Minutes of the Business Meeting of the Environmental Perception and Behavioral Geography Specialty Group at the AAG Meetings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 15, 2004.
1. Meeting brought to order and welcome to all by current SG Chair Scott Bell. Approximately 9 people were in attendance.
2. Motion made/seconded to approve the minutes of the EP&BGSG business meeting in New Orleans. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Jon Malinowski, Academic Director, presented Lianne Fisman the 2004 Saarinen Student Paper Prize for her entry, “The Effects of Local Learning on Environmental Awareness in Children: An Empirical Investigation.” Ms. Fisman is doing graduate work at MIT in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She wins $200 for outstanding student paper plus a $125 student travel grant to help defray costs of attending the Philadelphia meetings. In addition, two other Travel Grants of $125 each were awarded to Brian King (Dept of Geography, University of Colorado) and Maurizio Antoninetti (Dept of Geography, San Diego State University).
4. S. Bell reported to the members on the annual AAG SG Chairs (Lisa DeChano attended in his place and briefed him).
• As an SG, we are entitled to have our Saarinen Paper Prize winner recognized at the annual AAG Awards Banquet. It was unanimously recommended by those in attendance that we should immediately allot the $40 banquet fee to Lianne Fisman, and a check was cut on the spot by Treasurer Randy Bertolas and given to Lianne for that purpose. It was also recommended that the EP&BGSG Chair should also attend the Awards Banquet each year as well, although most of those in attendance at the Business Meeting felt that the SG Chair should pay their own way.
• The AAG administration has voiced some concerns about the viability of certain (unnamed) Specialty Groups. It was pointed out by those in attendance at the Business Meeting that the EP&BGSG has numerous sponsored sessions, an annual award competition, and an active membership.
• Some SGs are concerned about not having their sponsored sessions approved. This is not a factor with the EP&BGSG as we apparently never sponsor more than a reasonable number of sessions. In Philadelphia, our SG had four (4) sponsored sessions approved for the convention.
5. Elections. With the change in Chair/Vice-chair terms now extended to two years each (decided at the 2001 New York EP&BGSG business meeting), both positions came open this year. Lisa DeChano moves from Vice-Chair to Chair. Scott Bell nominated David Stea to be Vice-Chair, and David was elected by acclamation. Lianne Fisman won an onsite ballot to become Student Director. Scott Freundschuh agreed to serve one year as an Academic Director. David Lemberg ran unopposed for a two-year term as our other Academic Director. Jon Malinowski agreed to take over as SG Secretary/Treasurer/Newsletter Editor from Randy Bertolas who retired from that position after ten years.
Next year, nominations will be needed for a two-year Academic Director’s position, as well as a new Student Director. Members were urged to consider being more active within the SG by standing for election and serving as an officer. The 2004-05 slate of officers who will serve in the EP&BGSG is listed below. In the next year, please feel free to nominate yourself or anyone you believe qualified for the positions listed above that will come up for election.
1. Meeting brought to order and welcome to all by current SG Chair Scott Bell. Approximately 9 people were in attendance.
2. Motion made/seconded to approve the minutes of the EP&BGSG business meeting in New Orleans. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Jon Malinowski, Academic Director, presented Lianne Fisman the 2004 Saarinen Student Paper Prize for her entry, “The Effects of Local Learning on Environmental Awareness in Children: An Empirical Investigation.” Ms. Fisman is doing graduate work at MIT in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She wins $200 for outstanding student paper plus a $125 student travel grant to help defray costs of attending the Philadelphia meetings. In addition, two other Travel Grants of $125 each were awarded to Brian King (Dept of Geography, University of Colorado) and Maurizio Antoninetti (Dept of Geography, San Diego State University).
4. S. Bell reported to the members on the annual AAG SG Chairs (Lisa DeChano attended in his place and briefed him).
• As an SG, we are entitled to have our Saarinen Paper Prize winner recognized at the annual AAG Awards Banquet. It was unanimously recommended by those in attendance that we should immediately allot the $40 banquet fee to Lianne Fisman, and a check was cut on the spot by Treasurer Randy Bertolas and given to Lianne for that purpose. It was also recommended that the EP&BGSG Chair should also attend the Awards Banquet each year as well, although most of those in attendance at the Business Meeting felt that the SG Chair should pay their own way.
• The AAG administration has voiced some concerns about the viability of certain (unnamed) Specialty Groups. It was pointed out by those in attendance at the Business Meeting that the EP&BGSG has numerous sponsored sessions, an annual award competition, and an active membership.
• Some SGs are concerned about not having their sponsored sessions approved. This is not a factor with the EP&BGSG as we apparently never sponsor more than a reasonable number of sessions. In Philadelphia, our SG had four (4) sponsored sessions approved for the convention.
5. Elections. With the change in Chair/Vice-chair terms now extended to two years each (decided at the 2001 New York EP&BGSG business meeting), both positions came open this year. Lisa DeChano moves from Vice-Chair to Chair. Scott Bell nominated David Stea to be Vice-Chair, and David was elected by acclamation. Lianne Fisman won an onsite ballot to become Student Director. Scott Freundschuh agreed to serve one year as an Academic Director. David Lemberg ran unopposed for a two-year term as our other Academic Director. Jon Malinowski agreed to take over as SG Secretary/Treasurer/Newsletter Editor from Randy Bertolas who retired from that position after ten years.
Next year, nominations will be needed for a two-year Academic Director’s position, as well as a new Student Director. Members were urged to consider being more active within the SG by standing for election and serving as an officer. The 2004-05 slate of officers who will serve in the EP&BGSG is listed below. In the next year, please feel free to nominate yourself or anyone you believe qualified for the positions listed above that will come up for election.
Past Chair Scott Bell, University of Saskatchewan
Chair Lisa DeChano, Western Michigan University
Vice-Chair David Stea, Texas State University
Secretary/Treasurer Jon Malinowski, United States Military Academy
Academic Director David Lemberg, Western Michigan University
Academic Director Scott Freundschuh, Univ of Minnesota-Duluth
Student Director Lianne Fisman, MIT
6. Randy Bertolas delivered the treasurer’s report:
2003-04 EP&BGSG Financial Report
Balance (March 07, 2003) $1359.77
Income from Dues (2003-04) + $ 476.75
$1836.52
Expenses (FY 2003-04)
• Newsletter (February 2004)
Printing -$ 47.60
Postage (mailed March 3, 2004) -$ 146.70
• Saarinen Award (March 2004)
SG Student Paper Prize -$ 200.00
SG Awards Banquet Ticket -$ 40.00
SG Student Travel Grants -$ 375.00 (3 @ $125 ea.)
Debit -$ 809.30
New Balance (March 25, 2004) $1027.22
7. New Business. It was decided that Saarinen Competition Travel Grants would go back down to $85/year to help facilitate the cost of student participation at the annual convention.
No further business. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Randy Bertolas, EP&BGSG Secretary/Treasurer/Newsletter Editor
No further business. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Randy Bertolas, EP&BGSG Secretary/Treasurer/Newsletter Editor
