ACSP Annual Business Meeting

Saturday, November 10, 2001

Cleveland, Ohio  

Full Member Schools present: Alabama A&M University, Arizona State University, Ball State University, California Polytechnic State University – Pomona, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, Clemson University, Cornell University, East Carolina University, Florida State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Iowa State University, Jackson State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, Morgan State University, Portland State University, Rutgers University, Saint Louis University, San Diego State University, State University of New York – Buffalo, Texas A&M University, University of Arizona, University of Albany SUNY, University of Akron, University of California – Los Angeles, University of California (Berkeley), University of Cincinnati, University of Colorado, University of Florida, University of Illinois – Chicago, University of Illinois – Champaign-Urbana, University of Kansas, University of Louisville, University of Memphis, University of Minnesota, University of New Orleans, University of North Carolina, University of Oregon, University of Pennsylvania, University of Rhode Island, University of Southern California, University of Southern Maine, University of Texas – Arlington, University of Virginia, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Wayne State University.

Affiliate Member Schools present: Eastern Kentucky University.

Member Schools not present: Auburn University, Boston University, California State University – Chico, Cleveland State University, Columbia University, Eastern Washington University, Florida Atlantic University, Hunter College of CUNY, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University, Kansas State University, Miami University, Minnesota State University – Mankato, New York University, Ohio State University, Pratt Institute, Princeton University, San Jose State University, Southwest Missouri State University, University of Alabama, University of California – Irvine, University of Delaware, University of Hawaii, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts, University of Michigan, University of Nebraska, University of New Mexico, University of Oklahoma, University of Puerto Rico, University of Tennessee, University of Texas – Austin, University of Toledo, and Washington State University.

Affiliate Member Schools not present: Appalachian State University, Eastern Michigan University, Frostburg State University, Georgia State University, New School for Social Research, Northern Arizona University, Queen’s University, Sonoma State University, Southwest Texas State University, State University College, Buffalo, University of Massachusetts – Lowell, University of Utah.

Corresponding Members Schools not present: Dalhousie University, Griffith University, McGill University, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, Queensland University of Technology, Ryerson University, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Universite de Montreal, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Guelph, University of Liverpool, University of Manitoba, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, University of Nottingham, University of Saskatchewan, University of Sheffield, University of South Australia, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Windsor, York University.

The meeting was called to order by President Stiftel at 5:45pm.

Motion: To dispense with calling of the roll.  Passed unanimously. In place of the roll call, members were asked to sign-in.

Motion: To adopt the agenda. Passed unanimously.

Vice President’s Report – Chris Silver

Vice President Silver outlined the agenda for future conferences. Next year, the ACSP conference will be held in Baltimore, Maryland during November 21-24, which is the week just prior to Thanksgiving. The conference hotel is the Wyndham Inner Harbor. The ACSP conference for 2003 will be a joint conference co-sponsored by AESOP. This conference will held in Leuven, Belgium, July 8-11. The 2004 ACSP conference will be held in Portland, Oregon. The hosts will be Portland State University and the University of Oregon. The dates and the hotel for that conference have not yet been determined. A call for expression of interest to host the ACSP conference in 2005 was sent out. Some responses were received. Review of proposals will take place in early 2002 and a decision will be made and announced at the spring Executive Committee meeting in Chicago. The Executive Committee passed a resolution stating the ACSP will work with a number of Planning School Associations to plan a second World Planning Congress to be held in 2006.

ACSP signed an agreement for a new award from the Institute for Business and Home Safety. Two awards were given this year to students who present conference papers on the nexus of natural hazards and land-use planning.

The 11^th Edition of the Guide to Undergraduate and Graduate Education was published a year ago. The Guide information is also available on the ACSP website. The next Guide, the 12^th Edition will be published next year. 

The ACSP recruitment brochures were sold out several months ago. Do the members need more of these? And if there is a need to publish more how large should the print run be: 20,000 or 40,000?  It was recommended that schools try to obtain a generic email address that can be listed in the brochure as a contact address as a means of preventing addresses from becoming out of date as chairpersons change.

President’s Report – Bruce Stiftel

There have been several new committee appointments.

Sandi Rosenbloom: Chair of the Nominations Committee.

Chuck Connerly:  Chair of the Junior Faculty Mentoring Committee.

Tom Galloway: Chair of the Site Visitors Selection Committee for the PAB.

Susan Michaeljohn: Chair of the Ritzdorf Award Committee.

Susan Roakes: Chair of the Fannie Mae Dissertation Scholarship Committee.

Roger Caves: Chairmanship of the Fannie Mae Student Travel Scholarship Committee.

