JUNE 26, 2003

PHILADELPHIA, PA

 

 

The meeting was called to order by President Rochelle Tyl at 1:30 PM on Thursday, June 26, 2003

 

Council Members in attendance were: R. Tyl, President; K. Jones, Vice President; M. Tassinari, Vice President-elect; Wm. Slikker, Past President; J. Rogers, Treasurer; G. Dearlove, Secretary; J. Graham, R. Parker and P. Wier, Councilors; B. Abbott, Chair - Publications Committee; T. Chambers, Chair - Public Affairs Committee; T. Masson, Executive  Director

 

Invited Speaker -

 

Carole Kimmel presented Council a follow up relative to the National Children's Study discussed by D. Mattison at Council I.  Carole is on the Advisory Committee and pointed out that the Society has representation on many of the Committees.  Carole described how membership to the committees was determined, explained the function of the committee and clarified how the organization is set up to represent all groups (no one Society has a representative specifically for that particular group).  The goal for initiation of the study is 2005.  C. Kimmel to send written information about the program to R. Tyl.  Council then to determine how the Society might assist the program and develop some of the hypotheses to be tested.  Additional action to be suggested by R. Tyl following further review and discussions.

 

Feedback from the Annual Meeting indicated that:

 

1.     The Continuing Education and Sunrise courses were extremely well received by the membership.

 

2.     The Label Change Workshop (sponsored by the PAC) was not as successful as hoped.  More advanced direction may be required in future programs, but this was a first time effort and was wsell received by those who attended the program.  The Panel discussions should be re-organized to permit more audience participation.  The concept was supported by Council and PAC will look into the possibility of offering CME Credits in the future.  M. Tassinari will work with D. Shuey to determine what is required.

 

3.     Suggestion Box issues (summarized as More coffee available at the breaks, Coffee available at all the breaks, Coffee and possibly Continental breakfast available each morning, Posting the meeting schedule in various locations for attendee reference, Re-evaluate location - Cities are not attractive drawing places, More attention by session chairs to time limits for speakers, More emphasis on developmental exposures and less on adult studies).  The suggestions for possible symposium topics for next year were given to K. Jones for consideration.

 

4.     Exhibitor comments indicated that the location of the exhibit hall was not good.  Whenever the exhibits are on a different floor or level than the presentations, the attendance is poor.  The possibility of offering snacks or other inducements to attract member attendance into the exhibit area were discussed.

 

Special Presentation by J. Hanson -

 

Jim updated Council on the current status of affairs at NICHD.  Jim is the new Director of the new Branch.  Discussion followed regarding grant applications and funding for meetings.  Jim suggested we work together with several agencies to combine the funding (if possible) to secure a more substantial amount of funds.  To do this will require someone to be in charge of grants (R-13 awards, RFPs, etc).  Some of the grants permit funding for up to five years (R-13 to U-13 grant).  The Society needs some designated individual with responsibility for grant writing so we gain helpful hints from year to year to increase our chances of receiving full funding on these highly competitive programs.  As an example of how such an office might function, Jim mentioned that a very underutilized grant source for NIH grant holders was the minority supplement (only 1% of them are actually applied for).  Membership notification of these possibilities can occur via the Web Site (note:  Grant holders are required to have at least two years remaining on the grant in order to qualify for the increased funding.)

 

Committee Appointments

 

President Tyl presented the nominees for the Education Committee and the Nominations & Elections Committee to Council and approval was obtained.

 

The Education Committee will be comprised of M. Narotsky (Chair), S. Braddock, E. Mylchreest, J. Uriu-Adams (Secretary), G. Jahnke, M. Christian, K. Nemeth (Student Ad Hoc) and D. Shuey (Past Chair, Ad Hoc).

 

The Nominations & Elections Committee will be comprised of B. Kelman (Chair), M. O'Hara, L. Roberts, K-W Hew, T. F. X. Collins, M. A. Smith and Wm. Slikker (Past President).

