that we can increase graduate travel grants* and have funds available to increase access for others as well.
*People are not donating in sufficient amounts to the travel fund for graduate students.
Conference fees:
• Before 8/20 / After 8/20
• Non-member: $120 /$150
• Member: $90 / $115
Student/Unemployed: $25