Bob Deyl: Chair of the Institute of Business and Home Safety Awards Committee.

Note: Professor Ray Burby was initially named to the Home Safety Awards Committee but suggested that it would be preferable if another be appointed since most of the applicants for these Awards were from his own Department at the University of North Carolina.

Efforts are currently underway to locate a new Chair for the Diversity Committee.

As many are already aware, ACSP’s Administrative Assistant, Patricia Jackson Gleason passed away at the end of October after a valiant flight against leukemia. As a result of Pat’s illness, Sandy Stevens has stepped in to assist us with this year’s conference. As part of our contact with Gleason and Associates we engaged Donna Dodd to reconstitute our membership contact data base files. Our current membership database was over 15 years old and failed to adequately meet our needs. The new system has been established and the work has been completed. This new system should allow us to maintain better contact with our members.

Some changes have been made to the PAB accreditation document concerning the “Goals and Objectives” section. The goals and objectives should reflect both the program’s mission and the mission of the university. In the past the university was not mentioned in the goals and objectives section.

ACSP applied for and received funding for two small grants: a $3000 grant from the Fannie Mae Foundation to support the Ph.D. Workshop which took place in California this past summer and Fannie Mae offered ACSP $10,000 to help support the World Planning Congress. After contacting the people in Tongji it was decided that if the World Planning Congress lost money then the funds would go to support that loss. However, if the conference broke even, then this money would be held by ACSP as an advance for future international cooperation activities including the Second World Congress.

President Stiftel announced that the next ACSP Administrator’s conference will be held in Florida in either October or November of 2003. The timing of this event has been partially determined by the fact that the annual ACSP conference that year will be held in the summer of 2003 in Leuven, Belgium. By having the Administrator’s conference in the fall, it will allow PAB meetings to go ahead as scheduled. It can also provide an opportunity for any of the committees to meet as necessary.

ACSP held its first Ph.D. workshop August 15-18, 2001 at Catalina Island. As previously mentioned, Fannie Mae provided $3000 to support this project. The workshop was organized and chaired by Gen Giuliano. Other faculty who participated in the workshop included: Judy Innes, Susan Fainstein, and Jack Nasar. A total of 19 students participated in the workshop. The workshop was considered to be a great success by both faculty and students. The intention is to offer another workshop in 2002, however, none of the faculty who participated this year is willing to do it again next year.

Dr. Grady Bogue has resigned from the Planning Accreditation Board. He was appointed just a year ago to serve as the public member on the Board. The Tennessee University system has made new demands on him recently and as a result he has been forced to give up his PAB appointment. An offer has been made to a replacement candidate.

President Stiftel outlined the current status of ACSP. After some thorough checking we have reached the conclusion that ACSP is not now incorporated. As an unincorporated association, ACSP and its members could confront potential liability problems. After researching the issue it has been recommended by the Executive Committee and the Officers that ACSP take action to pursue incorporation.

President Stiftel outlined the substance of the meetings that were held in Shanghai, China this summer at the World Planning Congress. Six planning associations met to discuss issues of mutual interest. What developed as a result of these discussions was the creation of an affiliation of planning school associations entitled the Global Planning Educators Association Network. Also as a result of these discussions a resolution was passed. The resolution focused on the various associations’ willingness to work together to hold a second World Planning Congress in 2006. It was agreed that it would be from this Global Planning Educators Association Network that a steering committee would be formed to organize the conference.

The Executive Committee approved several Resolutions honoring ACSP members, contributors and staff who have passed away this year. The list includes: Chester Rapkin, Ian McHarg, John A. Parker, Patricia Jackson Gleason, Lochlan Blair and Richard Williams.

Secretary/Treasurer’s Report – Susan Bradbury

Secretary/Treasurer Bradbury read the summary of the minutes from the last annual Business meeting that was held in Atlanta on Saturday, November 4, 2000.

Motion: To approve the minutes as presented.  Passed unanimously.

Secretary/Treasurer Bradbury reviewed and summarized the Financial Statements and the Accountant’s Financial Review Report for fiscal year July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000 that was performed by Purvis Gray & Company. This was the second year that Purvis Gray prepared ACSP’s financial review. ACSP is now working with Purvis Gray to complete its third financial review for fiscal year July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001. ACSP has also contracted with Purvis Gray to assist us with the development of a financial record keeping system. The cost associated with the development of a record keeping system is $1500.00. However, in the long run this will actually save us money because it will simplify the financial review process considerably and reduce the costs associated with the review. In addition, to assisting us with the financial review, Purvis Gray provides us with accounting and financial advice. Purvis Gray noted, in October, that ACSP could save a considerable sum (approximately $4000-$5000) each year as a result of our non-profit status. As such we are exempt from paying sales tax on our annual conference hotel bill. These savings will basically pay for our financial services.

