MINUTES

VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

March 5, 2016

The one hundred eighth meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Museum of Natural History was held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, 2016, at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, Virginia. Thirteen of the fifteen trustees participated.

Trustees Present: James Severt, Chairman Christine Baggerly, Treasurer

Janet Scheid, Secretary Makunda Abdul-Mbacke Tom Benzing Jennifer Burnett

Barry Dorsey Arthur Evans

Monica Monday Sammy Redd Gene Smith Mary Voigt Lisa Wu

Trustees Absent: Cord Cothren Tiffany Haworth

Staff Present: Joe Keiper, Executive Director Jim Beard

Denny Casey Cindy Gray

Gloria Niblett

Others Present: Smith Chaney, VMNH Foundation Board

Call to Order and Approval of Minutes

James Severt, board chairman, called the meeting to order at 10 am.

Mrs. Monday moved that the minutes of the November 14, 2015 meeting be approved as submitted. Dr. Dorsey seconded, the motion carried unanimously.

Chairman’s Report

Mr. Severt moved that Lisa Wu fill the vacant Vice-Chair seat for the remainder of the year. Dr. Benzing seconded, the motion carried unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report

Christine Baggerly, Treasurer, gave an overview of the quarterly financial report.

Research and Collections Committee Report

Monica Monday, committee chairman, presented the Research and Collections Committee report.

The Committee took the following actions:

·  Reviewed acquisitions from last quarter

·  Approved the appointment of two new Research Associates: John Happ and Joseph Aylor

·  Approved the renewal of three research associates: Arthur Evans, Dorothy Bell Poli, and William Schmachtenberg.

Executive Director’s Report

Dr. Keiper gave an overview of his written report.

·  The museum will be hosting the region’s first Science/STEM Showcase on Saturday, April 30. Third through sixth grade students will exhibit and explain their science/STEM projects.

·  VMNH received an $8,000 creativity grant from the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) for afterschool programming.

·  VMNH is partnering with the Oceanic Leadership Program to create an educational and exhibit component that will explain the science behind the JOIDES resolution. The project is being funded by NSF.

·  The museum is one year into Museum Without Walls 2015-2020. Dr. Keiper reminded everyone that MMW is a 2 plus 3-year plan. He proposed a board retreat in May 2017 to look at and re-evaluate the plan if necessary.

·  VMNH Foundation Director Jermaine Shelton, the owner of Martinsville Electronics, is putting together a package for a live “dermestid cam” in the museum’s “bug room” so VMNH Facebook visitors can see how the museum uses flesh-eating beetles to clean animal skeletons.

·  Dino Day was a success with over 2,100 in attendance.

·  VMNH received a $220,000 endowment gift from the estate of Ella Cousins Carter.

Waynesboro Facility Update

Janet Scheid presented the VMNH/Waynesboro Committee report.

·  The museum was not successful in getting State funding for the proposed interpretive facility in Waynesboro.

·  We will continue to present a positive message to the General Assembly and request funding again next year.

·  A steering committee will be formed, which may include members of the current Waynesboro Committee and City of Waynesboro officials and/or residents, to continue to advocate for the interpretive facility.

Nominating Committee

Sammy Redd presented the Nominating Committee report.

·  The Committee is soliciting names for a slate of nominees for the 2016-2017 Executive Board.

·  Nominations will also be accepted from the floor prior to the elections at the May meeting

With no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:35 am.

Respectfully submitted,

Janet Scheid James W. Severt, II

Secretary Chairman

1