Minutes

The Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators
A State Unit of the Association of Teacher Educators
and The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

PAC-TE Board of Directors
October 26, 2011

Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by President Savitz at 10:39 a.m.

MINUTES
The minutes of the September 16, 2011, Board of Directors Meeting were approved unanimously.

Motion -- Kathy Ruthkosky
Second -- Jay Hertzog

REPORTS
(All reports may be accessed by consulting the PAC-TE Web site at www.pac-te.org.)
President’s Report
The President’s Report was offered by President Fred Savitz.
In addition to the material highlighted in the written report, Fred reported that, as requested at the September 16, 2011, Board of Director’s meeting, he has contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Education many times to request clarification of the August 5 PDE Weekly Email indicating that agencies other than baccalaureate degree-granting institutions in Pennsylvania are empowered to prepare and recommend candidates for teacher certification, asking how such agencies will be held to the same rigorous standards for program approval as are institutions of higher education, with no response forthcoming to date. His next step will be to speak to this issue during the public comment period at the next Higher Education Council portion of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education meeting. Kevin Zook asked to see Fred’s comments prior to testimony.
Executive Director’s Report
The Executive Director’s Report was offered by Executive Director Linda Cook. She reported that over 250 individuals have registered for the 2011 Teacher Education Assembly, that beliefs documents are available in quantity at the registration desk, and that membership numbers are at – 74 institutional members, 99 individual members and 312 institutional member representatives. She also reported that time has not enabled further study of the factors involved in the development of the PAC-TE Web site to include credit card acceptance and Web-based forms. Kevin Zook suggested that a consultant might be of help in making these decisions.
Treasurer’s Report
The Year-to-Date Association Account was approved unanimously as presented.

Motion – Jay Hertzog
Second - Jim Nolan
The Year-to-Date Conference Account was approved unanimously as presented.

Motion – Tammy Feil
Second – Bob King
In response to a question, Rick explained that outgoing directors are given the choice of a plaque or a $50 investment in a charity of their choice.
Rick reported that before the next meeting he will need to rollover or reinvest the funds in the PAC-TE Certificate of Deposit.
He also reported that after he filed IRS Form 990-EZ for 2009-2010, a communication was received from the IRS that PAC-TE owed federal income tax and a penalty. After several phone calls clarifying that the PAC-TE Form 990-EZ has been accepted, but that PAC-TE was kicked out of the system because the IRS has no record of our association, he sent a letter to the IRS explaining our situation. PAC-TE, at the PAC-TE headquarters address, has since received notice of relief of the penalty. We are, though, required to apply for federal tax exempt status. Rick and Linda are in the process of filing IRS Form 1023, an application for 501 c 3 federal tax exempt status, and of completing the 2010-2011 Form 990-EZ and Schedule A. Extensive consultation of instructions has been necessary in determining the proper responses to questions on the forms. Rick also reported that PNC Bank will not work with us to accept credit card payments until we obtain 501 c 3 status.
Connie Nichols expressed thanks to Rick and Linda for their work on these important financial matters.
OLD BUSINESS
A. Annual General Business Meeting
A motion to approve the agenda of the upcoming October 27, 2011, Annual General Business Meeting, as presented in writing by the Executive Director, was approved unanimously.

Motion – Kathy Ruthkosky
Second – Bernard Badiali

Bob King expressed his appreciation of the organization of the materials for the general sessions and meetings at the Teacher Education Assembly.
B. Teacher Education Assembly 2011
Executive Director Linda Cook reviewed plans and materials for the Teacher Education Assembly. She provided directors with a tentative agenda and materials for the Institution-Alike Sessions on Friday morning.
Directors scheduled their attendance at the three PDE sessions so as to be prepared to discuss issues from these sessions at the Institution-Alike sessions. Jay Hertzog brought up and directors discussed the concern that there will not be student teachers in schools.
C. Teacher Education Assembly 2012
Executive Director Linda Cook reported that, as per instruction by the Board of Directors, she has signed contracts with the Best Western Premier the Central in Harrisburg as the site for the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Teacher Education Assemblies. Dates and site will be announced in a date-saver in Annual General Business Meeting packets and referred to by 2012 TEA Chair Alison Rutter in her report at the business meeting.
COMMITTEE UPDATES

Awards Committee
Kathleen Ruthkosky, Past President and Committee Chair, announced that the Awards Committee has reviewed all applications and will be awarding the 2011 Teacher Educator of the Year Award at the Teacher Education Assembly Wednesday evening awards banquet this evening. Cash awards to charities of their choice have been made on behalf of outgoing Board members John Butzow, Jacqueline Edmondson, Linda Norris and Lewis Strouse in honor of their three years of service as directors. The Friend of Education Award will be presented to John Tarka at Friday morning’s general session. Kathy thanked committee members Keith Dils, Marianne Hazel, and Bob King for their committee work.