 

Council and Committee Job Descriptions are to be requested from all Committee Chairs, from all Council Members and Officers.  The draft e-mails of the job descriptions (in outline and bullet format) are to be sent to Headquarters for distribution and discussion at the October Council meeting.  The suggested deadline was August 1^st.

 

Interim Council Meeting dates and duration were discussed.  October 23 and 24 were selected, with the meeting beginning at 3:00 PM on Thursday and running until 8:00 PM that evening.  Council will reconvene at 8:00 AM on Friday and adjourn by 3:00 PM.  Times selected were to facilitate flight arrival and departure of West Coast Councilors.  The meeting will be held around the Baltimore Washington International Airport so Council members can obtain the lowest airfares.  The additional time added to the Interim meeting was suggested as a possible means of reducing the workload undertaken at the Council I sessions at the annual meeting.

 

2004 Annual Meeting Discussion -

 

The Program Committee for the 2004 meeting will be composed of D. Farmer, M. Tassinari, J. Adams (NBTS), T. Chambers (OTIS), M. Narotsky (Ed Committee Chair) P. Mirkes, J. Friedman, R. Finnell, D. Juriloff (need to check spelling on this one),with J. Heindel and J. Hanson as Ad Hoc members.

 

OTIS has agreed to submit all abstracts to Teratology Society in the future in order to reduce potential scheduling conflicts at the meeting.  They have already submitted many ideas for symposia.

 

Pre-meeting workshop topics were discussed.  Time and space limitations have to be clarified by AIM before we can proceed with setting up a program and establishing room rates and registration costs.  Potential topic and funding may come from the EPA.  E. Francis and B. Kavlock to be approached regarding the potential of EPA funding a program (They would pick the topic, but input from T. Knudsen's committee would be recommended).  P. Mirkes was to follow up to see if a program with the EPA could be arranged.

 

Continuing Education Committee has discussed offering a course on Cell Signaling and focusing on two systems (with the possibility of matching the systems being covered in Part C of the Journal). 

 

IFTS activities were presented by Wm. Slikker.  M. Barr and D. Wise decided there was too little visibility with the IFTS.  They want to organize a symposium to share with other countries.  This will require more international representation and funding would be difficult to obtain.

 

Other Business

 

1.     Publication Committee has requested additional funding to cover the costs of the increased number of conference calls requisite with the new Journal format.  Council approved up to $750 for these costs.

 

2.     Publication Committee for next year would like to restructure so B. Abbott becomes the past chair, the current Vice Chair will be the new Chair and D. Hansen will become the new Vice Chair.

 

3.     P. Wier suggested that Council review the AIM contract and discuss at the October Council meeting as the contract is active through December of this year.

 

4.     Partner Societies were discussed.  Some Clinical groups have been approached about holding joint meetings in 2007.  Discussion followed and initiation of the process by planning Symposia that would overlap the two specialty areas (in conjunction with recruitment of appropriate abstracts of posters or platform presentations) was suggested.  The smaller group by group approach will be attempted and re-evaluated annually.  Groups selected and designated contacts were

á       SPER by T. Chambers

á       ACPA by M. Cunningham

á       IFPS by R. Miller

á       Pediatric Pathology  by M. Barr

 

1.     Membership Committee concerns regarding definition of Student/Full Member.  R. Parker to form Ad Hoc subcommittee to redefine membership categories.  The issues of increasing student participation were discussed, in addition to those of retaining students as full members after they graduate.

 

2.     Exhibitor concerns were discussed.  Council determined that the policy of one exhibitor registration for the meeting would come with each exhibit registration.  AIM will send the exhibitors a letter requesting their input prior to the next annual meeting.

 

3.     Annual meeting guidelines (planning, funding, expenses): two sets of suggestions will be distributed electronically and discussed at the October meeting.

 

4.     PAC position statement on the importance of smoking cessation during pregnancy was distributed and Council will provide and suggested changes to J. Adams (copies to T. Chambers) by July 15.

   

á       Meeting adjourned 4:25 PM