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Community Advisory Board Minutes - December 2017

NPR Illinois Community Advisory Board Meeting
December 1, 2017

11:30 AM Call to order
Welcome - Bethany Jaeger, chair

Roll call

Attendees: 

 

 

222 North LaSalle Street, Chicago

  • John Carpenter
  • Robert Christie
  • Kathleen Dunn
  • Randy Eccles
  • Robert Gallo
  • Bethany Jaeger
  • David Kohn
  • George Van Dusen

300 West Edwards Street, Springfield (conference video)

  • Sean Crawford
  • Eric Hadley-Ives
  • Mary Hansen
  • Megan Pressnall
  • David Racine
  • Kent Redfield
  • Dick Schuldt
  • Karen Witter
  • Deanie Brown

Phone

  • Adam Porter
  • Corrine Wood

Absent

  • Cindy Canary
  • Jon Davis
  • Graham Grady
  • Alden Loury
  • Brad McMillan
  • Laurence Msall
  • Blake Roderick
  • Chuck Scholz

Old Business

  1. The advisory board agreed that a meeting summary generated soon after each advisory board meeting will help each member, including those who were unable to attend a meeting, stay informed and engaged between meetings. Adam Porter and George Van Dusen volunteered to take notes and help generate summaries of each advisory board meeting.
  2. The advisory board adopted the Community Advisory Board Expectations as revised 9/1/2017. (See Attachment 1 to this summary.) The advisory board will review the expectations annually to make any necessary adjustments for clarity or feasibility.

Nominating Committee

  1. The Nominating Committee consists of Rob Christie, chair, Randy Eccles, Bethany Jaeger, Adam Porter and Megan Pressnall.
  2. The committee conducted an audit of current board composition to identify any gaps in representation.
  3. The committee and advisory board will focus efforts on diversifying advisory board representation and build relationships with communities that can help expand the pool of candidates each year going forward. One suggestion was to solicit nominations on air, if not already doing so.
  4. Advisory board members are asked to submit to Rob Christie by January 12, 2018 resumes of any individuals they would like to nominate. The Nominating Committee will aim to nominate a slate of candidates at the advisory board’s March 2, 2018 meeting.

NPR Illinois Update

  1. NPR Illinois hired Nice Bogdanovich as the new development director. She proposed the concept of the advisory board establishing a “board match fund” as an incentive for new public radio members to donate and double their gifts.
    a. The advisory board would need to consider the size of such a fund, which could be established on an annual basis, and the scope of the match (i.e., 1:1 or 1:2).
    b. The Spring 2018 fund drive could be a potential starting date.
  2. NPR Illinois has a $3.5 million goal for contributing toward the University of Illinois system’s $45 million capital campaign. NPR Illinois helps the University of Illinois Springfield meet its requirements for serving the “public good.” Expanded Statehouse coverage may be a good target for fundraising appeals.
  3. The NPR Illinois in partnership with AARP Illinois produced a listening tour spanning 11 public radio markets in Illinois. The tour grew out of NPR Illinois’ Past Due project to help explain the state budget impasse and its effects. Work is underway on another version for 2018, potentially including forums on local issues during an election year.
    a. The forums provide an opportunity to consider, “What issue, if resolved, could help Illinois be solvent and a good place to live?”
    b. The advisory board identified K-12 education, higher education, tax reform, population loss, quality of life, equity issues, government reforms such as term limits and redistricting, environment and economic development.
    c. Erosion of the public’s confidence in state government affects quality of life issues throughout the state and may create a disincentive for public service.
  4. NPR Illinois is also focusing on how to improve media literacy and civic education.
    a. First phase: PodCamp in summer 2018 designed for middle-school students to practice reporting and developing audio (example: This I Believe essay contest)
    b. Second phase: Pod 101 in fall 2018 to partner with high school journalism programs
    c. Third phase: Pod U tin 2018 to train adults in community journalism
    d. The Advisory Board may be able to help support each of those civic education/media literacy programs, including the next iteration of the 12-year running “This I Believe” essay contest for high school students.
  5. NPR Illinois hired an external consultant with public radio expertise to review and suggest ways to enhance the organization’s news capacity and journalism functions.

Discussion of Select Story Ideas

  1. The chair will seek and compile all story ideas in advance of each quarterly advisory board meeting, allowing NPR Illinois staff to review and discuss them and present specific topics for advisory board discussion at each meeting.
  2. Story ideas suggested by advisory board members before or at the December 1, 2017 meeting are included as Attachment 3 to this meeting summary.

Next Steps and Responsibilities

  1. Submit resumes of nominees to Rob Christie by January 12, 2018.
  2. For the March 2, 2018 advisory board meeting:
    a. Nice Bogdanovich prepare to present to the advisory board at the March 2 meeting a full concept of a “board match fund,” including the fund size, match and start date, as well as how it has worked in other public radio markets.
    b. Randy and team can provide summary information about the PodCamp/101/U programs. Discussion at the March meeting can include how the advisory board can support the efforts through business underwriting or other methods.
  3. The next advisory board meeting is scheduled for the following:
    Friday, March 2, 2018
    11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in Springfield with videoconferencing options
    AARP Illinois Chicago office, 222 N. Lasalle Street
    AARP Illinois’ Legislative Office, 300 West Edwards Street
    (Videoconference access information will be provided in advance.)
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