AAEA Executive Board Conference Call Minutes
March 26, 2001
3 p.m. Central Time

1. Ron Knutson introduced two proposals from the Priorities and Governance Committee
   
   1. Nominating committee proposal - Ron Knutson provided background to the board members on the Priorities and Governance Committee's proposal for the restructuring of the Nominating Committee. (A copy of the proposal is appended to these minutes) The Nominating Committee's new structure is designed to expand representation of member interests on the Nominating Committee, using the mechanism of the AAEA's sections. This provides broader input in governance.
      
      1. Under the proposal, six sections will elect representatives to the Nominating Committee with six other representatives at large named by the past president.
         
      2. Discussion followed. One issue not addressed in the proposal is how sections will select their representative for the Nominating Committee. It was proposed that the sections decide individually how their representatives to the Nominating Committee will be chosen. President Gardner noted that as Past President for the coming year (2001-2002) he is prepared to implement the Priorities and Governance Committee's suggestions and contact each section president to ask for their selected representative for the Nominating Committee.
         
      3. A brief statement will be prepared for the section leaders describing in more detail the implementation procedures for the new Nominating Committee structure.
         
      4. Executive Board members expressed support of the idea as a good way to bring more members into the governance process without making a severe change to the current Association structure.
         
      5. Motion: Ron Knutson moved to adopt the proposal presented by the Priorities and Governance Committee. Seconded by Julie Caswell. Unanimous approval.
      
      
   2. Publications Council
      
      1. Ron Knutson explained that the current proposal for a Publications Council (the complete proposal is appended to these minutes) came about as a result of frank discussions during the Priorities and Governance Committee meeting in Ames during February 2001 regarding the Executive Board's involvement in the Association's publications.
         
         1. Donna Dunn contacted several associations comparable to AAEA to learn how these groups managed their publications and discovered that publication councils or publication boards are very common management tools used to oversee association publications.
            
         2. The current proposal would transfer management of all publication-related issues (problems, selection of editors, etc.) from the Executive Board to the Publications Council.
            
         3. The Publications Council chair would be an ex officio member of the Executive Board and a member of the Executive Board would be appointed as an ex officio member of the Publications Council.
            
         4. The Publications Council would have input into the formation of the publications budget that must be approved by the Executive Board and would be able to make recommendations to the Board regarding budgeting for publications and have the latitude to move monies around between publications. However, that authority would not extend to decisions involving the cancellation of existing publications or the additions of new publications.
            
         5. The Publications Council would be responsible for ensuring that each publication is operating in accordance with its published mission statement.
         
         
      2. Discussion followed. Support was expressed for the proposal, noting that the current tension between protecting the quality of the journals and expanding the association to a broader audience of agricultural economists could be alleviated with the Publications Council proposal.
         
      3. Concern was expressed about the extent of delegation of the Board's authority to the Publications Council, particularly with respect to the budget.
         
      4. The Publications Council will need to provide the Executive Board with packages of ideas rather than piecemeal suggestions.
         
      5. The Publications Council would bring a budget for the publications to the Executive Board to be considered as part of the overall AAEA budget, and more thought needs to be applied to treating each publication as an individual budget item or if funds could be moved by the Council between publications.
         
      6. Other issues regarding the selection of RAE editors and the involvement of regional associations were discussed.
         
      7. Creation of a Publications Council is a move toward a functional committee structure.
         
      8. The board was in agreement that the Publications Council could provide good things for the membership of the Association. Bruce Gardner congratulated the Priorities and Governance Committee for putting together the proposals discussed. He will put out a draft of his letter for the May/June AAEA newsletter discussing these proposals to the members of the Executive Board for their review.
   
   c. The Executive Board moved into executive session at 4:05 p.m.
   d. The Board adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

APPENDIX

March 23, 2001

TO: AAEA Board
Jean Kinsey, President Elect
Bruce Gardner, President
Donna Dunn, Executive Director

FROM: Ron Knutson: Chair, Priorities and Governance Committee

SUBJECT: Tentative Governance Recommendations Priorities and Governance Committee

The purpose of this memo is to provide you with a preliminary report on the results of our deliberations relating to the governance issues. Since these are issues that are viewed by the Committee as being of the highest priority, we feel that it is important that the Board has an opportunity to provide input. In fact, the Committee believes that these recommendations should be approved ASAP, one of which has been determined to require for submission to the membership at the Annual Meeting in Chicago. Be aware that there will be additional recommendations that will cover issues other than governance. Three subcommittees are working on product development, marketing, and Fellows nomination and selection issues. In addition, we have been working on the development of a vision statement for the Association.

Proposed Governance Changes
The following two changes in the AAEA governance are recommended to provide a structure where the Executive Board can focus on larger organizational issues and delegate publication oversight and management, facilitate the process of empowerment for Sections, improve the quality of communication through our Journal publications and reduce micro-management of the Journals by the Board

1. Change the structure and membership of the AAEA Nominating Committee to include one member from each of six Sections elected by the Section, and six at large members appointed by the Past President. The Past President would continue to serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee. The initial six Sections represented on the Nominating Committee will be in the order of the first six approved by the Executive Board as meeting the qualifications for a Section. As new sections are formed, the membership on the Nominating Committee would remain at six and be rotated among the Sections. All members of the Nominating Committee would be rotated with three-year staggered terms. Except for those currently serving out three-year terms, the initial length of term would be drawn by lottery.

The Nominating Committee would be responsible for selecting the candidates to appear on the ballot for the Executive Board including the president-elect, the Foundation Board and the Publications Council. The members of each governing body would be elected at large.

2. A six-member Publications Council, elected at large, would manage all issues related to AAEA Journal publications, currently including the AJAE, RAE, and Choices. This Publications Council would be responsive to the needs of the profession in carrying out the following functions:

1. Choose the journal editors.
   
2. Monitor the effectiveness of the publications, each according to its respective succinct mission.
   
3. Propose a publication budget to the Executive Board and manage the finances of the publications as a package within the budget allocation from the Executive Board.
   
4. Report to the Executive Board on the successes or problems with the publications, including needed strategic modifications, which would be approved by the Board as part of the budget process.
   

Members of the Publications Council would serve for three-year terms, with the initial length of term drawn by lot. Members would be eligible for re-election to one successive term and could again be re-elected after having been off the Council for three years. Upon their election, the members of the Publications Council would select their Chair and Vice Chair, subsequently, the Vice Chair ascend to the Chair, and the Council will annually elect a Vice Chair. A member of the AAEA Executive Board will be appointed by the AAEA President to serve as an ex officio member of the Publications Council. Should there be a tie vote by members of the Publications Council, the Executive Board representative would have the authority to vote to break the tie. The Publications Council's Chair would serve as an ex officio, nonvoting, member of AAEA's Executive Board. In addition to the AAEA Executive Board representative, and one editor from each Journal will serve as ex officio, nonvoting, members of the Publications Council. A Committee of the Presidents (AAEA officers) would make initial nominations to the Council. The AAEA Nominations Committee would make subsequent nominations. The three-year terms of the initial members would be staggered with the initial terms lengths being drawn by lot.

AAEA staff has determined that the Executive Board has the authority to make the proposed change in the nomination process as an Operating Policy. The Formation of the Publication Council will require changes in the Constitution for implementation.

The Committee has put, and continues to put, considerable time and effort into fulfilling its charge. In addition to meeting in Ames--enduring the usual cold, wind, ice and snow--the Committee meets monthly by conference call to review progress and make decisions on recommended courses of action. It looks forward to receiving your input.