Minutes of the General Business Meeting University of North Texas, Fort Worth, TX Fall 2007 Meeting, October 19, 2007   After lunch, at 1:12 pm, TSM president Ernest Couch called the General Business meeting to order.   SPRING 2007 MINUTES   Tina Halupnik read the minutes from the Spring 2007 meeting, held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, April 12-14, 2007.  Ernest Couch asked if there were any corrections or additions.  Sandra Westmoreland moved that the minutes be accepted, Steven Halupnik seconded the motion and all were in favor.     SECRETARY REPORT   Tina Halupnik reported that we have added ten new TSM members since the last meeting – Kim Kangasniemi, a new corporate member from SEMTech Solutions, Inc., Jennifer Baggett, a new regular member from Eastfield College, and eight new student members: Carol Johnson and Sheetal Rao from Texas A & M University, Brian Goad and Travis Richardson from Eastfield College, Annie Petrie from Texas Woman’s University, Kelsey Pendley from the University of Texas at Arlington, Rachael Jones from Stephen F. Austin State University, and Kaitlyn Ballew and Jennifer Collins from West Texas A & M University.   Rachael Jones is the new Student Representative to the Executive Council.  In addition, three offices in the Executive Council are open to nominations for terms starting at the Spring 2008 meeting: President-elect, Treasurer-elect, and Program Chair-elect.    Steven Halupnik motioned to accept the Secretary report.  Bob Smith seconded the motion.  All were in favor.   TREASURER REPORT   Ann Ellis handed out a 2007 year-to-date Treasurer’s report.  She reported that she purchased a $5000 CD on the society’s behalf and that the interest will be reinvested.  The society has covered all expenses and is in good shape financially.  Robert Droleskey noted an error on the report and said that the CD amount is not an expense and needs to be moved to the assets column.   Bob Smith motioned to accept the corrected Treasurer’s Report.  Nabarun Ghosh seconded the motion and all were in favor.   PROGRAM CHAIR REPORT   Phoebe Doss reported that 36 people prereigstered for this meeting: nine vendors, eleven student members ($275), and sixteen honorary or regular members ($800).  Donations totaled $725.  Thirteen rooms were reserved at the Holiday Inn.  Banquet costs totaled $2,461.68.   There were twelve speakers on the program: seven student presenters, six of which will be competing in the Best Paper competition, two keynote speakers, and three member presenters. There were five poster presentations: two by regular members and three from students.   The next meeting, Spring 2008, will be held at the University of Texas at Austin’s Mechanical Engineering facility, April 17-19, 2008.  Paulo Ferreira will be the local contact.  The hotel location hasn’t been confirmed yet.   David Cantu-Crouch moved to accept the Program Chair’s report.  Nabarun Ghosh seconded the motion.  All were in favor.     JOURNAL EDITOR REPORT   Camelia Maier, Journal Editor, reported that the Fall 2007 journals are not available for this meeting. The printing company had internal problems beyond our control.  The journal will be mailed out as soon as it is delivered to the Secretary.  Three manuscripts were accepted for publication as well as fourteen abstracts.  In addition, the journal contains an article about Ann Rushing receiving the Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year Award from Baylor University.  The cover, provided by Jill DeVito of UT Arlington, is a SEM picture of mites inside the feathers of birds. The Fall 2007 journal contained nine advertisements.   David Cantu-Crouch motioned to accept the journal editor’s report, Ann Ellis seconded the motion, and all were in favor.   OLD BUSINESS   No old business was discussed.   NEW BUSINESS   Ernie Couch posed the question to the members present - do we want to have two meetings a year, 2-1/2 days each?  He stated that corporate sponsors have indicated that they don’t want to come to small meetings and that one strong meeting in the spring might serve the interests of the society better than two small meetings.  Many members spoke up.  Howard Arnott advocated the trying out of one meeting a year and seeing how it goes.  Camelia Maier agreed with Dr. Arnott.  Jodi Roepsch mentioned that one small meeting is worse than two small meetings a year.  If participation is lackluster at one meeting a year, people will start to forget our society.  Bob Droleskey mentioned that corporate member fees might have to be lowered if we reduce the meetings to once a year.  After spirited discussion, Steven Halupnik motioned that a ballot be presented to the members to change the bylaws -  the number of meetings a year would be changed from from two minimum meetings a year to at least one meeting a year.  The Executive Council would decide the number of meetings each year.  Bob Smith seconded the motion. All were in favor.  A bylaw change ballot will be mailed to members early next year.   Nabarun Ghosh suggested a way for the society to promote itself - school or industry website links.  Discussion by the members concluded with the agreement that all members should take on the responsibility of passing out information to their departments.   Jodi Roepsch thinks that more effort should be made to bring people in from industry.  She suggested that a committee be formed for increasing memberships.  She also urged that information about meetings needs to be distributed earlier.    The Student Travel Awards Committee made recommendations to the Executive Council, but policy has not yet been formalized.  Nabarun Ghosh informed us that, among the recommendations submitted, it was suggested that students must be members, have paid registration fees, and must be presenting at the meeting for which travel awards are requested.  The awards might include a one night stay in the hotel (double occupancy) and/or free registration.  The final decisions about the awards will be made by the Executive Council.  Discussion followed.  Phoebe Doss suggested that the students’ abstracts need to be published in the journal.  David Cantu-Crouch stated that the policy needs to be in place before the next meeting and that there should be a deadline date for requesting an award.  Payment for awards should be made after the meeting to avoid no-shows.  Ann Ellis and Jodi Roepsch both suggested that the total dollar amount of awards should be capped to a set amount.  Nabarun Ghosh said that all requests should include a letter from the student’s faculty sponsor.   Steven Halupnik made an Adobe registration form and will continue supplying it to the Program Chair.   Phoebe Doss awarded door prizes, based on tickets given out by our corporate vendors during the morning break.    Bob Droleskey motioned to adjourn the meeting.  Steven Halupnik seconded the motion.   President Ernest Couch adjourned the meeting at 2:01 pm.     Fall 2007 General Meeting Minutes respectfully submitted by Tina Halupnik, Secretary