Nominations and Elections Committee
Kathleen Ruthkosky, Past President and Committee Chair, reported that candidate information is in conference packets, thanked all who are running for office, and reported that very few absentee ballots were received, including some without a name on the outer envelope. Polls will be open from 8:00 – 5:00 tomorrow, Thursday, October 27, 2011, at the Teacher Education Assembly. Election winners will be announced at the final general session on Friday morning and in NewsNotes and will begin serving on July 1, 2012. President Savitz thanked Kathy for conducting elections and chairing the Awards Committee for the past two years.

Spring Conference 2012
President-Elect and Committee Chair Jay Hertzog reported that he met this morning with Spring Conference Committee members Frances Boyd, Tammy Feil, Fred Savitz, and Sally Winterton. The conference will be held at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. The theme for the spring conference will be “Collaboration.” Dr. Francis Michelini, Chair of the PA State Board of Education Higher Education Council, and Amy Morton, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be invited to provide the morning keynote session at 9:00 a.m. Three afternoon breakout sessions at 1:00, each repeated at 2:00, will include a PAC-TE/PASCD joint panel discussing Excellence in Teacher Preparation K-16 and Beyond, Sally Winterton and John Hartman from West Chester University on “Early Field Placement, the Ultimate P-16 Collaborative,” and an NCATE/TEAC/CAEP accreditation program.
As requested by the committee, a motion to award door prizes of $100, $50, and $25 Amazon gift cards to be drawn at the end of the conference, awarded only if still in attendance, was approved unanimously.

Motion – Jay Hertzog
Second – Kathy Ruthkosky
Kevin Zook asked that the NCATE/TEAC/CAEP session not be advertised in such a way to imply PAC-TE endorsement of one or more of these accreditations.

Government Relations Committee
President-Elect and Committee Chair Jay Hertzog reported that the committee’s plans to discuss issues with members of the State Board of Education during the lunch break of one of their meetings, had to be canceled due to ethics concerns. The committee will meet over breakfast on Friday morning at the TEA. At tonight’s banquet he will encourage PAC-TE members to join them at that meeting for a compilation of issues important to the membership.
Executive Director Linda Cook reminded the committee that they currently have a maximum of $1500 budgeted for 2011-2012 Government Relations activities. Also, she will further research the parameters within which PAC-TE must conduct lobbying activities and still maintain tax exempt status.

NEW BUSINESS
A. Conflict of Interest Policy
Executive Director Linda Cook provided directors with a draft conflict of interest policy, as highly recommended in order to receive federal tax exempt status. A motion to approve the conflict of interest policy presented by the Executive Director was approved unanimously as presented.

Motion -- Jay Hertzog
Second – Carla Claycomb

Linda will forward conflict of interest forms to directors.
B. ATE Unit Award
Executive Director Linda Cook presented written material on ATE Unit Award criteria.
A motion directing that PAC-TE apply for 2011 ATE Unit Awards and reimburse Mary Dupuis’ expenses in preparing and submitting the application was approved unanimously.

Motion – Tammy Feil
Second – Connie Nichols

C. ATE 2012 Delegate Assembly Volunteers
President Fred Savitz asked for two volunteers to represent PAC-TE at the ATE Delegate Assembly from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13, 2012 at the ATE Annual Conference at the San Antonio, Texas, Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Jay Hertzog volunteered. Fred will ask Cynthia Haggard if she will also represent PAC-TE at the Delegate Assembly. Information on the conference is availalble at -- http://www.ate1.org/pubs/2012_Annual_Meetin_1.cfm.
VI. ADJOURNMENT -- The meeting adjourned at 12:48 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Linda S. Cook
Executive Director

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