In addition the ACSP budget for fiscal year 2001-2002 that was approved at the Executive Committee meeting held in New Orleans on Saturday, March 10, 2001 was reviewed.

Lastly, at the spring 2001 Executive Committee meeting it was recommended that ACSP purchase professional liability and employee dishonesty insurance. After shopping around and obtaining a number of quotes, the Officers approved the purchase of a professional liability policy from the Chicago Insurance Company. The coverage purchased is for $2,000,000 per claim and $4,000,000 per aggregate. In addition the Officers agreed to purchase a package of insurance from Zurich Insurance which includes an employee dishonesty, theft and forgery policy along with general liability insurance. The coverage for the employee dishonesty insurance is $200,000 and the general liability is $2,000,000 general aggregate and $1,000,000 per occurrence. The cost associated with the insurance is as follows: professional liability insurance $2733 per year and for the employee dishonesty and general liability is $505 per year for a total of $3238.

President-elect’s Report – Wim Wiewel

President-elect Wiewel outlined his agenda and priorities for ACSP for the next two years. These priorities include: (1) increasing the visibility of the planning field and planning education within the university, among students, among other disciplines and within the world at large; (2) increasing global awareness in planning education and research; (3) renewing and increasing our efforts on diversity, broadening the definition of diversity and enhancing diversity within the field and within universities and (4) increasing collaboration within the profession that focuses on concrete issues, such as diversity, global awareness and so on.

Emily Talen from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana had been elected as the new Secretary/Treasurer. As she became aware of the responsibilities of the job Emily realized that the duties were greater than she had assumed. Emily is not only an Assistant Professor but she is also the mother of three small children. As a result, it was decided that perhaps it was best if she did not take on the position, given its demands. Tom Clark from the University of Colorado at Denver was nominated and approved at the Executive Committee meeting to replace Emily as Secretary/Treasurer. Tom has served as a member of the Finance and Investment Committee and he recently served on the Executive Committee as a regional representative.

Global Education Taskforce

Operations of the President’s Office

Pat Gleason’s recent passing means that ACSP will be looking for new staff to assist it with its annual conference organization and arrangements. Because of Pat’s illness we have had the opportunity to work with several conference organizers recently.  Wim expressed a preference to contact those individuals with whom we have worked successfully with in the past to see if they might be interested in working with ACSP in the future.

Institutional Governance Committee Report – Patty Pollak

Before entering into the discussion on the ACSP By-laws themselves Patty read the requirements under the 1990 Constitution regarding amendments. Fifty-one schools were present.  Approval of the by-laws would therefore require 27 votes--a majority plus one.

Patty then briefly reviewed the proposed by-laws and how they differed from the 1990 Constitution under which ACSP currently operates.  President Stiftel then outlined the procedure that we would follow in reviewing the proposed By-laws. He reminded members that only full member schools could vote and were limited to one vote per school. Roberts Rules of Order would be followed and a close vote would require a roll call vote.  Several questions were then asked concerning the By-laws. Patty them outlined the Institutional Committee’s proposed amendments to the Bylaws that were sent out to the schools on October 1, 2001. The proposed amendments concern the structure of the conference committee and appointment of Association staff.

Motion: To adopt the proposed By-laws as revised.  Passed without dissent.

Nominating Committee Report – Sandi Rosenbloom

Now that the new By-laws are in effect, the following positions will be up for election in the spring:

Vice President/President-elect

Western Regional Representative (1)

South Central Regional Representative (1)

North Central Regional Representative (1)

Northeastern Regional Representative (1)

Southeastern Regional Representative (1)

Nominations for these positions can be sent to either Sandi or anyone on the Nominating Committee: Genie Birch, Randy Crane or Bill Harris. A toss of a coin will determine who among the various regional representatives will be up for re-election. The election of a Secretary and a Treasurer will take place in the spring of 2003.

Installation of Officers

The new officers were formally installed: Wim Wiewel as President, Christopher Silver as Vice President, and Thomas Clark as Secretary/Treasurer. The newly elected regional representatives also were installed. These include: Phil Clay and Bill Page as Northeast regional representatives, Paul Zuick and Mulato Wubneh as Southeast regional representatives and Margie Dewar and Sanda Kaufman as the North Central regional representatives.

General Good and Welfare

Motion: to adjourn was made at 7:21pm

Respectfully submitted,

Susan L. Bradbury, ACSP Secretary/Treasurer (Outgoing)

And