The ICEA board of members met Friday, Sept 30 at Manchester College with the following present: Scott Borders, board member, Linda Hanson, treasurer, Laurel Smith, board member, Katharine Ings, president, and Worth Weller, ex-officio board member and editor of The Associator.

The board asked Jean Harper, from IU-East, to chair next year’s conference in Richmond. She consented, which makes her vice-president for the coming year.

Laurel Smith reported that Indiana Wesleyan in Marion might hold the conference in 2007, with Mary Brown and/or Brad Spaulding chairing, and Worth Weller reported that Indiana University Purdue University Ft. Wayne would be interested it hosting it in 2008, with Stevens Amidon and Karol Dehr chairing the event.

The board brainstormed with Jean Harper ways to improve attendance and help the event break even each year, and the following were approved:

  • Create a $55 registration fee, with those who register and pay early receiving a $10 discount.
  • Create two $50 cash prizes for graduate students, one for the best creative reading and one for the best presentation.
  • Publish the winners of the above in IU East’s online journal, Whitewater Review.
  • Add the abstracts of accepted entries to the ICEA web page, with e-mail addresses
  • Send out more notices of updates to the web page
  • Work on development a English department chair roundtable which would meet during the conference.

Linda Hanson gave a brief treasurer’s report, which indicated there is about $4,500 on hand before expenses and deposits from the Manchester College conference.

Addendum to minutes provided by Linda Hanson (10.5.2005):Scott's e-mail message before the conference noted three schools potentially in line for the next three years: 2006-IPFW, 2007-Indiana Wesleyan, 2008-Vincennes. All had question marks, however. Without anyone who could commit for IPFW, we drafted IUEast in the person of Jean Harper--a brilliant move for all concerned, I believe. Indiana Wesleyan-Marion was confirmed by Mary Brown, I believe. She was presenting and I'm sure will be back next year . . .Either she or Brad or both will be responsible for the conference there. Laurel claimed 2008 for Vincennes, so that moves IPFW to 2009. It appears location is going to take precedence over our strict alternation of private and public, but that may be okay. Do we have by-laws anywhere that specify what we do?