March 2004 -- Board Meeting Summary

The USRowing Board of Directors met in Chicago on March 20th and 21st, 2004. The meeting included briefings on ethics, the National Team, sponsorship, partnerships, insurance, membership services and fundraising.  

Pending posting of minutes with additional information, the following are actions of the Board of USRowing taken in the first meeting 2004 held in Chicago on March 20th and 21st (All actions except as noted were unanimous.)

1. The 2004 budget was amended to reflect additional contributions of USOC to housing for Athens and support from the NRF for the National Team.    
2. Bank resolutions were adopted to move the Women's Endowment Fund from Merrill Lynch to Charles Schwab.
3. The Registered Regatta Task Force was appointed with the following members, charge and timeline:

1.      Tom Fuller; USRowing Board Member NW; Portland -- Chairman

2.      Bob Appleyard; Chair, Referee Commission; Lombard , IL

3.      Gary Caldwell: ECAC Commissioner; Tufts University ; Boston , MA

4.      Ron Chen; USRowing Vice-President; Berkeley Heights , NJ

5.      Christine Collins, USRowing Vice-President; Worcester , MA

6.      Jason Frisk; regatta organizer, Green Lake , Seattle , WA

7.      Clete Graham; Commodore, Schuylkill Navy; Philadelphia , PA

8.      Karen Klinger; USRowing Board Member & President, Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association; Northampton , MA

9.      Don Langford, USRowing President; Wheaton , IL

10.  Judy McMullen; Lewis & Clark College ; Portland , OR

11.  Ted Phoenix; USRowing Board Member & regatta organizer; Dumfries , VA

12.  Jody Pope; USRowing; Indianapolis , IN

13.  Fred Schoch; Head of the Charles Regatta; Boston , MA

14.  Larry Tolle; Referee Commission Member; Atlanta , GA

15.  Lee West; National Capital Area Scholastic Rowing Association; Dale City , VA

16.  Patty Wilson; USRowing Judge Referee and regatta organizer; Clinton , TN

17.  Margot Zalkind; USRowing; NorthHampton , MA

CHARGE:   Examine the current system of "registered regattas" to develop appropriate definitions and expand value for participants at all levels.  In particular examine the need for differentiation by levels or types, minimum standards, and areas of flexibility.

Timeline:   Present preliminary recommendations at the July 17/18 Board meeting, obtain feedback between July and late September, present for final adoption in early October for implementation in 2005.

4. The Membership Task Force was reconstituted with the following members and charge to report to the Board on a time frame parallel with the Registered Regatta Task Force: 

1.      Chris Ryan (Ch); At-Large Representative; Pittsburgh , PA

2.      Bebe Bryans; Midwest Region Representative; Lansing , MI  

3.      Barbara Kirch Grudt; Mid-Atlantic Region Representative; Philadelphia , PA  

4.      Evelyn Ireland ; At-Large Representative; Dallas , Texas

5.      Robert F. Kidd; Southwest Region Representative; Oakland , CA  

6.      Garrett Klugh; Male Athlete Representative; Princeton , NJ

7.      Edward A. "Ted" Phoenix ; Mid-Atlantic Region Representative; Dumfries , VA  

8.      Jean M. Reilly; Southeast Region Representative; Frisco , TX  

9.      Tessa Spillane; Northwest Region Representative; Portland , OR  

10.  Phil Sutton; Southeast Region Representative; Flowery Branch, GA

CHARGE:  In view of the recently conducted membership surveys examine the dues levels and services for all categories of membership with outreach to constituencies as needed.  In particular given the report from our insurance broker and carrier that insurance coverage could be achieved for registered regattas without organizational purchasing IF the sponsor and all participating individuals were covered by virtue of USRowing membership, examine the mandatory organizational requirement for registered regattas vs. mandatory individual membership keeping in touch with the conclusion of the Registered Regatta Task Force on levels of regattas.

5. Adopted a conflict of interest resolution to supplement existing policy.  Circulated a disclosure form that will be provided to all staff, committee members and the Board for filing by a date specified by the Ethics Committee.  Divided responsibility for review of the disclosure forms between the ED (staff) and the Ethics Committee (volunteer leaders). 
6. Denied a request from the Youth Advisory Committee to relieve the qualifying regattas for the Youth Invitational of the requirement that participating clubs be organizational members of US Rowing and referred their request to the Registered Regatta and Membership Task Force for consideration in their deliberations. 
7. Postponed consideration of the Governance Task Force White Paper to the July meeting with dissent from Ted Patton, Bebe Bryans, Christine Collins , and Nick Peterson.  Provided unanimous instruction to the Governance Task Force to develop short-term, mid-term and long-term goals for governance with a statement of the problems to be addressed in each instance.
8. Appointed the following individuals to the Youth Advisory Committee:  Rome Ventura (NW), Monica Hilcu (SW) and Guy Weaser (At-Large).
9. Elected Don Langford President, Tom Fuller Treasurer and Evelyn Ireland Secretary of USRowing for 2004.  (NOTE:  Vice-Presidents Ron Chen and Christine Collins were re-elected.)
10. Recognized Monk Terry for his term as President of USRowing
11. Reaffirmed the next meeting of the Board July 17^th & 18^th in Seattle .

Other directions of the Board without formal action:

1. Put the graphs from the presentation at the Convention regarding the budget on the web and periodically report in other communications vehicles of USRowing
2. Publish a summary of the two membership surveys conducted at the end of 2003.
3. Investigate how other NGBs with mandatory membership handle temporary or "learn to row" members.
4. Have staff circulate the list of registered regattas indicating those at which they will be present to facilitate attendance at as many regattas as possible of other representatives of USRowing. 
5. Directed the Fundraising Task Force to develop goals and long term strategy.
6. Asked the HPC to work on a long range plan for development of the National Team with emphasis on promotion of sculling after the Olympics.