SoMMAlumniAcademyHomecoming Meeting

Friday, October 20, 2006, 9:00 a.m.

HavenerCenter, St. Pat’s Ballroom A

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Kent Weisenstein opened the meeting by welcoming everyone to the meeting and asked for introductions around the room.

Those attending were:

John Bartel

Hugh Barger

Jerry Bersett

Ed Goetemann

Bud Hacker

Richard Hunt

Orville Hunter

Harold Krueger

Bill Mount

Bob Nevins

Tom O’Keefe Sr

Tom O’Keefe

John Remmers

Ted Ruppert

Greg Skannal

George Taylor

Dianna Tickner

Keith Wedge

Kent Weisenstein

Marvin Zeid

Representatives of UMR:

Richard Brow, Chairman, Materials Science and Engineering

Mariesa Crow, Dean, School of Materials, Energy and Earth Resources

Samuel Frimpong, Chair, Mining and Nuclear Engineering

Connie Eggert, Vice Chancellor, University Advancement.

Linda Guyton, Administrative Asst., Dean’s Office

Robert Laudon, Chairman, Geological Sciences and Engineering

Kent Peaslee, Associate Chair, Materials Science and Engineering

Others:

Joe Straeter, Guest

Richard Straeter, Guest

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF PAST MINUTES

A motion was made by Ted Ruppert to accept the past minutes of the April 20, 2006 meeting as submitted; it was seconded by Ed Goetemann and passed unanimously.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Dean Crow entertained a motion to accept the agenda as submitted; it was seconded by Jerry Bersett and passed unanimously.

DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Joanne Zap who has been SoMEER’s development officer for several years will be leaving UMR. She has recently accepted a position at Washington University. Connie Eggert, Vice Chancellor, gave the development report. Her presentation is attached.

Dean Crow reported that as a result of university budget cuts, the development office now assesses new gifts at the rate of 5% for administration support. The following is the policy on the 5% assessment fee:

Effective July 1, 2006, all cash gifts given to UMR and the MSM-UMR Alumni Association (other than those raised by the department/program-based phonathon program) are being assessed a 5% fee. All cash gifts raised for any purpose (including scholarships) are being assessed the fee. In-kind gifts will not be assessed a "fee" since they are not cash gifts.Gifts raised through the Phonathon are not being assessed the fee since each department or program using the phonathon services pays a fee for this service based on thetotal gift revenue achieved.

SCHOOL UPDATE, DEAN’S REPORT

Dean Crow gave an overview of the State of the School. Her presentation is attached.

JACKLING REPORT

Connie Eggert reported on the return rate for the Jackling Fund. The trust is very specific on how the funds are to be invested. Connie and Perrin Roller petitioned the UM System to move it to a balance pool. The balance pool at the university is an $800M pool with a high return. They have told us that the Jackling fund which is now making 7.9%, could be moved with a letter from the Alumni Association to the balance pool which is currently yielding 13%. It was decided that a letter from Wayne Huebner, Chair of the Jackling Fund, will be sufficient to initiate the change.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE

Jerry Bersett reported that on September 6, he, Ted Ruppert, Tom O’Keefe, Ed Goetemann and Kent Weisenstein met with the SoMEER School Policy Committee (SPC). The meeting was specifically to discuss the future of the academy in the new restructured environment. The department chairmen were unanimous in their support for a single academy. They felt that the legacy of the School of Mines and Metallurgy can best be maintained through a single academy and because of the small sizes of the departments it would be impractical for each department to have their own academy. It was proposed that the responsibility for activities now performed by the Dean’s Office will be performed byeach departmental office for two years on a rotating basis.Six to eightweeks before each academy meeting, theacademy strategic planning committee will meet with the department chairs and have them suggest issues that they would like addressed by the academy.

A motion was made to remain as the School of Mines and Metallurgy Alumni Academy and to establish a Steering Committee to set the agenda before every meeting and to gather input from the department chairs. The Steering Committee will have five members, i.e., President, Steering Committee Chair, Scholarship Chair and two members-at-large. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The Steering Committee will provide a focal point for the administrative continuation of the academy. The administrative functions will be rotated between departments. A change in by-laws was discussed. The Steering Committee will report to the Executive Committee.

A motion was made and seconded that the academy account should remain in one unit and not rotate with the organization duties. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Dean Crow will determine where the accounting for the academy will be placed. The Steering Committee will still have to drive the activities of the academy.

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT

Ted Ruppert reported that the academyscholarship fund currently has approximately $70,000. That’s enough to support the academy scholars program for several more years. Presently the academymakes two awards per year, but would like to expand that to three awards in the future. This year the Scholarship Committee changed the information they are requesting from the students. Applicants are now asked to submit a statement of career goals. The objective of the Scholars Awards is to identify young people who will mature into future academy members. This additional information will provide a better opportunity to evaluate the students who are nominated.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT

Greg Skannal reported that the nominating committee needs to receive all nominations by the second week of January. He reported that the nominating committee has been requested to provide feed-back to the nominator when someone is not selected. The committee will provide the requested information.

The Academy by-laws will need to be updated when the university restructures. The Executive Committee has the responsibility to modify them and bring them to the membership for a vote. Officer elections are supposed to be held every two years, but an election has not been held in recent years. An election will be held at the April 19, 2007 meeting and the nominating committee will provide a slate of candidates to vote on.

Mr. Skannal stated that the by-laws state that only graduates that hold degrees from one of our departments may be nominated. He requested that the by-laws be modified such that anygraduate working in the area of materials, energy or earth resources be eligible for nomination.

ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR

Marvin Zeid reported that John Warner passed away on Sept. 24th. He had the honor of giving the eulogy at his funeral. John’s passing was observed by a moment of silence from the academy members.

ADJOURNMENT

Dean Crow announced that the next meeting will be Thursday, April 19, 2007. The meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.